Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A three-goal third period pushed the Moncton Wildcats past the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday afternoon at TD Station.

Moncton scored three times within the first 4:32 of the final frame - including two goals in a 12-second span - to carry them to a 4-1 victory on New Year's Eve.

Charles Beaudoin, Preston Lounsbury, Maxim Barbashev and Oscar Plandowski scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 24 saves in the win, holding a shutout until the final 2:05 of the game.

Olivier Brideau, making his first start on home ice, made a few huge stops in the first two periods to keep Saint John either tied or within one of Moncton. The netminder made 42 saves in the loss.

Nico Laforge scored Saint John's only goal.

The Sea Dogs had difficulty creating high quality scoring chances in this contest. Some of their best chances came on power plays but the team just couldn't finish on their opportunities, finishing 0/3 on the man advantage. Saint John's lone lone goal was a shorthanded marker late in the third.

LINEUP

Reynolds - Trenholm - Elie

Thifault - Burbidge - Mateiko

Laforge - Cournoyer - Reinhart

Simek - Beaulieu

Bilodeau - Cosman

Tracey - Akkouche

Dickie - Richard

Brideau

Shingarov

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise (healthy); defenseman Charlie DesRoches (injury), Vincent Despont (world juniors) and Nate Tivey (healthy); and forwards Brady Burns (serving the fourth game of a five-game suspension) and Tomasz Szczerba (injury).

SPICE: TD Station was decked out for Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute Act.

Sea Dogs playing at Wembley today. pic.twitter.com/H5YkEbJsYG

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) December 31, 2022

The Spice Girls cover band performed briefly before the game and again at both intermissions. Intermissions were extended to 25-minutes for the performances.

The pre-game performance from Wannabe: A Spice Girls Tribute Act pic.twitter.com/gNUkUCBvxe

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) December 31, 2022

@WannabeSGT performing Who Do You Think You Are during the first intermission. @sj_hyundai pic.twitter.com/wlUKYbiQDl

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 31, 2022

HEALTHY SCRATCH: Defenseman Nate Tivey, who has been used on Saint John's top pairing for much of the season, was a healthy scratch for the Sea Dogs. It's certainly notable given that this is trade season in the QMJHL. Tivey played on Friday in Bathurst. Goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise was also a healthy scratch for a third straight game.

BRIDEAU: Rookie netminder Olivier Brideau made his first start (and appearance) since Nov. 5. This was just his second time playing at TD Station. Despite the score, Brideau had a strong showing, making a few big stops throughout - especially during a Moncton power play in the second period just before the 'Cats opened the scoring.

BRIDEAU has been putting on a SHOW all game long for the TD Station crowd.🤯 pic.twitter.com/Q2AtB5tuYB

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 31, 2022

BIG CROWD: The attendance of 5,965 was the biggest crowd for a regular season Sea Dogs home game since March 10, 2019.

Season-high 5,965 in attendance at TD. pic.twitter.com/iwQUiKweRF

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) December 31, 2022

NOTES: Late in the first period, Moncton's Anthony Hamel took a puck to the head during a Saint John power play. He left the game and did not return... Saint John didn't record a shot on goal in the second period until there was 10:30 left in the frame... Nico Laforge wore an 'A' for Saint John... Preston Lounsbury has now scored four goals against Saint John this season... Maxim Barbashev extended his goal streak to six games... Laforge's goal was just the second shorthanded marker the Wildcats have allowed this season... the 50/50 winner took home $13,785.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at TD Station.