Thursday, November 3, 2022

Notebook: Sevigny, Dufour shine in win

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
Tuesday morning/afternoon was a big one for a couple of former Saint John Sea Dogs.

Defenseman Vincent Sevigny scored his first American Hockey League goal while William Dufour netted the shootout winner.

Here's Sevigny's goal, which opened the scoring at 6:10 of the first period.
And here's Dufour's shootout winner (note that Sevigny is the first off the bench to congratulate him).

Sevigny now has a goal and an assist in three games with the Islanders while Dufour has three goals and an assist in eight contests.

Riley Bezeau was in the Checkers lineup, recording two shots and a -1 rating. Tuesday's match was just his second game of the season.

BILODEAU IMPRESSING
One Sea Dogs rookie who is starting to get some attention: defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau.

Bilodeau, a fourth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft, has looked calm and comfortable on the backend for an inexperienced 17-year-old. He has five assists in 13 games this season.

Here's Craig Eagles' take on the d-man.
Bilodeau captained the Gatineau L'Intrepide last season, posting nine goals and 30 points in 39 regular season games.

NEW POD EPISODE
This week on "The Hockey News On The Q," Will MacLaren and I are joined my Halifax Mooseheads forward Jordan Dumais; we take a look at QMJHL players in the Calgary Flames system; our 2023 NHL Draft player spotlight shines on Drummondville's Tyler Peddle; and we discuss some league news.
LEGEND OF DUFOUR
I was going through the list of players who scored game-winning goals for the Sea Dogs last season (as one does) and realized something: William Dufour scored a lot of game-winning goals.
Dufour scored 13 game winners last season, the second most in team history. Mike Hoffman, also a decent goal scorer with a decent shot, netted a franchise high 15 in 2009-10.

Josh Lawrence scored six winners last season.

GAUTHIER GOAL
An impressive goal from former Sea Dogs forward Julien Gauthier the other night.
Gauthier, who started the season in the AHL, has a goal and an assist in four games with Gerard Gallant's New York Rangers.

HIGHMORE GOAL
Former Sea Dogs forward Matthew Highmore also scored an impressive goal this past week.
SENIOR LEAGUE RETURNS
The Southern Senior Hockey League kicked off its second season last Friday. The league's four teams feature quite a few QMJHL alumni, including several former Sea Dogs.

Casey's Canucks (Quispamsis): Ben Reid

River Valley Rock (Grand Bay-Westfield): Mike Neil, Nick Blagden and Zack Alchorn

Saint John Flames (TD Station): Patrick Musico

2024 BIDS
Sportsnet's Jeff Marek is reporting that Kingston, Niagara and Sault Ste. Marie are interested in hosting the 2024 Memorial Cup.
The 2023 Memorial Cup will be held in Kamloops. The 2025 event will return to the QMJHL.

CENTRE ICE LOGOS
You've probably been thinking: I wish I could see a graphic that featured all 60 CHL centre ice logos. You're in luck!
Bathurst, Brandon and Owen Sound are my favourites. The University of Manitoba can't even share half of their circle with the Winnipeg Ice, it seems.

OTHER THINGS
  • The Cape Breton Eagles will be retiring Chris Culligan's No. 7 before Saturday's game against the Sea Dogs.
  • Gatineau Olympiques forward Marcel Marcel was not suspended for his check-from-behind on Sam-Luca Thifault last Thursday. Marcel received a five-minute major and game misconduct for the hit. Thifault stayed in the game.
  • EastlinkTV broadcasted last Friday's Olympiques-Wildcats game in Moncton. It is rare for the cable station to broadcast a game that doesn't feature a Nova Scotia team or the Charlottetown Islanders.
  • Marshall Lessard did not appear in either of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar's games this past weekend.
  • Former Sea Dog Kale McCallum continues to lead all QMJHL defensemen in scoring with 22 points in 16 games with the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He sits eighth overall in league scoring.
  • Attendance: it's not great. The Sea Dogs are averaging just 2,581 fans per game through seven home games, which places them sixth in the league. A number of teams have seen some very small crowds this season.
  • A few notable trades in the Maritime Hockey League over the past couple weeks: Valley traded Jack O'Blenis to Miramichi; Miramichi traded Adam Bowness to Fredericton; and Yarmouth dealt Cole Foston to Campbellton. 
  • Saltwire has a story on Alex Drover's return to the MHL's Valley Wildcats.
  • New Brunswick natives Bradley and Josh Nadeau sit 1-2 in BCHL scoring this season. They are both committed to the University of Maine for the 2023-24 season. Former Sea Dogs forward Olivier Picard now leads the Victoria Grizzlies in scoring with eight goals and 11 points in 13 games.
  • Have to say I'm a big fan of the new organ at the Avenir Centre. Love how they play modern tunes with it.
  • After losing back-to-back games for the first time in forever, Gardiner MacDougall's UNB Reds have since won five straight games, outscoring opponents 34-7.
  • St. Stephen could have junior A hockey back next year, reports the Telegraph-Journal (paywall). The St. Stephen Aces moved to Fredericton in 2019.
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