SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
The QMJHL released the official schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs – Victoriaville Tigres quarter-final playoff series. It is the same schedule as the one reported on the Tigres’ Facebook page yesterday.

Here it is (all times local):

2011-04-08 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:30 pm
2011-04-09 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-12 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-13 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-15 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-18 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-19 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm

CUSTOM GOAL HORN
The goal horn at Harbour Station had a different tune to it in the final game of the regular season after Michael Kirkpatrick scored. A video labeled “Michael Kirkpatrick Custom Goal Horn" has popped up on YouTube.



Pretty good tune.

ON THE RISE
Central Scouting had some meetings this weekend to discuss their final rankings for upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Among the things discussed were about the top defensemen available for the draft. That list, of course, includes Sea Dog Nathan Beaulieu.

"Nathan is a fluid skater, hard worker and reads the play well," Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, who specializes in the QMJHL, told NHL.com, via Fox News. "We thought he should have had more points than he had (45 points in 65 games), but overall he has the NHL quickness already. That's what is really important at this stage."

Beaulieu was ranked ninth among North American players in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

- Thanks to Eric for the link.

THE BIG DEBATE
Also discussed at those same meetings yesterday (after a lunch break) was the debate of who is the better pick: Sean Couturier or Jonathan Huberdeau.

“Chris Bordeleau, who spends most of his time viewing players in the 'Q', opened discussions with a solid evaluation of centers Jonathan Huberdeau and Sean Couturier,” states NHL.com. “He spoke of Huberdeau's great hands around the net and Couturier's two-way acumen. Saint John defenseman Nathan Beaulieu has also been on the radar of every scout and his play was worthy of a lengthy discussion by those boys within the Conn Smythe Board Room.”

SEASON ENDING TALK
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Mario Durocher had a season ending question and answer session with the Cape Breton Post on Friday. His thoughts on the first round playoff sweep by the Sea Dogs:

"For a lot of guys, it was their first experience in the playoffs. I think that experience will be good. They played one of the best teams in Canada and we gave them goals. We know that we have to be in really top shape. If you have to play four games in five days and we have to play a short bench, they have to realize they have to be in good shape. They have to be bigger and stronger, so the summer will be a key thing for a lot of guys. Sometimes dumping the puck and avoiding turnovers make a difference and that’s what they did. Those were little things like that we learned from Saint John."

BUSY WEEK
It’s going to a busy week for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

On Wednesday, the annual QMJHL Awards Gala will be held in Montreal. On Thursday, the QMJHL and CHL will announce the host of the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup. Then on Friday and Saturday, Games One and Two of their quarter-final series against Victoriaville will take place.

Buckle up.

THE CASE FOR FULLERTON
A good piece from Bill Hunt of the Daily Gleaner on how little recognition former Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton gets for his winning ways with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.

"But it's another slap in the mask of Fullerton, who has quietly had a spectacular career at UNB: the first to be blamed when things go wrong, the last to be credited when they go right. Look at the season just completed: 31 goals against in 20 games in the regular season: a 1.60 goals against average. Five shutouts. Post season: nine appearances. Six wins. Two shutouts. And then solid and sometimes spectacular last weekend."

Fullerton has now won two national championships with the V-Reds.

PEACE OUT AMYOT
Former Sea Dogs defenseman Pascal Amyot finished his junior career last week as the Halifax Mooseheads were swept away by the Montreal Juniors.

"Everything goes so fast," Amyot said through tears to the Chronicle Herald. "It feels like just yesterday I was a rookie in the league and now it’s over.

"After being in this league for five years, I came to realize that you don’t know the luck you’ve had until it’s gone."

Amyot, who has to be considered one of the smartest players in junior hockey, will continue studying engineering at Dalhousie next year and will play for the Tigers in the AUS ranks.

Photo Credits: HockeyDB, Marc Henwood/Station Nation, David Connell Web Album