Five Sea Dogs questions heading into draft week

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

We're less than a week away from the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft taking place in Quebec City.

The first-round of the draft will take place next Friday at Videotron Centre while the remaining rounds will be held on Saturday.

The Saint John Sea Dogs own the first overall pick in this year's draft. Who they'll select is just one of the questions facing the team heading into next weekend.

Here's five questions facing the Sea Dogs heading into the draft.

1. What will a Crickard draft look like?

This will be the first draft as Saint John's general manager for Travis Crickard. He wasn't overly busy during the holiday trade period, so we weren't able to get a great read on what his style will be as a GM. The organization seems to be committed on returning to competing/contention in 2026-27, but how they get there will be interesting. Will Crickard take some big swings? Be more conservative? Shake up any of the core already in place? We'll see.

2. Who will Saint John take at No. 1?

This is certainly the biggest question that everyone around the league will have heading into Friday's first-round. The stars seem to be aligning for Alexis Joseph to be taken first overall – but we'll see. The QMJHL Entry Draft is known for its drama and the NCAA rule change could create a chaotic draft. Let's remember that Saint John has a number of new faces on the scouting side as well, along with Crickard.

3. What impact will the NCAA rule change have?

There's a lot going on here and a lot to digest. Over the past decade, Saint John has been one of the more aggressive teams when it comes to drafting players with NCAA intentions, some years more than others. Results have varied, but it's probably safe to say that the Sea Dogs will remain as aggressive – if not more – with the rule change. There are a couple key questions facing the Sea Dogs (and all teams) heading into this weekend:

• Are players still using the USHL as a real threat? If a player from these parts would still prefer to play junior hockey in Nebraska (no offense to Nebraska), all the power to them. But... I don't know, it's not going to be a great look or sign for the QMJHL as a whole if they continue to lose players to the USHL even after this rule change.
• How long will these college bound players stay in the QMJHL? We're starting to now see some players with junior eligibility remaining make the bounce to college hockey. I'm not sure how many players will be making the jump early, but it's something to keep in mind when drafting and building teams moving forward.

The NCAA impact will definitely be the most interesting storyline to follow at this year's draft.

Moncton's season ends with semifinal loss

Vincent Éthier / CHL

The Memorial Cup continues to elude the Moncton Wildcats.

Gardiner MacDougall and the Wildcats fell 5-2 to the London Knights in the semifinal game of the 2025 Memorial Cup on Friday, ending their hopes of a national championship. London advances to Sunday's final where they'll face the Medicine Hat Tigers.

This was the third time in franchise history that the Wildcats earned a spot in the tournament. They've come up short all three times with their closest victory being a loss in the 2006 championship game.

Maybe it was the tougher competition or something else, but the Wildcats just didn't look like themselves over the past few weeks. They struggled to produce consistent, 60-minute performances and let opponents control play for lengthy stretches.

Despite Friday's loss, it was quite the season for the Wildcats, who won the QMJHL's regular season title and Gilles-Courteau Trophy. Moncton went 53-9-2-0 during regular season play.

It was a rough tournament for the QMJHL with the league's only win coming in the game that put the Wildcats and Rimouski Oceanic against each other. The Wildcats finish with a 1-3 record while the Oceanic went 0-3.

The QMJHL won every Memorial Cup tournament from 2018 to 2023 (there were no tournaments in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic). The OHL's Saginaw Spirit won last season, defeating London in the final.

Medicine Hat will try and capture the WHL's first national title since the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014.

Notebook: Mateiko's season ends in a loss

Vincent Éthier / CHL

Eriks Mateiko and the Rimouski Oceanic were eliminated from the Memorial Cup on Wednesday, falling 6-2 to the Moncton Wildcats. The former Sea Dogs captain was the lone Sea Dogs alumnus participating in the event.

Wednesday's game was likely Mateiko's last in the QMJHL. Mateiko had a goal in three games at the tournament after posting seven goals and four assists in 18 playoff games. 

The Wildcats don't feature any former Sea Dogs players but do have a few former coaches on their staff – including Gardiner MacDougall.

The Wildcats face the London Knights in the Memorial Cup semifinal on Friday at 8 p.m. The winner advances to Sunday's championship game against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

PEDDLE NOT SIGNING

Tyler Peddle is reportedly about to become a free agent.

According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the Columbus Blue Jackets will not sign the Sea Dogs forward ahead of the June 1 deadline, making him a free agent. Peddle was a seventh-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Told #CBJ will not be signing F Tyler Peddle or F Martin Rysavy by the June 1 deadline, relinquishing their rights to the players.
Peddle, 20, was a 7th-round pick (No. 224 overall) in 2024, while Rysavy, 22, was a 7th-round pick (No. 197 overall) in 2021.

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 24, 2025

Peddle joined the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, for a short period after Saint John's season ended. He did not appear in any AHL games.

Peddle is eligible to return to Saint John for his overage season. He posted 15 goals and 14 assists in 54 games this past season.

Wildcats move on to semifinal

Vincent Éthier / CHL

The Moncton Wildcats overcame an ugly start to keep their Memorial Cup hopes alive on Wednesday.

The Wildcats were heavily outplayed in the first period but rebounded in the final 40 minutes for a 6-2 win over the Rimouski Oceanic in round robin play. The win pushes Moncton into Friday's semifinal against the London Knights while Rimouski's season ends with the loss.

St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Julius Sumpf, Juraj Pekarcik, Etienne Morin and Alex Mercier. Mathis Rousseau made 32 saves in the win.

The Wildcats trailed 2-1 after the first period and were outshot 17-6. But Moncton turned things around in the second period, scoring twice to take a 3-2 lead into the third.

Morin put the Wildcats up 4-2 with a goal just 4:02 into the third. They secured the win with a pair of empty net goals late in the period.

It was a far from a perfect game for Moncton, but it was certainly a better showing and result than their 3-1 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Monday. The Wildcats were able to get their offense going, something they've struggled with at this tournament.

The Wildcats will look to carry this momentum into Friday's semifinal against the Knights, which will obviously be their biggest game of the season. The semifinal winner will play the Tigers in Sunday's championship game.

