RECAP: Sea Dogs Lose 5-4

FINAL: Victoriaville 5, Saint John 4

By Kevin Chambers | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Sea Dogs had their 15-game point streak come to an end on Saturday night at Harbour Station, falling 5-4 to the Victoriaville Tigres.

The Sea Dogs were down 4-1 after two periods but stormed back to tie it at 4-4 in the third. But with 1:40 left, Vincent Lanoue scored what proved to be the game-winner.

Despite lots of end-to-end action, it took until the 14:37 mark of the opening period for Marc Beckstead to open the scoring, beating Alex Bishop on a breakaway chance. James Phelan then took a frustration penalty, slashing Jakub Zboril at 16:38, and the Sea Dogs would make them pay when Mathieu Joseph tied the game with his 26^th of the season, banking it off a Tigres defender.

The second period resembled the first period with plenty of back and forth action early on with the majority of the pressure coming from the Sea Dogs. Once again it was the Tigres striking first in the period with Mario Huber beating Bishop to give the Tigres a 2-1 lead at 7:23. Later in the frame, the Sea Dogs thought they scored when Joseph beat Olivier Tremblay but the goal was waved off due to goaltender interference. The Tigres would score on the subsequent power play with the goal coming from Mathieu Ayotte at 16:01. The goals would continue for the Tigres with Alexandre Goulet getting in on the action, beating Bishop and giving the Tigres a 4-1 lead heading into the third period. 

With Matthew Williams now in net for Saint John, the Sea Dogs would mount a comeback beginning with Luke Green scoring a highlight reel goal at 12:52, making it 4-2. Joseph would get the Dogs within one on what could have been his third of the game at 15:06. Then at 15:59, Saint John would complete the comeback with Nathan Noel beating Tremblay to tie the game at 4-4. The comeback was all for not though as Lanoue would net the winner with just 1:40 left in the contest, giving the Tigres a 5-4 win.

NOTES

• The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Marc-Antoine Turcotte (upper body); forwards Daniel Del Paggio (suspension – game 1/3) and Spencer Smallman (upper body); and defensemen Thomas Chabot (upper body) and Bailey Webster (upper body).
• Adam Marsh returned from an upper body and started the game on the team’s second line with Nathan Noel and Sam Povorozniouk.
• Alex Bishop got the start in net with Turcotte injured. Matt Williams, who was recalled from MHL Summerside this week, was the team’s backup.
• On the 96.1 NewSong FM pre-game show, head coach Danny Flynn commented on Turcotte’s status. "He's a ways away from playing,” said Flynn. “Feeling better than he did on Wednesday but not close yet."
• Nathan Noel extended his point streak to 16 games.
• Noel also moved into a tie for ninth with Danick Gauthier in all-time Sea Dogs scoring with 145 points.
• The Tigres finished their New Brunswick three-in-three with a perfect 3-0 record.

TURNING POINT

The turning point looked like it might have been when the Sea Dogs began their comeback - but the Tigres were able to net the winner with just 1:40 left in the contest, giving them the victory.

SN THREE STARS

Alexandre Goulet

Mathieu Joseph

Vincent Lanoue

TWEET OF THE GAME

Hope the fam enjoyed the game!

My first Sea Dogs game ever with the fam tonight #hockey

— Amanda Craig (@AmandaCraig7) February 6, 2016

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs’ next contest comes this Wednesday against the Charlottetown Islanders at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation