Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-6

FINAL: Saint John 6, Cape Breton 8

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs let a good start go to waste on Wednesday night at Centre 200.

The Sea Dogs let a 3-1 first period lead slip away in a wild and entertaining 8-6 loss to the Cape Breton Eagles. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Sea Dogs and extended their road losing skid. Saint John remains winless away from home this season, falling to 0-4-2-1.

The Eagles took control of the game in the second period, scoring three goals on just eight shots. Nathan Larose's power play goal with 1:20 remaining in the middle frame put the Eagles up by two - a goal that felt like a bit of a back-breaker after Saint John's tying goal just prior was called off due to a kicking motion.

Saint John made a game of it in the final few minutes of the third thanks to a couple goals from Brady Burns. Cam MacDonald had a glorious chance to tie the game at 7-7 in the final minute but fired the puck into the pads of William Grimard, missing a wide open goal.

William Villeneuve was called for a hold with 45 seconds remaining with Saint John's net empty. Felix Lafrance iced the game with an even strength empty netter at 19:46, making it an 8-6 final.

Lafrance and Shawn Element both scored a pair for Cape Breton while singles came from Larose, Connor Trenholm, Ryan Francis and Jarrett Baker. Grimard made 35 stops in the win.

Along with Burns' pair, Saint John goals came from Joshua Roy (two), Leighton Carruthers and Dawson Stairs. Noah Patenaude made 26 stops in the loss.

LINEUP

Leonard - MacDonald - Bezeau

Girouard - Reynolds - Roy

Savoie - Lawrence - Burns

Stairs - Carruthers - Drover

Drapeau - Inniss

McCallum - DesRoches

Poirier - Villeneuve

Patenaude

Jones

SCRATCHES: Forwards Julian Vander Voet and Vladislav Kotkov (not yet arrived) along with defensemen Hunter Gartley, Benjamin Roode and Jan Hampl (not yet arrived).

FIRST GOAL: For just the fourth time all season, the Sea Dogs scored the game's opening goal. Saint John hadn't scored first in a game since Halloween - which was also against Cape Breton. Oddly, the Sea Dogs have scored first in all three meetings with the Eagles.

STREAK: Shawn Element's first period goal extended his point streak to 15 games. Element has recorded a point in every Eagles game this season.

FIRST GOAL: Sea Dogs forward Leighton Carruthers, a first-round pick this past June, scored his first career QMJHL goal in the first period, keeping the puck on a two-on-one and firing a wrist shot five-hole. It was also Carruthers' first career point. He added an assist in the third period.

NO GOAL: With 2:44 remaining in the second and the Sea Dogs trailing 4-3, it looked like Charles Savoie had tied the game. But after a review, it was ruled that the puck was kicked in and the Eagles remained in front. Nathan Larose scored on a power play not long after, making it 5-3.

WILD THIRD: What a wild ending this game had. The two teams combined for six goals (three each) in the third period with shots ending 20-15 in favour of Saint John. Four of the six goals came in the final seven minutes of play.

NOTES: The first penalty of the game wasn't called until 11:36 of the second period... Joshua Roy has been held pointless in just six games since February. He's been held pointless in just two games this season... Saint John won 41 of 68 faceoffs... these two meet again on Dec. 3 in Saint John... the attendance was 993.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs visits the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday at 7 p.m.