Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-2

FINAL: Saint John 7, Charlottetown 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs picked up an important win on Tuesday night at Eastlink Centre.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Charlottetown Islanders 7-2, pushing them into a tie for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's 16th and final playoff spot with 51 points. The Sea Dogs and Val-d'Or Foreurs both have four regular season games remaining.

The Foreurs currently hold the first tie-breaker, which is total wins excluding shootout victories.

Seven different Sea Dogs scored in the victory: Luka Benoit, Eriks Mateiko, Cole Burbidge, Alex Drover, Nicolas Bilodeau, Peter Reynolds and Brady Burns. Burns and Joseph Ianniello each added three assists while Bilodeau and Alexis Cournoyer registered two.

Ventsislav Shingarov had a strong game in net - especially in the opening two periods - by making 36 stops in the victory. The Islanders outshot the Sea Dogs 31-16 in the opening 40 minutes.

Charlottetown had a good start to the game, taking the lead twice in the first period. Saint John, though, responded well and seemed to take control of the game once they grabbed the lead. Joel Marchon was stopped on a penalty shot in the second period, keeping momentum on Saint John's side.

Lane Hinkley and Keiran Gallant scored for Charlottetown. Jakob Robillard made 27 saves in the loss.

LINEUP

Burns - Reynolds - Reinhart

Simek - Burbidge - Benoit

Mateiko - Cournoyer - Drover

Calder - Elie

Tivey - DesRoches

Ianniello - Cosman

Bilodeau - Akkouche

Despont

Shingarov

Brideau

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defenseman Jeremie Richard (injury) along with forwards Nico Laforge (injury), Sam-Luca Thifault (injury), Harrison Ballard (injury), Nathan Casey (injury) and Jacob Beaulieu (healthy).

NEW ICE: The University Cup begins Thursday at Eastlink Centre, so this game had some different looking ice and board advertisements. Gardiner MacDougall's UNB Reds skated on the ice earlier in the day.

The Sea Dogs playing this game on "Gardiner MacDougall ice" has to be a good sign. pic.twitter.com/ty6amGorAK

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) March 14, 2023

MORE POINTs: Brady Burns continues to inch closer and closer to Jonathan Huberdeau's scoring record. With a season high goal and three assists on Tuesday, Burns now has 255 points with four games to play.

With an assist on Luka Benoit's goal, Brady Burns moves into sole possession of second in Sea Dogs all-time scoring. pic.twitter.com/KNVsAHqy4Z

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) March 14, 2023

WILD FIRST: The Sea Dogs were outshot 18-10 in the first period and won just six of 27 faceoffs - but they led 3-2. Saint John scored three goals on their first seven shots in the period. 

BIG NUMBERS: With a goal and two assists in this game, defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau now has a goal and 10 assists in seven games against Charlottetown this season. He has 40 points total this year.

Bilodeau with goal #9 on the year! pic.twitter.com/3sHwirLGEJ

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) March 15, 2023

NOTES: The Islanders honoured billet families before the game... the Islanders wore their harvest gold third jerseys... while this game featured U Sports branded ice, the Sea Dogs played on Canada Games painted ice last month in Charlottetown.. Saint John once again went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen... there was a delay after Saint John's second goal due to an ice issue in front of the penalty box... Ventsislav Shingarov was credited with an assist on Saint John's third goal... Alexis Cournoyer had six shots... Saint John won 45 of 72 faceoffs... Saint John went 3/6 on the power play against the league's second worst penalty kill... the Sea Dogs have earned points in six straight games (3-0-3-0)... it was "toonie Tuesday" at Eastlink Centre. Attendance was 3,126... the Sea Dogs and Islanders still have two meetings remaining.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday night at 7 p.m. at TD Station.