Back On Top

SAINT JOHN – Winners of 15 straight, the Saint John Sea Dogs are back on top of the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings. The latest edition of the rankings were released today.

The Sea Dogs, who currently sit first in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a record of 45-14-0-2, won all three games they played this past week. On Saturday, the Dogs needed a shootout to beat the Moncton Wildcats 3-2. On Sunday at Harbour Station, Saint John destroyed Cape Breton 9-1. Last night, they defeated the Wildcats again, this time by score of 5-3.

Saint John’s 15-game winning streak is the longest in the Canadian Hockey League this season. They have not lost since January 12.

The Sea Dogs were ranked No. 1 in the pre-season rankings. They are the only team that has stayed in the Top 10 all season.

Other QMJHL teams in the Top 10 this week include the Shawinigan Cataractes at No. 4 and the Quebec Remparts at No. 9. The Victoriaville Tigres were an honourable mention again.

The weekly rankings of the Canadian Hockey League’s Top 10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

Here are the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings for week 23:

1. Saint John Sea Dogs (45-14-0-2)
2. London Knights (44-14-0-1)
3. Tri-City Americans (45-15-1-2)
4. Shawinigan Cataractes (41-13-3-4)
5. Kamloops Blazers (43-16-1-3)
6. Portland Winterhawks (44-15-3-1)
7. Plymouth Whalers (40-17-2-1)
8. Edmonton Oil Kings (41-15-3-4)
9. Quebec Remparts (38-15-5-2)
10. Niagara IceDogs (39-17-0-3) 

Honourable Mention:
Ottawa 67's (36-16-5-2)
Victoriaville Tigres (38-18-1-3)
Moose Jaw Warriors (39-17-5-2)

The Sea Dogs topped Buzzing The Net’s Dynamic Dozen this week as well.

Saint John plays twice this weekend. They host the PEI Rocket on Friday and Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday. 

POSTSCRIPT: Wildcats 3, Sea Dogs 5

A collection of recaps from last night’s 5-3 Saint John Sea Dogs win over the Moncton Wildcats…

Our recap. The win extends Saint John’s streak to a Canadian Hockey League best 15 straight this season.

The Telegraph-Journal’s recap. Paywalled.

News 88.9’s recap. Featuring Tim Roszell’s goal calls.

SaintJohnSeaDogs.com’s recap. The Saint John Sea Dogs captured the Brunswick News Rivalry Cup for the second straight year, clinching the competition with a 5-3 win over the Moncton Wildcats Tuesday.

The Canadian Press’ recap. Montreal Canadiens prospect Nathan Beaulieu wasn't about to let his Saint John Sea Dogs lose to their provincial rivals.

SN Live Blog Replay. Good win, good win.

MISSING IN ACTION: According to News 88.9, Tomas Jurco missed the game because of the flu. Devon Oliver-Dares is still out with a broken collarbone. Jason Seed was a healthy scratch.

RIVALRY CUP: With a crowd of over 5,000 and a regulation win, the Sea Dogs won the Brunswick News Rivalry Cup for a second straight season last night. They won the season long challenge 21.5 – 20.5.

It was the first time the contest was decided on the final meeting of the year. Sea Dogs president Wayne Long accepted the trophy at the team’s bench area following the game.

The last two teams to win the Rivalry Cup went on to win the President’s Cup. Just sayin’…

RECAP: Rivalry Cup, Baby. Dogs Win 5-3.

FINAL: Moncton 3, Saint John 5

SAINT JOHN – Make it 15 straight wins for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Port City squad defeated the Moncton Wildcats 5-3 on Tuesday night at Harbour Station in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. The win extends Saint John’s streak to a Canadian Hockey League best 15 straight this season.

Tonight’s win also clinched Saint John their second straight Brunswick News Rivalry Cup. The trophy was presented to Sea Dogs president Wayne Long following the match.

Saint John had goals from Charlie Coyle, Maxime Villemaire, Nathan Beaulieu, Stanislav Galiev and Jonathan Huberdeau. Beaulieu, Kevin Gagne and Aidan Kelly each had two assists. Mathieu Corbeil made 18 saves for the win.

It was another solid game by the Sea Dogs. They had two strong opening periods and led 3-0 after 40 minutes. They slipped a bit in the third but still played well enough to earn the victory.

Moncton had markers from Marek Hrivik, Devon MacAusland, and Christophe Lalonde. Mark Tremaine had two assists. Roman Will looked a bit human on this night, allowing four goals on 40 shots.

The Sea Dogs now sit three points ahead of the Shawinigan Cataractes in the race for first place. Both teams have seven games remaining.

LIVE BLOG: Wildcats vs Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN – The Sea Dogs and Wildcats battle for possibly the final time this season tonight at Harbour Station. Follow along for updates.

Rivalry Cup Ends Tonight

SAIINT JOHN – The incredibly awesome Brunswick News Rivalry Cup will be presented this evening at Harbour Station. The Saint John Sea Dogs host the Moncton Wildcats tonight at 7pm in the finale of the season long challenge.

This from the Wildcats’ website:

For the first time, the outcome of the Brunswick News Rivalry Cup competition, where points are awarded for reaching certain attendance marks and on-ice results, as well as various other off-ice competitions involving fans, will be decided at the last game of the season between the two teams.

The Wildcats hold a 20.5-16.5 lead but Saint John can retain the cup with a regulation win and a crowd of 5,000 or more. A regulation win and crowd of more than 4,000, or an overtime or shootout win and a crowd of more than 6,000 would leave the teams tied. The tie-breaker sees the cup going to the team with the most head-to-head victories, which would be the Sea Dogs in this case. They hold a 5-2 edge this season.

