Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-4

FINAL: Saint John 7, Moncton 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs' hottest players stayed hot in a 7-4 upset win over the Moncton Wildcats on Thursday at Avenir Centre.

Saint John got out to a quick start, scoring twice in the first 4:18 of the game, and continued to press throughout the opening frame, leading 4-1 after 20 minutes.

Moncton scored at 6:12 of the second period but Saint John ended any momentum shift with a goal at 8:00, making it 5-2.

The third was feeling like a Moncton comeback for a bit. The Wildcats scored just 1:34 in on a power play to get within two and were outshooting Saint John by a large margin for the first half of the period. But a Kency Pierre-Noel goal at 10:30 restored Saint John's three-goal lead and pretty much ended any chance of a Moncton comeback.

Peter Reynolds, who had yet another hat trick, Vince Elie, who recorded a goal and two assists, and Eriks Mateiko, who registered a goal, continued their strong play of late. Noah Reinhart also had a goal and two helpers for Saint John.

Patrick Leaver made 32 saves in the win.

Moncton goals came from Oscar Plandowski, Thomas Auger, Julius Sumpf and Alex Mercier. Keegan Warren was pulled after allowing four goals on eight shots while Jacob Steinman allowed two goals on 20 shots in relief.

LINEUP

Simek - Reynolds - Mateiko

Akkouche - Elie - Reinhart

Benoit - Laforge - Bellemare

Calder - Pierre-Noel

Bilodeau - Gauthier

Tivey - Mann

Dassylva - Amyot

MacLean

Leaver

Robinson

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Egan Beveridge (injury), Jacob Beaulieu (injury) and Francis Woods (healthy) along with defenseman Joseph Ianniello (injury).

NOTES: It was Hockey Fights Cancer night in Moncton with the Wildcats sporting purple/pink jerseys... Peter Reynolds now has points in six straight road games... Reynolds has scored in three of his past four games... this was Reynolds' third hat trick in November... Vince Elie has scored in six of his past eight games... the Sea Dogs have won three straight road games... Kency Pierre-Noel's goal was his first in the QMJHL... faceoffs were 45-23 in favour of Moncton... Yoan Loshing was given a five-minute major for clipping on Pierre-Noel in the final minute of the third... attendance was 3,226.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs are back home on Saturday, hosting the Cape Breton Eagles at 7 p.m.