GAMEDAY 30 - vs Huskies

GAMEDAY

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – Jean-Sebastien Dea and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies are in town tonight to battle the Saint John Sea Dogs at 7pm.

Dea and the Huskies sit third in the Telus West Division and sixth overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 16-9-1-2 record. They are 6-3-0-1 in their last 10 games but 4-0-0-1 in their past five.

This is the final game of a three-in-three trip through the Maritimes for the Huskies. Rouyn-Noranda lost 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday in Bathurst before defeating the Islanders 5-2 in Charlottetown last night.

Along with Dea, who has 22 goals in 26 games this season, the Huskies feature Marcus Power who sits fourth in QMJHL scoring with 43 points in 28 games.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs last night at Harbour Station where they allowed three goals in the third period. The loss dropped the Dogs back down to 1-8-0-1 in their last 10 games.

Saint John sits last in the Maritimes Division and 17^th overall with a 7-19-0-3 record.

This is the third game of a five game homestand for the Dogs. They are 1-1 so far and have been outscored 7-6.

News & Notes From Friday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• After a solid first period on Wednesday that saw the Sea Dogs out shoot the Islanders and 18-9 and lead 2-0, Saint John was held scoreless and out shot 15-2 on Friday.
• Wild second period. Five goals and plenty of power plays.
• Saint John entered the third with a 3-2 lead but couldn’t hang on. It was just the fifth time this season that Saint John had entered the third with a lead. The Foreurs scored three times to win it.
• The Sea Dogs didn’t give Charlottetown any power play time on Wednesday and didn’t give Val-d’Or any in the first period on Friday. But the penalties started rolling in in the second and the Foreurs would go 2/5 on the man advantage on this night.
• Kelly Bent scored his second of the season in the second period, opening the scoring for Saint John. It was Bent’s first goal since opening night in Moncton.
• Anthony Mantha, the league’s leading scorer, scored once and had 10 shots on goal. He was dangerous – especially in the third period.
• Backup Antoine Landry got an unexpected start against one of the top offensive teams in the QMJHL. Landry, making his first start at Harbour Station, played a strong game and made 42 saves in the loss.
• Maxime Gravel, a third-round pick of the Sea Dogs in 2011, had two assists for the Foreurs.
• Matthew Highmore scored his ninth goal of the season, tying him with Nathan Noel for the team lead.
• Oliver Cooper had two assists. Second straight two-point game for him.
• I just don’t know about this Subway dance game.
• Saint John wore their black third jerseys for the first time this season. It was Black Friday! Get it!
• Sea Dogs scratches were forwards Joey Richard (healthy) and Connor Donaghey (healthy) along with defensemen Will Thompson (healthy) and Jeremy Doucet (healthy).
• Sea Dogs play-by-play man Tim Roszell was honoured in a pre-game ceremony for calling his 500^th game on November 23^rd.
• It was Bingo Night at Harbour Station. The Sea Dogs raised $2,048.20 for the Empty Stocking Fund.

RECAP: No Headline. Dogs Lose 5-3.

FINAL: Val-d’Or 5, Saint John 3

SAINT JOHN – The third period was not kind to the Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday night.

The Sea Dogs allowed three goals in the third in a 5-3 loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Harbour Station.

Saint John entered the third up 3-2 but could not contain the Val-d’Or offense. Third period scoring was kicked off by the league’s leading scoring, Anthony Mantha, and the Foreurs were able to gain momentum from there.

Mantha, Anthony Beauregard, Phil Pietroniro, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Guillaume Gelinas scored for Val-d’Or. Keven Bouchard made 18 saves in the win.

Meanwhile, Kelly Bent, Mackenzie Brown, and Matthew Highmore scored for Saint John. Backup Antoine Landry had a busy night, making 42 saves in the loss.

QUICK CAP: Dogs Lose 5-3

FINAL: Val-d’Or 5, Saint John 3

SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Sea Dogs surrendered three third period goals in a 5-3 loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Friday night at Harbour Station. 

