Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4

FINAL: Saint John 5, Val-d'Or 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

VAL-D'OR, QC - Pavel Simek scored with 2:30 remaining in regulation time to lift the Saint John Sea Dogs to a 5-4 win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Wednesday.

Simek, on a breakaway, beat Foreurs netminder William Blackburn with a vintage Jonathan Huberdeau deke to his forehand to break a 4-4 tie. Val-d'Or pressed for a tying goal in the final couple minutes but could not connect.

Saint John led 3-0 and 4-2 at times but allowed Val-d'Or to get back in the game. The Foreurs scored two goals in the first 6:25 of the third period to tie things up - a tie that was ultimately broken by Simek's game-winner.

Saint John's import players had quite a performance in this content. Along with a goal and three assists from Simek, Eriks Mateiko netted a hat trick. Noah Reinhart scored Saint John's other goal while Ventsislav Shingarov made 32 saves in the win.

Vincent Fredette, David Doucet, Nathan Drapeau and Thomas Larouche scored for Val-d'Or. Blackburn made 24 saves in the loss.

Saint John has now won four straight games. They continue their three-game Quebec road trip tomorrow night in Rouyn-Noranda.

LINEUP

Burns - Burbidge - Reinhart

Simek - Mateiko - Elie

Laforge - Cournoyer - Drover

Thifault - Beaulieu

Tivey - DesRoches

Akkouche - Cosman

Ianniello - Bilodeau

Despont

Shingarov

Brideau

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defenseman Jeremie Richard (healthy) and forwards Peter Reynolds (injury), Harrison Ballard (healthy), Luka Benoit (healthy) and Nathan Casey (injury).

MATEIKO HOT: Eriks Mateiko scored his first career QMJHL hat trick to extend his point streak to four games. It was his first multi-goal game in the QMJHL. Mateiko became the fourth active Sea Dog to score 10 or more goals this season, joining Brady Burns, Cole Burbidge and Alexis Cournoyer. He is also the third Sea Dogs rookie to net a hat trick this year.

What a shot! 🤩#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/VcdKJVL5Nx

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 2, 2023

POWER PLAY: Saint John's power play is on an impressive run, scoring in four straight games. The Dogs netted two more in this game to give them seven over the past four games.

Jan. 20 vs Halifax: 1/2

Jan. 27 at Bathurst: 2/4

Jan. 28 at Moncton: 2/4

Feb. 1 at Val-d'Or: 2/5

NOTES: The Sea Dogs went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen... defenseman Vincent Despont returned from injury, playing in his first game since Jan. 11... Alexis Cournoyer was wearing a full cage... Pavel Simek had three assists and Danny Akkouche two... Brady Burns had six shots... Saint John struggled in the faceoff circle, winning just 23 of 58 faceoffs... Elizabeth Mantha, the sister of former Foreurs star Anthony Mantha, was one of the referees... there was a lengthy video review of Val-d'Or's fourth goal... Saint John finishes the season with a 1-1-0-0 record against Val-d'Or... attendance was just 1,086.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs continue their road trip tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in Rouyn-Noranda.