Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-1

FINAL: Saint John 4, Bathurst 1

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs had the better team on paper and on the ice Tuesday at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

The Sea Dogs didn't have much trouble with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, winning their second game of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season by score of 4-1.

Returnees Jeremie Jacob, James White, Josh Lawrence and Maxim Cajkovic all scored for Saint John. Tommy DaSilva stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first half of the game. Mathias Savoie made 11 saves in the second half.

Saint John dressed a seemingly more "loaded" and experienced lineup than the Titan - especially up front. The Titan ended up outshooting the Sea Dogs 30-28, but much of those shots came on power plays, which the home side had six of.

Sea Dogs killer Cole Rafuse, who had seven goals and five assists in nine games against Saint John last season, scored the Titan's lone goal. Tyriq Outen made 14 saves in the first two periods. Matthew Dunsmoor stopped all 10 shots he faced in the third.

Pre-Season Game Day 2: at Bathurst

BATHURST - The pre-season continues tonight for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Following a solid 6-3 win over the Charlottetown Islanders in Quispamsis on Sunday, the Dogs travel to the KC Irving Regional Centre to take on the Titan. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Titan had the worst record in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season - finishing 10 points back of the Sea Dogs - and are likely in for another long year as they rebuild from their 2018 Memorial Cup championship.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/None/None

Records: Both teams are 1-0-0-0 this pre-season. Last season, the Sea Dogs finished ninth overall in the Eastern Conference with a record of 13-49-2-4 for 32 points while the Titan finished 10th with a record of 8-54-5-1 for 22 points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-3 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday at the qplex. The Titan are coming off a big 9-2 win in Moncton on Sunday.

2018-19 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 5-4-0-0 against the Titan last season while Bathurst finished 5-3-1-0 against Saint John.

Dogs announce first camp cuts

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs have announced their first roster moves of training camp.

Here's what's happened:

• Players released from training camp: Jonathan Beers (F), Samuel Campbell (F), Cade Destefani (F), William Gagnon (F), Cole Kimble (F), Carter McCluskey (F), Robert Orr (F), Olivier Bourassa (D), Anthony Cliche (D), Isaac Dixon (D), Dylan Macleod (D), Alex Wynter (D), Stewart Bagnell (G), and Justin Pace (G).
• Cliche and Orr, both 2019 draft picks, left camp to maintain their NCAA eligibility.
• There was an announcement made regarding a couple notable absences at camp. Defenseman Brendan Sibley, who never could find his groove at the major junior level, and forward Yohan Plamondon, who had 21 points in 39 games last season, have both opted not to attend camp and will pursue junior 'A' options.
• Overage defenseman Sacha Roy, who was traded to Saint John in the off-season from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar as part of the Alex D'Orio deal, "has elected to no longer pursue his hockey career and will not be playing in the 2019-20 season," according to the team.
• Connor Richard is listed day-to-day after taking a big open ice in the first period of Sunday's pre-season game.
• There are now 20 forwards, 10 defensemen and four goalies remaining at Sea Dogs camp.   

There are no big surprises with any of these moves. The biggest news is Roy - a player that would have provided some nice sandpaper to a young defence core - opting to retire.

The cuts make for some interesting battles to follow for the final few roster spots. The Sea Dogs will play three more pre-season games this week, beginning Tuesday night in Bathurst.

Dogs sign another 2002-born d-man

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs continue to go all in on youth with their defence core.

On Sunday, the Sea Dogs announced the signing of 17-year-old defenceman Kale McCallum. The signing means Saint John will have five 2002-born players on their defence core this season in McCallum, Charlie DesRoches, Jeremie Poirier, William Villeneuve and Joona Lehmus.

“This is a special signing for the Sea Dogs," said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. "Kale is a very smart, talented, and mobile defenceman. He is a multi-sport athlete who gives us another quality 17-year-old blue liner to join our 2002-born nucleus. He grew up watching the Sea Dogs and his family have been Season Ticket Holders for many years. He wants to be part of what is being built right here in his backyard and win a President Cup and Memorial Cup one day. He will help us do that.”

McCallum, a Quispamsis native, spent the 2017-18 season with the Saint John Vito's before joining Rothesay Netherwood last season. He was an eighth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft.

McCallum looked good in Sunday's pre-season win over the Charlottetown Islanders at the qplex and has had a strong training camp.

It will be interesting to see how Saint John's defence performs this season. They are a young and still inexperienced group - but are also extremely talented and have the potential to surpass expectations. McCallum and Lehmus will be the only two of the group without a season of experience under their belt.

Saint John's next pre-season game is this Tuesday in Bathurst against the Titan.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 6

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs opened up the 2019 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season with a solid victory over the Charlottetown Islanders at the Quispamsis qplex, winning 6-3.

Returning forward Alexis Belisle led the way with two goals while singles came from free agent Connor McCluskey and draft picks Charles Savoie, Charles-Antoine Dumont and Carter McCluskey.

Justin Gill, Cameron Brown and Charles-Olivier Nadeau scored for Charlottetown.

Stewart Bagnell started the game in net for the Dogs and made 10 stops on 11 shots. 2019 draft pick Justin Pace took over midway through the game and allowed two goals on 11 shots.

Isaak Pelletier and Nolan Boyd combined to made 33 saves in the Charlottetown net.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Pre-Season Game Day 1: vs Islanders

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs open up the 2019 pre-season this afternoon at the qplex.

The Sea Dogs will face the Charlottetown Islanders today at 3 p.m. Both squads have been holding practices and scrimmages over the past few days.

This is the first of three meetings between the two squads this pre-season.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/None/None

Records: This is the first game of the pre-season for both teams. The Sea Dogs finished 13-49-2-4 for 32 points while the Islanders finished 40-21-4-3 for 87 points.

2018-19 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 2-5-0-2 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 7-1-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 24 at Eastlink Centre where the Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 4-3 in a shootout. Jordan Maher, Daniel Hardie and Xavier Fortin scored for Charlottetown while Saint John goals came from William Poirier, Filip Prikryl and Jeremie Jacob. Matthew Welsh made 24 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 53 stops in the loss.