Anthony Beauregard, Phil Pietroniro, Anthony Mantha, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Guillaume Gelinas scored for Val-d’Or. Keven Bouchard made 18 saves in the win.

Kelly Bent, Mackenzie Brown, and Matthew Highmore scored for Saint John. Antoine Landry, making a rare home ice appearance, made 42 saves in the loss.

More to come...

GAMEDAY 29 - vs Foreurs

GAMEDAY

Val-d’Or Foreurs vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7:30pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: station_nation

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s leading scorer visits Harbour Station tonight.

Anthony Mantha and the Val-d’Or Foreurs are in Saint John to battle the Sea Dogs this evening at 7:30pm. It’s the first meeting of the 2013-14 campaign between the two.

Mantha, obviously a Detroit Red Wings prospect, has led the league in scoring for pretty much the entire season to date. He has 56 points in 25 games which includes 25 goals for a goal-per-game pace. If you are coming to tonight’s game just to see Mantha score, the odds are in your favour.

The Foreurs sit fourth in the Telus West Division and eighth overall in the QMJHL with a 16-11-0-0 record. Tonight’s match is the first of a three-in-three New Brunswick road trip. They play in Moncton tomorrow night and in Bathurst on Sunday afternoon.

The Sea Dogs, coming off that 3-2 shootout victory over Charlottetown on Wednesday that ended an eight-game losing streak, enter action tonight with a 7-18-0-3 record which places them last in the Telus Maritimes Division and 17^th overall. They are 2-7-0-1 in their last 10 games with both of those wins coming at home against the Islanders.

Oliver Cooper still leads Saint John in scoring with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 28 games. Nathan Noel continues to lead the squad in goals with nine.

Saint John also plays at home tomorrow night also against a team from a land far, far away – the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Black Friday

How about a little #BlackFriday action friday Sea Dogs fans? Time to break out the thirds! pic.twitter.com/GmWr64kEVv
— DK (@SeaDogsDK) November 28, 2013

Oh, yes. It would appear that the Sea Dogs will be wearing their black third jerseys for the first time this season tomorrow night against Val-d’Or.

The Sea Dogs host the Foreurs tomorrow night at 7:30pm at Harbour Station. It’s also Bingo Night in support of the Empty Stocking Fund.

Saint John also plays at home on Saturday night against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Some other news and notes…

• The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Simon Despres yesterday and he made his season debut last night in the Pens wild 6-5 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Despres played just under 19 minutes and recorded four shots.
• Former Sea Dog Mike Hoffman was named the captain of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators yesterday.
• The Dieppe Commandos traded Stephen Anderson’s MHL rights to the Campbellton Tigers yesterday.

Bingo Night Is Back

Bingo is back, baby.

Tomorrow night’s Sea Dogs/Foreurs game will feature the glorious return of Bingo in support of the Empty Stocking Fund. From the Sea Dogs:

It's Bingo Night, in support of The Empty Stocking Fund. Fans will be asked to make a donation to the Empty Stocking Fund in exchange for a bingo card. The recommended minimum donation is $2. Numbers will be posted on the scoreboard throughout the game until winners are declared. Prizes will be awarded to multiple winners! Prizes include Sea Dogs tickets, a 2013-14 SIGNED Sea Dogs jersey, a Samsung Galaxy tablet!

Buckle up.

