Notebook: Murnieks, Latvia almost upset Canada again

Tim Austen/IIHF

On the one-year anniversary of Eriks Mateiko's shootout winner against Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship, Team Latvia almost pulled off another massive upset.

The Latvians pushed the Canadians as much as they could, sending the match into overtime where Michael Hage scored the winner on a power play, giving Canada a 2-1 win.

The Latvians did an excellent job at limiting quality scoring chances. Like last year, Latvia hung around and scored late in the third period to send the match into extra time. This year though, they didn't have quite enough to get the win.

As expected, Saint John Sea Dogs forward Olivers Murnieks was Latvia's top line centre. He played 19:38, recording one shot and going 15-15 in the faceoff circle.

Despite the loss, this result will no doubt give the Latvians some confidence. They play Finland on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Atlantic.

BEVERIDGE TRADE

The Sea Dogs made their second deal of the trade period on Saturday, sending forward Egan Beveridge to the Quebec Remparts in exchange for forward Félix Pronovost and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Here's what team president and general manager Trevor Georgie had to say about the trade in a news release.

“We are sad to see Egan go but are excited for him to get a fresh start in Quebec,” said Georgie. “He is an outstanding young man and he will be missed around the team and in the community. We wish him the very best.”

The Sea Dogs do not play the Remparts again this season.

Game Day 33: vs Islanders

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The second half of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season begins this afternoon for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The first half was certainly less than impressive for the Sea Dogs and there is belief within the entire organization that this group can perform much better. Now, and over the next few weeks and months, it's time to prove that.

The Sea Dogs enter play today sitting 17th overall with a 12-18-2-0 record. That's not where you want to be at the halfway point – but there's still halfway to go. There is plenty of time to move up the standings.

Saint John begins second half play with a home-and-home against the Charlottetown Islanders. The two-game series begins today at 3 p.m. at TD Station and concludes tomorrow night at Eastlink Centre.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/Sea Dogs Audio Network

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-18-2-0 for 26 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 16-11-1-5 for 38 points (third Eastern/sixth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Halifax on Dec. 18. Alexis Joseph had a pair of goals for Saint John while Zachary Morin added a single. Rafaël Courchesne made 32 saves in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Newfoundland Regiment on Dec. 18. Marcus Kearsey scored Charlottetown's lone goal. Donald Hickey made 18 saves in the loss.

Beveridge traded to Remparts

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs have traded forward Egan Beveridge to the Quebec Remparts.

In exchange, the Sea Dogs have received 17-year-old forward Félix Pronovost and a sixth-round pick in the 2027 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The move doesn't come as a huge surprise. Beveridge had fallen down Saint John's depth chart and was primarily being used on the fourth line while occasionally being a healthy scratch. A fresh start with a new club could be just what he needs. 

The 18-year-old was a second-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft and entered the league with quite a bit of hype. After recording 19 points in his rookie season, he posted 11 last year and is on pace for eight this season.

In 26 games with Saint John this year, the New Hampshire native has two goals and two assists.

Pronovost, meanwhile, has appeared in just seven career QMJHL games over two seasons. He spent most of last season with the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix – the team that was led by Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph.

The Lachenaie, Quebec native was a fourth-round pick of the Remparts in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. In four games with the team this season, he's recorded one assist. 

Pronovost has spent most of this season with the Quebec collegiate league's Champlain St. Lawrence Lions where he's posted nine goals and eight assists in 21 games.

This is just the second deal the Sea Dogs have made since the trade period opened. Before Christmas, the team traded forward Jacob Beaulieu to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

The QMJHL's trade deadline is Jan. 6.

Second half set to begin

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will begin the second half at a place they've struggled this season: at home.

The Sea Dogs recorded just five wins in 16 home games in the first half. Only the Victoriaville Tigres (3-8-4-0) and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar (3-11-1-1) had fewer home wins prior to the Christmas break.

As the below shows, the Sea Dogs have posted very respectable numbers on the road, adding to what was a frustrating first half for the club.

Home		Away
5-11-0-0 (10 points)	Record	7-7-2-0 (16 points)
50	Goals For	57
70	Goals Against	61
9.8% (18th)	Power Play	21.7% (8th)
85.4% (2nd)	Penalty Kill	83.0% (5th)

Saint John resumes play Sunday sitting 17th overall with a 12-18-2-0 record. It's easier said than done, but improving those home numbers would certainly help the team inch up the standings.

The Sea Dogs have two home games remaining in 2025: Sunday afternoon against the Charlottetown Islanders and New Year's Eve (also an afternoon contest) against the Newfoundland Regiment.

Saint John fans haven't had much to cheer for this calendar year. The Sea Dogs have just seven wins at TD Station (two in the second half of last season and five this season) in 2025.

A few other notes before the second half gets rolling:

• All 18 QMJHL teams resume play on Sunday. They've all been off since Dec. 18.
• The Sea Dogs will host the Islanders on Sunday and then travel to Charlottetown for a rare Monday night game. The Dogs are 1-1-1-0 against the Isles this season – which includes a win on TD Station ice back on Nov. 20.
• The Sea Dogs begin the second half on a three-game losing streak. They've also lost six straight at home, not winning since that Nov. 20 contest.
• The Monday night match in Charlottetown will be Saint John's final road game until Jan. 14. They'll play five straight home games (which includes one at the Aitken Centre) between Dec. 31 and Jan. 11. Three of those five games will be against the Regiment.
• The New Year's Eve game at TD Station will be a 2 p.m. start. It will be Newfoundland's first trip to Saint John.
• Saint John has made just one move since the trade period opened on Dec. 19, dealing veteran forward Jacob Beaulieu to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. 16-year-old forward Nolann Héroux will join the team for the second half, essentially taking Beaulieu's spot on the roster. The trade deadline is Jan. 6.