According to a tweet from Sea Dogs president Wayne Long, the Dogs were at 4,802 tickets sold earlier this afternoon.

The Rivalry Cup will be presented to the winning team after the game. Moncton won the first two while Saint John won last year.

Also on the line tonight: Saint John’s winning streak. They have won 14 straight going into tonight’s action. A win this evening would also put the Sea Dogs three points up on the Shawinigan Cataractes in the race for first place.

For more on the game, check out our Gameday post. Our Live Blog begins at 6:45pm.

Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

GAMEDAY 61: vs Wildcats

GAMEDAY

Moncton Wildcats vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live Blog: SN

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – Two rivals meet for the final time this regular season tonight at Harbour Station as the Saint John Sea Dogs host the Moncton Wildcats. Game time for game eight of the 2011-12 Brunswick News Rivalry Cup is 7pm.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats met on Saturday at the Moncton Coliseum with Saint John winning 3-2 in a shootout. With the win, the Dogs trail Moncton 20.5-16.5 heading into tonight’s final Rivalry Cup matchup.

Saint John enters play tonight with a record of 44-14-0-2 for 90 points. They sit first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, one-point up on the Shawinigan Cataractes. The Sea Dogs also have one game in hand.

The big story heading into tonight’s game is the Sea Dogs’ 14-game winning streak. They have not lost since January 12, meaning a win this evening would give them a perfect record in the month of February.

The Dogs are 25-5-0-1 at Harbour Station this season and have outscored their opponents 146-74.

Moncton enters play tonight with a record of 27-26-3-3 and sit fourth in the Maritimes Division and 11^th overall in the QMJHL with 60 points. Just six points separate ninth and 14^th place in the league.

The Wildcats are 11-16-0-2 on the road and have been outscored by their opponents 105-76.

THE NUMBERS

	Moncton	Saint John
Record	27-26-3-3 (4th Maritimes)	44-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	25-5-0-1
Road Record	11-16-0-2	- - -
Streak	0-2-0-1	14-0-0-0
Last 10	5-4-0-1	10-0-0-0
Goals For	162	258
Goals Against	188	159
Overall PP	25.1% (4th)	23% (8th)
Home PP	- - -	23.8% (7th)
Road PP	25.2% (4th)	- - -
Overall PK	82.2% (3rd)	79.5% (6th)
Home PK	- - -	83.6% (4th)
Road PK	80% (5th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	14.6 (14th)	16.5 (5th)

The Top Dog Team

By Andrew McGilligan
SN Staff

Despite having been in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League less than a decade, the Saint John Sea Dogs have had a tremendous amount of talent grace the ice of Harbour Station. With this in mind, I decided to compile my list of Top Dogs or the All-Time team.

Let’s set out the ground rules I used for these choices. I’m not bothering to go by forward position, so don’t bother with arguments of this guy wouldn’t be playing with that guy. The second rule is no rental players. If a player was acquired at the deadline and only played half a season and no more in a Dogs sweater, then they are ineligible for the list. An example is Eric Gelinas, great player but acquired at the trade deadline, so he doesn’t count. However, in the case of a guy missing games at the start of a year to attend an NHL/AHL camp, or were acquired in the early part of the season, they’re still eligible.

With those parameters in place, let’s get started.

ALL-TIME TEAM

First unit

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau – Michael Kirkpatrick – Mike Hoffman

Defenceman

Simon Despres – Nathan Beaulieu

Goaltenders

Jacob DeSerres - Mathieu Corbeil

Second Unit

Forwards

Zack Phillips – Tomas Jurco – Mike Thomas

Defenceman

Yann Sauve – Alex Grant 

Goaltenders

Travis Fullerton- Robert Mayer

The top forward trio of Huberdeau-Kirkpatrick-Hoffman is as formidable as you can get.

Huberdeau is simply amazing at the junior level racking up points and accolades about as fast as anyone can. The thing I love about this guy is he’s more than just a dynamic scorer; he’s a leader as evidenced by his selection as team captain, solid on the defensive side of the puck and clutch. I know claiming a guy is clutch is easy to do, but Huberdeau backs it up with his QMJHL playoff and Memorial Cup MVP honours.

Kirkpatrick is deserving of his own column for all of the things he did for the organization during his time in the Port City. Former general manager and head coach Jacques Beaulieu said Kirkpatrick was going to be a special junior player just minutes after drafting him and he proved Beaulieu right.

Here`s an exact quote from Beaulieu from the draft floor courtesy of a Telegraph-Journal article from June 4, 2007.

"(Kirkpatrick) is a good two-way player with a lot of hockey sense," Beaulieu said. "He really knows how to play the game."

Kirkpatrick is the team’s all-time leading scorer, so that automatically vaults him to first team status.

Next is Hoffman. When he was in Saint John he was spectacular as an overage player scooping up league MVP honours, setting a team record for goals with 46 and notching 85 points. He helped lead the team to the President`s Cup final before bowing out to the Moncton Wildcats.

A player with a great shot and good vision, Hoffman was dangerous every time he stepped on the ice.

The blue liners for the first-team are a pair of first round NHL picks in Simon Despres and Nathan Beaulieu. The ‘Big Horse’ as Despres was called during his time in Saint John didn`t disappoint. A solid rookie campaign was followed up by three great seasons and all of it done with the added pressure of being a No. 1 pick in the 2007 QMJHL draft. He also has the distinction of being the first Sea Dog to register a point and score a goal in the NHL. And who can forget his play during the Memorial Cup, scoring in the final game, and looking like a man among boys in several instances.

Beaulieu arrived one-year after Despres and has gotten better every single year. A great offensive d-man, with a heavy shot, good wheels and an ever-improving defensive game have made him fun to watch at Harbour Station.