News & Notes From Wednesday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• Saint John ended an eight-game losing streak last night with a 3-2 shootout win over the Islanders. The Dogs also ended their nine-game losing streak earlier this month with a home win over Charlottetown.
• The Dogs play the Islanders in Charlottetown on December 13^th and at home on January 17^th. Looking forward to seeing Saint John end losing streaks in those games as well.
• Charlottetown has now lost three straight games.
• The Sea Dogs’ first period last night has to be one of their better periods of the year. They scored twice and out shot the Islanders 18-9. Saint John had 16 shots in the next three frames combined.
• Just the third time this season that Saint John has led after the first period.
• Import defenseman Jurij Repe scored his first goal of the season in the first period, opening the scoring.
• Stephen Anderson had unlimited quality scoring chances in this game but came away with no points. He had six shots in total and was named the third star of the game.
• Rookie Daniel Sprong netted his 14^th of the season to get the Isles on the board in the second. He now has 31 points in 28 games this year.
• The Dogs are now 2-3-0-0 when out shooting their opponent.
• Saint John actually hit the net in the shootout – twice! They missed on all three attempts last Friday in a shootout loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The Dogs improved to 2-3 in breakaway contests having scored on nine of 24 shot attempts.
• Very rare: Saint John did not take a minor penalty in this game so Charlottetown did not have a single power play opportunity. The only penalties were a five-minute fighting major to Lukas Walter along with an unsportsmanlike conduct misconduct. Impressive.
• Sea Dogs scratches were forwards Joey Richard (healthy) and Connor Donaghey (healthy) along with defensemen Alexander McQuaid (healthy) and Jeremy Doucet (healthy).
• And here is Walter’s fight, via HockeyFights.com:

RECAP: Another Streak Dies. Dogs Win 3-2.

FINAL: Charlottetown 2, Saint John 3 (SO)

By Ray Harris | @CanadasPredsFan

SAINT JOHN - It was the win the Sea Dogs needed, but absolutely not the one they deserved.

After three full periods, a five minute overtime and a shootout, the Saint John Sea Dogs finally ended their eight-game losing streak, getting only their second win in 19 games – incidentally, both were against the Islanders.

The Dogs had a phenomenal first period where they registered a whopping 18 shots and scored twice leaving the PEI side somewhat demoralized as they entered the dressing rooms. But the Dogs came out absolutely flat for the second and third periods, giving the puck away like it was only 22 days till Christmas. Luckily Charlottetown did an excellent job demonstrating why they have only won three of their last ten as they flubbed chance after chance and could not capitalize on the Sea Dogs exceptionally weak breakouts.

Saint John did enough to ride their early lead to a shootout, where they scored their first two and didn’t need their third. Just like that, after two periods that they just seemed bound to lose, they picked up a much, much, much, much, needed win.

QUICK CAP: Dogs Win 3-2

SAINT JOHN – The streak is dead.

The Sea Dogs ended their eight-game losing streak with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Charlottetown Islanders tonight at Harbour Station. Jurij Repe and Oliver Cooper scored in regulation while Spencer Smallman and Nathan Noel had shootout goals. Sebastien Auger made 24 saves in 65 minutes of action plus two in the shootout.

More to come…

GAMEDAY 28 - vs Islanders

GAMEDAY

Charlottetown Islanders vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: station_nation

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – The Charlottetown Islanders have been slump busters for the Saint John Sea Dogs this season.

On November 2^nd at Harbour Station, the Sea Dogs ended a nine-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Islanders. Tonight at 99 Station St. the Dogs will be looking to end an eight-game skid against the very same Isles squad. Puck drop takes place at 7pm.

Saint John has not won a game since that November 2^nd victory. They are 1-8-0-1 in their last 10 games and sit 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a record of 6-18-0-3. It’s been a rough stretch to say the least.

Tonight’s contest begins a stretch of five straight home games for the Sea Dogs. They will then close out the first half with four straight on the road.

After a hot start to the season, Charlottetown has cooled down over the past few weeks. The Isles sit second in the Telus Maritimes Division and 11^th overall in the QMJHL with a 13-11-1-2 record. They are just 3-6-1-0 in their last 10 and have lost back-to-back games.

Rookie Daniel Sprong leads Charlottetown in scoring with 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points in 27 games. His 13 goals are the most on the team and his 17 assists tie him with Jack Nevins for the team high. Sprong sits second in the QMJHL rookie scoring.

Steven Duda Heading Home

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Steven Duda is apparently done with hockey.

According to the North Bay Battalion’s website, Duda has “informed the team that he is quitting hockey.”