ECHL players begin strike

ECHL players are officially on strike.

The league issued a statement on Friday afternoon, saying that it "made its last, best, and final offer to the Professional Hockey Players’ Association," which was seemingly not accepted by the union. The PHPA released the following statement later in the day.

An update from the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.

The PHPA would like to express its gratitude for the continued support shown by fans, the broader hockey community, our brothers and sisters in sport, active and retired players, and communities in and out of the… pic.twitter.com/qQ6IAwuHhi

— PHPA (@thephpa) December 26, 2025

A large slate of games was supposed to be played Friday night but all were postponed. Like junior hockey, games around the Christmas break typically draw some of the largest crowds of the season. The strike beginning during this time is certainly not a coincidence.

This will be fascinating to follow. This is much more like a "real world" bargaining situation. Neither side, for the most part, has millions of dollars they can simply fall back on – like an NHL labour stoppage – and wait this out.

Some media have reported that several teams will try to ice teams during the strike.

This labour disruption impacts a number of former Saint John Sea Dogs. 10 former Sea Dogs skaters and one goaltender have played in the ECHL so far this season.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Drew Elliott	Tulsa	17	8	6	14
Ryan Francis	Atlanta	25	3	8	11
Matt Murphy	Fort Wayne	22	2	7	9
Oliver Cooper	Florida	25	3	5	8
Olivier Leblanc	Tahoe	29	1	7	8
Kevin Gursoy	Tulsa	9	0	5	5
Vincent Sevigny	Reading	5	1	3	4
Nick Deakin-Poot	Fort Wayne	15	1	3	4
Nathan Noel	Norfolk Iowa	21	1	3	4
Nico Blachman	Fort Wayne	3	0	0	0

Vincent Sevigny has played just five ECHL games because, according to the Reading Royals, he has signed four professional tryout agreements with AHL teams this season, the latest coming a couple weeks ago with the Syracuse Crunch. 

Jonathan Lemieux, who has also bounced between the AHL and ECHL, is the lone ex-Sea Dogs goaltender to see ECHL action this season. Lemieux is 2-4-2 with a 3.40 goals against average and a .884 save percentage in nine games with the Kalamazoo Wings.

It's World Junior time

Embed from Getty Images

It's Boxing Day which means the IIHF World Junior Championship is set to kickoff.

Only one current Saint John Sea Dog will be playing in this year's tournament and they won't see game action on Friday. Forward Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia will play their first game against Team Canada on Saturday.

Here are few preview pieces:

• Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino lists Murnieks as a player to watch for Latvia. "His play in the QMJHL has calmed, and getting back to representing the national team should inspire him," writes Cosentino.
• Inside the Rink previews Team Latvia. "A strong World Juniors could help Murnieks push back into contention as a first-round candidate," they write.
• The Hockey Writers previews Team Latvia. The team will be missing the veteran presence of former Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko, who helped lead them into the quarterfinals last year.
• FloHockey lists Murnieks as one of the 2026 NHL Draft eligible players to keep an eye on. "Murnieks is the kind of player who can help Latvia be more than just a spoiler," writes Chris Peters.

This will be Murnieks' second World Junior after he recorded a goal and three assists in five games last year as a 16-year-old.

It seems like just about everyone is saying the same thing about Murnieks: after a slow last couple months (which included a concussion), this tournament offers him a chance to get his season (and draft stock) back on track.

Here's Latvia's schedule: Dec. 27 vs Canada; Dec. 28 vs Finland; Dec. 30 vs Denmark; and Dec. 31 vs Czechia. Obviously, that Dec. 30 matchup with Denmark could be a huge one.

According to a CHL news release, there are 79 players from the league (which includes present and past players) playing in this year's tournament, up from 63 last year. 14 of those 79 players are from the QMJHL.

"Latvia’s five active CHL players are one shy of its record six, set at the 2024 World Juniors," states the CHL.

There is one Sea Dog connection on Team Canada. Gardiner MacDougall, who coached Saint John to a 2022 Memorial Cup championship, is an assistant coach under Dale Hunter. The Canadians open the tournament against Czechia on Boxing Day.

First semester of NCAA season completed

Providence College

With the first semester of the college hockey season in the books, let's take a look at how Saint John Sea Dogs alumni have performed so far.

This is the first season CHL players are permitted to play NCAA hockey and it's been interesting to see how they transition from either Canadian junior leagues or universities into American college hockey.

Looking at the numbers, it's been a decently strong transition for most Sea Dogs alumni.

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Charles Savoie	Lindenwood	12	4	13	17
Noah Reinhart	Michigan Tech	18	4	5	9
Cam MacDonald	New Hampshire	17	4	4	8
Kale McCallum	Providence	12	2	3	5
Nate Tivey	Quinnipiac	16	1	3	4
Matteo Mann	Colorado College	18	0	1	1

The lone former Sea Dogs goaltender playing NCAA hockey is Charles-Edward Gravel, who is 0-12-1 with a 3.89 goals against average and a .884 save percentage with a winless Mercyhurst Lakers squad that has been hit hard with injuries.

