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.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs simply couldn't generate enough offense in a 4-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs went up 2-0 in the first period but the team was unable to maintain that lead against a very hot Wildcats squad. Moncton went on to score three times in the opening frame to take a 3-2 lead – and the visitors would hold that score for much of the game.

Saint John was only able to generate 12 shots in the final two periods combined with a handful of those coming with the Sea Dogs pressing in the final couple minutes. Shots overall were 39-23 in favour of Moncton.

On the flip side, the Sea Dogs were able to keep it close with the Wildcats once again – although it was almost the complete opposite of Thursday's game when the Dogs were rolling offensively (recording 49 shots on goal) but struggling on defense. 

Goaltender Justin Robinson had a strong game in net, making 35 saves in the loss. Angelo Fullerton and Alexander Donovan scored Saint John's goals.

Moncton had a pair of goals from Alex Mercier and singles from Gabe Smith and Preston Lounsbury. Lounsbury iced the game with an empty netter at 19:19 of the third.

The loss was Saint John's sixth straight – with three of those coming against Moncton. The Sea Dogs are now 10-15-1-0 on the season, keeping them 17th overall.

Game Day 27: vs Wildcats

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try once again to snap their losing skid against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs fell 7-4 in Moncton on Thursday night, which extended their losing streak to five games. The two will meet again this afternoon – this time at TD Station. Game time for Saint John's teddy bear toss game is 3 p.m.

Halls = decked 🎄❄️

See this year's Christmas jerseys in action starting this Sunday for Teddy Bear Toss at 3:00 p.m. against the Wildcats!

🎟️ » https://t.co/6iKEhaRiX4#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/DbVg07DZ70

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

It's been a rough stretch for the Sea Dogs – but Thursday's game did have some positives. Saint John was able to fight back from a 4-1 deficit and tie it up at 4-4 early in the third period. While the Dogs weren't able to take the lead, getting back into the game – against one of the QMJHL's top teams – was at least a positive sign.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, are on a 7-0-0-1 run and now have the league's second best winning percentage.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-15-1-0 for 21 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 18-6-2-1 for 39 points (second Eastern/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off that 7-4 loss in Moncton on Thursday. Alexis Joseph, Alexander Donovan, Olivier Duhamel and Olivier Groulx all scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 26 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-1 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Friday. Caleb Desnoyers, Kuzma Voronin and Preston Lounsbury scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 31 stops in the win. 

A night of QMJHL hockey outdoors

TROIS-RIVIERES, QC - The temperatures were low but the vibes were high at the Hippodrome racetrack on Friday night.

The Victoriaville Tigres edged the Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in the second game of the 55 Cup, a four-team tournament that also includes the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Shawinigan Cataractes. Victoriaville and Drummondville will meet in Sunday's final while Sherbrooke and Shawinigan will play for third on Saturday.

The Hippodrome is quite a venue, with horse racing on this site dating all the way back to 1830. This was my 14th outdoor hockey game and fourth non-NHL – but a couple of those non-NHL games were played the day after an NHL game at the same venue. The Hippodrome had an impressive setup given that these QMJHL games are the highlight of a week long hockey festival.

The most challenging part of the event was finding the entrance. Once fans made their way in, they were greeted to an area of food trucks and sponsorship activations.

There was also a merchandise trailer.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-4

FINAL: Saint John 4, Moncton 7

Daniel St-Louis/Moncton Wildcats

MONCTON - It wasn't a win, but the Saint John Sea Dogs at least made a game of it on Thursday at Avenir Centre.

The Sea Dogs managed to climb out of a 4-1 deficit and tie it 4-4 early in the third period. But the red hot Moncton Wildcats fired off three goals in the final frame to take it 7-4.

The loss extended Saint John's losing streak to five games – but the Sea Dogs at least showed some resilience in this game. Much of this losing skid has seen Saint John get down and stay down.

The Sea Dogs got off to a rough start, going down 2-0. Saint John started to gain some momentum though and Alexis Joseph made it 2-1 at 14:39 – only to have the Wildcats score two minutes later. Saint John's inability to carry momentum has been a problem.

Saint John outshot Moncton 22-6 in the second period and exited the frame down 4-3. It was an unexpected outburst given that the Sea Dogs have struggled in second periods of late.

Olivier Groulx tied it up at 4-4 at 2:27 of the third with a shorthanded marker. But the Wildcats would go on to score three to make it a 7-4 final.

Shots were 49-33 in favour of Saint John, which was certainly a positive. Defensively the struggles continue with the Sea Dogs having now allowed seven of more goals in four of their past five games.

Joseph, Groulx, Alexander Donovan and Olivier Duhamel all scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 26 stops in the loss.

