A rough start put the Saint John Sea Dogs down early, and they weren’t able to recover on the way to a 3-1 loss to the Val d’Or Foreurs Sunday.
The first-place Foreurs scored twice in about two minutes early in the first period.
Gabriel Provencher potted his first of the season before Maxime Sauthier scored his 13th.
That was all Sea Dogs coach Jim Hulton needed to see, pulling starter Samuel Meloche after two goals on three shots.
Josh Demers made it 3-0 for the visitors midway through the second period, but that was the only goal Rafaël Courchesne allowed.
Brandon Delarosbil cut the deficit to two a short time later, but that was all the Sea Dogs could manage.
With the loss, the Sea Dogs fall to 6-3-1-1 on the season and sit eighth in the QMJHL.
Next up for Saint John, a three-game road trip through Quebec that begins Friday in Gatineau.