Under Armour, Bauer to replace CCM

Every team in the Canadian Hockey League will have a new look next season.

The CHL confirmed Wednesday that Under Armour will become its "exclusive jersey and socks and exclusive training footwear and apparel partner." Bauer, meanwhile, "will serve as the official equipment supplier."

The new deals begin this coming season and run through 2030-31.

The companies replace long-time jersey and equipment provider CCM. The Saint John Sea Dogs, who entered the CHL in 2005, have only known CCM and Reebok (who owned CCM) as their jersey and equipment providers.

While the CHL didn't note any design changes, every team will no doubt have a different look next year – even if it's subtle. The CHL released a teaser video featuring the Rimouski Oceanic's new look, which noticeably features a different collar and back.

Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Under Armour will become the exclusive jersey and socks and exclusive training footwear and apparel partner of the CHL, its Member Leagues and 61 Clubs while @BauerHockey will serve as the official equipment supplier! 🏒 https://t.co/kneLCh8r7S pic.twitter.com/AmzhcOHvAM

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 28, 2025

The last major jersey redesign in the CHL came before the 2009-10 season when every team made the switch to the Reebok Edge uniforms. The Sea Dogs are one of the few teams that have made very few changes to their look since that redesign.

On the jerseys, the CHL stated in its news release that "retail availability for fans, including new authentic and tiered replica jerseys, will be announced closer to the start of the 2025-26 campaign."

The new jerseys are not expected to be ready in time for the upcoming QMJHL Entry Draft.

Under Armour certainly isn't known as a hockey company but they do manufacture a number of college hockey jerseys. Bauer, of course, has been the long-time equipment provider for Hockey Canada's national teams.

Wildcats, Oceanic both down 0-2

Vincent Éthier / CHL

The road to a Memorial Cup title for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has gotten more challenging.

The Moncton Wildcats fell 3-1 to the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers on Monday night, falling to 0-2 at this year's tournament. The Rimouski Oceanic, meanwhile, are also 0-2 following a 3-1 loss to the OHL champion London Knights on Sunday.

The results of the past two days mean no tiebreaker game will be required this year. Here's how the next couple days will play out:

• The winner of Tuesday's London/Medicine Hat game will earn a bye to Sunday's championship game.
• The loser of Tuesday's London/Medicine Hat game will secure a spot in Friday's semifinal game.
• The winner of Wednesday's Rimouski/Moncton game will earn a spot in a Friday's semifinal game.
• The loser of Wednesday's Rimouski/Moncton game will be eliminated.

On Monday, the Wildcats, once again, just couldn't get things clicking properly. After a fairly 50-50 first period, Medicine Hat outshot Moncton 17-6 in the second and carried a 2-0 lead into the third. The Wildcats scored early in the third to get within one but some ill-timed penalties essentially erased any chance of a Moncton comeback.

The Wildcats have scored just three goals so far at the Memorial Cup and all have been from defensemen.

Moncton has now lost six straight games at the Memorial Cup with their last win coming in the 2006 semifinal game. They'll look to snap this skid with their season on the line on Wednesday.

Wildcats, Oceanic drop openers

Vincent Éthier / CHL

Both teams from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League have dropped their first games of the 2025 Memorial Cup.

The host Rimouski Oceanic fell 5-4 to the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday while the Moncton Wildcats lost 3-2 in overtime to the OHL's London Knights on Saturday.

Both QMJHL squads were in it until the end and have proved just how tight the teams competing in this year's much-hyped tournament could be.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko and the Oceanic allowed the game-winning goal in the final three minutes of regulation. The Wildcats, meanwhile, were able to, at least, grab a point, which could be crucial later on.

Moncton was able to get the game into overtime thanks to a great goaltending performance from Mathis Rousseau. The overage netminder made 45 saves in the loss – including 16 in the third period alone.

Both teams will look to regroup and get a better result in their second games. The Oceanic take on the Knights on Sunday while the Wildcats battle the Tigers on Monday. 

A few other Saturday night news and notes...

• Here's a look at Rimouski's commemorative sweaters, continuing a Memorial Cup tradition.
• It looks like the Memorial Cup patches have been added to the back of jerseys – along the bottom. Teams have big Motorola ads on the front of their jerseys where the patch was traditionally placed.
• Saturday's game was the Memorial Cup's first three-on-three overtime game since the 2022 tournament in Saint John. That game saw the Edmonton Oil Kings edge Gardiner MacDougall and the Sea Dogs 4-3.
• In the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs, Joshua Roy scored the Laval Rocket's lone goal in a 5-1 loss to the Rochester Americans on Friday. The best-of-five series is now tied 2-2 heading into Sunday's decisive Game 5 in Laval.
• The Colorado Eagles have forced a decisive Game 5 in their series against the Abbotsford Canucks thanks to a 3-1 win on Friday. William Dufour did not play in that game. Game 5 is Monday in Colorado.
• Nicolas Guay, Vincent Sevigny and the Trois-Rivieres Lions have taken a 3-2 series lead in the ECHL's Eastern Conference final with a 3-1 win over the Florida Everblades on Saturday. Sevigny had an assist on the game's opening goal.

Memorial Cup begins Friday; AHL, ECHL playoffs continue

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The 2025 Memorial Cup is set to begin on Friday night in Rimouski.

The host Oceanic will take on the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers in the tournament's opening game. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. AT and the game can be seen on TSN.

The Oceanic feature the only former Saint John Sea Dogs player taking part in this year's tournament. Forward Eriks Mateiko recorded seven goals and four assists in 18 playoff games with the Oceanic, helping the club reach the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final.

Mateiko has always performed well in big moments. The Washington Capitals prospect had a breakout performance at this year's World Junior Championship and, more recently, scored the Game 7 overtime goal that sent the Oceanic to the league final.

The Tigers are headlined by 2026 NHL Draft top prospect Gavin McKenna – who Mateiko faced at this year's world juniors. Speculation continues that McKenna could be heading to the NCAA for next season.

Saturday will see the QMJHL champion Moncton Wildcats take on the OHL champion London Knights at 7 p.m. AT. Moncton finished the regular season ranked first in the CHL while London was second.

