Dogs Will Have Different Look Tomorrow

The Sea Dogs will have a different looking lineup tomorrow night in Charlottetown.

Because of reassignments, injuries and suspensions, the 2-2-0-0 Sea Dogs will be forced to dress a young defence core when they take on the 4-0-0-0 Charlottetown Islanders on Friday at Eastlink Centre.

Jason Bell has been suspended for tomorrow’s game and the Telegraph-Journal reports that Adam Bateman will be out with a lower body injury. Add Thomas Chabot (Ottawa) and Jakub Zboril (Boston) to the absentee list due to NHL camps and that’s a whole lot of experience that’s unavailable.

The team sent Pierre-Luc Luerette back to the MHL’s Campbellton Tigers this past week but recalled Vincent Martineau from midget AAA. They also signed Ontario d-man Austin Clapham.

SN’s Kevin Chambers projects Saint John’s defence to look something along the lines of:

Oliver Felixson – Luke Green

Bailey Webster – Austin Clapham

Shayne Dominie – Vincent Maritneau

That is a young looking ‘D’ core.

Some good news is that Saint John’s offence should be much improved compared to last weekend. Spencer Smallman (Carolina), Adam Marsh (Detroit), Samuel Dove-McFalls (Philadelphia), Mathieu Joseph (Tamp Bay) and Bokondji Imama (Tampa Bay) have all been sent back to the Sea Dogs by their respective NHL teams. Nathan Noel (Anaheim) was reportedly at the team’s softball game last night.

In related moves, forwards Ryan Kenny, Cedric Pare, Ben Reid and Will Kelly were all sent back down by the Dogs this week.

Meanwhile, the Islanders will be without one of their top scorers in Daniel Sprong (Pittsburgh) and their No. 1 netminder in Mason McDonald (Calgary).

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation