Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-3

FINAL: Val-d'Or 7, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs let a strong start go to waste in a 7-3 loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Saturday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs led 2-0 just 6:55 into the game but let that lead – and a 3-2 advantage – slip away. The Foreurs, who upset the Charlottetown Islanders in a shootout the night prior, netted five unanswered goals in the victory.

Maxim Coursol had a hat trick; Samuel Fiala scored twice; and Val-d'Or singles came from from Mavrik Duhaime and Philippe Veilleux. Vincent Moreau allowed three goals on 23 shots in the win while Emile Beaunoyer stopped all 11 shots he faced.

Saint John had goals from Dylan Rozzi, Olivier Groulx and Angelo Fullerton. All of those goals came in the first period.

The Sea Dogs struggled defensively in this game, even allowing a shorthanded goal. Justin Robinson was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 10 shots. Rafaël Courchesne allowed three goals on 16 shots in relief.

This was Saint John's only game of the weekend and they hadn't played since Monday. The Foreurs, meanwhile, were playing their third game in four days on the road. This was certainly one of the Sea Dogs' poorest performances of the season, who fall to 5-4-1-0.

LINEUP

Rozzi - Murnieks - Morin

Groulx - Joseph - Donovan

Fullerton - Yared - Rozzi

Dubé - Gauthier - Beveridge

Wasmer - Chartrand

Zubek - Baldwin

Vilen - Duhamel

Robinson

Courchesne

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Natan Éthier (injury or sickness) and Jacob Beaulieu (healthy) along with defensemen Vincent Croteau (healthy) and Oskar Drabczynski (healthy).

NOTES: Swedish defenseman Max Vilen made his QMJHL debut. He registered a roughing minor in the second period... Egan Beveridge and Hemrick Carbonneau were both given fighting majors and game misconducts in the second period... Olivier Duhamel had five shots for Saint John... Saint John went 0/4 on the power play against a strong Foreurs penalty kill. Val-d'Or went 0/1 on the power play but did have a shorthanded goal... attendance was 2,870... this was Saint John's final home game until Nov. 2.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs visit the Newfoundland Regiment on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at Mary Brown's Centre.