The game will see two coaching legends go head-to-head: Gardiner MacDougall of the Wildcats and Dale Hunter of the Knights. MacDougall, often referred to as the king of the short tournament, will be looking for his second Memorial Cup title after guiding the Sea Dogs to the 2022 title.

The Knights were favoured to win last year's tournament but they fell to the host Saginaw Spirit in the championship game. The host team has won three of the last six tournaments.

Notebook: David Stich retires

Saint John Sea Dogs

A former Saint John Sea Dogs captain has hung up his skates for the last time.

Defenseman David Stich has decided to retire from professional hockey at the age of 36, according to a Czech news report. 

Stich was selected fourth overall by the Sea Dogs in the 2006 CHL Import Draft and spent parts of three seasons with the club. A tough and rugged d-man who recorded over 100 penalty minutes twice in his QMJHL career, Stich captained the Sea Dogs in the second half of the 2008-09 season following the Alex Grant trade.

Stich spent his final season of junior hockey with the Montreal Junior in 2009-10.

Besides a few AHL games, Stich has spent his entire professional career back home in the Czech Republic. This past season saw him appear in 30 regular season games and another 15 playoff contests with HC Tabor in the Czech third division.

The report indicated that Stich hopes to remain in hockey in some capacity.

WOODSTOCK BOUND

The QMJHL website now shows the Saint John's "home" pre-season game on Sept. 5 will be played at Woodstock's AYR Motor Centre.

The Sea Dogs are scheduled to face the Moncton Wildcats in what will be their pre-season finale. It will be Saint John's first exhibition appearance in Woodstock.

The AYR Centre was, of course, home to the Maritime Hockey League's Woodstock Slammers from 2003 to 2018. The Slammers are expected to return this fall, this time as members of the NCDC.

Saint John's five-game pre-season schedule can be viewed here.

US EXPANSION NEARING?

It sounds like the QMJHL's expansion into the United States may become reality sooner rather than later.

Le Journal de Quebec reports that the QMJHL could add two American franchises in time for the 2026-27 season. This would mean we're likely less than a year away from an official announcement. We'll see where this goes.

The league has confirmed that this will be expansion. No current teams will be moving.

The most speculated landing spots continue to be Manchester, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine. Those cities make the most sense given their market size, arenas and location to each other and the Canadian border. The obvious obstacle here is what happens with the ECHL's Maine Mariners, who currently play in Portland.

Wildcats win Gilles-Courteau Trophy

QMJHL

MONCTON – For the first time since 2010, the Moncton Wildcats are Gilles-Courteau Trophy champions.

The Wildcats secured the 2025 QMJHL title with a 3-2 win over the Rimouski Oceanic on Monday afternoon at Sun Life Financial Colisee, taking the series in six games. Both teams had already secured spots in the Memorial Cup tournament with Rimouski hosting.

This is the third QMJHL championship for the Wildcats in franchise history. Along with the 2010 title, they also won in 2006.

The moment they were all waiting for! @monctonwildcats | #QPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/WAtljX7u6n

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 19, 2025

The Wildcats were up 3-0 in the series before the Oceanic dominated Game 4 and then edged the Wildcats on home ice on Saturday, forcing a Game 6 on holiday Monday.

Much like the past two games, the Wildcats struggled to get their offense going. Finally, at 6:30 of the second period, Gabe Smith broke the ice to make it 1-0. That goal seemed to give the Wildcats a lift as they went on to outshoot the Oceanic 19-7 in the period and took a 3-0 lead into the third.

As has been the case in this series, the Oceanic would not go away easily. Jonathan Fauchon scored at 7:11 of the third and then Jacob Mathieu connected on a power play at 11:32. But the Oceanic struggled to get things going in the final minutes, even with Mathis Langevin pulled for an extra attacker.

Overage goaltender Mathis Rousseau made 24 saves to finally get his QMJHL championship.

Caleb Desnoyers, with 30 points this post-season, was named playoff MVP.

Oceanic send series to a Game 6

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MONCTON – We have a series.

The Rimouski Oceanic forced a Game 6 in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final with a 3-1 victory over the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at Avenir Centre. The Oceanic now trail the Wildcats 3-2 after Moncton won the first three games of the series.

Game 6 will take place Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. Atlantic in Rimouski. If a Game 7 is needed, it would be the next night back in Moncton.

A sold out Avenir Centre was hoping for a party but it was anything but. Moncton never led in this game and simply couldn't get enough going offensively. The Wildcats outshot the Oceanic 34-23 but struggled to generate quality chances or lengthy stretches of offensive zone pressure.

Rimouski was excellent defensively. It seemed like they were always in perfect position to block shots or intercept passes. When goaltender Mathis Langevin allowed a rebound, the Wildcats were never able to grab the puck first.

The Oceanic look like a team that have adjusted their game plan as the series has gone on – and it's given them new life. The Wildcats, on the other hand, need to try something to solve Rimouski's defensive play.

Langevin was named the game's first star with 33 stops. Jacob Mathieu scored a pair of goals for Rimouski while Maël Lavigne added a single.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko had two shots in the win.

Preston Lounsbury scored Moncton's lone goal while Mathis Rousseau made 20 stops in the loss.

The Wildcats have scored just two goals over the past two games.

This was Moncton's first home loss of the post-season, falling to 8-1. They've suffered back-to-back losses in regulation time for the first time all season.

Memorial Cup field is set

WHL

MONCTON – The field is set for the 2025 Memorial Cup.

The Medicine Hat Tigers secured the final spot in the tournament on Friday night, defeating the Spokane Chiefs 6-0 to win the Western Hockey League championship in five games. It's the first WHL title for the Tigers since 2007.

Medicine Hat joins an impressive tournament field featuring the Rimouski Oceanic (host), Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) and London Knights (OHL champion).

The Tigers are headlined by 2026 NHL Draft top prospect Gavin McKenna, who posted 38 points in 16 playoff games. This could be McKenna's final games of junior hockey as it's been speculated that he'll make the jump to the NCAA next season.

Medicine Hat goaltender Harrison Meneghin was named playoff MVP. Meneghin, who lost his father just before the playoffs started, was given this special moment by Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt.

