SEA DOGS UPEND VOLTIGEURS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN

SAINT JOHN – Samuel Dove-McFalls scored twice and Matthew Highmore potted the game winner as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the Drummondville Voltigeurs, 4-3, in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Saturday at Harbour Station.

Noah Zilbert also scored for Saint John (14-27-1-3), which won its third straight game for the first time this season. 

Charles-David Beaudoin countered with two goals for the Voltigeurs (28-16-1-1), while Jerome Verrier added one.

The loss snapped Drummondville’s two-game winning streak. 

A complete game summary can be found HERE.

The action started with a heavy, open-ice body check at centre ice six-and-half minutes in by Volts’ defenceman Sergei Boikov on Saint John forward Nicolas Hebert. Hebert was injured on the play and left the game. He did not return. Boikov was assessed a five-minute major penalty for interference, and a game misconduct, but the Sea Dogs could not capitalize on the lengthy power play. 

Saint John did open the scoring on another man advantage with just over four minutes left in the opening frame.

Blueliner Thomas Chabot moved into the high slot and fed a pass to the right side of the crease where Zilbert steered it inside the post for his fifth goal in his last five games. 

Beaudoin tied it two minutes later on a Drummonville power play. The 20-year-old Voltigeurs’ captain sent a laser of a wrist shot from the point past a screened Sebastien Auger on his blocker side.

The Sea Dogs were outshot 11-4 in the first period while the game remained 1-1 through twenty minutes. 

Saint John regained the lead six minutes into the second.

Mathieu Joseph fired a shot from the high slot that Dove-McFalls tipped off the backhand side of his stick and over the right arm of Voltigeurs’ goalie Joe Fleschler. 

Dove-McFalls tallied again nearly four minutes later.

The Montreal-native charged toward the goal on a partial breakaway and lifted a backhand shot past Fleschler’s blocker to give the Sea Dogs a 3-1 lead. 

Auger kept the two-goal advantage intact with the Sea Dogs shorthanded in the final five minutes, moving from left to right and kicking out his right leg to deny a backdoor chance by San Jose Sharks draft pick Christophe Lalancette.

But the Volts did get back to within one goal a short time later when Beaudoin, positioned at the centre of the blueline, sent another hard wrist shot over Auger’s blocking arm for his second goal of the night. 

Saint John carried a 3-2 lead into the third period despite being outshot 12-5 in the middle stanza.

Louis-Philip Guindon took over goaltending duties for the Voltigeurs to start the third period. Fleschler had made six saves on nine shots. 

Drummondville used a third power play goal to tie the game eight minutes into the third period.

Matt Boudens fed Verrier at the top of the left circle, and the Drummondville-native whistled a shot past Auger’s blocking arm to make it 3-3. 

Halfway through the period, the Sea Dogs’ hard work in the Voltigeurs’ zone created two Drummondville penalties at the same stoppage, giving Saint John a full, two-minute 5-on-3 power play.

Drummondville fought off the Saint John attack until ten seconds remained in the penalties. The Sea Dogs were awarded a penalty shot when a Drummondville player closed his hand on the puck in the crease. 

Rookie Nathan Noel attempted a deke on Guindon, but the goaltender denied a shot aimed between his legs.

Saint John did take the lead for good just seconds later when Oliver Cooper deflected a long point shot from Olivier LeBlanc down near the left goal post. The puck laid on the goal line until Highmore muscled his way into the crease and shoveled it into the net. 

Drummondville had two chances to tie the game with their goaltender on the bench.

Matthew Boudens blasted a one-timer from the slot that Auger snared with his catching glove with one minute to go. 

In the final seconds, the third-year Sea Dogs’ goalie dropped into a snow angel position to stone Voltigeurs’ forward William Carrier and secure the win.

Shots were even at twelve apiece in the third period. Drummondville outshot Saint John in the game 35-21. 

Auger made 32 stops for the victory in front of 3,714 fans in attendance.

Dove-McFalls was named first star with two goals while Highmore’s two points netted a second star selection. 

Beaudoin took third star.

The two teams split the season series with one win each.

The Sea Dogs’ next game is Tuesday, January 21st, at 7 p.m. against the Halifax Mooseheads at Harbour Station. It’s #CrowdPricing Night. Visit seadogs.spinzo.com for details. 

Tickets can also be purchased at the Harbour Station box office, online at tickets.harbourstation.ca, or by calling 657-1234. Listen LIVE on News 88.9 FM. Watch LIVE on TELUS (via theqmjhl.ca – fee applies).