Teddy Mutryn and Caleb Desnoyers each scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Niko Tournas, Adam Fortier-Gendron and Matthew Virgilio. Rudy Guimond made 45 stops in the win.

Game Day 26: at Moncton

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to put a bad weekend behind them tonight.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a three-in-three that saw them fall in each contest and get outscored 20-7. Saint John has dropped four straight games and allowed at least five goals in each of them.

Unfortunately for the Sea Dogs, their schedule doesn't get any easier.

Saint John will travel to Moncton tonight to take on the Wildcats at 7 p.m. Moncton is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, going 8-1-0-1 over their past 10 games.

A positive for the Sea Dogs: the Wildcats have been very average on home ice this season, going 5-4-1-0 – and one of those losses was against Saint John.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-14-1-0 for 21 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 16-6-2-1 for 35 points (second Eastern/third QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Cape Breton Eagles in Fredericton on Sunday. Alexis Joseph and Angelo Fullerton scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchese was pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots. Justin Robinson stopped all 26 shots he faced in relief. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-2 shootout win in Drummondville on Sunday. Alex Mercier and Teddy Mutryn scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 32 saves in the win.

Dogs look to turn things around vs 'Cats

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to turn things around on Thursday night against the Moncton Wildcats.

While it's a mismatch on paper – the Wildcats are 16-6-2-1 overall and sit second in the Eastern Conference – the Sea Dogs, 10-14-1-0, have had recent success at Avenir Centre. Saint John is 1-0 in Moncton this season and are an impressive 10-7-1-1 over the past five seasons.

Saint John will need all the positivity and good vibes they can generate given their recent struggles. The Sea Dogs head into Thursday's game on a four-game losing streak and went a disappointing 3-8-0-0 in November. Eight of their 11 games last month were played at TD Station/Aitken Centre.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, have been heading in the opposite direction. They are 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games and have collected points in each of their past six games.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats meet Thursday night in Moncton and Sunday afternoon in Saint John. This will certainly be a challenging couple games for the Dogs but, at the same time, there is an opportunity here to really turn their momentum around.

These are the first two of 10 games the Sea Dogs will play in December. Just four of those 10 games will be played at TD Station.

Some other news and notes...

• The Sea Dogs are now averaging nearly four goals against per game (3.96) and have allowed five or more goals in each of their past four games. 
• Saint John has allowed the first goal in each of their past three games.
• The Wildcats currently sit third overall in the league with 35 points. Only Chicoutimi and Blainville-Boisbriand – who each have 37 points – have better records.
• Wildcats captain Caleb Desnoyers enters play Thursday on a six-game point streak. He posted two goals and three assists during Moncton's three-in-three Quebec road trip last weekend. With Team Canada's world junior selection camp roster expected to be announced next week, Desnoyers is likely a little extra motivated to have a strong few games.
• After lighting up the Sea Dogs last weekend, Cape Breton Eagles forward Romain Litalien was named the QMJHL 's player of the week. Litalien now has four goals and seven assists in six games against Saint John this season.
• Newfoundland's Justin Larose continues to lead the QMJHL in scoring with 43 points (17 goals and 26 assists) in 26 games. His 26 assists leads the league.
• Shawinigan's Felix Lacerte has scored a league high 22 goals in 23 games.
• There will be four outdoor QMJHL games played this week at a racetrack in Trois-Rivieres. Victoriaville, Sherbrooke, Drummondville and Shawinigan will each play two games between Thursday and Sunday.

Notebook: The Beaulieu/Murphy fight

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Jacob Beaulieu is getting plenty of praise for his fight against Will Murphy during Saturday's game against the Cape Breton Eagles.

Beaulieu, listed at 5'9" and 175 lbs, dropped the gloves with Murphy, listed at 6'4" and 211 lbs, during the first period. Both players were given fighting majors and game misconducts.

The game was 1-1 at the time and the Saint John Sea Dogs went on to lose the game 7-3. Saint John allowed four goals in the second period and were outshot 17-8.

After the game, the fight brought this interesting response from Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard, calling his team's response "sad."

Really interesting comments from Travis Crickard on Jacob Beaulieu’s fight with Will Murphy.

Calls his team’s response to the fight “sad.” pic.twitter.com/nT3hf5nXoz

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) November 30, 2025

DUFOUR DEBUTS

William Dufour made his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins debut on Friday.

Dufour had one shot and was a +1 in the Penguins' 4-1 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He played on the team's third line with Aidan McDonough and Gabe Klassen. 

Former Sea Dogs forward Boko Imama was also in the Penguins' lineup. Raivis Ansons did not dress.

On Saturday, Dufour posted three shots and was a -2 in the Penguins' 6-2 loss to the Hershey Bears. Imama also played in that game, recording 14 penalty minutes.

