Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs simply couldn't generate enough offense in a 4-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs went up 2-0 in the first period but the team was unable to maintain that lead against a very hot Wildcats squad. Moncton went on to score three times in the opening frame to take a 3-2 lead – and the visitors would hold that score for much of the game.

Saint John was only able to generate 12 shots in the final two periods combined with a handful of those coming with the Sea Dogs pressing in the final couple minutes. Shots overall were 39-23 in favour of Moncton.

On the flip side, the Sea Dogs were able to keep it close with the Wildcats once again – although it was almost the complete opposite of Thursday's game when the Dogs were rolling offensively (recording 49 shots on goal) but struggling on defense. 

Goaltender Justin Robinson had a strong game in net, making 35 saves in the loss. Angelo Fullerton and Alexander Donovan scored Saint John's goals.

Moncton had a pair of goals from Alex Mercier and singles from Gabe Smith and Preston Lounsbury. Lounsbury iced the game with an empty netter at 19:19 of the third.

The loss was Saint John's sixth straight – with three of those coming against Moncton. The Sea Dogs are now 10-15-1-0 on the season, keeping them 17th overall.

LINEUP

Fullerton - Groulx - Donovan

Rozzi - Joseph - Yared

Morin - Dubé - Gendron

Krayer - Beaulieu

Vilen - Wasmer

Croteau - Duhamel

Zubek - Drabczynski

Bladwin

Robinson

Courchesne

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Olivers Murnieks (injured), Egan Beveridge (healthy) and Alexis Gauthier (healthy) along with defenseman Cameron Chartrand (injured).

NOTES: Saint John went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen with Everett Bladwin, who was a -3 on Thursday, the seventh defensemen. Forward Alexis Gauthier was scratched after warmup... the Sea Dogs wore Christmas-themed jerseys... Angelo Fullerton scored Saint John's first goal, making it rain teddy bears at TD Station. There was a 10-15 minute delay to clean up the bears... the Sea Dogs had allowed the first goal in five straight games before Fullerton's marker... Fullerton had a goal and an assist... Olivier Groulx had two assists... Groulx has a goal and three assists over his past two games... defenseman Max Vilen led the team in shots on goal with four... both teams went 0/3 on the power play... the attendance of 3,628 was the second biggest crowd at TD Station this season.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs begin a three-game Quebec road trip on Wednesday night in Baie-Comeau.