Early deficit puts Sea Dogs in trouble
The Saint John Sea Dogs saw their three-game winning streak come to an end Sunday, falling 5-1 to the Cape Breton Eagles in Sydney. The result extended Cape Breton’s run to five consecutive victories and gave the Eagles control of a game they led by three goals after the opening period.
Cape Breton opened the scoring before the four-minute mark. Eagles defenceman Tyler Roccas kept the puck in at the blue line and located Cole Chandler in front of the net. Chandler moved around Saint John goaltender Samuel Meloche before putting the puck behind him for a 1-0 lead.
Saint John appeared to have an opportunity to answer when Jacob Hartlin put the puck in the net, but the play was reviewed. Officials determined that the shot had hit the post, leaving the Eagles ahead. Cape Breton then added two more goals before the first intermission. Noah Jettelson scored from near the right faceoff circle, and Reece Peitzsche followed with a goal from inside the circle to make it 3-0.
Saint John found its breakthrough before the six-minute mark of the middle stanza.
The Sea Dogs finally broke through early in the second period. Zachary Morin won a battle along the boards and moved the puck to Jamie Glance, who beat Eagles netminder Lucas Beckman with a quick shot. The goal cut the margin to two and gave Saint John a chance to shift the momentum of the afternoon.
That opening did not last. More than 10 minutes passed before Cape Breton restored its three-goal advantage. Elias Schneider’s attempted pass to Liam Lefebvre deflected off Saint John defenceman Jaybez Seymour and went into the Sea Dogs’ net. Less than a minute later, Chandler scored again, racing through the neutral zone on a breakaway before finishing past Meloche.
Third-period pressure falls short
Saint John generated its strongest pressure in the final period, outshooting Cape Breton 15-5. The Eagles nevertheless kept the visitors from adding to their total and held on for the 5-1 victory. The result snapped the Sea Dogs’ three-game run, while Cape Breton continued its winning stretch.
Beckman was the difference in the Cape Breton crease. He stopped 32 of 33 shots to earn the win. Meloche faced 25 shots and was beaten five times. Chandler led the Eagles’ offence with two goals, including the opener and the final goal of the game. Jettelson and Peitzsche each contributed a goal and an assist, while Schneider also scored.
Game at a glance
| Category | Saint John | Cape Breton |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 1 | 5 |
| Shots on goal | 33 | 25 |
| Third-period shots | 15 | 5 |
| Goaltending | Samuel Meloche | Lucas Beckman |
The scoring summary underlined two different stretches of the contest. Cape Breton capitalized on its opportunities during the opening period, while Saint John’s late shot advantage did not produce a second goal. The Sea Dogs’ lone marker came from Glance after Morin’s work along the boards, but the visitors were unable to close the gap after the Eagles answered twice in the second period.
- Cape Breton: fifth straight win.
- Saint John: three-game winning streak ended.
- Leading scorer: Cole Chandler recorded two goals.
The Eagles will return to action Friday night in Halifax against the Mooseheads, with the game scheduled for a 7 p.m. puck drop. The contest will be carried on Eastlink TV, with radio coverage available through 1270 AM CJCB and online. The game is also available for purchase through the service listed in the Eagles’ game information.
