Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-5

FINAL: Moncton 8, Saint John 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Moncton Wildcats scored early and often in an 8-5 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday at TD Station.

The Wildcats scored just 29 seconds into the game and they continued to pile on the goals until the midway point of the second period. Saint John stormed back late in the second and early in the third, getting within a goal. Charles Beaudoin's power play marker at 13:08 of the third gave Moncton some insurance and put the game away.

The loss ended a season high three-game winning streak for Saint John, a streak that saw them allow two of fewer goals in every victory. But the loss of Charlie DesRoches and Nate Tivey - the team's top defensive pairing - seemed to be a hurdle the team could not get over in this game.

Sea Dogs goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise was pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots in the first period. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed four goals on 25 shots in relief.

Preston Lounsbury and Etienne Morin each scored twice for the Wildcats while singles came from Beaudoin, Miles Mueller, Francesco Iasenza and Nicolas Paven. Maxim Barbashev had four assists. Vincent Filion allowed five goals on 39 shots in the win.

Brady Burns, Danny Akkouche, Cam MacDonald, Eriks Mateiko and Alexis Cournoyer scored for Saint John. 

LINEUP

Burns - Trenholm - Elie

Simek - MacDonald - Reinhart

Szczerba - Mateiko - Cournoyer

Laforge - Burbidge - Beaulieu

Bilodeau - Cosman

Akkouche - Despont

Welsh - Tracey

Hurtubise

Shingarov

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Olivier Brideau (healthy); defensemen Charlie DesRoches (injury), Jeremie Richard (injury), Nate Tivey (serving one-game suspension) and Ian Dickie (healthy); and forwards Peter Reynolds (injury) and Sam-Luca Thifault (injury).

BIG LOSS: The Sea Dogs were missing their top defense pairing for this game. Charlie DesRoches was injured in the first period of Wednesday's game while Nate Tivey was handed a match penalty for high sticking in the third period, which comes with an automatic one-game suspension.

TEDDY BEARS: It was Teddy Bear Toss Night at TD Station and Brady Burns' goal at 12:57 of the first period made it rain.

Release the teddy bears @bradyburns20! 🧸 pic.twitter.com/icfjvwTyx2

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 9, 2022

FIRST GOAL: Forward Danny Akkouche, who has been used as a defenseman all season, scored his first QMJHL goal in the second period.

Top corner through traffic, his FIRST QMJHL goal! 🚨

Congratulations Danny! #CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/5ULvS0Nj7j

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 10, 2022

NOTES: Wildcats defenseman Natan Grenier, who the Sea Dogs traded to Moncton in the Philippe Daoust deal in January, was out with an injury... Cam MacDonald had a goal and two assists... MacDonald had seven shots... MacDonald was used as a defenseman at times in the third period... the Wildcats improved to 4-0-0-0 against the Sea Dogs this season... attendance was 2,634.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.