Dufour has been on a professional tryout with the Penguins for a few weeks. These were his first AHL games since last season's Calder Cup Playoffs.

GLANCE SCORES VS CHL

17-year-old forward Jamie Glance, a sixth-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft, scored twice in the USNTDP's victory over Team CHL in this year's CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

Glance had an empty net goal in the United States' 4-2 win over Team CHL in the opening game and then scored again as the Americans fell 4-3 in the second game. The USA won the event by scoring in "super overtime."

Jamie Glance gives USA a 3-1 lead on the power-play! pic.twitter.com/uQwoeKRI23

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 27, 2025

Glance is in his second year with the USNTDP and is committed to Boston University for the 2027-28 season.

A month to forget for Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs began November one game over .500, sitting 11th overall in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and were coming off a two-game sweep of the Cape Breton Eagles.

A month later, the Sea Dogs are leaving November four games below .500, sitting second-last in the QMJHL and were swept on home (sort of) ice by the Eagles.

It was a brutal month for the Sea Dogs to say the least. Let's look at some numbers.

• Saint John went 3-8-0-0 during November, a disappointing record any month, but especially this one given that the team played eight of their 11 games on home ice (when you include the Fredericton game).
• The Sea Dogs are now 5-9-0-0 at home this season after going 2-6 at TD Station/Aitken Centre in November. 
• The Sea Dogs entered November with a respectable -2 goal differential. It's now at -15 after getting outscored 45-32 during the month. That's a goals per game average of 2.91 and a goals against per game average of 4.09. The last-place Baie-Comeau Drakkar are currently averaging 4.26 goals against per game.

If the QMJHL playoffs started today, the Sea Dogs would not be in them. They have the second fewest points (21) and second worst winning percentage (.420).

This team is struggling big time right now. The numbers show it. The eye test shows it.

The fan frustration with this team's recent results is nothing like I've seen since, well, ever. And it makes sense. A reminder that this franchise has not won a playoff series since 2017. A reminder that this franchise has delivered only a few months of success since 2017. The Sea Dogs have finished above .500 just twice since 2017 – and one of those seasons was the weird COVID year of 2020-21 when they finished one game over.

If there is any fan base in junior hockey that understands the highs and lows of the junior hockey cycle, it's Sea Dogs fans. When this fan base is losing patience, that says something. 

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-2

FINAL: Cape Breton 5, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

FREDERICTON - It was a new location but the same struggles for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday.

The Cape Breton Eagles scored three times in the first period and outplayed the Sea Dogs for much of the night, earning a 5-2 win at Fredericton's Aitken Centre. This was the first of three "home" games the Sea Dogs will play on the UNB campus this season.

The Sea Dogs once again made too many defensive errors and struggled to generate quality scoring chances. Even when Saint John got back within two goals late in the second period, it still felt like a huge mountain to climb given the team's recent struggles. 

Saint John was outshot 39-30 – and 19-8 in the second period – with only nine of their shots being considered dangerous. The Sea Dogs also went 0/5 on the power play. 

The loss was Saint John's fourth straight, dropping them to 10-14-1-0 on the season. The Eagles, thanks to back-to-back wins over the Sea Dogs, are now four points up on Saint John in the standings.

Reece Peitzsche scored a hat trick for Cape Breton while Maxime Sauthier and Rory Pilling added singles. Connor Towle made 28 saves in the win.

Alexis Joseph and Angelo Fullerton scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne was pulled early in the second after allowing four goals on 12 shots. Justin Robinson stopped all 26 shots he faced in relief.

Game Day 25: vs Eagles

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

FREDERICTON - Perhaps of change of scenery is just what the Saint John Sea Dogs need.

The Sea Dogs will play the final game of a seven-game homestand this afternoon against the Cape Breton Eagles – in Fredericton. It's the first of three "home" games the Sea Dogs will play at the Aitken Centre this season, marking the first time regular season Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League games will be played in the city.

Game time this afternoon is 3 p.m.

The Sea Dogs are 2-4 during this stretch of home games and things could not be going much worse than they have over the past three games. Saint John has been outscored 23-9 in those games, which includes a 7-3 loss to the Eagles last night at TD Station.

The losing streak combined with this being Saint John's third game in three days combined with the commute to Fredericton does not seem like a recipe for success – but we'll see what happens. Maybe the change of scenery is just what the Sea Dogs need.
 

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-13-1-0 for 21 points (ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 9-9-1-4 for 23 points (eighth Eastern/14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Eagles met last night with Cape Breton earning a 7-3 win. Romain Litalien led the way for the Eagles with a hat trick and two assists. Noah Jettelson, Aidan McCullough, Reece Peitzsche and Adam Klaus also scored for Cape Breton. Alexander Donovan, Elliot Dubé and Oskar Drabczynski scored for Saint John. Felix Hamel made 21 stops in the win. Justin Robinson made 26 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-3

FINAL: Cape Breton 7, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - It's been a brutal stretch for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs dropped their third straight game on Saturday at TD Station, falling 7-3 to the Cape Breton Eagles. They've been outscored 23-9 during this losing skid.