The Lakers, with an 0-15-1 record, sit last in Atlantic Hockey and are 63rd out of 63 teams in the NPI rankings, which is used to determine the 16 teams that will qualify for the NCAA tournament. The NPI system replaced the Pairwise this season.

Quinnipiac (12th) and Providence (14th) are the only teams with former Sea Dogs currently above the cut line for the NCAA hockey tournament – but those aren't comfortable spots to be in. There's still plenty of season left.

Lindenwood, as an independent, is a long shot to make the tournament. Savoie is currently second on the team in scoring behind former Charlottetown Islanders forward Giovanni Morneau.

The rest of the teams featuring former Dogs will likely need to win their conference in order to earn spots in the tournament. Conference standings can be found here.

A number of current Sea Dogs are committed to play NCAA hockey next season. These commitment timelines could always change, but a current list can be found here.

Notebook: ECHL happenings

There's a lot going on in the ECHL right now.

It's probably fair to say that the league is as stable as it's ever been but a player strike – which could begin on Boxing Day – could certainly put a halt to that.

We'll see how this all plays out over the next few days, but it's sounding like the two sides are quite far apart. Cancelling games would be devastating for many of the league's teams.

While we wait to see what happens off the ice, here are a few notes from on the ice:

• Former Sea Dogs forward Nathan Noel was recently claimed by the Norfolk Admirals. The 28-year-old has a goal and two assists in four games with the Admirals. Noel had been playing with the Iowa Heartlanders. The St. John's native has appeared in 194 career ECHL games over seven seasons.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Nico Blachman was suspended five games and fined an undisclosed amount on Dec. 20 for some warmup shenanigans in a game against the Indy Fuel. Blachman has appeared in just three games with the Fort Wayne Komets this season but has 23 penalty minutes.

  Nico Blachman is in the lineup tonight. On an unrelated note, the Fuel and #Komets have a little get together during warm ups here at Memorial Coliseum. pic.twitter.com/BGomKwY59t

  — James Krause (@jkrausepro) December 20, 2025

• Drew Elliott has an impressive eight goals and six assists in 17 games with the Tulsa Oilers this season. In the regular season and playoffs combined, Elliott now has 23 points in 26 career ECHL games.

FIRST GOAL STRUGGLES

The Sea Dogs scored first in just 11 of their 32 games in the first half of the QMJHL season. The Charlottetown Islanders and Rimouski Oceanic have also only scored first in 11 games while the Victoriaville Tigres have done so a league low nine times.

The Dogs are also one of two teams – the last-place Baie-Comeau Drakkar being the other – with a below .500 record when scoring the game's first goal. Saint John 4-6-1-0 in those contests.

Here's a look at the entire league (click the enlarge):

WJC SOON

Sea Dogs forward Olivers Murnieks and Team Latvia open the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship on Saturday against Team Canada.

As Steven Ellis wrote in his Team Latvia preview at Daily Faceoff, this tournament will offer Murnieks a chance to get a challenging season back on track.

Perhaps the more interesting prospect is Olivers Mūrnieks, who is coming off a concussion. Projected to go in the first round early on, Mūrnieks has had a difficult season with the Saint John Sea Dogs, with just 13 points in 22 games. He was one of Latvia’s best forwards at last year’s tournament and is easily one of the most skilled centers in the nation’s history. Can he use this event to help get his game back on the right track?

Murnieks has appeared in just one QMJHL game since Nov. 30. His last game action came on Dec. 4.

The IIHF website also has a world juniors preview that includes a mention of Murnieks.

About those shorthanded goals

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Let's talk about shorthanded goals.

• The two shorthanded goals scored by Alexis Joseph in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Halifax Mooseheads give the Saint John Sea Dogs eight on the year, good for a tie for second in the league. The Newfoundland Regiment also have eight while the Shawinigan Cataractes lead the QMJHL with nine.
• The Regiment have allowed just one shorthanded goal this year. The Drummondville Voltigeurs are the lone team that has yet to allow one.
• Joseph now has three shorthanded goals on the season, placing him in a tie for the second most in the QMJHL. Newfoundland's Dawson Sharkey has a league high five.

  This kid's alright!
  Alexis Joseph (2027) picked up two short-handed tallies for the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight 👀@SJSeaDogs | @QMJHL | @LHJMQ#GoDogsGo #QMJHL #LHJMQ pic.twitter.com/bvYMcuuo6N

  — FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 19, 2025

• Oddly, all three of Joseph's shorthanded goals have been scored at Scotiabank Centre. The 16-year-old now has five goals in four games against the Mooseheads this season.

  DÉJÀ VU
  Alexis Joseph (2027) scored a goal tonight that was a near-perfect replica of his very first QMJHL goal 🤯#GoDogsGo #QMJHL #LHJMQ pic.twitter.com/OI7sa5QWZx

  — FloHockey (@FloHockey) December 19, 2025

• Joseph leads all QMJHL rookies in shorthanded goals and points.
• Only five Sea Dogs have ever scored two shorthanded goals in a game: Felix Schutz (2005-06), Chris DiDomenico (2006-07), Mathieu Joseph (2016-17), Spencer Smallman (2016-17) and Joseph (2025-26).
• Joseph has now scored the second most shorthanded goals in a season by a Sea Dogs rookie. Schutz holds the record with an impressive six shorties scored in Saint John's 2005-06 expansion season.
• Schutz (2005-06) and Joseph (2015-16) hold the team record for most shorthanded goals in a season with six.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Sunday, Dec. 28 when they host the Charlottetown Islanders at 3 p.m.