Between the pipes, you have to give the nod to the tandem hat helped bring the Memorial Cup to Saint John. DeSerres will never have to buy a drink in the Port City after his unbelievable play in the Mem Cup final, one-year removed from being shelled by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2009 championship game.

Corbeil was a great backup for DeSerres last season and is proving to be a tremendous No. 1 netminder this year. He’s one shutout away from tying several goalies including Roberto Luongo for most in a season while being the rock that helped guide the team through a few difficult patches this season due to injuries and absences.

POSTSCRIPT: Eagles 1, Sea Dogs 9

A collection of recaps from yesterday’s 9-1 Saint John Sea Dogs win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles…

Our recap. A six-goal second period propelled the Saint John Sea Dogs past the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in front of a packed house at Harbour Station on Sunday afternoon.

The Telegraph-Journal’s recap. Paywalled.

The Cape Breton Post’s recap. “All we have to do is move the puck and we’re a lot better than most teams, skill-wise,” said Tesink, who had three assists. “We’re so deep and every line has a lot of skill. We just have to stop playing so selfish at times and keep going.”

News 88.9’s recap. Featuring Tim Roszell’s recap.

SaintJohnSeaDogs.com’s recap. Ryan Tesink had a goal and three assists, Maxime Villemaire scored twice and added a helper and Jonathan Huberdeau also tallied a pair as the Dogs rode a six-goal second-period to the win.

CapeBretonEagles.com’s recap. The 14 game winning streak for the Sea Dogs is the longest winning streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season.

SN Live Blog Replay. Lots of goals.

MISSING IN ACTION: Forward Devon Oliver-Dares missed the game due to a broken collarbone while Ian Saab was out with a minor lower body injury, according to News 88.9. Forward Jason Cameron was a healthy scratch.

STREAK: The Sea Dogs extended their winning streak to 14 games with the victory. It is the longest streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season. They have not lost since January 12.

RECAP: Domination. Dogs Win 9-1.

FINAL: Cape Breton 1, Saint John 9

SAINT JOHN – A six-goal second period propelled the Saint John Sea Dogs past the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in front of a packed house at Harbour Station on Sunday afternoon.

Seven different Saint John players scored in a 9-1 blowout victory over the Screaming Eagles, giving the Sea Dogs a 14^th consecutive win. The streak is the longest in the entire Canadian Hockey League this season.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Maxime Villemaire each scored two goals while singles came from Charlie Coyle, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier, Ryan Tesink, and Nathan Beaulieu. Tesink and Stephen MacAulay each had three assists. Sebastien Auger only had to make 15 saves for the win.

Cape Breton’s lone goal came from Jonathan Brunelle. William Racicot allowed nine goals on 44 shots in the loss.

The Sea Dogs dominated this game. They led just 1-0 after one but exploded in the second period, scoring six times. They would add two more in the third. Saint John outshot Cape Breton 44-16.

Saint John improved their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League record to 44-14-0-2 and now have 90 points with eight games to play. They sit one-point ahead of the Shawinigan Cataractes in the overall standings and have a game in hand.

LIVE BLOG: Eagles vs Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN – The Sea Dogs look to win their 14^th straight game this afternoon when they take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at 3pm. Follow along for updates.

GAMEDAY 60: vs Screaming Eagles

GAMEDAY

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Today at 3pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live Blog: SN

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – It’s been a long time since the Saint John Sea Dogs and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles faced each other.

The Sea Dogs and Eagles’ last meeting came way back on December 16, which was a 4-3 Saint John victory at Centre 200. The two renew acquaintances this afternoon at 3pm at Harbour Station. They’ll play each other three times over the remainder of the season and possibly meet in the first round of playoffs.

Saint John enters play today with a record of 43-14-0-2 for 88 points. They are first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League leading the Shawinigan Cataractes by one-point. The Dogs also have a game in hand.

The Sea Dogs have won 13 straight games entering today’s tilt and have not lost since January 12. They have won seven straight at home.

At Harbour Station this season, the Dogs are 24-5-0-1 and have outscored opponents 137-73.

Cape Breton enters play today with a record of 21-35-1-2 for 45 points. They sit fifth in the Maritimes Division and 16^th overall in the league. If the playoffs started today, the Eagles, who hold the league’s final playoff spot, would take on the Sea Dogs in round one.

On the road this season, the Eagles are 6-21-1-1 and have been outscored 136-83. They are tied with the PEI Rocket for the fewest road wins in the league.

THE NUMBERS

	Cape Breton	Saint John
Record	21-35-1-2 (5th Maritimes)	43-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	24-5-0-1
Road Record	6-21-1-1	- - -
Streak	0-3-0-0	13-0-0-0
Last 10	1-8-1-0	10-0-0-0
Goals For	196	249
Goals Against	263	158
Overall PP	21.9% (9th)	22.7% (8th)
Home PP	- - -	23.2% (9th)
Road PP	17.7% (12th)	- - -
Overall PK	72.2% (16th)	79.6% (6th)
Home PK	- - -	83.9% (4th)
Road PK	70.6% (15th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	15.8 (9th)	16.6 (4th)

RECAP: Lucky 13. Dogs Win 3-2.

FINAL: Saint John 3, Moncton 2 (SO)

MONCTON – They were only able to dress 15 players, but the Moncton Wildcats managed to take the No. 2 ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League all the way to a shootout on Saturday night in the Hub City.

The Wildcats led for much of the evening but could not hold on, falling 3-2 in a breakaway contest to the Saint John Sea Dogs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.

Moncton owned the first period, outshooting Saint John 18-11 thanks in most part to five Saint John penalties. But as the game went on, the Sea Dogs began to get more and more shots on goal, eventually outshooting the Wildcats 41-9 in the final two periods and overtime combined. Goaltender Roman Will was once again the Wildcats’ hero, keeping Moncton in the game and earning them a point.