“He decided to pursue other options than hockey,” said Stan Butler, the Ontario Hockey League club’s director of hockey operations and head coach, in a release. “He’s going to go home and sort out his school options.”

“Steven did everything we asked of him as a player,” added Butler. “Sometimes a player just gets to the point where he decides his heart isn’t in it.”

The 19-year old American defenseman was picked up by the Battalion in September. He had one goal and three assists in 23 OHL games.

Last season in Saint John – where he signed with the club as a free agent – he had six assists in 52 games.

Gerard Gallant Gets Hall Call

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced today that former Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant will be inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame this April.

Three players and one official – Gallant, Jean-Luc Phaneuf, Patrice Brisebois, and Normand Caisse – will be inducted into the Hall on Wednesday April 2nd, 2014 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Montreal.

Gallant coached the Sea Dogs from 2009-2012, winning literally everything. From the QMJHL website:

In 2009-10, he made a comeback in the QMJHL, this time as head coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs (New Brunswick). The team won three consecutive regular season titles, a first in the history of the League. In addition, Gallant’s team won the grand final of the playoffs in 2011 and 2012, after losing in the final round against Moncton at its first attempt in 2010. In 2011, the Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup as Gallant could count on a talented brigade including Jonathan Huberdeau, Stanislav Galiev, Jacob DeSerres, Nathan Beaulieu and Simon Després.

Therefore Gerard Gallant has maintained in the regular season, the best career winning percentage for a  coach in the QMJHL (,791), higher than the previous record holder, Maurice Filion of the Québec Remparts (,733). Unsurprisingly, he twice won the Ron-Lapointe Trophy, awarded to the coach of the year, at the end of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

Gallant also had quite an impressive playing career - which is explained in detail over on the Q site - in the QMJHL, recording 321 points in 188 regular season games and 90 points in 51 playoff contests.

The Summerside native is currently an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens.

News & Notes From Saturday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game in Halifax…

• The Mooseheads are rolling right now. They have won nine straight games and are just one point back of first-place Blainville-Boisbriand – although the Moose have played three more games.
• The Sea Dogs have now lost eight straight games and are closing in on tying their season high nine-game losing streak. They are 1-8-0-1 in their last 10 games and have just one win in their last 18 games.
• Saint John’s road woes also continued last night. They are 2-12-0-1 away from home this season and have lost 10 straight on the road. It could be worse though – Shawinigan is 0-12-1-0 on the road this year.
• The Sea Dogs couldn’t get much of anything going offensively last night, much like their 3-0 loss in Halifax back in October. Saint John had just 12 shots through two periods and 22 in total. The league considered 10 of those 22 shots to be dangerous.
• Saint John scored just one goal in two games this weekend.
• Saint John contained Jonathan Drouin to just two assists last night. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect extended his point streak to 13 games.
• Another 40+ shot night for Sebastien Auger. It was the 11^th time this season that Auger has faced 40 or more shots in a game. Six of his eight starts this month have seen him face 40 or more shots
• Sea Dogs scratches were forwards Spencer Smallman (injury) and 20-year old Lukas Walter (healthy) along with defensemen Alexander McQuaid (healthy) and Thomas Chabot (healthy).
• Via John Moore, Nikolaj Ehlers is good.

RECAP: Dogs Lose 5-0

FINAL: Saint John 0, Halifax 5

HALIFAX – The Halifax Mooseheads picked up their ninth straight win by handing the Saint John Sea Dogs their eighth straight loss.

The Mooseheads defeated the Sea Dogs 5-0 on Saturday night in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at the Halifax Metro Centre. Halifax is on a serious roll right now and are just a single point back of first place in the league.

The Sea Dogs meanwhile are heading in the opposite direction. Saint John sits 17^th overall in the league with a 6-18-0-3 record and are seven points out of a playoff spot. The Dogs have won just once in their last 18 games.

It was also a rough weekend for Saint John’s offense as they scored just once in two games. The Sea Dogs had 12 shots through two periods on Saturday and 22 overall.