The loss drops the Sea Dogs to 10-13-1-0 on the year. They are three games below .500 for the first time this season and currently sit 17th overall – outside of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoff picture.

If that seems like a lot of negatives, well, there aren't a whole lot of positives right now. Saturday's game continued the same trend: the Sea Dogs are struggling at both ends of the ice. They're making a lot of defensive mistakes and they haven't been able to get much of anything going offensively for any significant amount of time.

It seemed like just a few weeks ago this year's team was moving in the right direction. This stretch has been a major bump in the road – and they don't have much time to work on improvements. They play their third game in three days in less than 24 hours.

The Sea Dogs got off to a rough start in the first period on Saturday, allowing Cape Breton to score on their first shot. But Saint John settled in and took a 1-1 tie into intermission.

The wheels fell off in the second period with Cape Breton grabbing a 5-2 lead and outshooting Saint John 17-8. It was an ugly and disappointing showing given that the Sea Dogs were very much in this game entering the period.

Despite outshooting the Eagles 10-6 in the third, the Sea Dogs were never able to get back into the game. 

Romain Litalien led the way for the Eagles with a hat trick and two assists. Noah Jettelson, Aidan McCullough, Reece Peitzsche and Adam Klaus also scored for Cape Breton. Lewis Gendron posted four assists. 

The Eagles entered the game averaging 2.26 goals per game, the second fewest in the QMJHL.

Felix Hamel made 21 stops in the win.

Alexander Donovan, Elliot Dubé and Oskar Drabczynski scored for Saint John. 

Justin Robinson made 26 stops in the loss.

Game Day 24: vs Eagles

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to rebound from one of their worst losses of the season tonight at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs fell 8-2 to the Charlottetown Islanders last night, allowing three goals in both the first and third periods. Saint John has given up eight goals in back-to-back games, something the team will obviously look to improve upon tonight.

We've seen Saint John bounce back from tough losses a number of times this season and they'll try to do that once again when they host the Cape Breton Eagles. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Eagles have had a week off and arrived in town yesterday. They're tied with Saint John with 21 points on the season.

This is the first of back-to-back games between the two. Both will travel to Fredericton and play the second game of this doubleheader tomorrow afternoon.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-12-1-0 for 21 points (ninth Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 8-9-1-4 for 21 points (eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an ugly 8-2 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders last night at TD Station. Olivers Murnieks and Alexis Joseph scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 28 stops in the loss. The Eagles are coming off a 4-1 win over the Sherbrooke Phoenix last Saturday. Reece Peitzsche, Lucas Romeo, Adam Klaus and Lewis Gendron scored for Cape Breton. Connor Towle made 21 stops in the win.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-2

FINAL: Charlottetown 8, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - It was a Friday night to forget for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Charlottetown Islanders scored three times in both the first and third periods en route to an 8-2 win over the Sea Dogs at TD Station. The Sea Dogs have allowed eight goals in back-to-back games, the most they've given up in a single game this season.

Nathan Leek scored a hat trick for Charlottetown; Jabez Seymour scored twice; and Ross Campbell, William Shields and Antoine Provencher added singles. Donald Hickey made 30 saves in the win.

Olivers Murnieks and Alexis Joseph scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 28 saves in the loss.

Not a lot went right for the Sea Dogs in this game. Some defensive mistakes proved costly while some hit posts ended any chance of Saint John gaining momentum when the game was still within reach.

The good news for Saint John: they can quickly forget about this game with another match – this one against the Cape Breton Eagles – set for Saturday night. The bad news: they've also got a game on Sunday, making this not an ideal start to a challenging weekend.

Kuznetsov scores first NHL goal; Mateiko gets first as a pro

Embed from Getty Images 

It's been a few days of firsts for former Saint John Sea Dogs.

On Friday, former Sea Dogs defenseman Yan Kuznetsov netted his first NHL goal, scoring for the Calgary Flames in their 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers.

The goal came at 5:35 of the first period, making it 2-1 Florida at the time. Kuznetsov played 22:36, the second most amongst Flames defensemen.

This was the 12th game Kuznetsov has played with the Flames this season and now has a goal and two assists. He's also appeared in 10 games with the AHL Calgary Wranglers where he's posted two goals.

The 23-year-old is in his fourth full season of professional hockey. He had only appeared in one NHL game prior to this season.

The Russian joined the Sea Dogs during the 2021-22 season, recording two goals and 11 assists in 25 regular season games. He added two assists in four playoff games along with a goal and two helpers in four Memorial Cup matches.

