The Sea Dogs rolled into the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet and earned a 5-1 victory over the Western Conference leading Sherbrooke Phoenix. Despite being outshot for most of the night and the Phoenix controlling the play at times, the Sea Dogs seemed calm and collected throughout.
Saint John opened the scoring and led 3-1 after one as the team continues to improve its starts. Saint John's penalty kill had a strong game and so to do its goaltending duo of Noah Patenaude - who left the game with an injury in the second period after making 35 saves - and Jonathan Lemieux, who made 12 stops in relief.
Ryan Francis, Cam MacDonald, Charlie DesRoches, Christopher Inniss and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Poirier, Peter Reynolds, William Dufour each had two assists.
Sherbrooke's offense - which entered the contest as the league leader in goals per game with an average of 4.08 - could only score once, and that came off the stick of Xavier Parent in the first period.
Goaltender Ivan Zhigalov allowed five goals on 24 shots in the loss.
The Sea Dogs have now won five straight games and conclude their road trip on Sunday in Victoriaville.
This was just the third home loss of the season for the Phoenix.
LINEUP
Reynolds - Lawrence - Dufour
Burns - Francis - Chantler
Picard - MacDonald - Savoie
Crete - Laforge - Bezeau
DesRoches - Villenueve
Poirier - Inniss
Drapeau - Despont
Patenaude
Lemieux
ROY: All eyes were on former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy in this game. He nearly scored on a power play in the first period, firing a shot off the post. He finished the game with an assist and seven shots.
STREAK: With two assists in this game, William Dufour extended his points streak to 13 games and assists streak to eight games. Sunday's game will be his last before departing for Team Canada world junior camp.
INJURY: Last Saturday Jonathan Lemieux got hurt and this Saturday Noah Patenaude became injured. Pateenaude stretched to make a save in the second period and came down awkwardly on his leg. He had to be helped off the ice by his teammates. The netminder was having a great game, allowing just one goal on 36 shots in 35:26 (he was still named the game's second star). Lemieux took over in net - his first game action since his injury a week ago.
INNISS: Christopher scored his first goal of the season and just his second as a Sea Dog in the second period, firing a point shot through traffic that fooled Ivan Zhigalov. His last goal was on March 14, 2021.
From the BLUE LINE! Christopher Inniss makes it 4-1 pic.twitter.com/nPK1KpkAgZ
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 5, 2021
NOTES: Riley Bezeau played in his first game since Nov. 17 due to an injury... Nathan Drapeau had a rare breakaway when he came out of the box in the second period... Peter Reynolds now has points in five straight games... Cam MacDonald had five shots... Olivier Picard had four hits.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Victoriaville on Sunday to face the Tigres at 5 p.m. Atlantic.
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