Markus Vidicek, Zachary L'Heureux and Elliot Desnoyers all scored in a 6:06 span to secure the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season win at the RBC Centre. The Sea Dogs looked like the better team for much of the contest, dominating puck possession at times and outshooting the Mooseheads 48-28 overall. But third period penalty troubles proved to be the difference in a game where goals were difficult to come by.
Nicholas Girouard scored Saint John's lone goal - also in the third period. Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo played the full 60 minutes for the first time this pre-season, allowing three goals on 28 shots.
Rookie netminder Mathis Rousseau stopped all 17 shots he faced in the first half of the game for Halifax. Veteran Cole McLaren allowed one goal on 30 shots in the second half of the game.
The loss drops Saint John to 1-2 this pre-season. Halifax remains perfect at 3-0.
Saint John showed off its offensince dominance at times in the first period. When the Dogs got the puck into the offensive zone, it was difficult for the Moose to get it out. It looked like a Saint John power play at times - especially when the Girouard, Josh Lawrence and Joshua Roy line was on.
Christopher Inniss nearly gave the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead on a penalty kill in the later half of the second period, firing a shot into the pads of McLaren. Saint John produced a strong penalty kill with Inniss and Lawrence controlling the puck in the defensive zone.
The Sea Dogs doubled the Mooseheads on the shot clock through two periods, 28-14.
Girouard got Saint John on the board at 6:59 of the third, poking in a rebound on a five-on-three power play.
At 12:07, Vidicek got Halifax on the board with power play marker, sliding the puck in while trying to cut through the crease.
L'Heureux put Halifax in front with a man advantage goal at 13:45, putting in a rebound. Saint John had a glorious chance to tie it up at 14:30 when they were awarded a power play, but the team was unable to get setup in the offensive zone like they had throughout the game.
Dawson Stairs took a tripping penalty at 17:15 and four seconds later Jeremie Poirier flipped the puck out of play. On the ensuing five-on-three, Desnoyers ripped a shot top corner to make it a 3-1 final.
LINEUP
Girouard - Lawrence - Roy
Savoie - Reynolds - Leonard
Stairs - MacDonald - Drover
McCluskey - Carruthers
Drapeau - McCallum
Poirier - Inniss
DesRoches - Villeneuve
Dow
Pagliarulo
Moody
DEBUT: Defenseman Sam Dow made his Sea Dogs debut after being acquired in a trade from the Moncton Wildcats on Friday. He a good scoring chance on his first shift of the game, ripping a shot high of the net on a trailer play.
NEW LINEUP: With Dow dressed, the Dogs went with seven defensemen and 11 forwards for the first time this pre-season. Carter McCluskey and Leighton Carruthers were the fourth line and were joined by Joshua Roy frequently throughout the game.
GOOD START: Saint John's goaltenders have had some rocky starts in the pre-season so far, but Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo had a strong showing in the opening frame, stopping all seven sots he faced. He became the first Sea Dog goalie to play an entire game this pre-season, allowing three goals on 28 shots.
ORR: Former Sea Dogs prospect Bobby Orr faced the team that drafted him for the first time on Saturday. The Sea Dogs traded Orr to the Mooseheads at the QMJHL Entry Draft in exchange for two draft picks. Orr wasn't overly noticeable on Saturday, recording one hit.
SHOTS: The Sea Dogs have recorded 42 or more shots on goal in each of their pre-season games so far. With 48 on Saturday, the club is averaging 46.7 shots per game. Again, it's only pre-season, but this is an encouraging sign.
NOTES: Liam Leonard, Nicholas Girouard and Jeremie Poirier each worn an 'A' on their sweater... Saint John used four forwards - Girouard, Josh Lawrence, Peter Reynolds and Joshua Roy - along with defenseman Jeremie Poirier on the team's top power play unit... rookie Leighton Carruthers saw quite a bit of time on the penalty kill... no fans were permitted to attend this game. Among the few in attendance were Sea Dogs owner Scott McCain and former head coach Danny Flynn... Jeremie Poirier had nine (!) shots while William Villeneuve had seven... defensemen Sam Dow and Kale McCallum were the only Sea Dogs to not record a shot on goal... the Sea Dogs are now 0-2 all-time at Dartmouth's RBC Centre.
REPLAY
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Mooseheads next Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. at TD Station.
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