Notebook: Sea Dogs' PK will be tested

QUISPAMSIS, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs' penalty kill will face a serious challenge on Saturday at the 2022 Memorial Cup.

With a bye to Wednesday's championship game on the line, the Sea Dogs will face their old Memorial Cup rival, the Shawinigan Cataractes, in the final game of the round-robin. Saint John needs a win in regulation time in order to earn the bye.

Shawinigan's power play went 3/7 in a 3-2 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Thursday. They went 1/5 in their opening game, a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

When Shawinigan's power play is clicking, they typically get a positive result. Here'a a look at their power play performances over the past seven games:

President Cup Final Game 1: 3/4 (win)

President Cup Final Game 2: 2/3 (win)

President Cup Final Game 3: 0/5 (win)

President Cup Final Game 4: 0/1 (loss)

President Cup Final Game 5: 1/5 (win)

Memorial Cup Game 1 (4-3 win): 1/5 (win)

Memorial Cup Game 2 (3-2 win): 3/7 (win)

Saint John's penalty kill has really struggled so far at the Memorial Cup, allowing four goals against on six opportunities. This comes after the team successfully killed off all 17 power play chances they gave the Rimouski Oceanic in their first round series loss.

On the flip side, Saint John's power play is 0/5 so far at the national championship tournament.

Saint John's best option on Saturday may simply be to do whatever they can to stay out of the box. The team will want to keep their composure in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere.

SEA DOGS VS WHL

With Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings, the Sea Dogs are now 2-0-1 all-time against Western Hockey League teams.

2011 vs Kootenay: 5-4 loss (OT)

2012 vs Edmonton: 5-2 win

2017 vs Seattle: 7-0 win

2022 vs Edmonton: 4-3 loss (OT)

The Sea Dogs face the Cataractes on Saturday, the only QMJHL team the Sea Dogs have ever faced in Memorial Cup competition. The two teams split their pair of games at the 2012 tournament.

ATTENDANCE

The crowds have been pretty good so far at the 2022 Memorial Cup, but there's no doubt some disappointment that the games have not sold out. Wednesday's game was close to capacity.

Game 1 - Hamilton vs Saint John: 5,021

Game 2 - Shawinigan vs Edmonton: 4,692

Game 3 - Saint John vs Edmonton: 5,245

Game 4 - Shawinigan vs Hamilton: 4,650

Friday night's game has the potential to be the final match not involving the Sea Dogs.

Not every game of the 2019 tournament in Halifax sold out, but there were over 9,000 fans (capacity is 10,595) for each game.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Has Shawinigan already won the Memorial Cup thanks to UQTR?

Here's something kind of odd/interesting:

• In 2011, UNB won the University Cup and nearby Saint John won the Memorial Cup.
• In 2014, Edmonton-based Alberta won the University Cup and the Oil Kings won the Memorial Cup. 
• In 2022, UQTR has won the University Cup and nearby Shawinigan could win the Memorial Cup.

Hamilton: you need to get a hockey program going at McMaster as soon as possible.

ICE CREAM

Does TD Station have the best cream in the CHL? The haters will say no.

Does Harbour Station in Saint John have the best ice cream in the CHL? @juliatocheri finds out! 🍦 pic.twitter.com/nYl4YSHEmX

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 23, 2022

FLEABURN'S SIGNS

Fleaburn ain't holding back at the Memorial Cup.

The Sea Dogs' mascot Fleaburn is chirping HARD tonight.#MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/8XoWZ81ccJ

— BarDown (@BarDown) June 22, 2022

LIBRARY TWEETS

The Saint John Public Library, the home of Fan Fest's Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit, also isn't holding back.

An informative reading list before Game 3 of the #MemorialCup tonight between the @sjseadogs and @EdmOilKings. Hey, @EPLdotCA - that crown you mentioned seems to be slightly askew. Hope you don't drop it!#OneForAll @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/LPeiLWJXY0

— Biblio publique de Saint John Free Public Library (@SaintJohnFPL) June 22, 2022

506 VIEWING AREA

The viewing area at the Area 506 Waterfront Container Village. Really cool to see.

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A post shared by AREA 506 (@area506fest)

BALL HOCKEY SURPRISE

We’re proud to sponsor the @CHLHockey Memorial Cup’s youth ball hockey tournament. We wanted to offer local kids a dose of the same excitement the city and teams are feeling this week.

So we surprised them…#OneForAll #MemorialCup2022 pic.twitter.com/DZDRCq5atW

— J.D. Irving, Limited (@jdirvinglimited) June 22, 2022

NEW MEMORIAL

The Memorial Cup was in attendance for the unveiling of a new New Brunswick Naval Memorial on the Harbour Passage.

The New Brunswick Naval Memorial, that was created to recognize and commemorate the long and storied history of New Brunswick’s significant role in the naval and maritime heritage of Canada, was unveiled today in Saint John. #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/53x5gencou

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 24, 2022

WALLPAPER

The Saint John Sea Dogs are hosting the #MemorialCup!

Good luck to @NikolasHurtubi1 , @tom_couttt , and the rest of the @SJSeaDogs! #SJSeaDogs #CityofChampions

Grab the wallpapers in the comments or w/ the 🔗 in our bio. pic.twitter.com/HcOdvUhxzE

— Hockey Card Head Swap (@hcheadswap) June 24, 2022

CALDER CUP UPDATE

Former Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman and the Chicago Wolves lead the American Hockey League's Calder Cup final 2-1 over the Springfield Falcons.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series takes place Friday night in Springfield.

After dropping Game 1, the Wolves rebounded with victories in Games 2 and 3. Smallman had a goal in Chicago's 6-2 win in Game 2.

Smallman has two goals and three assists in 16 playoff games this season.

OTHER THINGS

• The congestion on the TD Station concourse during games has been something else. Has to be a combination of us (sadly) not being used to these kinds of crowds, people wanting to grab supper at the game (it's mid-week) and sponsorship activations taking up a lot of room.
• The QMJHL website has a story on former Sea Dogs captain Mike Thomas.
• Postmedia, via the Toronto Sun, has a story on Gardiner MacDougall.
• CTV Atlantic has a story on the tourism boom Saint John is seeing with the Memorial Cup in town.
• The Athletic (paywall) has a story on Sea Dogs defenseman William Villeneuve.