Recap: Sea Dogs win 8-3

FINAL: Saint John 8, Rimouski 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

RIMOUSKI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs made what was expected to be the most difficult game of their road trip look rather easy.

Seven different players scored in what was one of Saint John's best games of the season, defeating the Rimouski Oceanic 8-3. The Sea Dogs led 3-0 after one and were up 6-0 at one point in the second period. Two of Rimouski's goals came late in the third with the game already out of reach.

Alex Drover scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Jacob Beaulieu, Noah Reinhart, Nate Tivey, Vince Elie, Brady Burns and Alexis Cournoyer. Ventsislav Shingarov made 28 saves in the win.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Sea Dogs and was just the team's fifth road victory of the season. Saint John heads home with a 1-2-0-0 record on their three-game trip following close losses in Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau.

Saint John took advantage of a possibly fatigued Rimouski squad (they played last night at home) or perhaps a team that took the last-place Sea Dogs too lightly. 

Alexander Gaudio scored twice for Rimouski while Luke Verreault added a single. Gabriel Robert, who played the first and third periods, allowed four goals on 18 shots. Affiliate netminder Cedric Masse allowed four goals on 10 shots in the second period.

LINEUP

Burns - Reynolds - Elie

Mateiko - Cournoyer - Drover

Thifault - Burbidge - Reinhart

Laforge - Beaulieu - Benoit

Tivey - DesRoches

Akkouche - Cosman

Ianniello - Bilodeau

Shingarov

Brideau

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defensemen Vincent Despont (injury) and Jeremie Richard (healthy) along with forwards Harrison Ballard (healthy), Nathan Casey (healthy) and Pavel Simek (injury).

WELCOME BACK: In his first game back in Rimouski, former Oceanic forward Alex Drover had a strong performance, posting two goals and an assist. His first period goal was his first since rejoining the Sea Dogs. He now has two goals and four assists in four games with Saint John. Drover spent parts of two seasons in Rimouski.

Alex Drover firing a 🚀 from the blue line for his first goal since returning to the Sea Dogs! 🚨#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/nUf7Lm1ver

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 14, 2023

WEIRD GOAL: Brady Burns' second period goal, which made it 6-0, was a weird one.

Burns flips the puck over the crowd in front of the net. 🚨#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/LGlypdDwM7

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 14, 2023

ROUGH END: The game had an old school ending after Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard took a timeout late in the third with his team up 8-1. Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil was screaming at the Sea Dogs bench during the timeout. After that, there was rough stuff after nearly every whistle.

NOTES: Rimouski netminder Patrik Hamrla was listed as a healthy scratch, forcing the team to use affiliate Cedric Masse to replace Gabriel Robert, who was pulled following the first but put back in for the third... Masse was making just his second QMJHL appearance... Jacob Beaulieu's first period goal was just his second point of the season... Nate Tivey's goal went in and out of the net so quick that play continued momentarily before the officials blew the whistle... Charlie DesRoches had three assists while Peter Reynolds had two... Alex Drover had six shots... Saint John struggled in the faceoff circle again, winning just 28 of 67 draws... the Sea Dogs will finish the season with an 1-1-0-0 record against the Oceanic... attendance was 3,105.

wild mascot game going on at intermission pic.twitter.com/dwIyVqFwgU

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) January 14, 2023

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at TD Station.