Beaulieu traded to Armada

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Veteran forward Jacob Beaulieu will have a shot at a Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship this season.

On the opening day of the trade period, the Saint John Sea Dogs traded Beaulieu and a second-round pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft pick to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in exchange for 2026 first-round import draft pick and a sixth-round pick in the 2028 QMJHL Entry Draft.

There is another element to this deal that will be completed at this summer's QMJHL Entry Draft.

Beaulieu had been a healthy scratch the past two games, a sure sign that the 19-year-old would be dealt when the trade period opened on Friday morning.

“Jacob plays a fearless style of hockey that is rare to find and highly sought after,” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “This trade will help us in the future while also giving Jacob a chance to chase a Gilles-Courteau Trophy. We want to thank Jacob for his four seasons with the Sea Dogs.”

A seventh-round pick of Saint John in the 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, Beaulieu appeared in 178 games with Saint John over parts of four seasons, recording 13 goals, nine assists and 216 penalty minutes. 

After an up-and-down start to the year that included being a healthy scratch, Beaulieu really found his game over the past month or so, contributing both physically and on the score sheet at times. He's posted four goals and three assists in 20 games this season.

Beaulieu is a throwback player and likely would have been a major name in this league had he played 20 or 30 years ago.

Beaulieu's impact was clearly visible off the ice as well, helping guide a young group of players through some rough waters. There's no doubt the Armada wanted to bring his energy to their group.

The Armada have had some injury woes this season but still sit third overall in the QMJHL standings with a 19-8-4-0 record for 42 points. They have been considered one of the favourites to win the league since the pre-season.

The Sea Dogs visit the Armada on Jan. 17 and host them on March 4.

The QMJHL's trade period ends on Jan. 6.

Trade period begins Friday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

As the holiday break begins, so too does the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League trade period.

The holiday trade period begins Friday afternoon and ends on Jan. 6, the day after the completion of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. 

What will the Saint John Sea Dogs do? That is an interesting question. Most teams that find themselves sitting 17th overall at this time of year would be big sellers, but that doesn't seem like it will be the case for Saint John. While deals are likely to come, it's unlikely this roster will be blown up – a roster which many believe underachieved during the first half.

Saint John is expected to make at least one move early in this trade period. 

Trevor Georgie taking back the general manager role from Travis Crickard adds some intrigue as well. Georgie showed during his previous time as GM that he's not afraid to make bold moves.

Here's a look at what the French fan board has as Saint John's current bank of draft picks.

2026: 1-1BLB-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-12SHA 

2027: 1-1RIM-2-2CHA-3-3RN-6GAT-7-9-10-11-12 

2028: 1-2-3-5CHA-6-7-8-9-10-11-12

Official trades will be listed on the QMJHL website.

The Sea Dogs made a major (and expected) move during last year's trade period, sending captain Eriks Mateiko to the Rimouski Oceanic in a deal that was completed at the QMJHL Entry Draft.

Most of Saint John's trades this year have involved overagers. The team acquired Natan Éthier, Angelo Fullerton and Justin Gendron while moving out Tyler Peddle.

A number of big deals not involving the Sea Dogs are expected to be announced Friday.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Halifax 4 (OT)

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

HALIFAX - The Halifax Mooseheads needed just nine seconds of overtime to defeat the Saint John Sea Dogs 4-3 on Thursday night at Scotiabank Centre.

Eddy Doyle scored on Halifax's first and only shot of the extra frame, securing the extra point for the Mooseheads and a sweep of this midweek home-and-home with Saint John. The Moose defeated the Sea Dogs 4-3 in Saint John the night before.

Halifax led 2-0 entering the third period but the Sea Dogs, like Wednesday night, stormed back. Alexis Joseph scored shorthanded just 1:59 into the final frame and then Zachary Morin quickly tied things up at 2:47.

The Moose retook the lead at 7:03 only for Joseph to tie things up again with another shorthanded marker at 13:30. Unfortunately for Saint John, they could never take the lead in this game, falling in the extra frame.

Along with Doyle, Amelio Santini, with a pair, and Caylen Blake scored for Halifax. Owen Bresson made 24 saves in the win.

Rafaël Courchesne made 32 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs outshot the Mooseheads for the first half of the game but, like Wednesday, they couldn't find their finish until the third. In that third, Saint John scored three times on just five shots. Halifax, meanwhile, had 18 shots in the the final frame, outshooting Saint John 36-27 overall.

Saint John will finish the first half with a 12-18-2-0 record for 26 points, placing them a disappointing 17th overall in the QMJHL.

Game Day 32: at Halifax

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to build off a strong finish last night.

The Sea Dogs trailed the Halifax Mooseheads 4-0 in the third period but managed to cut the deficit to 4-3. That would be as close as Saint John would get, but the team will look to carry that momentum into tonight's rematch at Scotiabank Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.

Last night's loss extended Saint John's home losing streak to six games. The good news for the Sea Dogs is that they've been much better on the road so far this season, a trend they'll look to continue tonight.

This is the final game of the first half for both teams.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-18-1-0 for 25 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 16-12-1-1 for 34 points (fifth Eastern/eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads met last night at TD Station where Halifax earned a 4-3 win. Quinn Kennedy and Shawn Carrier each scored twice for Halifax. Zachary Morin, Elliot Dubé and William Yared scored for Saint John. Owen Bressen made 28 saves in the win. Rafaël Courchesne made 21 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-3

FINAL: Halifax 4, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A third period comeback fell just short for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Wednesday at TD Station

The Sea Dogs trailed the Halifax Mooseheads 4-0 in the third period at one point and were able to cut the deficit to 4-3 – but that would be as close as they would get.

