Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Halifax 3

DARTMOUTH - The Saint John Sea Dogs wrapped up the first portion of their 2022 pre-season schedule with a 3-2 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday.

Tomasz Szczerba and Salvatore Bucaro scored for Saint John at Dartmouth's RBC Centre. Olivier Brideau played another complete game in net, making 26 stops in the loss.

Halifax had goals from Mathieu Cataford, Reece Peitzsche and Logan Crosby. Jack Milner allowed two goals on 18 shots in the first half of the contest while Mathis Rousseau stopped all 12 shots he faced in the second half.

Saint John led 2-0 in the first period but slowly let the lead slip away. Crosby scored what proved to be the game-winner at 12:44 of the third, converting on a Saint John turnover in their own zone. Vince Elie nearly tied it in the final minute with Brideau on the bench but was robbed by the pad of Rousseau.

The Sea Dogs finish the first half of the pre-season with a 2-3-0-0 record, dropping their final three games. They return to exhibition play on Sept. 9.

LINEUP

Simek - Burbidge - Elie

Calder - Cournoyer - Mateiko

Bucaro - Akkouche - MacDonald

Szczerba - Beaulieu - O'Blenis

Tivey - Despont

Richard - Bilodeau

Gartley - Dickie

Brideau

Robinson

NOTES: Pavel Simek finished the game with seven shots - four of which came in the first period. He was robbed by Moose netminder Jack Milner early in the game... Olivier Brideau had a couple adventures playing the puck... this was the second time Brideau played a full game this pre-season... Jacob Beaulieu and Brandon Abbass dropped the gloves in the second period... Vincent Despont made his pre-season debut after returning from playing with Team Switzerland at the World Junior Hockey Championship... Hunter Gartley took back-to-back minor penalties in the first period.

REPLAY

The game can be watched in its entirety below.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads meet on Sept. 9 at Fredericton's Aitken Centre.