Harrison, you're getting this one too 🧡

Your 2025 Ed Chynoweth Cup champs 🏆@TigersHockey | #WHLChampionship | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/MYGVQXS98q

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 17, 2025

The Memorial Cup begins next Friday with the Tigers taking on the host Oceanic. The next day, the Wildcats face the Knights.

QMJHL Entry Draft getting closer

MONCTON – We're now three weeks away from the 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft.

This year's draft takes place June 6-7 at Quebec City's Videotron Centre. The first round will take place Friday evening followed by the remaining 11 rounds on Saturday.

The QMJHL website has posted this year's full draft order. Below is where the Saint John Sea Dogs are currently scheduled to pick.

Round 1, 1st overall

Round 1, 10th overall (via Cape Breton)

Round 2, 20th overall

Round 6, 94th overall

Round 6, 109th overall (via Rimouski)

Round 7, 112th overall

Round 9, 148th overall

Round 11, 184th overall

Round 12, 202nd overall

The Sea Dogs are expected to be receiving a third first-round pick prior to the draft.

This year's draft has been reduced to 12 rounds, down from the previous 14.

It certainly feels like forward Alexis Joseph is likely to be the first overall pick. Forward James Scantlebury, who some draft experts projected as the first overall pick, recently signed a USHL tender agreement with the Chicago Steel, making his QMJHL intentions uncertain. On that note, the Steel have lost their general manager/head coach to the NCAA, which may or may not impact Scantlebury's decision.

The draft – and trade – hype is sure to pick up in the next week or so. It will be a busy couple weeks for the league with Rimouski hosting this year's Memorial Cup from May 23 to June 1.

Oceanic send series back to Moncton

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Eriks Mateiko scored as the Rimouski Oceanic staved off elimination on Thursday night.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs captain was one of five Oceanic players to score in a dominant 5-1 victory over the Moncton Wildcats, keeping their Gilles-Courteau Trophy hopes alive. The Wildcats lead the QMJHL championship series 3-1.

Rimouski came flying out of the gate, scoring three goals in the first 7:08 and carrying a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. The Oceanic outshot the Wildcats 23-7 in the opening frame and were 2/5 on the power play.

The Wildcats simply didn't show up for this game. Once Rimouski got things going early, Moncton had no answer. They struggled in their own end at times and were too undisciplined. 

Mateiko's goal was his first since scoring in double overtime of Game 7 in of the QMJHL semifinals. The former Sea Dog also had six shots and was a +1.

ERIKS MATEIKO MAKES IT 5-0 RIMOUSKI

That's his first of the series! 🇱🇻 pic.twitter.com/dlGEuPIHSp

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 16, 2025

The good news for Moncton: they still carry a commanding series lead. Game 5 will take place Saturday night at Avenir Centre – a building they are 8-0 in during these playoffs.

The Wildcats are now 15-2 overall in these playoffs.

Moncton will try and win the third QMJHL championship in team history on Saturday. Both of their previous titles were clinched on home ice.

Both the Wildcats and Oceanic have already secured spots in the Memorial Cup tournament. Another team locked in their spot on Thursday with the London Knights defeating the Oshawa Generals 5-2 to win a second straight OHL championship.

In the WHL, the Medicine Hat Tigers have a 3-1 series lead over the Spokane Chiefs. Game 5 is Friday night in Spokane. 

Wildcats are one win away

The Moncton Wildcats are one win away from their first QMJHL championship since 2010.

After scoring the double overtime winner in Game 2 on Sunday, Vincent Collard followed that up with a four-goal performance to lead the Wildcats to a 6-4 win over the Rimouski Oceanic on Wednesday. The Wildcats now own a commanding 3-0 series lead heading into Thursday's Game 4.

Rimouski controlled the play in the first period and yet it was the Wildcats who led 2-0 after one. The Oceanic tied it up in the second, but a couple late period goals by Moncton got momentum back in the visitor's favour – and it stayed that way.

Special teams have been a big story in this series. Moncton went 2/3 on the man advantage while Rimouski finally broke through, going 1/4.

It wasn't a perfect game from the Wildcats, but it got the job done. Now they're one win away from their third QMJHL championship.

This was the Oceanic's first home loss of the playoffs, falling to 9-1. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are 15-1 overall.

Notebook: Schedule coming soon

A whole lot of the Moncton Wildcats is on the schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs this pre-season.

The QMJHL website published its pre-season schedule – or at least most pieces of it – on Wednesday. As it stands right now, the Sea Dogs will play five exhibition games with four of those coming against the Wildcats.

Here's a look at Saint John's current pre-season schedule:

Tuesday, Aug. 19: Saint John at Moncton (Dieppe UNIplex)

Wednesday, Aug. 20: Moncton at Saint John (St. Stephen Garcelon Civic Center)

Friday, Aug. 22: Saint John at Moncton (Fredericton Aitken Centre)

Thursday, Aug. 28: Saint John at Newfoundland (Summerside Wellness Centre)

Friday, Sept. 5: Moncton at Saint John (TBD)

Saint John's pre-season contest in St. Stephen was originally scheduled for Aug. 19 but has since been moved to Aug. 20.

If this is indeed Saint John's final pre-season schedule, it would be the fewest exhibition games the club has ever played.

SCHEDULE SOON

We're presumably getting closer to the releasing of the QMJHL's regular season schedule. Last season's schedule was released on May 27.

Stephane Leroux of RDS reported earlier this week that the regular season will begin Thursday, Sept. 18 with the Newfoundland Regiment hosting the Moncton Wildcats. It will be the QMJHL's first game in St. John's since 2008.

Leroux also explained how the Regiment's schedule and travel will work. Maritimes Division teams will fly to St. John's twice and play two games each time, according to the report.

Saint John's last game in St. John's was on Jan. 6, 2008.

Sea Dogs fall to 10th in QMJHL attendance

The Saint John Sea Dogs saw a lot of small crowds once again this season.

The club averaged 2,811 fans per game during 2024-25, a slight increase from last year. This season was the first to feature 32 home games rather than the 34 the team has been playing for more than a decade.