Saint John outshot Halifax 31-25 and had plenty of chances but struggled to find enough finish. They also went 0/4 on the power play. Mooseheads goaltender Owen Bresson had a strong game in net, making 28 saves in the win.

The loss dropped the Sea Dogs to a disappointing 5-11-0-0 at home so far this season and extended their home losing streak to six games. They are now 12-18-1-0 overall, keeping them 17th overall in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

The Mooseheads grabbed a 1-0 lead at 5:27 of the opening frame when Quinn Kennedy scored. Saint John started to get things going on a four-minute power play later in the first but they couldn't convert on their chances. 

In the second, Shawn Carrier scored just 1:13 in to keep momentum going. Kennedy added another at 13:09 to give Halifax a commanding 3-0 advantage. Saint John had their chances in the middle frame but they couldn't beat Bresson.

Saint John couldn't score on a power play that carried over into the third. Instead, back at even strength at 2:45, Carrier netted his second to give the Moose a 4-0 advantage.

Zachary Morin got Saint John on the board at 5:08 of the third followed by Elliot Dubé at 11:18 and William Yared at 17:02. The Sea Dogs pulled Rafaël Courchesne later in the game but they couldn't add another despite generating pressure in the offensive zone.

Courchesne made 21 stops in the loss.

Héroux sticking with Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Nolann Héroux is here to stay.

The Saint John Sea Dogs confirmed Wednesday that the 16-year-old forward will join the team for the remainder of the season. Héroux was in the Sea Dogs lineup on Wednesday night when the team hosted the Halifax Mooseheads.

Selected 10th overall by Saint John in June's QMJHL Entry Draft, Héroux has appeared in six games with the Sea Dogs as an affiliate player, recording three assists.

Forward Nolann Héroux has been called up from the @VikingsAAA for the remainder of the season!

He's expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Mooseheads.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/mHL5C2V3tw

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 17, 2025

Héroux showed his speed and skill at times during his call ups. His size has always been the major question mark. He's listed at 5'08" and 151 lbs on the QMJHL website.

In 26 games with the Saint-Eustache Vikings this season, Héroux recorded 15 goals and 18 assists. He was recently named to the all-star team at the CCM Challenge where he led the tournament in scoring with five goals and seven assists in six games.

Héroux is the fourth member of Saint John's 2025 draft class to be added to the team's roster, joining Alexis Joseph, Everett Baldwin and Oskar Drabczynski. 

The Sea Dogs play the Mooseheads in a home-and-home this week to close out the first half. They return from the Christmas break on Dec. 28 when they host the Charlottetown Islanders.

Joseph named to Team of the Week

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs forward Alexis Joseph was named to the QMJHL Team of the Week of Monday.

Joseph recorded three goals and three assists in Saint John's three road games last week, helping the club go 2-1-0-0 on their Quebec road trip.

Here they are! Your members on the latest Team of the Week!

STATS 📊: https://t.co/v4eMcEQh5Y@FloHockey | #TOTW pic.twitter.com/zL14motKs1

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) December 15, 2025

The 16-year-old has four goals and four assists in five games this month. He now sits sixth in QMJHL rookie scoring with 26 points (12 goals and 14 assists) in 24 games.

It's the second week in a row a Sea Dog has made the QMJHL Team of the Week. Last week, Sea Dogs captain Olivier Groulx earned the honour.

Game Day 31: vs Mooseheads

Trevor MacMillian/Halifax Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will play their final home game of the first half tonight.

Saint John will try and put their recent home woes behind them when they host the Halifax Mooseheads at 7 p.m. at TD Station. The Sea Dogs have lost five straight home games with their last home victory coming on Nov. 20.

This will be the Mooseheads' first visit of the season to Saint John. The two teams split a pair of games in Halifax back in September.

These two will also meet on Thursday night in Halifax – the final game of the first half for both clubs.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/Sea Dogs Audio Network

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-17-1-0 for 25 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 15-12-1-1 for 32 points (sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-1 loss in Quebec City on Saturday. Alexander Donovan scored Saint John's lone goal. Justin Robinson was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots. Rafaël Courchesne allowed a goal on eight shots in relief. The Mooseheads are coming off a 5-1 loss in Charlottetown on Sunday. Connor MacPherson scored Halifax's lone goal. Nicolas Gillham-Cirka allowed five goals on 35 shots in the loss.

Murnieks named to Latvian camp roster

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Olivers Murnieks has been named to Latvia's preliminary roster for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Latvian squad announced its camp roster on Sunday. They'll hold training camp and pre-tournament games in Minnesota prior to the tournament's official start on Boxing Day.

Murnieks, assuming he is healthy, is basically a lock to make the team. The Saint John Sea Dogs forward appeared in five games with Latvia at last year's tournament, posting an impressive four points (one goal and three assists) as a 16-year-old.

Murnieks, along with former Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko, helped Latvia reach the quarterfinals last year. 

#SJSeaDogs forward Olivers Murnieks has been named to Latvia's National Junior Team roster ahead of the 2026 #WorldJuniors! 🇱🇻#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/LYcXEf3jFG

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 15, 2025

The Hockey Writers has Murnieks penciled in as the team's first line centre.

Murnieks got off to a hot start with the Sea Dogs, recording five assists in his first three games. That pace slowed down and an upper body injury has allowed him to appear in just one game since Nov. 30. In 22 games, Murnieks has three goals and 10 assists. A strong – and healthy – world junior tournament could be huge for him and the Sea Dogs.