Game Day 23: vs Islanders

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - After a week off, the Saint John Sea Dogs return to action tonight against the Charlottetown Islanders.

Tonight's game kicks off a three-in-three weekend for Saint John. After tonight's 7 p.m. contest they take on the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game will be played at TD Station while Sunday's will take place at the Aitken Centre.

The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-4 home loss to the Moncton Wildcats last Friday, a loss that saw them allow four goals in the third period. The previous night, they defeated these Islanders 6-3.

Charlottetown has been struggling this month and are 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-11-1-0 for 21 points (eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 13-8-1-3 for 30 points (third Eastern/fifth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-4 loss to the Moncton Wildcats last Friday at TD Station. Alexander Donovan, Egan Beveridge, Zachary Morin and Matthew Krayer had Saint John goals. Justin Robinson was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots while Rafaël Courchesne allowed four goals on 37 shots in relief. The Islanders are coming off a 6-1 loss in Moncton on Sunday. Anthony Flanagan scored for Charlottetown. Donald Hickey made 25 saves in the loss.

Heroux called up again

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs have made a roster addition ahead of a busy weekend.

The Sea Dogs announced Thursday they've recalled 16-year-old forward Nolann Héroux from the Saint-Eustache Vikings of the Quebec under-18 circuit. It's the second time Héroux has been called up to the Sea Dogs this season.

Héroux was selected 10th overall by Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. Listed at 5'9" and 159 lbs, the forward showed signs of promise in his previous stint with the Sea Dogs and recorded two assists.

The Montreal native has 14 goals and 17 assists in 22 games with the Vikings this season. Saint-Eustache doesn't have any games scheduled until Wednesday.

The Sea Dogs have a packed weekend ahead so it certainly doesn't hurt to have another body join the club. Saint John is set to play a three-a-three, hosting the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday and then the Cape Breton Eagles on both Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday game will be played in Fredericton.

Saint John also added 20-year-old forward Justin Gendron this week, completing a trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Sea Dogs had been a forward short since overager Natan Éthier left for the BCHL.

The club posted video of Gendron practicing on Thursday, so it certainly looks like he'll debut this weekend.

Gendy looking good in blue 🔥🐶#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/6EBhLnTEdH

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) November 27, 2025

The Sea Dogs were without forwards William Yared and Olivers Murnieks last weekend due to injuries or sickness.

Sea Dogs attendance off to promising start

If it's felt like TD Station has been a bit more full at this time of year compared to recent seasons, that's because it has been.

After 11 home games, the Sea Dogs are averaging 2,789 fans per game – the team's best average at this point in the season since pre-pandemic times.

Now, it's tough to compare seasons at this point given that schedules are always different, the weather is all over the place, etc. Having said that, this is a positive sign, especially given that crowds typically get larger as the season moves along.

Here's a look at how this year's numbers compare to the previous four post-pandemic seasons.

Season	After 11 GP	Season End
2021-22	2,392 (7th)	2,643 (5th)
2022-23	2,532 (7th)	2,957 (7th)
2023-24	2,765 (7th)	2,760 (8th)
2024-25	2,348 (12th)	2,811 (10th)
2025-26	2,789 (8th)	TBD

This season's numbers are still nothing to brag about, but it's good to see that things are moving in the right direction (at this point, anyways). Hopefully the numbers continue to improve as the on-ice product does.

The Sea Dogs are one of the few CHL teams that have never fully bounced back from the pandemic. Before COVID, Saint John's worst average attendance was 3,345 fans per game.

The league average is currently 3,269 fans per game. That number has been boosted by the addition of the Newfoundland Regiment, who currently sit third in average attendance with a mark of 4,952.

Sea Dogs acquire Gendron from Drakkar

Embed from Getty Images 

The Saint John Sea Dogs have filled their vacant overage spot.

The Sea Dogs announced Tuesday they've acquired 20-year-old forward Justin Gendron from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick and a 2027 eighth-round selection.

Gendron left the last-place Drakkar in late October and hasn't appeared in a QMJHL game since Oct. 17. He appeared in nine games with Baie-Comeau where he recorded two goals and two assists.

The Dieppe native is in his fifth and final season of junior hockey, most of which was spent with the Victoriaville Tigres. Gendron was traded to the Drakkar last season where he posted 17 goals and 20 assists in 56 regular season games and then added another five goals and three assists in 11 playoff contests.

In 218 career QMJHL games, Gendron has 57 goals and 58 assists.

Saint John will visit Baie-Comeau on Dec. 10.

While Gendron's offensive numbers aren't mind blowing, the Sea Dogs are no doubt hoping he can give the team's forward group some veteran assistance. Saint John is averaging 3.50 goals per game, good for seventh in the QMJHL, but the forward group has struggled with consistency at times.