For a fifth straight season, the Sea Dogs have tumbled down the league's attendance rankings, finishing 10th this past year. That places them behind markets like Shawinigan and Cape Breton and just above Charlottetown. A decade ago, it seemed impossible that the Sea Dogs and Islanders franchises would someday have similar attendance figures.

Here's a breakdown of Saint John's attendance numbers over the years.

Season	Total	Average
2005-06	156,694	4,477 (4th)
2006-07	134,354	3,839 (6th)
2007-08	139,214	3,978 (5th)
2008-09	133,613	3,930 (5th)
2009-10	140,779	4,141 (4th)
2010-11	152,237	4,478 (4th)
2011-12	155,060	4,561 (3rd)
2012-13	135,732	3,992 (4th)
2013-14	116,380	3,423 (5th)
2014-15	121,782	3,582 (5th)
2015-16	123,399	3,629 (4th)
2016-17	142,829	4,201 (3rd)
2017-18	144,723	4,257 (4th)
2018-19	116,511	3,427 (5th)
2019-20	107,042	3,345 (6th)*
2020-21	25,123	1,478 (3rd)**
2021-22	89,846	2,643 (5th)***
2022-23	100,536	2,957 (7th)
2023-24	93,850	2,760 (8th)
2024-25	89,948	2,811 (10th)

*Final two home games cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

**All 17 home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions

***Three home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions

Wildcats take 2-0 series lead; Sea Dogs alumni advance in AHL playoffs

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MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats remain undefeated in overtime in the QMJHL playoffs.

The Wildcats improved to 5-0 in extra time with a 4-3 double overtime victory over the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday night Avenir Centre. Vincent Collard scored the winner 2:34 into double OT.

The Wildcats now lead the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final 2-0 heading into Game 3 in Rimouski on Wednesday.

Moncton improved to 8-0 at home with the win while goaltender Rudy Guimond is now 24-0 in the regular season and playoffs combined. Guimond made a few excellent stops in overtime to keep the game going.

At the other end, Oceanic netminder William Lacelle was also excellent, making 42 saves in the loss.

After Moncton dominated Game 1 on Saturday, this was a much more competitive match and featured a couple lead changes. The Oceanic tied the game with their goaltender pulled at 17:20 of the third, which sent the match into overtime.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko had an assist and six shots in the loss.

Wildcats dominant in Game 1 win

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MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats dominated the first game of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final.

The Wildcats controlled the play for most of the night in a 4-1 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic at a sold out Avenir Centre. Shots ended 38-14 in favour of the Wildcats – with half of the Oceanic's shots coming in the third period.

Game 2 of the series will take place Sunday night in Moncton.

The Wildcats came ready to play. They led just 1-0 after the first period but shots were 13-3. Rimouski didn't record their first shot on net until there was 4:11 remaining in the first.

The Oceanic looked very much like a banged up and tired team that's coming off a seven-game series. We'll see if they can rebound.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko had just one shot on goal for the Oceanic. He, like most of the Rimouski lineup, simply couldn't solve Moncton's strong defensive play.

Who hurt the Sea Dogs the most in 2024-25?

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MONCTON - Who had the most points against the Saint John Sea Dogs this past season?

The answer probably won't come as a surprise.

Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats and Cam Squires of the Cape Breton Eagles each posted 15 points against the Sea Dogs. Squires did it in seven games while Desnoyers did so in eight.

Desnoyers, who is currently tied for the QMJHL playoff scoring lead, led the way with seven goals against Saint John. The 2025 NHL Draft eligible forward leads the Moncton Wildcats into Game 1 of the QMJHL final on Saturday against the Rimouski Oceanic.

Desnoyers now has 10 goals and 14 assists in 17 career games against the Sea Dogs. Squires, meanwhile, had nine goals and nine assists in nine games against Saint John during the 2023-24 season.

12 players had eight or more points against Saint John this past season. Here's a breakdown.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Caleb Desnoyers	MON	8	7	8	15
Cam Squires	CAP	7	6	9	15
Matthew Butler	CHA	8	3	10	13
Alex Mercier	MON	8	5	6	11
Jacob Newcombe	CAP	8	4	6	10
Juraj Pekarcik	MON	6	4	5	9
Quinn Kennedy	HAL	6	4	4	8
Liam Kilfoil	HAL	8	4	4	8
Samuel Boisvert	BAC	2	3	5	8
Simon Hughes	CHA	6	3	5	8
Joseph Henneberry	CAP	7	3	5	8
Julius Sumpf	MON	7	3	5	8

Hansen departs Sea Dogs bench

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will have a different look behind the bench next season.

The team announced Friday that associate coach Jeff Hansen is returning to Alberta, where he will take on the head coach position with the Calgary International Hockey Academy under-18 team.

Hansen joined the Sea Dogs as an assistant coach in 2022 after previously working as an assistant with the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes and Calgary Hitmen. He was promoted to an associate coach in 2023.

“While we are very sad to see Jeff leave us this was the only and right decision for him and his family,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “He will also have the opportunity to be head coach of an up-and-coming program in Calgary which will help continue his professional development.”

Hansen stepped in as Sea Dogs head coach 18 times over the past couple seasons, posting a record of 6-12.

From the news release:

“What an amazing adventure these last three years have been,” said Hansen. “Thank you to Scott and Trevor for welcoming me into such a great organization and for all you do for the team and the city. Thank you to Travis and Mark for challenging me and making me a better coach every day. Thank you to the players for trusting me with your development journey and for your commitment to continuously improve.” 

“I would also like to say thank you to the community and the friends we have made here for welcoming my family and making these three years so great. We are sad to be leaving, but excited for the opportunity ahead,” Hansen added.

The Sea Dogs will presumably hire a replacement for Hansen. Their coaching staff currently consists of Crickard, assistant coach Mark Lee and goaltending and video coach Max Essiambre.

Thursday stuff: Gens take Game 1

TSN

The OHL kicked off the three CHL league championships on Thursday. Some news and notes...