The Latvians will open the tournament against Canada on Dec. 27. They'll also face Finland, Denmark and Czechia. All of those games will be played at the University of Minnesota.

Other QMJHL players named to Latvia's roster include goaltender Mikus Vecvanags (Newfoundland); defenseman Reinis Auzins (Sherbrooke); and forward Martins Klaucans (Sherbrooke).

Home woes and Halifax success

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

There are a couple trends to keep an eye on in the Saint John Sea Dogs' final two games of the first half.

The first one is obvious: the Sea Dogs have been, to put it nicely, pretty bad on home ice so far this season. The team is just 5-10-0-0 at TD Station and only two teams have fewer home wins: 16th-place Victoriaville (1-8-4-0) and 18th-place Baie-Comeau (3-11-1-1).

If the Sea Dogs want to get out of the league's basement – they currently sit in 17th-place – improving their home record is a must.

The Sea Dogs enter Wednesday night's home game against the Halifax Mooseheads on a five-game home losing streak. The team won just two games on their seven-game homestand in November.

Saint John was 10-7-0-0 at TD Station in the first half last year.

The good news for the Sea Dogs is that they've been quite good on the road this season, posting a very respectable 7-7-1-0 record. The team won two of three games on their Quebec road trip last week and we'll see what kind of momentum they can carry into Thursday's contest in Halifax.

That brings us to the second trend to keep an eye on: the Sea Dogs have been very good at Scotiabank Centre in the calendar year 2025, sporting a 4-1 record heading into Thursday's contest.

Jan. 11: 4-3 OTW

Jan. 26: 4-1 W

March 8: 3-1 W

Sept. 26: 4-3 L

Sept. 27: 5-2 W

Dec. 18: TBD

The Sea Dogs are 8-9-1-0 in Halifax over the past five seasons.

The Mooseheads sit sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-12-1-1 record. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost back-to-back contests.

Notebook: First half's final week

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

The first half of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season comes to an end this week.

For the Saint John Sea Dogs, they'll reach the official halfway point of their 64-game season on Thursday when they play game 32.

The Sea Dogs will take on the Halifax Mooseheads in a home-and-home beginning on Wednesday at TD Station. The two teams will then travel to Halifax and play on Thursday night.

Thursday will be the final day of QMJHL games until after Christmas. The holiday trade period begins on Friday.

Saint John has a 12-17-1-0 record, placing them 17th overall. They won't be able to match the record they posted in last year's first half (16-16-0-0). The Sea Dogs recorded just five wins in the second half last year, which is something the team will obviously look to improve on.

BEEN A LONG TIME

The Sea Dogs are now 2-1 in overtime this season thanks to back-to-back wins this past week.

The Sea Dogs have yet to go to a shootout this year. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada are the only other team that hasn't gone to a shootout yet. Almost every team in the QMJHL – with the exception of the Sherbrooke Phoenix (one) – have played in multiple.

Saint John took part in three shootouts last season, winning all three. Their last shootout was on Dec. 14, 2024.

GOALIE POINTS

Rafaël Courchesne assisted on Angelo Fullerton's overtime winner on Thursday, giving the Sea Dogs rookie goaltender two helpers on the season.

Several goaltenders have recorded two assists in a single season for Saint John. Only four Sea Dogs goaltenders have ever recorded more than two assists in a single season with the most recent being Alex D'Orio in 2017-18.

Here's a look at the Sea Dogs franchise record for most assists by a goaltender in a single season (click to enlarge).

In terms of career numbers, D'Orio has the most, recording six helpers over his two-and-a-half seasons with the Sea Dogs.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Quebec 5

Jonathan Roy/Quebec Remparts

QUEBEC, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs couldn't complete the sweep on Saturday at Videotron Centre.

After winning the first two games of this Quebec road trip in similar fashion, the Sea Dogs didn't have another come-from-behind, overtime victory in them, falling 5-1 to the Quebec Remparts.

The Sea Dogs didn't play all that bad against a Remparts team that has similar numbers to them. Saint John tied the game at 1-1 just 33 seconds into the middle frame but it would be Quebec headlining the rest of the period, scoring three times on 10 shots to take a 4-1 lead into the third period.

Justin Robinson was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots through 40 minutes of play. Rafaël Courchesne played the third.

The Sea Dogs couldn't get much going in terms of quality chances in the third. Nathan Quinn scored on a man advantage at 11:31 to make it 5-1 Remparts and really put the game away.

Along with Quinn, Cal Uens scored a pair of goals for Quebec while other singles came from Logan Brennan and Ryan Howard. Louis-Antoine Denault made 23 saves in the win.

Alexander Donovan scored Saint John's lone goal. Courchesne allowed a goal on eight shots in the third.

Despite the loss, winning two of three on a Quebec road trip is always an accomplishment. We'll see what the positives from this trip will do for the Sea Dogs as they head into the final week of the first half.

Game Day 30: at Quebec

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

QUEBEC, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to make it a perfect road trip today at Videotron Centre.

The Sea Dogs are coming off back-to-back come-from-behind overtime victories, defeating the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 4-3 on Wednesday and Chicoutimi Sagueneens 6-5 on Thursday. Tonight they'll look to sweep this road trip when they face the Quebec Remparts at 5 p.m. Atlantic.

The Remparts sit just three points ahead of the Sea Dogs in the overall standings. Quebec has, however, played two fewer games.