The Sea Dogs have been with two overagers – forward Angelo Fullerton and defenseman Julien Wasmer – since Natan Éthier's departure last month.

The QMJHL's trade period opens on Dec. 19 this year. This Gendron deal was allowed to take place because overagers are permitted to be moved right now.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Friday when they host the Charlottetown Islanders at 7 p.m. 

Notebook: Rare 3-in-3 for Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will play their only three-in-three of the entire season this weekend.

Traditionally, if the Sea Dogs were to be playing a three-in-three, it would likely take place on the road in Quebec. But times have changed. This three-in-three will be all home games with the third contest being played in a non-QMJHL venue.

The Sea Dogs will host the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday and the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday with both of those games being played at TD Station. On Sunday, the Sea Dogs and Eagles will travel to Fredericton to play in the first regular season QMJHL game to take place in the city.

Tickets to Sunday's game are still available – but they are limited. 

The Sea Dogs will play three games at Fredericton's Aitken Centre this season. They'll also take on the Gatineau Olympiques on Thursday, Jan. 8 and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday, Feb. 1.

NEW MASKS

Both Sea Dogs goaltenders recently debuted new masks, becoming the first netminders to sport the club's new logo.

Here's a look at Rafaël Courchesne's new mask. He had been wearing a green mask from his time with the Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois.

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

And here's Justin Robinson's new look. He had been wearing his mask from last season which featured Saint John's 20th anniversary logo.

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

GUELPH LANDS MEMORIAL CUP

The Guelph Storm will host the 2027 Memorial Cup, the CHL announced last week.

The Storm have played in six Memorial Cup tournaments – most recently in 2019 in Halifax – and hosted the event in 2002. The Storm franchise has yet to win the trophy.

“We are thrilled to be bringing the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota to Guelph,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie in a news release. “The Storm put forward an outstanding bid that showcased not only their organizational strength, but also the passion, vision, and community spirit that make the Royal City such a special junior hockey market. With the Memorial Cup returning to Guelph in the same year the city marks its bicentennial, fans can expect an unforgettable event that celebrates Guelph’s history and the tournament’s rich tradition, while providing a world-class experience for players, fans, and partners alike.”

Kelowna will host the 2026 Memorial Cup. The QMJHL will host in 2028.

Wildcats have been dominant at TD Station

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Moncton Wildcats continued their domination of TD Station on Friday.

The Wildcats scored four times in the third period in an 8-4 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs, their second victory of the season in the Port City.

Moncton has won an incredible 16 of the 19 games played between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats at TD Station over the past five seasons – a stretch that has been dominated by the road team.

Moncton's road record against Saint John may not come as a surprise given where the two teams have been at cycle wise. But, oddly enough, the Sea Dogs have a winning record at Avenir Centre over that same time, going 10-7-1-1. That includes a win earlier this season.

Here's the full breakdown:

Last Five Seasons at Saint John

Moncton: 16-2-1-0

Saint John: 3-15-0-1

Last Five Seasons at Moncton

Moncton: 9-10-0-0

Saint John: 10-7-1-1

Saint John's last win over Moncton at TD Station came on Oct. 31, 2024 when the Sea Dogs posted a 3-2 overtime win.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats meet again on Dec. 4 in Moncton.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-4

FINAL: Moncton 8, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs ran out of gas on Friday night at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs allowed four goals on 14 shots in the third period, falling 8-4 to the Moncton Wildcats. The Sea Dogs were able to keep pace with Moncton through the first half of the game but it seemed like the 'Cats had an extra gear the Dogs just didn't have.

Saint John played on Thursday night while Moncton had been off since Wednesday.

The game was tied 3-3 after the first and 4-4 after the second. The Sea Dogs were perhaps a bit lucky to get out of the second with a tie after allowing 24 shots in the middle frame. The Wildcats blew it open in the third and finished the game with 53 shots – the most by any team in a single QMJHL game this season.

Niko Tournas and Kuzma Voronin each scored a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Grayden Robertson-Palmer, Teddy Mutryn, Tommy Bleyl and Gabe Smith. Rudy Guimond made 40 saves in the win.

Alexander Donovan, Egan Beveridge, Zachary Morin and Matthew Krayer all scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 16 shots. Rafaël Courchesne, making an appearance for a fifth straight game, allowed four goals on 37 shots in relief.

The Sea Dogs just can't seem to get over .500, falling to 10-11-1-0 with this loss. They haven't been over the .500 mark since Oct. 30.

 

Pass/fail: Sea Dogs' Flames Night jerseys

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - How did we feel about the look the Saint John Sea Dogs sported on Friday night?

The Sea Dogs wore a Saint John Flames styled jersey for Flames Night at TD Station. Rather than the usual Flames red, yellow and black, the jerseys were designed in the Sea Dogs' blue, grey and black.