Nikolaj Ehlers and Luca Ciampini scored 21 seconds apart in the first to give the Mooseheads a 1-0 lead after one. Connor Moynihan scored in the second while Ehlers and Andrew Ryan netted markers in the third.

Jonathan Drouin, who has destroyed opponents this month, had two assists. Zach Fucale stopped all 22 shots he faced for the shutout win.

Sebastien Auger stopped 37 of the 42 shots he faced.

Saint John went 0-for-2 on the power play while Halifax went 2-for-6.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Charlottetown Islanders on Wednesday night.

GAMEDAY 27 - at Halifax

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Halifax Mooseheads

Tonight at 7:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None

Halifax Metro Centre – Halifax, NS

PREVIEW

HALIFAX – The Saint John Sea Dogs will try to end a seven-game losing streak tonight in Halifax.

The Sea Dogs’ latest losing skid was extended to seven with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles last night. Nathan Noel scored Saint John’s only goal while Sebastien Auger made 39 saves in 65 minutes of action.

Tonight, things won’t get any easier for the Dogs as they take on the Mooseheads at the Metro Centre at 7pm.

Halifax has found their mojo again. They have won eight straight games, are 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 games, and sit second overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 20-8-0-0 record.

These two met two weeks ago and Saint John nearly completed a big time third period comeback but fell short, 7-5. They’ll need to play like they did in that third period tonight if they want to pull off an upset.

News & Notes From Friday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• Saint John has now lost seven straight games. Their longest losing streak this year is nine.
• At least the Sea Dogs got a point last night. They are now 6-17-0-3 and sit 17^th overall, seven points back of the final playoff spot.
• The Sea Dogs opened the scoring at 16:03 the first, marking just the eighth time this season they have done so.
• Nathan Noel now leads the team in goals with nine.
• Forgettable shootout for the Sea Dogs. Noel, Stephen Anderson, and Matthew Highmore all missed the net.
• The Dogs are now 1-3 in shootouts this year.
• This was just the second meeting of the year between the Dogs and Eagles. They meet three more times in December.
• Jeff Cowan made his debut behind the Sea Dogs bench as an assistant coach.
• The Saint John Mill Rats were at the game and sitting in a luxury box (pictured). Noel’s shootout attempt probably would have come close to hitting them if not for the netting.
• The Sea Dogs were without forwards Connor Donaghey (healthy) and Kelly Bent (healthy) along with defensemen Alexander McQuaid (healthy) and Will Thompson (healthy).

RECAP: Streak Goes On. Dogs Lose 2-1.

FINAL: Cape Breton 2, Saint John 1 (SO)

SAINT JOHN – They came close, but the Saint John Sea Dogs could not end their losing streak on Friday night at Harbour Station.

Maxim Lazarev scored the only goal of the shootout as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles edged the Sea Dogs 2-1. Saint John has now lost seven straight games and things won’t get any easier with a road game in Halifax on their Saturday night schedule.

The Sea Dogs at least scored first in this game thanks to a nice effort from Nathan Noel. But Noel’s goal proved to be the only one Saint John would get. The Dogs had stretches where they looked good offensively but also stretches where they did not.

Sebastien Auger and the Sea Dogs defense that has struggled of late also settled down a bit in this one, allowing one goal on 40 shots.

Jason Bell netted the only regulation time goal for Cape Breton. Alex Bureau made 23 saves in the win.

GAMEDAY 26 - vs Screaming Eagles

GAMEDAY

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7:30pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: @station_nation

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – For just the second time this season, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles will face each other tonight.

The two Maritimes Division rivals have met just once this year and that was way back on October 4^th in Sydney. The two meet tonight at 7:30pm at Harbour Station and then play each other three times in December.

Cape Breton won that game on October 4^th, 5-3. The Sea Dogs blew a two-goal lead in that one. Nathan Noel had a goal and an assist.