Saint John entered this road trip on a six-game losing streak. Now the Sea Dogs, who are 7-6-1-0 on the road this season, will try and win three consecutive games for just the second time this season.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/Sea Dogs Audio Network

Records: The Sea Dogs are 12-16-1-0 for 25 points (ninth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Remparts are 13-12-1-1 for 28 points (eighth Eastern/13th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-5 overtime win in Chicoutimi on Thursday. Zachary Morin, Olivier Groulx, Alexander Donovan, Justin Gendron, Alexis Joseph and Angelo Fullerton all scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 44 saves in the win. The Remparts are coming off a 4-1 loss in Chicoutimi last Friday. Charlie Morrison scored Quebec's lone goal. Louis-Antoine Denault made 40 saves in the loss.

Alexis (Joseph) on fire

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

What a stretch it's been for Alexis Joseph.

Joseph has posted three goals and three assists in the first two games of the Saint John Sea Dogs' three-game road trip, helping guide the team to back-to-back come-from-behind overtime victories.

On Wednesday, Joseph scored twice – including the overtime winner – in Saint John's 4-3 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. He had four shots in that game.

On Thursday, Joseph had one of his most impressive performances to date, posting a goal and three assists in Saint John's 6-5 overtime win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He set a career high for both assists and points in a single game. Joseph was also a +4 and had four shots.

The 16-year-old gave Saint John a 5-4 lead late in the third period with a beautiful drive to the net.

Jo with an absolute beauty.

🚨: Alexis Joseph (12)
🍎: Unassisted#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/44wnf86WPb

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 12, 2025

He showed off his range of skill again in overtime, driving the play that led to Angelo Fullerton's game-winner.

And of course, the Angel-OT winner.

🚨: Angelo Fullerton (9)
🍎: Alexis Joseph
🍏: Rafaël Courchesne#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/DkiQcMcmrV

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 12, 2025

Despite being the first overall pick in June's QMJHL Entry Draft, Joseph has been flying a bit under the radar early this season – but he probably shouldn't be. He now has 12 goals and 14 assists in 23 games, placing him sixth in QMJHL rookie scoring.

Since returning from the Under-17 World Challenge, Jospeh has seven goals and nine assists in 11 games.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-5 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 6, Chicoutimi 5 (OT)

Bruno Girard/Chicoutimi Sagueneens

CHICOUTIMI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs pulled off a major upset on Thursday night.

Angelo Fullerton scored just 23 seconds into overtime to give the Sea Dogs a 6-5 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the Georges Vezina Centre. The Sagueneens entered the game with the second best record in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and were ranked fifth in this week's CHL Top 10 rankings.

Not only did the Sea Dogs win, but they pulled off a multi-goal comeback for a second straight game. Saint John erased 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 deficits in the victory. Alexis Joseph gave Saint John their first lead of the game at 18:20 of the third period only to have Chicoutimi tie it at 5-5 just 16 seconds later.

Fullerton gave the Sea Dogs their second straight overtime win of this road trip. The night before saw Saint John erase a 3-0 deficit and go on to earn a 4-3 win in Baie-Comeau. Wednesday's victory ended a six-game losing streak for the Sea Dogs. They've now won back-to-back games for the first time since mid-November.

This road trip could be a turning point in Saint John's season. We'll have to wait and see, but it's possible.

The Sea Dogs are now 7-6-1-0 on the road this season.

Along with Fullerton and Joseph, Zachary Morin, Olivier Groulx, Alexander Donovan and Justin Gendron scored for Saint John. The Sea Dogs were outshot 49-23 in the game with Rafaël Courchesne making 44 saves in the win.

Maxim Masse had a hat trick for Chicoutimi while Christophe Berthelot and Thomas Desruisseaux added singles. Raphaël Précourt allowed six goals on 23 shots in the loss.

The Sea Dogs will finish the season with a 2-0 record against the Sagueneens thanks to this 6-5 win and another one on Oct. 5 at TD Station. Précourt, who has the QMJHL's best goals against average, allowed five goals on 18 shots in that October game. 

Game Day 29: at Chicoutimi

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHICOUTIMI, QC - The losing streak is over. Now we'll see what kind of momentum the Saint John Sea Dogs can maintain from last night's win.

The Sea Dogs won their first game since Nov. 20 last night, defeating the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 4-3 in overtime. The victory ended a six-game losing streak, one that saw Saint John tumble to 17th overall.

Saint John will try and make it back-to-back wins tonight – but it certainly won't be easy. They'll face the Chicoutimi Sagueneens – who currently sit second in the QMJHL standings and were ranked fifth in this week's CHL Top 10 – on the big ice at the Georges Vezina Centre. Game time is 8 p.m.

This is the second game of a three-game Quebec road trip for Saint John – and, on paper, this will be the toughest. They visit the Quebec Remparts on Saturday.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 11-16-1-0 for 23 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 18-5-2-2 for 40 points (second Eastern/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime win in Baie-Comeau last night. Alexis Joseph had two goals for Saint John while Dylan Rozzi and Angelo Fullerton added singles. Justin Robinson made 25 saves in the win. The Sagueneens are coming off a 7-6 overtime loss to the Drakkar on Sunday. Maxim Masse and Maxim Schafer both scored twice for Chicoutimi while singles came from Alexandre Desmarais and Nathan Lecompte. Tomas Gagne made 18 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 4, Baie-Comeau 3 (OT)

Kassandra Blais/Baie-Comeau Drakkar

BAIE-COMEAU, QC - It wasn't easy, but the Saint John Sea Dogs ended their six-game losing streak on Wednesday night.

