Dylan Rozzi scored what proved to be the game-winner at 9:41 of the third period, a goal that put the Sea Dogs head 6-5. Zachary Morin secured the win with an empty net marker – his third point of the night – with 24 seconds remaining.
Natan Éthier netted a pair of goals for Saint John while Alexander Donovan, Alexis Joseph and Olivier Groulx also scored. Rafaël Courchesne, making his second straight start after earning the win last Saturday in Halifax, made 25 stops in the victory.
Preston Lounsbury, Eerik Wallenius, Kuzma Voronin, Niko Tournas and Carl-Otto Magnusson all scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 31 stops in the loss.
It felt like it was going to be a long night for Saint John after the Wildcats scored twice in the first 5:22 of the opening frame and carried much of the play to start the first. But Éthier's goal at 8:37 calmed things down a bit, although the Wildcats would add another to lead 3-1 after one.
Momentum completely shifted in Saint John's favour in the second period – and after "Who Let the Dogs Out" was oddly played inside Avenir Centre. The Sea Dogs scored three time less than nine minutes into the period to take their first lead and then Éthier's second of the night made it 5-3 heading into the third. Shots were 17-6 Saint John in the second.
It was all Wildcats to start the third. Tournas scored just 1:09 in and then Magnusson tied it up at 2:44. Despite Moncton pressing, the Sea Dogs bent but didn't break, allowing Rozzi to put Saint John back in front – this time for good – at 9:41.
While the game overall was a bit of a mess, the Sea Dogs came away with a road win on banner raising night in Moncton, which is no small feat. Now let's see if they can carry this momentum into another challenging game on Sunday.
LINEUP
LINEUP
Éthier - Murnieks - Morin
Groulx - Joseph - Donovan
Fullerton - Yared - Rozzi
Krayer - Dubé - Beveridge
Wasmer - Chartrand
Zubek - Duhamel
Drabczynski - Baldwin
Courchesne
Robinson
SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Alexis Gauthier (healthy) and Jacob Beaulieu (healthy) along with defensemen Max Vilen (injured or sick) and Vincent Croteau (healthy).
NOTES: The Wildcats raised their Gilles Courteau Trophy championship banner before the game... captain (and injured) Caleb Desnoyers skated the Gilles Courteau Trophy onto the ice and took part in the ceremonial faceoff... the Sea Dogs did not come out to their bench until after the banner was raised... puck drop happened at 7:29 because of the pre-game ceremonies... St. Andrews native Gabe Smith made his season debut for the Wildcats... Natan Éthier scored his first goal as a Sea Dog... Moncton's Eerik Wallenius and Carl-Otto Magnusson both scored their first QMJHL goals... Alexis Joseph recorded his first career QMJHL assist on Alexander Donovan's second period goal... Everett Baldwin registered his first QMJHL point on Olivier Groulx's second period goal... Olivers Murnieks had another two assists to give him seven helpers in five games... Cameron Chartrand recorded his first QMJHL point on Zachary Morin's empty net goal... Éthier and Matthew Krayer each had four shots... Chartrand and Angelo Fullerton were the only Sea Dogs without shots on goal... the Sea Dogs are now 2-1-0-0 on the road this season... attendance was 5,843.
Caleb Desnoyers brings out the Gilles Courteau Trophy + fireworks. pic.twitter.com/UqHp4Ig48h
— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) October 4, 2025
HIGHLIGHTS
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Chicoutimi Sagueneens tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at TD Station.
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