Saint John was pretty terrible in the first period but got better as the game went on. Although their play improved, they certainly didn’t play their best – especially considering Moncton only had 15 skaters.

Although it wasn’t the Sea Dogs best win of the season, it was a big one. They are now one-point ahead of the Shawinigan Cataractes for first place in the league and have a game in-hand. The Cataractes lost 3-2 in Halifax this afternoon.

The win was also Saint John’s 13^th straight, tying them with the Western Hockey League’s Tri-City Americans for the longest streak this season in the CHL.

The Sea Dogs had goals from Charles Roussel and Stanislav Galiev in regulation and Jonathan Huberdeau and Tomas Jurco in the shootout. Charlie Coyle had two assists. Mathieu Corbeil made 25 saves for the win.

Moncton’s goals came from Scott Trask and Marek Hrivik. Alex Saulnier and Hrivik were both stopped in the shootout. Will was incredible in the Wildcats goal again, making 50 saves in the loss.

Saint John and Moncton meet again on Tuesday night at Harbour Station.

LIVE BLOG: Sea Dogs vs Wildcats

MONCTON – The Sea Dogs are in Moncton tonight for a 7pm date with the Wildcats. Saint John is looking to win their 13^th straight game. Follow along for updates.

Cataractes Lose In Halifax

MONCTON – The Shawinigan Cataratces lost 3-2 to the Halifax Mooseheads this afternoon at the Metro Centre, losing two crucial points in the race for first place.

The Cataractes now find themselves just one-point ahead of the Saint John Sea Dogs with eight games to play. The Sea Dogs still have 10 matches remaining on their schedule, including a game tonight in Moncton against the Wildcats.

Halifax, who led 2-1 after two periods, had goals from Martin Frk, Jonathan Drouin, and Andrew Ryan. Zack Fucale started his millionth game in goal, making 32 stops for the win.

Shawinigan’s goals came courtesy of Max Le Sieur and Kirill Kabanov. Gabriel Girard allowed three goals on 26 shots.

The Cataractes, 40-13-3-4 overall and 6-2-1-1 in their last 10, travel to Moncton to play the Wildcats tomorrow afternoon.

After tonight’s game, the Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles tomorrow and the Wildcats on Tuesday.

RELATED: Ten Games To Go – our breakdown of the race for first place

GAMEDAY 59: at Moncton

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Moncton Wildcats

Tonight at 7pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live Blog: SN

Moncton Coliseum – Moncton, NB

PREVIEW

MONCTON – Tonight, the Saint John Sea Dogs make their final regular season visit to the Moncton Coliseum for the year. The Sea Dogs and Wildcats faceoff against each other this evening at 7pm.

The Wildcats currently lead the Rivalry Cup standings 16.5-14.5 with two matches remaining.

The Sea Dogs enter play tonight on a 12-game winning streak. They have not lost since January 12 when they fell 4-1 against Shawinigan. In the standings, Saint John has a record of 42-14-0-2 for 86 points with 10 games to play. They sit one-point back of the Cataractes but have played one less game.

Saint John is 18-9-0-1 on the road this year and have outscored opponents 109-83.

The Wildcats enter action tonight with a record of 27-25-3-2 and sit third in the Maritimes Division and ninth overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Moncton is part of a log jam in the middle of the standings where six points separate the ninth and 14^th placed teams.

Moncton is 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games.

At home this season, the Wildcats are 16-9-3-0 and have outscored opponents 84-74.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats meet again on Tuesday night at Harbour Station.

THE NUMBERS

	Saint John	Moncton
Record	42-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)	27-25-3-2 (3rd Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	16-9-3-0
Road Record	18-9-0-1	- - -
Streak	12-0-0-0	0-1-0-0
Last 10	10-0-0-0	5-5-0-0
Goals For	246	160
Goals Against	156	179
Overall PP	22.4% (8th)	25.9% (4th)
Home PP	- - -	26.7% (3rd)
Road PP	21.6% (10th)	- - -
Overall PK	79.3% (6th)	83.5% (3rd)
Home PK	- - -	87% (2nd)
Road PK	75.2% (12th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	16.6 (5th)	14.6 (14th)

AUS Semi-Finals Begin Tonight

FREDERICTON – The Atlantic University Sport men’s hockey semi-finals begin tonight and a few former Saint John Sea Dogs will be taking part.

Tonight at the Aitken Centre in Fredericton, Travis Fullerton and the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds host the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers. The Panthers feature Jordan Knox who played in two games with Saint John at the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign.

Fullerton, who battled injuries much of the year, finished the regular season with a record of 11-1 to go with a .909 save percentage and 1.67 goals against average.

UNB, the No. 1 seeded team, had a bye through the first round. UPEI, the No. 4 seeded team, defeated the Acadia Axemen in the first round.

UNBHockeyFans.com has tons of coverage of tonight’s game and series, which is a best-of-five.

The most intriguing stat heading into the playoff matchup is the season series, which UPEI leads 3-1. The Panthers also won two games at the Aitken Centre during the regular season.

In the other semi-final, the Saint Mary’s Huskies host the Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus. Moncton features former Sea Dogs Kevin Charland and Charles Bergeron.

The best-of-five series that features the second and third seeded teams begins tonight in Halifax.

Moncton defeated Michael Kirkpatrick and the StFX X-Men in the first round while Saint Mary’s had a bye. Kirkpatrick had a solid rookie season, registering 15 goals and 15 assists in 28 regular season contests. 

Sea Dogs Notebook

TONIGHT

According to a tweet from the Sea Dogs, Ryan Tesink, Oliver Cooper, Grant West and mascot Fleaburn will all be at Arby's from 5 – 6pm this evening for an autograph session.