Things are not as cheery in Saint John these days as they were when these two last met. The Sea Dogs enter action tonight on a six-game losing streak and are 1-8-0-1 in their last 10 games. Their 6-17-0-2 record places them 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

As we noted yesterday, during this six-game skid, the Port City squad has allowed 34 goals while scoring 17. The team’s penalty kill has also been struggling of late.

The Screaming Eagles enter action tonight with a 12-10-0-3 record which is good for 11^th overall. They are 5-4-0-1 in their last 10.

American Cameron Darcy leads the Eagles in scoring with 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points in 25 games.

Dogs Back In Action Tomorrow

After completing a stretch of five straight road games, the Saint John Sea Dogs finally return home to host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles tomorrow night at 7:30pm.

The Sea Dogs haven’t played a game at Harbour Station since Tuesday, November 5^th when they lost 1-0 to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. That was the beginning of another rough stretch for the Sea Dogs as they’ll be carrying a six-game losing streak into tomorrow’s contest.

Last month, it was the Sea Dogs’ offense that was struggling to produce. Of late though, it has been the defense that has been faltering. During this six-game skid, the Port City squad has allowed 34 goals while scoring 17. The team’s penalty kill has also been struggling of late.

The Dogs sit 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, so if the playoffs started tomorrow they would not be taking part. Saint John’s 6-17-0-2 record is good for 14 points – eight points back of the final playoff spot.

The Screaming Eagles enter play tomorrow night with a 12-10-0-3 record which is good for 11^th overall. They are 1-0 against the Sea Dogs this season.

Saint John is also in action on Saturday night, traveling to Halifax to take on the Mooseheads at 7pm.

A few other things…

• Tomorrow’s game is 97.3 The Wave Night. Select fans will be given the chance to win $500.
• The Sea Dogs’ MOvember attendance challenge is still going on until the end of the month. If the Sea Dogs average 3,800 fans per game during the month of November, the club will donate $5,000 to the MOvember campaign, an average of 5,000 fans per game means a $15,000 donation, and any sell-out means an additional $10,000 donation.
• Saint John also plays at home next Wednesday against Charlottetown, next Friday against Val-d’Or, and next Saturday against Rouyn-Noranda.

Team QMJHL Sweeps Series

For the first time since 2009, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has swept Russia.

Team QMJHL defeated Russia 4-3 tonight in Sherbrooke, completing their Subway Super Series sweep. The Q won the first game of the series on Monday, 3-2.

Phoenix forward Daniel Audette had a goal, an assist, and was named player of the game for Team QMJHL. Anthony Mantha, Christopher Clapperton, and Anthony Duclair also scored for the Canadian squad.

In net, Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger made 22 saves in the win, including a few beauties in the third period when the game was on the line.

Also, there was an ugly collision in the second period of this game. Ugh.

The Super Series continues tomorrow night in Oshawa when Team OHL hosts Russia.

Elsewhere tonight…

• In Fredericton, former Sea Dogs Spencer MacDonald, Jordan Moore, Alexandre Leduc, and the STU Tommies men’s hockey team ended a 36-game losing streak against UNB, defeating the Varsity Reds 3-2 at the Aitken Centre. It was a forgettable game for Mike Thomas who picked up two minor penalties and a 10-minute misconduct.

Congrats to @TommiesSTU on their first win at the AUC since Feb. '03 (10+ years) + fist win in 36 games going back to Oct. '06.
— Drummer's Beat (@VRedsHckyStats) November 21, 2013

Auger Starting Tonight For Team QMJHL

If you haven’t heard, Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger is expected to get the start in goal tonight for Team QMJHL in Game 2 of the Subway Super Series. This according to multiple media people on the Twitter machine and this lovely pre-game video on the CHL website.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Zach Fucale started Monday’s game, a game that saw Team QMJHL defeat Russia 3-2.

Tonight in Sherbrooke, Auger will get the start. He has the Q’s best save percentage (0.919), leads the league in saves (684), and is third in minutes played.

This is a big opportunity for Auger who will be playing in front of the Hockey Canada staff, NHL scouts, and a national television audience.

