RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 3-2 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 2, Cape Breton 3 (OT)

SYDNEY, NS - It's been a close season series between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - and that trend continued on Wednesday night.

For the third time this season, the Screaming Eagles defeated the Sea Dogs in overtime, edging Saint John 3-2 at Centre 200. This was the sixth meeting of the season between the two with all being decided by two goals or less.

Egor Sokolov scored the game-winner in the final second of the extra frame. Gabriel Proulx and Shaun Miller scored regulation time goals for Cape Breton. Kevin Mandolese made 15 saves in the victory.

While the score was close, shots and a lot of the play were not. The Eagles heavily outshot the Sea Dogs - especially in the first two periods - for a 51-17 overall shots advantage.

Goaltender Alex D'Orio was once again Saint John's best player, making 48 saves in the loss. Aiden ManIntosh and Anthony Boucher scored Sea Dogs goals.

Game Day 49: at Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs continue their odd stretch of road games tonight, visiting the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles for a random Wednesday night game.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a three-in-three weekend that saw them fall in Bathurst on Friday night and then drop back-to-back games in Halifax. Following tonight's game, the Dogs will play at home on Friday and have Saturday and Sunday off.

Game time this evening is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-28-6-2 for 32 points (6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Screaming Eagles are 21-21-5-1 for 48 points (5th Maritimes, 13th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-2 loss in Halifax on Sunday afternoon. Ostap Safin and Robbie Burt scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio allowed eight goals on 46 shots in the loss. The Screaming Eagles are coming off a 2-1 win in Charlottetown on Saturday. Egor Sokolov and Phelix Martineau scored Cape Breton goals. Kevin Mandolese made 30 stops in the victory.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 2-1-2-0 against the Screaming Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 3-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Dec. 28 at Harbour Station where the Screaming Eagles edged the Sea Dogs 2-1 in overtime. Phelix Martineau scored both Cape Breton goals. Cedric Pare scored for Saint John. Kevin Mandolese made 20 stops in the victory. Matthew Williams made 45 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Screaming Eagles: Forward Isiah Campbell and defenceman Ian Smallwood.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 8-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Halifax 8

Lorne Webster | SN Staff Writer 

HALIFAX – Saint John’s road losing streak extended to seven straight as the division leading Halifax Mooseheads defeated the weary Sea Dogs 8-2 Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre.

Benoit-Olivier Groulx led Halifax to the victory with a two goal, two assist performance. Otto Somppi added a pair of goals while Connor Moynihan (one goal and one assist), Max Fortier (one goal and one assist) Jared MacIsaac (one goal and two assists) and Kyle Petten also scored for the Mooseheads. Alexis Gravel made 15 saves for Halifax.

Ostap Safin and Robbie Burt scored for the Sea Dogs. Alex D’Orio turned aside 38 of Halifax’s shots on goal.

NOTES

• The Sea Dogs were awarded the game’s first power play but failed to register a shot on goal.
• Somppi opened the scoring nine seconds into Halifax’s first power play at 4:23 when he banged home his own rebound in close.
• Moynihan took a pass from Justin Barron in full flight down the left wing and ripped a wrist shot through D’Orio’s legs to extend Halifax’s lead to 2-0 at 7:28.
• Following a two-goal, two-assist performance on Saturday, Fortier continued his strong overage season with a one-timer from the slot on another power play at 15:34 of the first.
• Gravel wasn’t called upon to make his first save until 17:12 as the Mooseheads dominated the shot clock 14-1 in the opening frame.
• The Sea Dogs' injury woes continued as rookie winger Aiden MacIntosh got the worst of a collision with a goal post midway through the opening period and had to be helped off the ice. He would return, though.
• Groulx became the fourth Moosehead to score 20 goals this season (joining Filip Zadina, Fortier and Raphael Lavoie) when he redirected a pass from Arnaud Durandeau over D’Orio’s shoulder at 1:24 of the second.
• Safin got the Sea Dogs on the board at 6:18 of the middle frame when the big import deflected a pass in tight from Yohan Plamondon.
• Burt unloaded a big slap shot from the top of the left face-off circle after a feed from Radim Salda on a power play at 12:06 of the second to bring the Sea Dogs back within two.
• Somppi scored his second of the game at 14:46 of the second as he finished off a nice give and go with Fortier, unleashing a laser over a screened D’Orio’s from the slot. That made the score 5-2 after two periods.
• Seconds after defenceman-turned-forward Alexis Girard was stopped on a breakaway, Petten finished off a rush the other way with a goal at 12:55.
• Less than a minute later, Groulx’s one-time slap shot from the right face-off circle beat D’Orio to cap a two-goal, two-assist performance for the young Mooseheads star.
• MacIsaac kicked a little sand in the face of a dejected group of Sea Dogs when he ripped home a goal with two seconds left in the contest.
• Roughly 150 Sea Dogs fans made the trek from Saint John as part of a bus trip to watch the game.
• It is a rare occurrence to have these two Maritimes Division teams play back-to-back games on consecutive days in the same arena.
• Mooseheads’ star import Filip Zadina served the second of a two game suspension following the league's review of a major penalty he received last Saturday in Bathurst.
• Former Sea Dogs star Joe Veleno recorded his 40th assist of the season and is now third overall QMJHL helpers.

