Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Cape Breton 4, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A bad start was once again too much for the Saint John Sea Dogs to overcome on Monday afternoon at TD Station.

Much like Saturday's loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes, the Sea Dogs had a rough first period in a 4-2 loss to the Cape Breton Eagles. The Sea Dogs gave up a couple early goals and were trying to catch up all game long.

The Sea Dogs were outplayed by a significant margin in the opening frame, trailing 2-0 and getting outshot 22-6. Saint John rebounded in the final two periods, scoring two quick goals in the third to get within one. But it was simply too late for the Dogs, allowing an empty net goal in the final minute to fall 4-2.

The loss was Saint John's eighth straight overall and seventh straight at home.

Jacob Newcombe netted a pair of goals for Cape Breton while singles came from Angelo Fullerton and Joseph Henneberry. Jakub Milota made 35 stops in the win.

Olivier Groulx and Ben Cross scored for Saint John. Eric Young, who played most of Saturday's game after relieving Justin Robinson in the first period, made 36 saves in the loss.

LINEUP

Morin - Groulx - Peddle

Rozzi - Dubé - Beveridge

M. Krayer - Yared - Cross

Calder - Beaulieu - Wagner

Tivey - Duhamel

Bilodeau - Mann

Lumsden - Amyot

Young

Robinson

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Dylan Krayer (injury) and Darien Reynolds (injury) along with defensemen Julien Bonnet (healthy) and Matthew MacLean (healthy).

NOTES: Defenseman Matthew MacLean was Saint John's final scratch... forward William Yared returned to the Saint John lineup after missing Saturday's game with an injury or illness... the 22 shots Cape Breton had in the first period is tied for the third most first period shots in any QMJHL game this season... shots were 30-18 in favour of Saint John in the final 40 minutes... Olivier Groulx now has three goals in four games against Cape Breton this season... Ben Cross has goals in back-to-back games... Groulx had seven shots while Dylan Rozzi had six... Joseph Henneberry's checking from behind penalty on John Lumsden in the first period was reviewed but was called a minor penalty... Cam Squires had three assists... this was the first of five remaining meetings between the Sea Dogs and Eagles this season... looked like a can was thrown on the ice after the game?... attendance was 3,154.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Baie-Comeau to face the Drakkar on Thursday at 8 p.m. Atlantic.