UP NEXT

The Sea Dogs travel to Moncton tomorrow to face the Wildcats at 7pm. Saint John enters the game on a 12-game winning streak.

The Rivalry Cup is nearing an end with just two meetings left in the season series. According to the Dog Bytes Newsletter, “with the Social Media Challenge going to Moncton, Cup scoring now sits at 16.5-14.5 for Moncton.”

On Sunday, the Sea Dogs return home to face the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at 3pm at the Station. Sundays are Family Fun Days and four-ticket packs are available for $46. Tickets are selling quickly for the match.

TWEETIN’

Sea Dogs president Wayne Long joined Twitter on Wednesday, making his first tweet at approximately 12:28pm. You can follow him @WayneLongSJ.

"After the sweep we had of the Saltys, I felt I should be part of the conversation," said Long in the Sea Dogs’ newsletter. "We have become a social media leader in the community and it just made sense to be a part of it."

Long’s second tweet was one of interest.

From what we’ve heard, the third jerseys are quite awesome.

Awards Banquet To Be Held March 19

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs announced this morning that the team awards banquet will be returning this year.

From the release:

The 2011-2012 banquet is set for March 19 at the Delta Brunswick Ballroom. Ticket prices are $65 for a single ticket and $490 for a table of eight. For season-ticket holders prices are $50 for a single ticket and $375 for a table of eight. The formal night will include cocktails at 6 p.m., with the dinner and awards beginning at 6:30. 

The awards given out in March are the Saint John Airport Academic Player of the Year, Tim Hortons Most Improved Player, Irving Oil Team Player Award, ScotiaBank Community Service Award, Alpine Three Stars Award, Children’s Wish Foundation Fan Choice Award, and the Pepsi Top Scorer Award. 

Three awards, the Bell Aliant Most Valuable Player, the Grant Thornton Rookie of the Year and the Investors Group Top Defenseman, will be handed out after the conclusion of the Sea Dogs playoff run. 

Last years winners include Mike Thomas with the ScotiaBank Community Service Award while Zack Phillips took home the Tim Hortons Most Improved Player Award. Stephen MacAulay won the Irving Oil Team Player Award with Steven Anthony nabbing the Saint John Airport Academic Player of the Year. Ryan Tesink capped his terrific rookie year with the Grant Thornton Rookie of the Year Award and the Investors Group Top Defenseman was given to Simon Despres. 

Jonathan Huberdeau made off with the most hardware taking home the Bell Aliant MVP, Alpine Three Stars Award, Children’s Wish Foundation Fan Choice and the Pepsi Top Scorer Awards. 

For additional information on purchasing tickets, please call the Sea Dogs office (506) 632-9260, or email tonyapittman@saintjohnseadogs.com.

Saint John’s regular season ends on Saturday, March 17 in Cape Breton. Their playoff run will begin on Friday, March 23 at Harbour Station.

No Suspension For Frk

Halifax Mooseheads forward Martin Frk will not be suspended for his hit on Ryan Tesink during Tuesday’s game at Harbour Station. The team tweeted this today.

Frk received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his open ice hit on Tesink. Many thought the call was weak while most agreed that it was not suspension worthy.

The Czech Republic native has 10 goals and seven assists in just 25 games this season. The Mooseheads will need Frk on Saturday when they host the Shawinigan Cataractes at the Metro Centre. May the force be with them. 

Sea Dogs On Sportsnet Next Month

Some surprising news was announced this afternoon.

The Saint John Sea Dogs’ first playoff game, to be played on Friday, March 23, will be broadcast live nationally on Sportsnet. The game will also air on the French language station TVA Sports.

“We are honoured that the Sea Dogs and the city of Saint John will be showcased nationally yet again,” said Sea Dogs President Wayne Long in a team release. “We are looking forward to another big crowd and another great game.”

The Sea Dogs were just on national television a week ago, defeating the Quebec Remparts 4-1 at Harbour Station. Sportsnet’s broadcast of the game, featuring Jeff Marek, Brad May, RJ Broadhead, Sam Cosentino and the legendary Rob Fualds, was solid.

This is a bit surprising because that game – and the series – shouldn’t be the most entertaining in the Canadian Hockey League. The Sea Dogs will likely play either the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, or the PEI Rocket in the first round. None of those teams are having, ummm…. the greatest seasons of all-time.

But, Sportsnet will also be broadcasting CIS Nationals from Fredericton that weekend, which makes the decision to feature Saint John on Friday Night Hockey a lot more sensible. It'll be a good weekend for the New Brunswick sports scene. 

Stretch Run Storylines

By Andrew McGilligan

SN Staff

With about 10 games remaining in the regular season for most teams, there’s still a lot to be decided in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, not the least of which is the battle for home-ice advantage in the playoffs.

With this in mind, here are some of the story lines to follow in the home stretch.

THREE-PEAT

The race for first place is going to be a heated one with the Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes battling for every point. With 10 games remaining, Saint John sits in first-place by a single point making the Mar. 11 matchup in Shawinigan a huge showdown.

Not only is the Jean Rougeau trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs on the line, but a shot at history for Saint John. If the Port City squad captures the regular season crown, the Sea Dogs would be the first team in QMJHL history to win three Rougeau trophies in a row.

GAUTHIER TAKES AIM AT CLUB RECORD

It would be tough to argue that Danick Gauthier has not been the Sea Dogs MVP his season. His breakout totals of 40-29-69 have been a revelation for the squad, especially since he’s holding down one of three coveted 20-year-old spots.