Game Day 48: at Halifax

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Halifax Mooseheads meet again this afternoon at Scotiabank Centre.

The Mooseheads defeated the Sea Dogs 5-2 last night in what was a close and entertaining match. Halifax scored three goals in the third period to secure the win.

Game time today is 3 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-27-6-2 for 32 points (6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 31-11-5-1 for 68 points (1st Maritimes, 2nd QMJHL).

Last games: As mentioned above, these two met last night in Halifax with the Mooseheads defeating the Sea Dogs 5-2. Maxime Fortier scored twice while singles came from Arnaud Durandeau, Otto Somppi and Raphael Lavoie. Cedric Pare and Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John. Blade Mann-Dixon made 23 saves in the victory. Matthew Williams made 35 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-3-1-0 against the Mooseheads this season while Halifax is 4-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: See above.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 5-2

FINAL: Halifax 5, Saint John 2

HALIFAX - For the second straight meeting, the Saint John Sea Dogs gave the Halifax Mooseheads a good run. But for the second straight meeting, the Moose used some late game goal scoring to edge the Dogs.

Halifax scored three times in the third period in a 5-2 victory over the Sea Dogs on Saturday night at Scotiabank Centre. The previous meeting between the two, held earlier this month at Harbour Station, ended in a 5-4 Halifax overtime win.

While the Mooseheads are the better team on paper and were probably the better team on the ice on Saturday, Saint John didn't get beat up or extremely outplayed - which was good to see given how shorthanded the team's lineup currently is.

Maxime Fortier had a pair of goals for Halifax while singles came from Arnaud Durandeau, Otto Somppi and Raphael Lavoie. Blade Mann-Dixon made 23 saves in the win.

Cedric Pare and Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John. Matthew Williams was excellent in net, making 35 saves in the loss.

Game Day 47: at Halifax

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs play the first of back-to-back games against the Halifax Mooseheads tonight at Scotiabank Centre.

The good news for Saint John is that the Mooseheads will be without star forward Filip Zadina, who is serving a two-game suspension. The bad news is that the Mooseheads are still incredibly deep and will be a tough, tough test for a shorthanded Sea Dogs team.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-26-6-2 for 32 points (6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 30-11-5-1 for 66 points (1st Maritimes, 2nd QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-1 loss in Bathurst last night. Cedric Pare scored Saint John's lone goal while Alex D'Orio made 35 saves. The Mooseheads are coming off an ugly 11-1 loss in Bathurst last Saturday. Kyle Petten scored Bathurst's lone goal. Alexis Gravel was pulled after allowing five goals on 11 shots. Blade Mann-Dixon allowed six goals on 28 shots in relief.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-2-1-0 against the Mooseheads this season while Halifax is 3-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Jan. 6 at Harbour Station where the Mooseheads edged the Sea Dogs 5-4 in overtime. Brett Crossley scored twice for Halifax while singles came from Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Jared McIsaac and Raphael Lavoie. Luke Wilson, Ostap Safin, Anthony Boucher and Radim Salda scored for Saint John. Alexis Gravel was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots. Blade Mann-Dixon made 25 stops in relief. Alex D'Orio made 34 saves in the loss.