• The Oshawa Generals handed the London Knights their first loss of the playoffs, taking Game 1 of the OHL final 4-2. Cal Ritchie scored the winner on a power play with 3:25 remaining in the third. The Generals went 3/9 on the man advantage. Game 2 will take place Saturday.
• The WHL final between the Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs gets underway on Friday.
• In the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs, the Colorado Eagles are through to the next round following a 3-1 series win over the San Jose Barracuda. William Dufour did not play in any games in the series.
• The Charlotte Checkers fell 3-2 to the Providence Bruins on Wednesday. The Checkers lead that best-of-five series 2-1 with Game 4 taking place Friday. Riley Bezeau has not played in any games in the series.
• Spencer Smallman and the Hershey Bears must win on Friday to keep their season alive. The Bears trail the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Smallman has one goal in three games.
• In the ECHL's Kelly Cup Playoffs, Nicolas Guay had an assist and three shots while Vincent Sevigny had two shots in the Trois-Rivieres Lions' 4-1 win over the Norfolk Admirals. The Lions lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
• Matt Murphy was held off the scoresheet in the Fort Wayne Komets' 2-1 loss to the Toledo Walleye. Toledo leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.
• The Maritime Hockey League champion Edmundston Blizzard played their first game at the Centennial Cup on Thursday, defeating the CCHL champion Rockland Nationals 4-3 in overtime. The Blizzard take on the Melfort Mustangs of the SJHL on Saturday afternoon.

  Philippe Collette gets the overtime winner as the @BlizzardEdston defeat Rockland 4-3 to open their 2025 #CentennialCup schedule. pic.twitter.com/TKxtzO2irw

  — The MHL (@THEMHL) May 9, 2025

• The USHL final featuring Tynan Lawrence and the Muskegon Lumberjacks facing Brady Peddle and the Waterloo Black Hawks begins Friday.

Notebook: Mateiko lone ex-Dog in QMJHL final

Embed from Getty Images

Eriks Mateiko scored one of the biggest goals of his career on Wednesday night.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs captain scored late in double overtime to give the Rimouski Oceanic a 4-3 Game 7 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes, a win that sent the Oceanic to the QMJHL final. The Oceanic play Game 1 of the QMJHL championship series against the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday night at Avenir Centre.

LES FRISSONS SONT ENCORE LÀ! 🥶😱@LHJMQ #gonicsgo pic.twitter.com/1WKBvj2meB

— L'Océanic de Rimouski (@oceanicrimouski) May 7, 2025

Mateiko has appeared in just 12 of Rimouski's 17 playoff games due to injury. He's posted six goals and three assists, placing him in a tie for second in team goal scoring.

In the regular season and playoffs combined, Mateiko has now scored 16 game-winning goals in his 175-game QMJHL career.

Mateiko will be the lone former Sea Dog skating in the series. Behind the Moncton bench will be Gardiner MacDougall, who guided Saint John to the 2022 Memorial Cup title. Moncton's staff also includes former Sea Dogs assistant coach Paul Boutilier, who is a defensive coordinator with the Wildcats this season.

There would have been a former Sea Dog in the QMJHL final no matter who won the Oceanic/Cataractes series. Vince Elie recorded six goals and six assists in 16 playoff games with Shawinigan, placing him third in team scoring.

LAFORGE COMMITS TO LAKERS

Nico LaForge has committed to the Nipissing University Lakers men's hockey team for the 2025-26 U Sports season.

The former Sea Dogs forward spent this past season with the OJHL's Coburg Cougars where he recorded 15 goals and 23 assists in 52 games. He added a goal and two assists in five playoff contests.

LaForge is the second Sea Dogs alumnus to commit to Nipissing recently. Forward Danny Akkouche will also be joining the North Bay, ON based school for this coming season.

"I'm a two-way forward with strong work ethic," LaForge explained in a Lakers news release. "I expect our team to be in an underdog position and surprise some teams this year. Nipissing is a good place to play with some great opportunities and it is close to home."

LaForge, who played some U18 and U15 hockey in North Bay, spent parts of three seasons with the Sea Dogs and was part of the 2022 Memorial Cup team.

Order, changes announced for CHL Import Draft

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs own the sixth overall pick in this year's CHL Import Draft.

The CHL announced the draft order and a number of news rules on Wednesday. The annual event, which will include all 61 teams from across the CHL, will be held virtually on Wednesday, July 2 at noon Atlantic.

First, here are the notable changes to this year's draft:

• The CHL confirmed Wednesday what has been reported: teams will be permitted to carry up to three import players next season, an increase from the current maximum of two.
• In accordance with that change, the CHL Import Draft has increased from two rounds to three.
• From the CHL: "Under the revised rules, a club with no current import players may select up to three players, a club with one import may select two, while a club with two imports may select one. Clubs with three import players will be ineligible to participate."
• Lastly, teams can trade import picks once again, which hasn't been permitted for a number of years. Trades must be finalized two days prior to the draft.

Along with the sixth overall pick, the Sea Dogs also own the 67th and 128th overall selections. Those second- and third-round picks will likely be higher with some teams opting to pass on selections.

The WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors own the first overall pick. The OHL's Peterborough Petes are scheduled to pick second followed by the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres.

The Sea Dogs ended the season with no imports on their active roster. Over the holidays, the team traded captain Eriks Mateiko to the Rimouski Oceanic and reassigned Florian Schenk back home to Switzerland.

Saint John selected Schenk with the seventh overall pick in last year's draft. They did not make a second-round selection.

Joseph top-ranked player by QMJHL Central Scouting

Forward Alexis Joseph was the top-ranked player in QMJHL Central Scouting's final rankings for next month's Entry Draft.

Joseph, who has been projected to be a top pick for a number of years now, is coming off a season that saw him post 23 goals and 33 assists in 42 games with the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix in the Quebec under-18 ranks. Listed at 6'4" and 192 lbs, he's likely one of the most physically ready players for major junior hockey in this year's draft class.

The 12-round draft will be held June 6-7 at Quebec City's Videotron Centre. The Saint John Sea Dogs own the first overall pick and are expected to have three selections in the opening round.

Puck Preps has Joseph ranked second behind forward James Scantlebury. Scantlebury, who recently signed a USHL tender with the Chicago Steel, was ranked fifth by Central Scouting.