If he can notch seven goals in the next 10 games, he will surpass Mike Hoffman’s team record of 46 goals in a season. He’s currently three behind Jonathan Huberdeau for second spot as Huberdeau fired home 43 goals last season.

Ten Games To Go

SOMEWHERE – It’s hard to believe, but there are just 10 games left in the 2011-12 regular season for the Saint John Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes.

After 58 games, the Sea Dogs find themselves just one-point ahead of the Cataractes for first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 86. The regular season’s best team will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. For Saint John, it would be their third straight regular season title.

This is basically a two horse race. Although Quebec is seven points back of Saint John with 10 to play and Victoriaville eight points back, it would take quite a turn a events for either them to finish in first-place. Remember, even if those teams won all of their remaining games, they would still need the teams ahead them to lose a few. Considering how Saint John and Shawinigan have played of late, that probably isn’t going to happen.

This is what the standings currently look like (click to enlarge).

Here’s what Shawinigan’s remaining schedule looks like, which includes at 7pm date with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles tonight at Centre 200.

VIDEO: Frk's Hit On Tesink

Here’s Martin Frk’s hit on Ryan Tesink from Tuesday’s game.

The play happened at 11:25 of the second period. Frk was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking to the head. Tesink would be okay.

Halifax Mooseheads head coach Dominique Ducharme wasn’t happy about the penalty. "I was surprised he got a penalty at all," Ducharme told the Chronicle Herald.

Was it a clean hit? Was it dirty? Was he deserving of a game misconduct? We’ve given up on trying to figure out the QMJHL’s disciplinary stuff, so you tell us.

Thanks to Chris from HockeyFights.com for the video

Sea Dogs Ranked Second Again

SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Sea Dogs are still the No. 2 ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League. The latest edition of the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings were released thus afternoon.

The Sea Dogs played just two games this week, winning both. On Friday night at Harbour Station, Saint John defeated the Quebec Remparts by score of 4-1. Then last night, the Sea Dogs hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads.

The Dogs, who sit first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 42-14-0-2 record, have won 12 straight games.

Other QMJHL teams to crack this week’s list were the Shawinigan Cataractes at No.5 and Remparts at No. 10. The Victoriaville Tigres were an honourable mention.

The weekly rankings of the Canadian Hockey League’s Top 10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

Here are the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings for week 22.

1. London Knights (42-13-0-1)
2. Saint John Sea Dogs (42-14-0-2)
3. Kamloops Blazers (41-14-1-3)
4. Tri-City Americans (41-15-1-2)
5. Shawinigan Cataractes (39-12-3-4)
6. Portland Winterhawks (42-15-2-1)
7. Edmonton Oil Kings (39-14-3-4)
8. Plymouth Whalers (37-17-2-1)
9. Ottawa 67's (36-15-5-1)
10. Quebec Remparts (36-15-5-2) 

Honourable Mention:
Niagara IceDogs (37-16-0-3)
Victoriaville Tigres (37-17-1-3)
Moose Jaw Warriors (37-16-5-2)

In Buzzing The Net’s Dynamic Dozen this week, the Sea Dogs were ranked first.

This week, Saint John will play three games. They travel to Moncton to face the Wildcats on Saturday night before hosting the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Then on Tuesday, the Wildcats make a trip to Harbour Station to take on the Dogs.

POSTSCRIPT: Mooseheads 3, Sea Dogs 4

A collection of recaps from last night’s 4-3 Saint John Sea Dogs win over the Halifax Mooseheads…

Our recap. The Saint John Sea Dogs scored twice on the power play and once shorthanded in a 4-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Harbour Station.

The Telegraph-Journal’s recap. Paywalled.

News 88.9’s recap. Featuring Tim Roszell’s goal calls.

Metro Halifax’s recap. “He had a good game — he had the goalie beat at the end, went high glove and hit the cross-bar,” Ducharme said of Nathan MacKinnon.

The Chronicle Herald’s recap. "Overall we were right there but to win those kinds of games, we can’t make mistakes at bad times. Sometimes we are shooting ourselves in the foot with stupid mistakes. We made too many tonight."

The Canadian Press’ recap. Jonathan Huberdeau was in on every point the Saint John Sea Dogs scored Tuesday.

SaintJohnSeaDogs.com’s recap. Jonathan Drouin scored twice for the Mooseheads and Ryan Falkenham also found the target. Zachary Fucale made 34 saves in a losing cause for the Mooseheads, who fell to 33-19-2-4.

HalifaxMooseheads.ca’s recap. Close but no cigar tonight in Saint John.

SN Live Blog Replay. The Dogs had a bunch of shorthanded scoring chances.

MISSING IN ACTION: Forward Devon Oliver-Dares missed the game because of a broken collarbone. Forward Oliver Cooper and defenseman Ian Saab were both healthy scratches.

RECAP: Make It A Dozen. Dogs Win 4-3.

FINAL: Halifax 3, Saint John 4

SAINT JOHN – Special teams were the story on Tuesday night.

The Saint John Sea Dogs scored twice on the power play and once shorthanded in a 4-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Harbour Station. Halifax also scored twice on the man advantage.

The Sea Dogs had two two-goal leads in this game but that didn’t stop Halifax from tying the match up midway through the third. But while shorthanded at 12:32, Jonathan Huberdeau fed Charlie Coyle on a two-on-none to net the eventual game-winner. Saint John was dangerous while shorthanded all game long.

It was an okay game by the Sea Dogs. They played well at times but looked flat at other times.

Coyle, Huberdeau, Zack Phillips and Charles Roussel all scored for the Sea Dogs. Huberdeau and Nathan Beaulieu each had three assists. Sebastien Auger made 20 saves for the win.

The win extends Saint John’s winning streak to 12 games. They also retake first-place in the QMJHL with a record of 42-14-0-2 for 86 points. They are now one-point up on the Shawinigan Cataractes with 10 games to play.

