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| Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are heading into the regular season on a winning note.
Eriks Mateiko, Vince Elie, Joseph Ianniello and Noah Reinhart all scored to give the Sea Dogs a 4-3 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders at TD Station on Friday. It was the final pre-season game of the year for both clubs with the QMJHL's regular season set to open next Friday.
The victory gives the Sea Dogs a 3-3-0-0 record through pre-season play.
It was a fairly evenly played game between two teams that should have some hard fought battles this season. Saint John led 3-1 after two but the Islanders, who outshot the Sea Dogs 13-8 in the third period, scored twice in the final frame to tie things up. Reinhart scored in the final minute to secure the victory.
Patrick Leaver made 28 saves in the win.
Ondrej Maruna, Cole Huckins and Marcus Kearsey scored for Charlottetown. Aksels Ozols made 28 stops in the loss.
Mateiko opened the scoring just 4:54 into the game when he beat Ozols with a quick shot from the circle. Soon after at 6:15, Maruna beat Leaver on an innocent looking scramble in the crease area to make it a 1-1 game.
Saint John took a 2-1 lead at 14:22 of the second period. On a broken play, Elie sped across the blue line and grabbed the loose puck, skated in alone and slipped a shot five-hole to put Saint John back in front.
The Sea Dogs took a 3-1 advantage at 16:37. On a two-on-one, Ianniello kept the puck and beat Ozols with a shot from the rim of the faceoff circle.
The Islanders got back within one just 38 seconds into the third period. A pass from Giovanni Morneau was tapped in past Leaver at the top of the crease to make it 3-2.
Kearsey tied things up at 5:49. After a shot was blocked in the slot, the puck came to Kearsey at the top of the circle who fired a shot through some traffic and beat Leaver top corner.
With 32 seconds remaining in the third, Reinhart ripped a shot from the high slot that beat Ozols top corner to make it 4-3 Saint John.
LINEUP
Mateiko - Reynolds - Reinhart
Simek - Elie - Benoit
Akkouche - Beveridge - Bellemare
Calder - Pierre-Noel - Beaulieu
Tivey - Ianniello
Bilodeau - Gauthier
Dassylva - Amyot
MacLean
Leaver
Robinson
SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Sam-Luca Thifault (injury) and Nico Laforge (injury) along with defensemen Jeremie Richard (injury) and Matteo Mann (NHL camp).
NOTES: Eriks Mateiko wore the 'C' for Saint John. Peter Reynolds wore it last Sunday... forward Kiefer Lyons, who signed with Saint John last Friday, was not in the lineup. He had a goal and three assists in his season debut with the MHL's Campbellton Tigers on Thursday... the game was streamed for free on CHL TV... Mateiko's first period goal was reviewed by the linesmen — a rare sight in a pre-season game. Charlottetown's third goal was also reviewed... the Sea Dogs and Islanders don't meet again until Oct. 26 in Charlottetown... Saint John finishes 3-0-0-0 at home during the pre-season... there was a large group of students from Rothesay Netherwood cheering on alumnus Marcus Kearsey.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs begin the regular season on Friday night at 7 p.m. when they visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
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