UQTR wins University Cup; MHL playoffs update

HALIFAX - The UQTR Patriotes love playing in Nova Scotia.

The Patriotes captured their second University Cup title in five years with a 3-2 overtime win over the Saint Mary's Huskies on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre. The last time the tournament was held in Nova Scotia – 2022 in Wolfville – the Patriotes defeated the Alberta Golden Bears 5-4 in double overtime.

Felix Lafrance, who played with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Cape Breton Eagles, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Acadie-Bathurst Titan, scored the overtime winner with 5:35 remaining in the first session of extra time.

While UQTR's roster is loaded with former QMJHL talent, none played for the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Huskies lineup featured former Sea Dog Connor Trenholm.

The Huskies were the tournament's hosts and, after being eliminated in the first round of the AUS playoffs, were the No. 8 seed. They upset No. 1 Saskatchewan in their opener on Thursday and then defeated Windsor 4-1 in the Saturday afternoon semifinal.

UQTR advanced to the championship game with a 7-4 win over the UNB Reds in Saturday night's semifinal. The Patriotes scored four times in the first period – including twice in the first 4:41 – to take control of the game.

The Reds were victorious in the bronze medal game, which took place at 9 a.m. (not a typo) at Scotiabank Centre. Former Sea Dogs forwards Nick Blagden and Leighton Carruthers both had assists in the 5-1 win. Peter Reynolds remained out of the lineup.

Playoff schedule, matchups released

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs will begin the first round of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs on Friday in Moncton.

As expected, the first two games of Saint John's series with the Moncton Wildcats will take place Friday and Saturday at Avenir Centre, respectively. The series will then shift to Saint John.

Here is the full schedule:

The Sea Dogs have been locked into the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference for a couple weeks but had to wait until Saturday afternoon to have their opponent determined. The Wildcats secured top spot with a win over the Charlottetown Islanders, edging the Chicoutimi Sagueneens by a single point.

This is will be just the second playoff series between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats. They last met in the 2010 QMJHL final which Moncton took in six games.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats also met in the opening round of the COVID impacted 2021 playoffs, which was a round robin format that also included the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Sea Dogs to face Wildcats in first round

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - For just the second time, the Saint John Sea Dogs will face the Moncton Wildcats in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs.

The Wildcats secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on Saturday, defeating the Charlottetown Islanders 6-1. The Sea Dogs have been locked into the No. 8 seed for a couple weeks now but have been waiting to see who would finish first: the Wildcats or the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

The Wildcats won nine straight games down the stretch to edge the Sagueneens in the standings. Moncton finishes as the QMJHL's top regular season team for a second straight year, posting a record of 50-10-2-2 for 104 points.

The playoff schedule has not been announced yet but the series will likely start Friday night at Avenir Centre. Games 3 and 4 will be played on Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1 at TD Station, respectively.

The only other time the Sea Dogs played the Wildcats in a playoff series was the 2010 QMJHL final, which Moncton won in six games.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats did technically meet in the playoffs during the 2021 COVID provincial tournament thing, which also included the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Saint John won two of the three meetings against Moncton.

Saint John will be major underdogs in this series, finishing 15th overall in the QMJHL with a 23-36-5-0 record for 51 points. The Sea Dogs were 1-7-0-0 against the Wildcats in the regular season.

This will be the Sea Dogs' first playoff appearance since the 2023-24 season. They have not won a playoff series since the 2017 QMJHL final.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 3, Cape Breton 2

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended the regular season on a winning note on Saturday,

Angelo Fullerton scored a pair of goals against his former team to lead the Sea Dogs to a 3-2 win over the Cape Breton Eagles at Centre 200. Nolann Héroux scored Saint John's other goal while Rafael Courchesne made 24 saves in the win.

The Eagles opened the scoring but the Sea Dogs scored the next three to take a 3-1 lead in the third period. At 16:10 of the final frame, Reece Peitzsche scored to cut Saint John's lead to 3-2. Peitzsche had a couple other quality chances in the final couple minutes to net an equalizer but could not beat Courchesne.

Raoul Boilard scored Cape Breton's other goal. Connor Towle made 28 saves in the loss.

The victory ended a five-game losing streak for the Sea Dogs, who will begin post-season action on the road next weekend.

Sea Dogs still waiting on playoff opponent; University Cup, MHL updates

Mike Bernard/Charlottetown Islanders

MONCTON - It's the final day of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League regular season and the Saint John Sea Dogs won't know who their first round playoff opponent is until later today.

The Sea Dogs, who take on the Cape Breton Eagles at 3 p.m. in Sydney, are locked into the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning they'll face the No. 1 seed. Who that No. 1 seed will be is the big question.

The Moncton Wildcats enter the day with 102 points while the Chicoutimi Sagueneens are right behind them with 101. The Wildcats host the Charlottetown Islanders at 4 p.m. while the Sags host the Quebec Remparts at 5 p.m.

Here are the scenarios:

• If Moncton wins today, they'll clinch first and face the Sea Dogs in the first round. The Sagueneens' result is not relevant.
• If Moncton loses and Chicoutimi wins, the Sagueneens clinch first and will face the Sea Dogs in the first round.
• If the two teams end up tied (Moncton loses in extra time and Chicoutimi wins or Moncton loses in regulation and Chicoutimi loses in extra time), the Sagueneens clinch first and will face the Sea Dogs in the first round. Chicoutimi has the tie-breaker.
• Of course, if both teams lose today, the Wildcats will clinch first and face the Sea Dogs in the first round.

Moncton enters today's game on an eight-game winning streak.

The Sea Dogs were 1-7-0-0 against the Wildcats in the regular season and, oddly, 2-0-0-0 against the Sagueneens.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Cape Breton 4

JaimeLee Gouthro/Cape Breton Eagles

SYDNEY, NS - The losing streak continues for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs lost a fifth straight game on Friday night at Centre 200, falling 4-2 to the Cape Breton Eagles. The victory ended a six-game losing streak for the Eagles.

Saint John thought they had opened the scoring halfway through the first period when Bo Damphousse scored. But the goal was called back due to an offside – and the Eagles would take advantage, grabbing momentum and scoring twice to lead 2-0 after the first.

After a scoreless second period, Alexander Donovan scored on a power play at 6:59 of the third to get Saint John within one. The Eagles would respond with a man advantage goal of their own at 12:14, restoring Cape Breton's two-goal lead.

The Sea Dogs pulled goaltender Rafaël Courchesne with 3:34 left and the move paid off. At 17:00, Donovan netted his second of the game to get Saint John within one again. But the Eagles secured the win with an empty net goal at 18:14.

Shots in the third period were 14-2 in favour of Saint John.

Lucas Romeo scored twice for Cape Breton while Raoul Boilard and Eliot Litalien added singles. Felix Hamel made 35 saves in the win.

Courchesne made 19 saves in the loss.

These two meet again tomorrow afternoon at Centre 200 in the regular season finale for both teams.