Monday, March 7, 2022

Notebook: Sea Dogs win weekly honours

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
Josh Lawrence has been named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's player of the week.

The 20-year-old forward recorded four goals and six assists in the Saint John Sea Dogs' three lopsided victories last week. He now has 18 goals and 42 assists in 44 games this season. His 42 helpers and 60 points are career highs.

As the league's press release notes, Lawrence was previously named the QMJHL player of the week in September 2018 - his first week in the league.

Lawrence was also named to the QMJHL's team of the week along with William Dufour and William Villeneuve. Dufour posted five goals and four assists in three games last week while Villeneuve had three goals and two assists.
Former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum, now with the Val-d'Or Foreurs, was also named to the team of the week.

BIG NIGHT
Josh Lawrence became the second Sea Dog to record five points in a single game this season on Sunday. William Dufour also had a five-point night on Feb. 8.
The franchise record for points in a single game is six, which belongs to Alexandre Picard-Hooper (2007-08), Steven Anthony (2008-09) and Ryan Francis (2020-21).

40-GOAL CLUB
William Dufour joined an elite club on Sunday.

The New York Islanders prospect became just the sixth player in Sea Dogs history to record 40 goals in a single season. Dufour only trails Boko Imama (41), Scott Howes (42), Jonathan Huberdeau (43), Mike Hoffman (46) and Danick Gauthier (47) on the all-time list.
With 24 games remaining in the regular season, Dufour continues to lead the league in goals. Charlottetown's Patrick Guay sits in second with 33.

The last QMJHL player to score 50 goals in a season was Alex Barre-Boulet (53) in 2017-18.

POIRIER AMONG THE BEST
Jeremie Poirier recorded the 154th point of his career on Sunday, becoming the all-time leader Sea Dogs defensemen scoring. He surpassed Thomas Chabot who posted 153 points between 2013 and 2017.

To put his point total into some perspective, Poirier now sits 13th in all-time points by any Sea Dogs player, passing the likes of Stanislav Galiev, Danick Gauthier and Joe Veleno.

Brady Burns (169 points) currently sits 11th in all-time points while Josh Lawrence (151 points) is 16th. The franchise record is held by Jonathan Huberdeau (257 points), which could be broken if Burns and/or Lawrence play their full overage seasons in Saint John.

10-GOAL GAMES
The Sea Dogs scored 10 goals in a game for the first time since the 2019-20 season on Sunday.

The Sea Dogs have scored exactly 10 goals in a game on six different occasions, most recently on Jan. 22, 2020. They've scored 11 goals in a game twice while the team record is 12, set during the 2007-08 season.

It's worth noting the Sea Dogs did score 13 goals in a playoff game in 2012.

SEASON SPLITS
The season series between the Sea Dogs and Halifax Mooseheads has been an odd one. The first three meetings were decided by a goal while the most recent three were decided by much bigger margins.

Halifax 2 @ Saint John 10 (Mar 6 2022) Final
Saint John 7 @ Halifax 1 (Mar 2 2022) Final
Saint John 2 @ Halifax 6 (Feb 24 2022) Final
Saint John 3 @ Halifax 2 (Feb 18 2022) Final
Halifax 3 @ Saint John 4 (Nov 30 2021) Final OT1
Halifax 3 @ Saint John 4 (Oct 31 2021) Final

'06 MEMORIES
It's hard to believe Sunday's three shorthanded goal output wasn't a Sea Dogs record. It's even harder to believe that the only other time the franchise netted three shorties was during the inaugural 2005-06 season, where there was very little on-ice success.

Here are a couple memories from that wild 4-3 Sea Dogs win in Gatineau on Jan. 25, 2006. From radio broadcaster Gerry Green:
From assistant coach/general manager Troy Dumville:
OTHER THINGS 
  • The Sea Dogs are now 11-9-1-2 against Maritimes Division clubs this season.
  • Thanks to their recent offensive output, the Sea Dogs are now averaging 4.23 goals per game, second only to Charlottetown's 4.30. The Dogs are also averaging 35.16 shots per game, second only to Bathurst's 35.56.
  • The Sea Dogs played their final game of the pre-COVID era on March 7, 2020, falling 8-2 on home ice to the Drummondville Voltigeurs (oddly, William Dufour had a hat trick and five points for the Volts that night). Only five Sea Dogs players who suited up in that game played in Saint John's most recent contest on Sunday. That is a lot of turnover.
  • Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino explains what Russia's invasion of Ukraine could mean for junior hockey and NHL Draft prospects.
  • The QMJHL has suspended Shawinigan's Lou-Felix Denis five games for violating the league's anti-discrimination policy. According to reports, Denis made remarks towards Russian Evgenii Kashnikov of the Gatineau Olympiques in a game last week.
  • Speaking of suspensions, Sea Dogs forward Nicholas Blagden will be eligible to return to the lineup this Saturday in Moncton.
  • Nova Scotia entered phase two of its COVID-19 reopening plan on Monday, meaning Scotiabank Centre and Centre 200 can have up to "75% of the venue’s capacity up to 5,000 people (indoor and outdoor) while maintaining a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) as much as possible between groups of spectators. Wearing a mask is required (except when you’re eating or drinking). You don’t need to go to a designated area for eating and drinking (you can lower your mask to eat or drink when seated)."
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