Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Cape Breton 4

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

SYDNEY, NS - The losing streak continues for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs lost a fifth straight game on Friday night at Centre 200, falling 4-2 to the Cape Breton Eagles. The victory ended a six-game losing streak for the Eagles.

Saint John thought they had opened the scoring halfway through the first period when Bo Damphousse scored. But the goal was called back due to an offside – and the Eagles would take advantage, grabbing momentum and scoring twice to lead 2-0 after the first.

After a scoreless second period, Alexander Donovan scored on a power play at 6:59 of the third to get Saint John within one. The Eagles would respond with a man advantage goal of their own at 12:14, restoring Cape Breton's two-goal lead.

The Sea Dogs pulled goaltender Rafaël Courchesne with 3:34 left and the move paid off. At 17:00, Donovan netted his second of the game to get Saint John within one again. But the Eagles secured the win with an empty net goal at 18:14.

Shots in the third period were 14-2 in favour of Saint John.

Lucas Romeo scored twice for Cape Breton while Raoul Boilard and Eliot Litalien added singles. Felix Hamel made 35 saves in the win.

Courchesne made 19 saves in the loss.

These two meet again tomorrow afternoon at Centre 200 in the regular season finale for both teams.

LINEUP

Rozzi - Groulx - Donovan

Fullerton - Joseph - Morin

Côté - Yared - Seymour

Héroux - Gauthier

Wasmer - Duhamel

Damphousse - Chartrand

Magnusson - Baldwin

Drabcyznski

Courchesne

Pitcher

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Arseni Radkov (serving the third game of a five--game suspension); forwards Olivers Murnieks (injury) and Matthew Krayer (injury or sickness); and defenseman Vincent Croteau (healthy).

NOTES: The Sea Dogs went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. D-man Vincent Croteau, who has been used as a forward in recent games, was the final scratch... the Sea Dogs recalled 16-year-old goaltender Sam Pitcher from Bourget Collège to be Rafaël Courchesne's backup with Arseni Rdakov still serving a suspension. Pitcher was an 11th-round pick of Saint John in last year's QMJHL Entry Draft... William Yared returned from injury, playing his first game since Feb. 20... this was the first meeting between the Sea Dogs and Eagles since late November... the Sea Dogs, at long last, debuted their new Under Armour jerseys... Bo Damphousse scored at 9:31 of the first period but the goal was called back due to an offside... Alexander Donovan's two goals give him 25 on the season, tying Angelo Fullerton for the team lead... Everett Baldwin and Olivier Groulx each had six shots... Saint John's recent penalty kill struggles continued with Cape Breton going for 2/4 on the power play... Cape Breton has now won four of the seven meetings against Saint John.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs play their final regular season game tomorrow at 3 p.m. in Cape Breton.