Central Scouting had defenseman Malik L'Italien ranked second, forward Antoine Provencher third and defenseman Thomas Charbonneau fourth.

The full rankings can be seen here.

The top-ranked Atlantic Canadian was, as expected, Newfoundlander Benjamin Veitch, who was ranked seventh. He was one of two Newfoundlanders ranked in the first-round and one of three in the top-25. This is likely to be Newfoundland's best ever draft class – and what a time for it with the Regiment starting up.

Central Scouting has also produced an alphabetical ranking of American players. With the NCAA rule change, there will likely be a record number of American players picked.

Oceanic moving on; Wildcats Memorial Cup bound

The Rimouski Oceanic are heading to the QMJHL final – which means the Moncton Wildcats are Memorial Cup bound.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko scored at 17:08 of double overtime in Game 7 of the QMJHL semifinal on Tuesday, giving the Oceanic a 4-3 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes to secure the Memorial Cup hosts a spot in the league final. With the Oceanic hosting, the Moncton Wildcats – who had already advanced to the league final – will automatically be the QMJHL's representative at the tournament. 

This will be Rimouski's first league final since 2015 when they won the Gilles Courteau Trophy by defeating the Memorial Cup host Quebec Remparts in seven games. The Wildcats will be playing in their first league final since 2010.

The Oceanic and Cataractes were scoreless after one period despite shots being 9-4 Rimouski. In the second, Jack Martin and Alexandre Blais scored 32 seconds apart and Jacob Mathieu converted later on to give the home side a 3-0 advantage. Shawinigan would add one before the period ended and trailed 3-1 entering the third.

Former Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie scored at 5:15 of the third and then Isaac Menard tied it at 16:23, sending the match into overtime and eventually double OT. That set up Mateiko's heroics late in the second overtime period.

GAME OVER! Eriks Mateiko sends Rimouski to the #QPlayoffs Final! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/7avU5By4QL

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 7, 2025

Mateiko had a goal, six shots and six hits in the game while Elie posted a goal, four shots and three hits.

The home team won every game of this series. The Oceanic improved to 9-0 at home in these playoffs.

The QMJHL final will begin Saturday in Moncton with Game 2 taking place the following day. The remainder of the schedule has not yet been released.

As for the Wildcats, Tuesday's result will take a bit of pressure off them knowing they'll be heading to the Memorial Cup no matter the result of the league final. The two split their regular season series with each team winning on the road.

The Wildcats will advance to their third ever Memorial Cup tournament and first since 2010 in Brandon where they finished third. Moncton hosted in 2006 and lost in the final to the Remparts.

QMJHL Entry Draft one month away; key upcoming dates

RDS

The 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft is officially one month away.

This year's draft will take place June 6-7 at Quebec City's Videotron Centre. The first round will take place the night of Friday, June 6 while the remaining rounds will be held the following day.

After winning the draft lottery, the Saint John Sea Dogs hold the first overall pick. Saint John last picked first overall back in 2019 when they selected forward Joshua Roy – a draft that was also held in Quebec City. 

While Roy turned out to be a very good junior player, he didn't turn into a very good junior player until he departed Saint John. The Sea Dogs will be looking for better fortune with the top pick this time around.

The top two players available are widely considered to be forwards James Scantlebury and Alexis Joseph. But after Scantlebury's decision to sign a USHL tender agreement with the Chicago Steel, you have to think Joseph is now the leading candidate to go first overall.

Joseph has been on scouts' radars for years, even generating buzz about potentially getting exceptional player status. Listed at 6'4" and 192 lbs at 15-years-old, Joseph posted 23 goals and 33 assists in 42 games with the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix in the Quebec under-18 ranks this past season.

Saint John also owns the 10th overall pick. The team is also expected to acquire an additional first-round pick prior to the draft.

Stanley Cup Playoffs over for Sea Dogs alumni

Embed from Getty Images

 

And just like that, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over for Saint John Sea Dogs alumni.

All four former Sea Dogs who qualified for this year's NHL playoffs – Thomas Chabot (Ottawa), Matthew Highmore (Ottawa), Charlie Coyle (Colorado) and Mathieu Joseph (St. Louis) – were eliminated in the first round. 

Coyle and Joseph were both eliminated in stunning Game 7s over the weekend. Coyle and the Colorado Avalanche blew a 2-0 third period lead in a 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Joseph, meanwhile, scored and had three shots in the St. Louis Blues' 4-3 double overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night.

Mathieu Joseph. Blues take a 2-0 lead

Takes the loose puck from Kyle Connor, skates into the zone and fires a shot past Hellebuyck#stlblues: 2#GoJetsGo: 0 pic.twitter.com/Zznd4zeWdk

— Joseph (@HockeyJoseph10) May 4, 2025

Even after winning two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, this was the first NHL playoff goal for Joseph.

Here's a look at how all four performed statistically in these playoffs.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Thomas Chabot	OTT	6	1	3	4
Mathieu Joseph	STL	3	1	0	1
Charlie Coyle	COL	7	1	0	1
Matthew Highmore	OTT	1	0	0	0

Thomas Chabot made his NHL playoff debut and registered four points in the Ottawa Senators' six-game series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthew Highmore did not play again for the Sens after appearing in the series opener.

Some other Monday news and notes...

• Still no schedule – or even pieces of one – for the QMJHL final between the Moncton Wildcats and either the Rimouski Oceanic or Shawinigan Cataractes. It's getting weird at this point. It's believed the series will start on Saturday, but the fact that the league hasn't confirmed that makes you wonder. Moncton will have home ice advantage no matter who they play.
• Game 7 between the Oceanic and Cataractes will take place Tuesday night at 8 p.m. Atlantic in Rimouski. 
• In the ECHL playoffs on Monday, Matt Murphy had one shot in the Fort Wayne Komets' 2-1 win over the Toledo Walleye. The Komets lead the series 2-1.

Cataractes force Game 7

Shawinigan Cataractes

The Rimouski Oceanic and Shawinigan Cataractes are going the distance.