Tonight’s game begins at 8pm Atlantic and can be seen live on Sportsnet.

Noel, Thompson Named To Team Atlantic

Two members of the Saint John Sea Dogs have been named to Team Atlantic for the upcoming World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. This year’s tournament begins on December 29^th in Cape Breton.

According to a press release, “this year’s Team Atlantic is comprised of 22 players from the Atlantic region. The team’s breakdown by province is as follows: New Brunswick - 10 players; Nova Scotia – 9 players; Newfoundland and Labrador – 3 players.”

Sea Dogs forward Nathan Noel is one of the three Newfoundlanders on the squad. Noel was a lock to make the team given that he played in last year’s tournament. This season, in 25 games with Saint John, the 16-year old has eight goals and nine assists.

Sea Dogs defenseman Will Thompson was also named to the team. The Fredericton native, who was a first-round pick of Saint John in June’s QMJHL Entry Draft, has two goals and an assist in 10 games with the Dogs this season. His playing time has been limited due to injuries.

The full roster can be seen here. There are a couple of Saint Johners on the team as well as a few top prospects for the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft.

This will be the final year for Team Atlantic at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Instead of regional teams, Hockey Canada will be sending three national teams beginning at the 2015 tournament. 

MacAulay Scores First AHL Goal In Debut

Stephen MacAulay made his American Hockey League debut with the Hamilton Bulldogs last night.

The former Saint John Sea Dog recorded a goal and an assist in a first star performance, helping the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate defeat the Texas Stars 5-1.

Also in that game, Nathan Beaulieu was a +2 with one shot while Robert Mayer was the backup goaltender.

MacAulay had been playing with the East Coast Hockey League’s Wheeling Nailers before getting called up. In the ECHL, the Cole Harbour native has registered two assists in 12 games.

Some other stuff…

• Two former Sea Dogs sit in the top 10 in AHL scoring. Mike Hoffman is ninth with 19 points (9G, 10A) in 15 games with the Binghamton Senators and Tomas Jurco is 10^th with 19 points (9G, 10A) as well in 16 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
• The University of Calgary Dinos are off to a 12-0 start and are ranked No. 2 in Canada this week. Goaltender Jacob DeSerres has seven of those wins to go along with a 1.75 GAA and 0.925 save percentage.
• Jonathan Huberdeau scored a very Jonathan Huberdeau shootout goal in Vancouver last night.
• Game 2 of the Subway Super Series is tonight at 8pm in Sherbrooke. The game can be seen on Sportsnet. Sebastien Auger will presumably be playing.
• The Sea Dogs are still raising funds for MOvember. Check out their page here. They’ve raised over $4,000 so far.
• The Sea Dogs are back in action on Friday at 7:30pm at the Station against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. There is some promotional stuff going down at the game.

Sea Dogs Hire Jeff Cowan

Former NHLer Jeff Cowan has been added to the Saint John Sea Dogs coaching staff.

The team announced today that Cowan has been named an assistant coach. Saint John has been working with just one assistant following the firing of head coach and general manager Mike Kelly a few weeks ago. He’ll join head coach Ross Yates and fellow assistant Greg Leland behind the bench.

Cowan worked with the Sea Dogs a bit last year so it’s not a huge surprise to see him hired.

"Adding someone with Jeff's playing experience is great for our young players and great for the team," said Sea Dogs' President Wayne Long in a release. "Jeff is certainly known to hockey fans in the city from his Flames days and we are thrilled to have him behind the bench."

Cowan played 413 games in the NHL with stints in Calgary, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Vancouver. From the Sea Dogs:

Cowan, 37, was signed as a free agent by the Calgary Flames in 1995. He established himself as a professional player with the American Hockey League's Saint John Flames in 209 games over four seasons between 1996 and 2000. 

The native of Scarborough, Ontario, spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL with Calgary, the Atlanta Thrashers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks, registering 47 goals and 81 points in 413 career games. 

Following three more seasons in the AHL and another in Germany, Cowan retired in 2012.