Halifax had two goals from Jonathan Drouin while Ryan Falkenham added a solo marker. Zack Fucale had another strong performance in goal, making 34 saves in the loss.

The loss ended the Mooseheads’ four-game winning streak.

LIVE BLOG: Mooseheads vs Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN – It’s Toonie Tuesday at Harbour Station. The Halifax Mooseheads are in town. Follow along for updates.

GAMEDAY 58: vs Mooseheads

GAMEDAY

Halifax Mooseheads vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live Blog: SN

Harbour Station

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – The two top teams in the Maritimes Division meet tonight at Harbour Station as the Saint John Sea Dogs host the Halifax Mooseheads. Youth upper-bowl tickets to the 7 p.m. game are available for just $2 (plus $1 service charge) with the purchase of an adult ticket.

The Sea Dogs, winners of 11 straight games, enter action this evening with a record of 41-14-0-2 for 84 points. They sit second overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, one-point back of the Shawinigan Cataractes. Saint John has, however, played one less game than Shawinigan.

The Sea Dogs are 23-5-0-1 at home and have outscored opponents 130-70.

The Mooseheads, winners of four straight and are 6-2-1-1 in their last 10 games, enter play tonight with a record of 33-18-2-4 for 72 points. They sit second in the Maritimes Division and sixth overall in the league.

Halifax is 12-11-1-3 on the road this year and have been outscored 102-85.

THE NUMBERS

	Halifax	Saint John
Record	33-18-2-4 (2nd Maritimes)	41-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	23-5-0-1
Road Record	12-11-1-3	- - -
Streak	4-0-0-0	11-0-0-0
Last 10	6-2-1-1	10-0-0-0
Goals For	209	239
Goals Against	202	153
Overall PP	23.5% (6th)	22.0% (9th)
Home PP	- - -	22.5% (12th)
Road PP	23.1% (6th)	- - -
Overall PK	77.9% (9th)	79.7% (6th)
Home PK	- - -	84.9% (4th)
Road PK	76.1% (9th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	13.5 (16th)	16.6 (5th)

Sea Dogs Notebook

FLORIDA

Reader Todd sent this picture to us. It’s from a February 15 Florida Panthers game at the Bank Atlantic Center. It reads, “Jonathan Huberdeau also recorded a hat trick last week in his own four point night.”

UP NEXT

Tomorrow night at 7pm, the Sea Dogs will host the Halifax Mooseheads at Harbour Station. It’s Toonie Tuesday, with youth upper-bowl tickets available for just $2 (plus $1 service charge) with the purchase of an adult ticket.

The Mooseheads are coming off a 6-5 win in Bathurst on Sunday afternoon. Halifax led 6-0 entering the third period and nearly collapsed entirely.

Halifax has been without future/current superstar Nathan MacKinnon the last couple of games because of a thumb injury. He is questionable for tomorrow’s game.

Saint John is 5-1-0-0 against Halifax this season. After Tuesday’s game, they will meet one more time this year in Halifax.

HOT TEAM

The Sea Dogs have been named the QMJHL’s ‘Hot Team’ by Sportsnet again this week.

“Although there was just one game on their schedule last week, the Sea Dogs stormed out to an early lead then coasted against Québec on Friday Night Hockey,” writes Patrick King in his ‘Who’s Hot, Who’s Not’ column. “It was Saint John's 11th consecutive victory, dating back to a rare loss to Shawinigan on Jan. 12. With the Sea Dogs playing so dominantly, one can't help but wonder if they'll lose again in the final 11 games this season.”

Huberdeau Named Second Star Again

For the second straight week, Saint John Sea Dogs captain Jonathan Huberdeau has been named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s second star. The Telus three stars for the week were announced this morning.

Huberdeau recorded an unreal seven points – two goals and five assists – in two games this past week. On Wednesday in Prince Edward Island, the Florida Panthers prospect registered two goals and two helpers. Then on Friday against the Quebec Remparts, he notched three more assists in a nationally televised game.

The captain is currently on a five-game point scoring streak, recording seven goals and seven assists over that span. He has 19 goals and 52 points in just 26 games this year.

Saint John, 41-14-0-2 for 84 points, is on an 11-game winning streak and has lost just once since Huberdeau returned from the world juniors.

Remparts winger Frederick Roy was named the league’s first star this week while Moncton Wildcats goaltender Roman Will was named the third star, respectively. 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Huberdeau's Twitter

RECAP: Sportsnet's Friday Night Hockey

By SN Staff

Sportsnet’s broadcast of Friday's Remparts/Sea Dogs game was solid.

After last year’s Memorial Cup broadcasts, our expectations were quite low. But Sportsnet has improved their junior hockey telecasts a lot over the past year. Jeff Marek and Brad May were a good combo in the studio. RJ Broadhaed and Sam Cosentino called an entertaining game from the press box. Rob Faulds had some good interviews. This broadcast gave us hope for this year’s Memorial Cup.

Last year in Mississauga, it seemed like everything was rushed and just thrown together. We all remember what happened with the HockeyCentral panel. Sportsnet seems to have put a lot more effort into their CHL broadcasts this year, which is awesome. Now if they could only air more QMJHL games.

Sportsnet gave some high praise to the Sea Dogs throughout the night. Broadhead tweeted this after the game.

“After 11 cons wins, 3 scoring lines, solid goalie and a vet D, Saint John is the favorite to win the MC Memorial Cup again”

That's some high praise. Hopefully this wasn't the final time Broadhead calls a Sea Dogs game this year.

Harbour Station came off looking good. The lighting was great and the crowd was loud. Good stuff. 