The Sea Dogs erased a 3-0 deficit and scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 4-3 in overtime at the building formerly known as the Henry Leonard Centre. Alexis Joseph drew a penalty in the extra frame and then scored the game-winner.

This was Saint John's first win since Nov. 20 and they certainly didn't make it easy on themselves. The Drakkar led 2-0 after one thanks to a Saint John turnover that led to a breakaway goal and an unlucky deflection in front of the net. Then just 2:19 into the second, another Sea Dogs turnover led to another Drakkar goal to give the home side a 3-0 lead.

To Saint John's credit, they didn't fold. Dylan Rozzi scored at 13:16 of the second and then Joseph cut the deficit to 3-2 just under two-minutes later. The goals seemed to give Saint John some added energy heading into the third.

Angelo Fullerton tied the game just 2:30 into the final frame and Saint John killed off a lengthy five-on-three Drakkar power play to ultimately send the match to overtime, setting up Joseph's heroics.

Justin Robinson made 25 saves in the win.

Alexis Michaud, Mattias Gilbert and Joseph Cadorin scored for Baie-Comeau. Samuel Caulfield made 37 stops in the loss.

After a tumultuous few weeks, this feels like a massive win for the Sea Dogs, one they can hopefully build off of moving forward. The Drakkar are the lone team that sit below the Sea Dogs in the standings and a loss in this game would have been a tough one to handle.

Game Day 28: at Baie-Comeau

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

BAIE-COMEAU, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin a three-game Quebec road trip tonight.

The Sea Dogs, losers of six straight, will try and turn things around when they take on the Drakkar at 8 p.m. Atlantic. It's the first meeting of the season between the two, who currently occupy the bottom of the QMJHL standings.

The Drakkar have been at the bottom of the standings all season and have just five wins in 28 games. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, have slid outside the playoff picture thanks to a very rough few weeks, one that has certainly turned this season's momentum heading in the wrong direction.

Saint John will try and get things back on the right track during this road trip. The Sea Dogs have been better on the road than at home this season, posting a respectable 5-6-1-0 record away from TD Station.

Following this game the Sea Dogs will visit the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Quebec Remparts.

Stream/TV/Radio: FloHockey/None/Sea Dogs Audio Network

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-16-1-0 for 21 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Drakkar are 5-19-2-2 for 14 points (10th Eastern/18th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 home loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday. Angelo Fullerton and Alexander Donovan scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 35 saves in the loss. The Drakkar are coming off a wild 7-6 overtime win over the Sagueneens on Sunday. Kyle Powers had a hat trick for Baie-Comeau while singles came from Shawn Pearson, Alexis Mathieu, Mattias Gilbert and Kieran Litterick. Justin Giguere made 43 stops in the win.

Big game in Baie-Comeau

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Going into the season, not many people had this Wednesday night game in Baie-Comeau circled.

But here we are in early December and this suddenly feels like the biggest game of the season for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs have lost six straight games and seven of their past 10. They sit 17th overall in the 18-team QMJHL, placing them outside the league's playoff picture. They made a change in their hockey operations on Monday, allowing head coach Travis Crickard to put all of his attention into improving the on-ice product. 

There is definitely some panic here. But as the schedule makers fate would have it, the Sea Dogs have been granted a golden opportunity to start turning things around. The Drakkar are the lone team that sit below the Sea Dogs in the standings (seven points below them, in fact) and are just 2-10-0-1 on home ice this season.

Saint John, meanwhile, has been better on the road than at home this season, posting a 5-6-1-0 record.

It's just one game – a December one at that – but it sure feels like there's a lot on the line here. A win by the Sea Dogs would be a confidence booster, no doubt, proving that they can win a game they should – on paper – win. A loss though... it wouldn't be good.

Georgie takes back GM title

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs made a shakeup on Monday.

Team president Trevor Georgie is taking back the general manager role, the job he held from 2016 to 2023. Travis Crickard, who had been both head coach and general manager for the past year, will continue as head coach only.

“Travis is an excellent coach," Georgie said in an afternoon news release. "This adjustment allows him to focus fully on leading our group on the ice, which is where he makes the greatest impact. Our club has traditionally operated with separate GM and head coach roles, and returning to that model is the right step for our team at this time."

The Sea Dogs lost their sixth straight game on Sunday and they sit 17th overall with a 10-16-1-0 record. They have the second worst winning percentage in the QMJHL.

While the Sea Dogs still fall under the rebuilding category, this is not where most thought – or hoped – Saint John would be on Dec. 8. They have a young but high end roster, one that hasn't been able to reach its potential yet.

The season isn't quite half over, but it certainly felt like something had to happen to get things back on track.

Georgie held the general manager role for Saint John's 2017 President Cup championship and the 2022 Memorial Cup title. He's shown that he's not afraid to make big moves and will take big swings – something that adds a lot of intrigue to this year's holiday trade period, which opens in just a couple weeks on Dec. 19.

Crickard has been with the Sea Dogs since 2021 when he joined as an assistant coach. He took over as head coach in 2022 and took on the general manager title in 2024.

Removing the general manager role from Crickard should alleviate some stress on him – but also add some pressure. His job now will solely be to figure out how to unlock this roster's potential, which may not be a simple task.

The Sea Dogs will look to end their losing streak on Wednesday night when they visit the Baie-Comeau Drakkar – the only team that sits below them in the standings.