The only thing missing Saturday night in Saint John was the clown car.

In a game that included a penalty shot, two fights and 68 total penalty minutes, the Lewiston Maineiacs and Saint John Sea Dogs still scored nine goals.

The Maineiacs had the last laugh, though even the winning goal would have made Barnum and Bailey proud.

Chad Denny finished off a 3-on-1 with a goal at 19:55 of the third period to lift Lewiston to a 5-4, come-from-behind win over the Sea Dogs in front of 5,117 at Harbour Station in Saint John, New Brunswick.

“Our offense was in transition, and Chad jumped up into the play,” Maineiacs assistant coach Ed Harding said. “The Saint John defender did a good job, and the puck got deflected into the air. From where I was, I thought it was going over the net, but it fell behind their goalie, the red light popped on and our guys started to celebrate.”

The goal stunned the Sea Dogs, who have now lost nine straight games. Former Lewiston backup goalie Travis Fullerton has now lost his first three starts in a Saint John uniform, though he has played well in all three games. He was solid again Saturday, and kept his team in the game through the middle period.

“We have a game plan for every goalie,” Harding said. “He played pretty well tonight.”

The Maineiacs used his propensity for long rebounds to their advantage, though, in the third period. Trailing 4-3, Eric Castonguay potted his 14th of the season on one of those rebounds after Sebastien Piche blasted a shot from the point.

“Jakub Bundil was doing a good job grinding down low,” Harding said. “The puck popped out to Piche, who let a low, hard shot go.”

Later in the third, Peter Delmas stood tall against a Francois Gauthier penalty shot awarded after the Sea Dog was taken down on a breakaway.

“I think he gained a bit of confidence from that,” Harding said. “He did a little fist-pump afterward.”

Dave Taylor put Lewiston ahead 1-0 early in the first when he stole the puck deep in Saint John territory and snuck the puck around Fullerton.

Alex Grant fired right back with his first of two, only to watch as David Perron again came up with a loose puck inside the Saint John zone to put the Maineiacs ahead 2-1.

Payton Liske’s first of two at 15:30 of the opening frame made it 2-2.

Chris Tutalo converted a perfect feed from behind the net into his 11th of the season midway through the second, but Grant and the Sea Dogs’ power play ramped up and scored two more times in the second to give the lead to the home team for the first time.

Lewiston and Saint John will play a rematch Wednesday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.