The Sea Dogs have worn Flames retro jerseys before. In 2011, the Sea Dogs wore Flames jerseys to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the AHL team's 2001 Calder Cup championship. The team also skated through the Flames' inflatable dragon when they took to the ice that night and had some tribute videos.

Former Flames anthem singer Dan Joyce performed Oh Canada before Friday's contest. Some t-shirts were also available for purchase and TD gave away hats.

Flames Night at TD. Sea Dogs wearing Saint John Flames jerseys but with a blue twist. pic.twitter.com/6QGgCVJc56

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) November 21, 2025

This isn't the only time this season the Sea Dogs will be wearing AHL themed jerseys. For their Feb. 1 "home" game in Fredericton, the Sea Dogs will be wearing Fredericton Canadiens jerseys. 

Game Day 22: vs Wildcats

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Coming off an upset win last night, the Saint John Sea Dogs will look for a similar result tonight against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs never trailed in a 6-3 win over the Charlottetown Islanders. Zachary Morin broke a 3-3 tie in the third period and Olivier Groulx added two empty net markers. Rafaël Courchesne made a fourth straight start and picked up the win.

Saint John will face another challenging opponent tonight in the Wildcats, who are an impressive 8-2-1-0 on the road this season. They're also starting to find their game, going 7-3-0-0 in their last 10 games.

It's Flames Night at TD Station and the Sea Dogs will be wearing some special jerseys.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-10-1-0 for 21 points (eighth Eastern/14th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 12-6-2-0 for 26 points (third Eastern/sixth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-3 win over the Charlottetown Islanders last night at TD Station. Olivier Groulx netted a pair of goals while Matthew Krayer, Jacob Beaulieu, Elliot Dubé and Zachary Morin added singles. Rafaël Courchesne made 21 stops in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 6-1 home win over the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Wednesday. Gabe Smith and Teddy Mutryn each scored twice while Niko Tournas and Preston Lounsbury added singles. Rudy Guimond made 34 saves in the win.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs bent but did not break in an upset win over one of the top teams in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League on Thursday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs scored three times in both the first and third periods in a 6-3 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders. Olivier Groulx netted a pair of goals while Matthew Krayer, Jacob Beaulieu, Elliot Dubé and Zachary Morin added singles.

Rafaël Courchesne had another solid night in net, making 21 stops in the win.

The Sea Dogs never trailed in this game, opening the scoring and leading 3-1 at one point in the first period. The Islanders tied it up at 3-3 early in the third but, at 10:40, Morin scored what proved to be the game-winner. Groulx netted a pair of empty net goals to secure the victory.

The victory certainly displays some of the progress this group has made over the past year. Even when the Islanders tied it up and started to take some momentum back, the Sea Dogs didn't fold. While this first half has had some bumps along the way, there are some positive signs here.

The win pushed the Sea Dogs back to .500 with a 10-10-1-0 record.

Charlottetown goals came from Anthony Flanagan, Ross Campbell and Matthew Butler. Donald Hickey made 20 stops in the loss.

Game Day 21: vs Islanders

Mike Bernard/Charlottetown Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will be put to the test tonight, facing off against one of the top teams in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

The Sea Dogs host the Charlottetown Islanders tonight at 7 p.m. at TD Station. Despite going 4-5-0-1 over their past 10 games, Charlottetown still sits second in the Eastern Conference and third overall in the league.

This is just the second meeting of the season between the Dogs and Isles. Charlottetown won the previous meeting, winning 4-3 in overtime in early October.

The Sea Dogs are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10 games and are coming off a 3-2 home loss to the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Sunday, a loss that saw them play a strong third period after really struggling in the first two.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 9-10-1-0 for 19 points (eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 13-6-1-3 for 30 points (second Eastern/third QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Sunday at TD Station. Zachary Morin and Angelo Fullerton scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 26 saves in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 home win over the Voltigeurs on Saturday. Ross Campbell, Antoine Provencher, Owen Conrad and Nathan Leek all scored for Charlottetown. Donald Hickey made 31 saves in the win.

Notebook: Back-to-back coming up

Mike Bernard/Charlottetown Islanders

After playing five straight games against Quebec teams, the Saint John Sea Dogs will get a major taste of the Maritimes coming up.

The Sea Dogs will play their next seven games against just three teams: they'll face the Moncton Wildcats three times and the Charlottetown Islanders and Cape Breton Eagles both twice.

Six of those seven games will be played at home (which includes the Nov. 30 game in Fredericton), a stretch that begins Thursday and Friday when the Sea Dogs host the Islanders and Wildcats, respectively. 

