Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-2

FINAL: Saint John 4, Bathurst 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

BATHURST - With four games remaining in the regular season, the Saint John Sea Dogs now have a six-point lead on the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for third spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sea Dogs extended their lead with a 4-2 road victory over the Titan on Friday at the KC Irving Regional Centre. The victory also extended Saint John's winning streak to 11 games - the longest streak of its kind in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season.

Josh Lawrence scored a shorthanded and empty net goal in the victory. Ryan Francis and Raivis Ansons also scored while Yan Kuznetsov, in his return to the lineup, picked up a pair of assists.

Thomas Couture, who also started Tuesday's big game against the Sherbrooke Phoenix, made 25 saves in the win. Couture made a few key stops in the third period when the Titan, with the game tied at 2-2, were pressing in the offensive zone.

The Titan, who were without several regulars, had goals from Joseph Henneberry and Thomas Belgarde. Jan Bednar made 30 saves in the loss. 

Despite missing several key regulars, the Titan put in a strong effort against a hot and healthy Sea Dogs team. The game was knotted at 2-2 until Ansons netted the winner at 16:12 of the third, putting in the rebound of a Cam MacDonald shot.

LINEUP

Burns - Lawrence - Dufour

Trenholm - Daoust - Francis

Ansons - MacDonald - Lessard

Picard - Reynolds - Blagden

Sevigny - Villeneuve

Kuznetsov - Poirier

Drapeau - DesRoches

Couture

Hurtubise

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Noah Patenaude (injury); defensemen Vincent Despont (healthy) and Hunter Gartley (healthy); and forwards Riley Bezeau (injury or sickness) and Jacob Chantler (healthy). Chantler was the team's final scratch.

BACK IN ACTION: Defensemen Nathan Drapeau and Yan Kuznetsov along with forward Marshall Lessard all returned from injuries and played in this game. Kuznetsov had only played in one game (April 14) since suffering his initial injury in early March.

TITAN LINEUP: While the Sea Dogs had some players return from injury, the Titan lineup was looking a little rough. Bennett MacArthur, Jacob Melanson, Riley Pitt, Dylan Andrews, Chad Arsenault, Felix Lafrance and Hendrix Lapierre all missed this game with injury or sickness.

SHORTHANDED: Josh Lawrence's second period goal was Saint John's 16th shorthanded marker of the season - a league high. Lawrence now has eight goals in the month of April.

Lawrence makes it 2-0 on the PK! 🚨#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/ou2MhB6aD3

— x - Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) April 22, 2022

SEASON SERIES: This was the ninth and final meeting of the regular season between the Sea Dogs and Titan. Saint John won five of the nine meetings, going 5-2-1-1 against Bathurst.

NOTES: The Titan honoured Guy Lafleur before game... the Titan sported their black third jerseys... attendance was 2,519 and the atmosphere was quite good. It was the third biggest crowd of the season at the KC Irving Regional Centre... the game moved real quick, taking only two hours and 14 minutes to complete...William Dufour has now been held pointless in two straight games... Ryan Francis scored his 25th goal of the season - eight of which have come this month.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Moncton tomorrow to face the Wildcats at 7 p.m.