Sea Dogs recall top prospects

The Saint John Sea Dogs will have a younger look this weekend.

The Sea Dogs announced on Thursday that they have recalled three 16-year-olds from the Dartmouth Steele Subaru Major Midgets - defenceman Brendan Sibley, forward Luke Wilson and goaltender Stewart Bagnell.

Sibley and Wilson have yet to appear in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games. Sibley was Saint John's top pick in the 2017 Entry Draft (third round, 52nd overall) while Wilson was a ninth-round selection. According to the Sea Dogs, Wilson has committed to the team after considering hockey and education options.

Wilson has been playing <em>Really</em> well lately.  Would not be surprised if he gets a nice long look. https://t.co/QwQVUKJpja

— Al Rankin (@HP_AlRankin) November 30, 2017

Bagnell, an eighth-round pick, was recalled by the Sea Dogs earlier this season as an injury replacement. He made his QMJHL debut on Nov. 3, making 30 saves in a loss in Chicoutimi.

All three players helped Steele Subaru win the 2017 Monctonian AAA Challenge championship earlier this month.

The Sea Dogs also announced that defenceman Thomas Ashe and goaltender Joel Goguen have been returned to the MHL's Amherst Ramblers.

The Sea Dogs will be without forward Cole Reginato (suspension) and Nick Deakin-Poot (presumably still injured) this weekend, while Alex D'Orio's (lower body) status seems to still be in question given the recalling of Bagnell.

Saint John plays their first game of a three-in-three on Friday night in Gatineau. Game time is 8:30 p.m.

Bless the Maritimes Division

The Maritimes Division is pretty weird this season - and it's awesome.

Just seven points separate the top team in the division and the fifth-place squad. Three teams have all spent time at the top - the Moncton Wildcats, Halifax Mooseheads and now the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

The Titan are 7-3 in their past 10 games and have taken over top spot with a one-point lead on the Mooseheads. The Mooseheads and Wildcats have been struggling a bit over the past few weeks - particularly the Wildcats - which has allowed Bathurst to climb to the top.

Following a 2-1 loss in Saint John on Sunday, Moncton has lost five straight and are just 2-7-0-1 in their past 10 games, placing them just two games over the .500 mark after a terrific start.

The best story in the QMJHL remains the Charlottetown Islanders, who are incredibly 15-9-1-0, placing them third in the Maritimes and eighth overall. The Isles are in year zero - or perhaps even minus-one - of a rebuild following last season's run and were projected to have a season similar to Moncton's a year ago. But they are somehow 8-2 over their past 10 games and have been one of the league's hottest teams over the past month.

On a 14-3 run as @IslandersHKY roll over the division leading Acadie Bathurst Titan 4-0. Matty Welsh stellar 35sv shutout. Liam Peyton Bar Down his 1st as a Isle. The train chugs back to Quebec for 3 in 3 this weekend

— Cory Arsenault (@CoryArsenault) November 29, 2017

While the Saint John Sea Dogs remain in the division basement, they are now only eight points back of fifth-place. Given how teams in the Maritimes seem to stay hot or stay cold for periods of time, the Dogs could gradually make their way up if they can regularly win some games.

While the Division may not be stacked like in year's past or have a championship favourite, this is entertaining stuff. We all love comebacks and lead changes, and the Maritimes Division standings could offer a full season of those things.

Lafreniere leaves Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced a roster move on Monday.

Forward Alexandre Lafreniere, who has been used sparingly by the Sea Dogs all season, has left the team due to personal reasons.

Forward Alexandre Lafreniere has left the team for personal reasons and has been removed from the active roster. The #SeaDogs wish Alexandre the best in his future. pic.twitter.com/kzD2mg9xj3

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) November 27, 2017

Lafreniere appeared in 14 games this season, recording a goal and two assists. He has not seen action since Nov. 4.

An 11th-round pick of Saint John in the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft, Lafreniere has appeared in 29 career QMJHL games over three seasons, registering two goals and four assists.

A graduate of the Saint John Vito's, the 18-year-old spent most of last season in the MHL, appearing in games with the Amherst Ramblers, Woodstock Slammers and St. Stephen Aces.

The Sea Dogs return to action on Friday night in Gatineau.

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 2-1

FINAL: Moncton 1, Saint John 2

Lorne Webster | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs recovered nicely from a bad loss - less than 24 hours earlier - by beating the arch rival Moncton Wildcats 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station.

Radim Salda and Daniel Hardie scored for Saint John while Matt Williams had 36 saves.

Riley MacRae replied for the Wildcats while Mark Grametbauer also stopped 36 shots.

NOTES

• The Sea Dogs controlled much of the play in the first period. Moncton opened the scoring while skating shorthanded at 10:28 when Simon Le Coultre's long up ice pass found MacRae in full stride at the Sea Dogs blue line. MacRae broke in all alone and fired a laser over Williams' shoulder.
• While skating four-on-four in the dying seconds of the first, Joe Veleno won a face off to himself at the Moncton blue line, skated into the slot and fed a nice pass to a streaking Salda. The rookie import defenceman wired a wrist shot past Grametbauer with under a second left in the period.
• The guys in stripes controlled the tempo in the middle frame, handing the visitors six power plays and the hosts two.
• The Sea Dogs got the lead at 11:15 of the second when Hardie corralled the rebound of a Robbie Burt shot and slid it past Grametbauer.
• The Sea Dogs held tight through a furious Wildcats onslaught in the closing minutes to seal the victory.
• As Tim Roszell said in his post game comments, the Christmas Bells were ringing behind Williams - as the Wildcats found iron on at least four occasions throughout the game. Sea Dogs fans were loving Williams and his best friends in this match.

Game Day 27: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to rebound this afternoon at Harbour Station.

The Sea Dogs got off to a decent start on Saturday night against the Halifax Mooseheads but fell apart quickly, ultimately falling 7-1.

Saint John will look to get back in the win column today against the Moncton Wildcats. Game time is 2 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 6-14-4-2 for 18 points (6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 13-10-2-1 for 29 points (4th Maritimes, 9th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-1 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads last night at Harbour Station. Kevin Gursoy scored Saint John's only goal. Matt Williams allowed four goals on 18 shots while Joel Goguen allowed three goals on 14 shots. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-1 loss on home ice to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Thursday. Brady Pataki scored Moncton's lone goal. Mark Grametbauer made 23 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-2-1-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 3-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 15 at the Moncton Coliseum where the Wildcats defeated the Sea Dogs 4-3 in overtime. Brady Pataki scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Julien Tessier and Mika Cyr. Cedric Pare scored twice for Saint John while Robbie Burt added a solo marker. Mark Grametbauer made 32 saves in the win. Matt Williams made 25 stops in the loss.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 7-1

FINAL: Halifax 7, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN - A sluggish start to the second period and an off night on the power play proved costly for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday night.

The Halifax Mooseheads scored three times in the second period en route to a 7-1 victory over the Sea Dogs at Harbour Station. Saint John's power play, which has been a major part of the team's offence all season, went 0/7.

Arnaud Durandeau recorded a natural hat trick for Halifax while singles came from Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Walter Flower, Filip Zadina and Connor Moynihan. Blade Mann-Dixon made 30 saves in the win.

Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John. Matt Williams allowed four goals on 18 shots in 40 minutes of action. Joel Goguen made 11 saves in the third period.