Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-1

FINAL: Halifax 1, Saint John 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - If the Saint John Sea Dogs gained any momentum from Saturday's overtime win, it certainly didn't look like it on Sunday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs struggled at both ends of the ice in a 4-1 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads. It was the second time in less than 24 hours that the two met after Saint John defeated the Mooseheads 4-3 in overtime at Scotiabank Centre the night before.

Saint John fell behind early in the first period and were never able to really get back into the game. Saint John allowed five goals and 40 shots against the QMJHL's worst offense (they sit last in both goals and shots per game) and, once again, struggled to generate many dangerous scoring chances of their own.

Halifax, who ended a seven-game losing streak with the victory, had a pair of goals from Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil while singles came from Shawn Carrier, Quinn Kennedy and Patrick McNab. Rookie goaltender Nicolas Gillham-Cirka made 33 saves to earn his first QMJHL win.

William Yared scored Saint John's only goal. Justin Robinson made 35 saves in the loss.

The Mooseheads led 2-0 after the first period. Halifax opened the scoring at 5:54 when a pass into the slot found Kilfoil who backhanded a low shot past Robinson.

Saint John didn't record a shot on goal until the 8:35 mark of the opening period.

Halifax took a 2-0 lead with a late goal in the opening frame. At 19:46, Carrier walked in from the top of the circle and beat Robinson top corner.

Halifax took a 3-0 lead at 8:57 of the second when Kennedy put in a rebound while on a power play. Then at 13:26, McNab also put in a rebound, giving Halifax a commanding 4-0 advantage.

Saint John got on the board at 14:48 when a low Yared shot from the circle appeared to go off Ben Cross and in, making it 4-1. The Sea Dogs pressured in the final minute of the frame but could not add another.

In the third, the Sea Dogs pulled Robinson with four minutes remaining. Saint John was able to generate some sustained pressure in the offensive zone but could not score. Kilfoil iced the game with an empty netter at 18:02.

LINEUP

Rozzi - Groulx - Yared

Morin - Dubé - Peddle

Reynolds - Krayer - Cross

Calder - Beveridge - Wagner

Beaulieu

Bilodeau - Mann

Tivey - Amyot

Lumsden

Robinson

Gravel

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defensemen Olivier Duhamel (injury), Matthew MacLean (injury) and Julien Bonnet (healthy).

NOTES: For a second straight game, the Sea Dogs went with 13 forwards and five defensemen. Defenseman Julien Bonnet was the final scratch...16-year-old goaltender Nicolas Gillham-Cirka, who had been playing US prep school hockey, made his first QMJHL start for the Mooseheads... Mooseheads defenseman Justin Chiras recorded his first career QMJHL point on Patrick McNab's second period goal... Saint John went 1/2 on the power play while Halifax went 1/5... Liam Kilfoil had two goals and two assists... Nicolas Bilodeau had eight shots... it was Fleaburn's birthday and a number of other mascots – including Wild Willie of the Wildcats – were in attendance... attendance was 4,002, the largest crowd for a Sea Dogs home game this season.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night at 7 p.m.