The Cataractes forced a seventh and deciding game with a 5-1 win on Sunday at Centre Gervais Auto, evening the QMJHL semifinal playoff series at 3-3. Game 7 will take place Tuesday night in Rimouski.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie scored the game's opening goal 7:36 into the first period. He finished the match with a goal, two shots and six hits.

Vince fait vibrer le CGA en ouvrant la marque !#JeSuisCataractes pic.twitter.com/839FOdPrXW

— Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) May 4, 2025

Eriks Mateiko, meanwhile, had an assist, five shots and five hits in the loss.

The home team has won every game of this series. The Oceanic are 8-0 at home in these playoffs. 

The winner of Game 7 will advance to the QMJHL championship series and face the Moncton Wildcats. The schedule for that series still hasn't been announced, but it does appear like it will start on Saturday at Avenir Centre.

Some other Sunday news and notes...

• In the AHL playoffs...
• Spencer Smallman was held off the scoresheet in the Hershey Bears' 4-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Phantoms lead the best-of-five series 2-1.
• Joshua Roy had four shots and was a -1 in the Laval Rocket's 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Monsters. Laval leads the best-of-five series 2-1.
• Riley Bezeau did not play in the Charlotte Checkers' 2-0 win over the Providence Bruins. The Checkers lead the best-of-five series 2-0.
• William Dufour did not dress for the Colorado Eagles in their late game against the San Jose Barracuda. The Eagles were up 1-0 in that series.
• In the ECHL playoffs, Nicolas Guay had an assist and one shot while Vincent Sevigny had one shot in the Trois-Rivieres Lions' 4-3 loss to the Norfolk Admirals. The series is tied 1-1 with the next three games being played in Norfolk.

Crickard, Canada win U18 gold

IIHF

Travis Crickard and Team Canada are under-18 world champions – again.

Canada defeated Sweden 7-0 in the gold medal game of the IIHF U18 Men's World Championship on Saturday in Frisco, Texas. It's the second straight under-18 title for Canada.

Crickard, the head coach and general manager of the Saint John Sea Dogs, was an associate coach with this year's squad. Crickard was an assistant on last year's team, working under Gardiner MacDougall.

BACK-TO-BACK 🥇

Congratulations to #SJSeaDogs Head Coach & GM Travis Crickard on winning gold for the second straight year with 🇨🇦 at the IIHF U18 Men's World Championships!#GoDogsGo | #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/rF8Kzp6skm

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) May 4, 2025

Canada went 4-0 in the preliminary round. Their biggest challenge came in the quarterfinals when they needed overtime to defeat Czechia 3-2. Canada rebounded with a 4-0 victory over Slovakia in the semifinals and then hammered Sweden in the gold medal match.

Canada and Sweden were expected to meet in the gold medal game. The United States won bronze, defeating Slovakia 4-3 in overtime.

There were four QMJHL players on Team Canada: Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau), Alex Huang (Chicoutimi Sagueneens), Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada) and Liam Kilfoil (Halifax Mooseheads). Sea Dogs defenseman Cameron Chartrand played in pre-tournament games but was not registered for the event.

This tournament, viewed as a mini world juniors, is expected to be held in North America more frequently moving forward.

Notebook: QMJHL Cup concludes

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

Team Daigle won the QMJHL Cup last weekend.

The tournament, which features the top prospects for the upcoming QMJHL Entry Draft split into four teams, came to a close on April 26 and saw Team Daigle defeat Team Savage 3-2.

Team Daigle had a fairly loaded roster, featuring top prospects like James Scantlebury, Benjamin Veitch and Malik L'Italien.

Veitch and Emrick Nolette-Robidoux finished in a tie for the team scoring lead with four goals and three assists in four games.

Scantlebury, considered to be one of the top prospects in this year's draft, posted three goals and three assists.

Alexis Joseph, who played with Team Talbot, registered three goals and four assists, finishing in a tie for third in tournament scoring.

The QMJHL Entry Draft takes place June 6-7 in Quebec City. The Saint John Sea Dogs own the first overall pick.

SCANTLEBURY NEWS

Even after the announcement that he has signed a USHL tender agreement with the Chicago Steel, there appears to still be hope that James Scantlebury will choose the QMJHL route.

Hadi Kalakeche of Elie Prospects shared the below earlier this week.

Being told James Scantlebury tendering with the Chicago Steel is an insurance policy, in case the QMJHL Draft sees him go to a team his side doesn’t see benefiting his development.

Still being considered high in the draft, and very much interested in going the QMJHL route.

— Hadi Kalakeche (@HadiK_Scouting) April 30, 2025

We'll see how this plays out. In recent years, some players in this situation have continued down the USHL route while others opted for the QMJHL.

Oceanic take 3-2 series lead

Rimouski Oceanic

The Rimouski Oceanic are one win away from playing in the QMJHL championship series.

Maël Lavigne scored at 17:59 of overtime to give the Oceanic a 3-2 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Friday night along with a 3-2 series lead. Rimouski can secure a spot in the league final with a Game 6 victory on Sunday in Shawinigan.

The winner of this series will take on the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL final. The Wildcats completed a sweep of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Wednesday.

If the Oceanic – this year's Memorial Cup hosts – do advance, the Wildcats would automatically earn a spot in the Memorial Cup.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko also scored in the Oceanic victory. It was his second goal of the series and fifth of the playoffs. He also recorded eight shots and delivered nine hits.

QUEL TIR DE MATEIKO🇱🇻!

C’est 1-1 en fin de 2e! 🚨#gonicsgo pic.twitter.com/yoTfI0k0fi

— L'Océanic de Rimouski (@oceanicrimouski) May 3, 2025

Vince Elie, meanwhile, posted an assist and four shots in the loss.

The Rimouski/Shawinigan series is the lone CHL semifinal that didn't end in a sweep. Along with the Wildcats sweeping the Huskies, the Medicine Hat Tigers swept the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Spokane Chiefs swept the Portland Winterhawks, the London Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers and the Oshawa Generals swept the Barrie Colts.

The OHL final will see the Knights and Generals meet for a second straight year. In the WHL, Gavin McKenna and the Tigers will face the Chiefs.