Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Halifax 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs let a late third period lead slip away in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Thursday at Scotiabank Centre.

First, former Sea Dogs captain Peter Reynolds, making his return to the Mooseheads lineup from an injury, tied the game at 2-2 at 14:05 of the third period with a power play goal. Then, just over a minute later at 15:55, Jake Todd scored what would hold as the game-winner to secure a 3-2 victory for the Moose.

Saint John had taken a 2-1 lead earlier in the third thanks to goals from Eriks Mateiko and Olivier Groulx. 

Sea Dogs goaltender Patrick Leaver was excellent in net once again, keeping Saint John in the game when they were being outplayed. Shots were 13-1 in favour of Halifax in the first period but Leaver stopped 12 of them. The overage netminder finished the night with 31 saves.

Jan Sprynar scored Halifax's other goal. Mathis Rousseau made 25 saves in the win.

Saint John has now dropped four straight games. They play their final game of this long stretch of road matches tomorrow night in Charlottetown.

LINEUP

Simek - Miller - Mateiko

Peddle - Elliott - Beaulieu

Reynolds - Beveridge - Fournier

Laforge - Groulx - Beaudry

Tivey - Ianniello

Bilodeau - Mann

MacLean - Duhamel

Leaver

Robinson

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Luka Benoit (healthy) and Reid Calder (healthy) along with defensemen Benjamin Amyot (injury) and Jeremie Richard (healthy).

FIRST GOAL: Olivier Groulx scored the first goal of his QMJHL career in the third period.

First career goal tonight for OG, and it was a beauty. 😤#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/bfg2eBqCMp

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 9, 2024

NOTES: Peter Reynolds returned from injury and played against his former team for the first time... Saint John outshot Halifax 16-9 in the third period... Brody Fournier had an assist against his former team... Eriks Mateiko now has 19 goals on the year, moving him back into a tie with Fournier for the team lead... Halifax went 2/4 on the power play... Mateiko had four shots... four of the five meetings between these two this season have been decided by a single goal... attendance was 6,992.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs visit the Charlottetown Islanders tomorrow at 7 p.m.