Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-2

FINAL: Saint John 4, Moncton 2

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will enter the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs on a 15-game winning streak.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Moncton Wildcats 4-2 on Sunday afternoon at Avenir Centre, meaning Saint John will end regular season play having won their last 15 games.

Brady Burns, William Dufour, Josh Lawrence and Philippe Daoust all scored in Saint John's regular season finale. Thomas Couture made 23 saves against his old club to earn his 29th victory of the season.

Alex Mercier and Brooklyn Kalmikov scored for the Wildcats. Vincent Filion made 26 saves in the loss.

The Sea Dogs were in control for much of the game although the team's penalty kill unit was put to the test several times. Saint John led 3-0 early in the third but Moncton made a game of it, scoring twice in the final frame to make it a one-goal game. Daoust iced it with an empty net goal with 25 seconds remaining.

LINEUP

Burns - Lawrence - Dufour

Trenholm - Daoust - Francis

Bezeau - MacDonald - Blagden

Picard - Reynolds - Lessard

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 Jacob Chantler (injury), Raivis Ansons (serving one-game suspension) and Nico Laforge (healthy). The team listed 13 forwards in their lineup with Laforge the final scratch.

STREAK: The Sea Dogs end the regular season on a 15-game winning streak and a nine-game road winning streak. The 15-game streak is tied for third longest in team history, matching the 2010-11 team.

BURNS: What a goal from Brady Burns in the second period.

We'll be playing this one on repeat 👀

Burns makes it 1-0 🔥#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/QpjzP19fma

— x - Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) May 1, 2022

LAWRENCE: Josh Lawrence entered the game with 99 points on the season. He posted a goal and an assist in this game to join William Dufour as Sea Dogs players to surpass the 100-point mark this season.

Congratulations to Josh Lawrence, who hit 100 points on the season with his assist! 👏 pic.twitter.com/wzsmUTx9Ss

— x - Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) May 1, 2022

DUFOUR: William Dufour scored his 56th goal of the season in the second period, pushing him back into sole possession of the QMJHL goal scoring lead.

Lawrence ➡️ Dufour on the power play. You LOVE to see it 🤩#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/SU3OpecHMg

— x - Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) May 1, 2022

NOTES: Nicholas Blagden returned from injury... Raivis Ansons was suspended just one-game by the QMJHL for his high stick on Friday against Cape Breton. Ansons received a match penalty on the play... the Sea Dogs finish the season with a 7-2 record against the Wildcats... this was the first time the Sea Dogs have played a regular season game in May. Last year's bizarre regular season ended in mid-April... the Wildcats honoured their three overage players before the game. The trio was named the game's three stars... Brady Burns and William Dufour each had five shots... Olivier Picard had two hits... attendance was 5,667, a season high.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs will host Game 1 of their first round playoff series. That game is expected to be on Thursday night at TD Station.