The Islanders sit first in the Eastern Conference but have been on a slide of late, going 4-5-0-1 in their past 10 games. They've played 23 games already, tying them for the most in the league.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, continue to struggle with consistency. They sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with most of their troubles coming on home ice. They're an impressive 8-2-1-0 away from Avenir Centre, which may not be good news for the Sea Dogs on Friday.

This is an oddly scheduled week for the Sea Dogs. They'll play Thursday and Friday night and then have both Saturday and Sunday off.

MONCTONIAN RECAP

A couple Sea Dogs prospects were in action at this year's Monctonian.

Forward Eliot Tozer, a 12th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, finished with a goal and five assists in three games with the Saint John Vito's. Tozer, who is wearing an 'A' for the Vito's this season, finished in a tie for the team's scoring lead.

The Vito's went 2-1-0 at this year's tournament.

In 15 regular season games, Tozer has seven goals and six assists.

Goaltender Jase MacPherson and the Kensington Wild, meanwhile, went 2-0-1. MacPherson, a second-round pick of the Sea Dogs in this year's draft, went 1-0-1 with a 2.18 goals against average. Shots on goal were not recorded at the event.

In eight regular season games, MacPherson is 5-3 with a 2.96 GAA and .896 save percentage. He's also appeared in one game with the MHL's Summerside Western Capitals.

Courchesne has found his groove

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Rafaël Courchesne has found his game of late.

The Saint John Sea Dogs rookie netminder set a new team record on the weekend for the longest shutout streak in team history. Courchesne set the mark with his second straight clean sheet on Saturday night, not allowing a goal for seven straight periods.

Courchesne made a third straight start on Sunday, stopping 26 shots in Saint John's 3-2 loss to the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Courchesne is now 5-4 with a 2.56 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. He has the fourth best GAA in the QMJHL and seventh best save percentage. 

He's the only rookie to post a shutout this season – and he has two of them officially. Unofficially he has three given that he – despite stopping all 26 shots he faced – wasn't awarded a shutout on Oct. 29 after he left the game for a couple minutes.

From the start of training camp, the No. 1 goaltending position was up for grabs. It certainly feels like that job belongs to Courchesne for the time being.

As a team, the Sea Dogs are averaging 3.40 goals against per game and 31.51 shots against. Those are both improvements from where they finished last season (4.05 goals against per game and 36.10 shots against).

The Sea Dogs have a bit of a strange schedule this week, playing Charlottetown on Thursday and Moncton on Friday – both at home – before having the rest of the weekend off.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Drummondville 3, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up short against the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Sunday at TD Station.

After struggling in the first two periods, the Sea Dogs took control in the third but could not quite complete the comeback, falling 3-2.

The Voltigeurs were the better team in the first half of the game, limiting Sea Dogs scoring chances. But as the game went along – and the Voltigeurs perhaps started to feel the fatigue of playing a third game in as many days – the Sea Dogs got back into it.

In the third period and the Volts up 3-0, Zachary Morin scored at 13:53 to make it 3-1. Then just over a minute later, Angelo Fullerton scored into an empty net after Volts goaltender Dayton Kitchener went off to the bench thinking a delayed penalty was being called against Saint John.

The Sea Dogs pulled Rafaël Courchesne for an extra attacker late in the game and were able to apply lots of pressure in the offensive zone but could not get the equalizer.

Kitchener made 32 saves in the win. Renaud Poulin had two Drummondville goals while William Dumont netted the other.

Courchesne, making a third straight start, made 26 stops in the loss.

The loss ends a two-game winning streak for Saint John and puts them back below .500 with a 9-10-1-0 record.

Game Day 20: vs Voltigeurs

Ghyslain Bergeron/Drummondville Voltigeurs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try and win a third straight game this afternoon at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs have not only won their past two games, they haven't allowed a goal. The team defeated the Victoriaville Tigres 6-0 last Sunday and the Quebec Remparts last night.

Saint John will look to keep the positive vibes going when they host the Drummondville Voltigeurs this afternoon at 3 p.m. The two met last Friday in Drummondville where the Volts skated away with a 4-1 win.

This is the third and final game of a three-game Maritime road trip for the Voltigeurs – and it's been a tough one. They lost 5-0 in Moncton on Friday and blew a 2-1 second period lead in a 4-3 loss in Charlottetown last night.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 9-9-1-0 for 19 points (sixth Eastern/13th QMJHL) while the Voltigeurs are 12-6-1-1 for 26 points (third Western/fifth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-0 win over the Quebec Remparts last night. Vincent Croteau, Jacob Beaulieu, Alexis Joseph and Everett Baldwin scored for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne made 20 stops in the shutout. The Voltigeurs are coming off a 4-3 loss last night in Charlottetown. Carter Fogarty, Matteo Rotondi and Trent Gates all scored for Drummondville. Dayton Kitchener made 21 stops in the loss.