Anyway, here is our recap of Friday’s broadcast of Saint John’s 4-1 victory over the Quebec Remparts.

VIDEO: Wednesday's Fights

We didn’t get a chance to post these yesterday, but here all the scraps from Wednesday’s fight fest in Prince Edward Island. All video courtesy of HockeyFights.com.

Up first, Maxime Villemaire versus Wes Herrett at 1:31 of the first period.

No Conspiracy in Villemaire Saga

By Cameron MacEachern

There has been plenty of outrage out of Saint John since the league took two points from the Sea Dogs’ win over Gatineau early in the New Year and awarded them to the Olympiques. Lost in all of the straw man arguments and conspiracy theories being floated by many, however, is the fact that this was absolutely the right decision. And while many have pointed the finger at the QMJHL or the Olympiques, the only party to blame for this result is the Sea Dogs themselves.

Cries of foul play have gone up from Sea Dogs fans on Twitter, this blog, the accompanying Facebook page, and no doubt many other places over this ruling. If you’re unaware of the situation, a complaint was filed by the Olympiques with regards to their 3-2 loss to Saint John on January 4^th. They claimed that Maxime Villemaire, who opened the scoring for Saint John, had not signed with the Sea Dogs prior to the game. The Q-League sided with Gatineau and docked two points from the Dogs, giving them to the ‘Piques instead.

The QMJHL certainly doesn’t a pass from me in terms of equal treatment when it comes to Quebec and non-Quebec teams, but there is no grand conspiracy at play here. This is the article of the QMJHL rule book referenced in this ruling:

If a team plays with a player who is not considered qualified by the Commissioner, the win or tied game as well as the corresponding points in the standings shall be deducted and given to the opponent (maximum of two points) per game

It’s tough to deny that this applies to the situation which the Sea Dogs found themselves in. Given that there has been no claim from the Sea Dogs that Villemaire did, in fact, sign prior to the game, there’s approximately zero reason to think that the QMJHL did anything shady to take two points from Saint John. They followed the letter of the law in this instance.

Many have accused Gatineau of being spoil sports for filing the complaint, which may be the most ridiculous statement that’s been made through this debacle. The Olympiques are no different from the Sea Dogs in that they’re looking to pick up every single point in the standings that they can. To expect them to overlook two points that they’re entitled to by the book is absolutely foolish. Those two points could make the difference between a first-round matchup against Victoriaville and one against Rimouski. They aren’t going to pass that up just so they don’t inconvenience the Sea Dogs.

The loss of two points makes things a bit more stressful for the Sea Dogs down the stretch as they look to lock up yet another regular season title, but it’s fitting that the result of this saga hurts Saint John as the blame begins and ends with the club. The Sea Dogs have some of the brightest management in the league; that much is obvious when you look at the success they’ve enjoyed the last few seasons. It’s not like they were unaware of the potential implications of dressing Villemaire for that game before he signed his card. Either it was a huge oversight, or they were banking on word not getting out. It did, and now they have to lie in the bed that they made. No doubt they’re unhappy with the decision, much like the fans are, but I’d wager a guess that they know where the fault lies on this issue, and I’d be surprised if they’d point fingers anywhere but inward.

POSTSCRIPT: Remparts 1, Sea Dogs 4

A collection of recaps from last night’s 4-1 Saint John Sea Dogs victory over the Quebec Remparts…

Our recap. Tomas Jurco, Maxime Villemaire, Danick Gauthier, and Stanislav Galiev all scored for the Sea Dogs. Captain Jonathan Huberdeau registered three assists in his first star performance.

The Telegraph-Journal’s recap. Paywalled.

News 88.9’s recap. Featuring Tim Roszell’s recap.

The Canadian Press' recap. Jonathan Huberdeau is doing his best to make up for lost time.

Le Soleil’s recap. Patrick Roy says his team was intimidated in the first half of the game.

Le Journal de Quebec’s recap. Jonathan Huberdeau is playing very well. The Sea Dogs are playing very well. These are good times.

Quebec Hebdo’s recap. Francois Brassard’s trip to Saint John could have been better.

SaintJohnSeaDogs.com’s recap. Anthony Duclair had the Quebec goal as the Remparts fell to 34-15-5-2.

SN Live Blog replay. Rob Faulds was running this show.

MISSING IN ACTION: Forwards Devon Oliver-Dares and Jason Cameron along with defenseman Spencer MacDonald were all out of the Sea Dogs’ lineup on Friday night. Cameron served the final game of his four-game suspension.

RECAP: Puttin' On A Show. Dogs Win 4-1.

FINAL: Quebec 1, Saint John 4

SAINT JOHN – The Quebec Remparts were unable to contain the hottest team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Friday night at Harbour Station and in front of a national television audience.

The Saint John Sea Dogs scored three times in the opening period en route to a 4-1 victory over the Remparts. The win was Saint John’s 11^th straight and improved their overall record to a league best 41-14-0-2.

Tomas Jurco, Maxime Villemaire, Danick Gauthier, and Stanislav Galiev all scored for the Sea Dogs. Captain Jonathan Huberdeau registered three assists in his first star performance. Goaltender Mathieu Corbeil was solid in net, making 25 saves for the win.

Quebec’s lone goal came from Anthony Duclair. Francois Brassard got the start in net but was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Louis Domingue made 24 saves in relief.

The Remparts fell to 34-15-5-2 and are now eight points back of the Telus East Division leading Shawinigan Cataractes.

This was another good game played by Saint John. They were excellent in the first half of the game and then played well defensively the rest of the way home. Corbeil put in another stellar performance in goal. Rob Faulds was everywhere.

The Sea Dogs have the rest of the weekend off. They will host the Halifax Mooseheads on Tuesday night at the Station.