Saint John has lost six straight heading into Friday’s home game against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Hopefully Cowan can help improve some things.

Team QMJHL Wins Game 1

Anthony Mantha scored with less than five minutes left in Game 1 of the 2013 Subway Super Series to give Team QMJHL a 3-2 victory over Russia.

Charles Hudon added two goals for the Q, playing in Gatineau. Jonathan Drouin was Jonathan Drouin and setup all three goals. Zach Fucale picked up the win in net.

Russian goals came from Moncton Wildcats forward Ivan Barbashev and Vladimir Tkachev. Ivan Nalimov was in net.

The only Sea Dog taking part in the series in goaltender Sebastien Auger. He was backup in this game but will presumably appear in Wednesday’s Game 2 in Sherbrooke. Game time is 8pm and it can be seen on Sportsnet.

News & Notes From Saturday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• The Sea Dogs lost their sixth straight last night and are the owners of the longest current losing streak in the QMJHL right now.
• Saint John fell to 2-11-0-1 on the road this season and they have now been outscored 64-39. They have lost nine straight on the road.
• This was certainly not a good road trip for the Sea Dogs. They lost all three games in Quebec and were outscored 18-9.
• The Dogs have been struggling defensively of late. Along with allowing eight goals against for the second time during this losing skid, Gatineau went 3-for-4 on the power play last night.
• Simon Tardif-Richard, Marc-Olivier Brouillard, and Martin Reway each had two goals for the Olympiques.
• According to Tim Roszell, the Sea Dogs have not scored first in 10 straight games. Saint John allowed another early goal last night as Gatineau scored just 1:15 in.
• Kelly Bent, Michael Abbott, and David Weckworth are all former Olympiques.
• Abbott scored his first goal since October 23^rd. All six of his goals this season have come on the power play.
• In what seems to be becoming a trend of late, the Dogs scored three of their four goals in the third period when the game was already pretty much out of reach.
• Matthew Highmore has three goals in his past two games.
• The league considered just five of Saint John’s 23 shots to be “dangerous.” That’s not a lot.
• With Sebastien Auger taking part in the Subway Super Series this coming week, Antoine Landry got the start in goal. It wasn’t Landry’s greatest night as he allowed eight goals on 36 shots. It was his fifth start of the year and all five of those starts have been on the road.
• 20-year old forward Lukas Walter was a healthy scratch which was interesting. Other Sea Dogs scratches were forward Joey Richard (healthy) along with defensemen Thomas Chabot (healthy) and Will Thompson (death in family).

RECAP: Dark Days. Dogs Lose 8-4.

FINAL: Saint John 4, Gatineau 8

GATINEAU, Que. – It was more of the same from the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday night.

The Gatineau Olympiques scored just 1:15 into the game and carried that momentum through the rest of the contest as they defeated the Sea Dogs 8-4 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.

Saint John has now lost six straight including all three games of this Quebec three-in-three road trip. They sit 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 6-17-0-2 record and are eight points back of the final playoff spot.

It was more of the same issues for the Sea Dogs. They got behind early, dug themselves into a hole, and could not get much of anything going offensively. Saint John fired 23 shots on goal with the league website considering just five of them to be “dangerous.”

Mackenzie Brown, Matthew Highmore, Michael Abbott, and Stephen Anderson all scored for the Dogs. With Sebastien Auger taking part in the Subway Super Series next week, Antoine Landry got the start and allowed eight goals on 36 shots.

Gatineau had two goals each from Simon Tardif-Richard, Marc-Olivier Brouillard, and Martin Reway. Singles came from Emile Poirier and Alex Dostie. Robert Steeves made 19 saves in the win.

GAMEDAY 25 - at Gatineau

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Gatineau Olympiques

Tonight at 8:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: @station_nation

Robert Guertin Arena – Gatineau, Que.

PREVIEW

GATINEAU, Que. – It’s been a rough road trip for the Saint John Sea Dogs so far.

The Sea Dogs lost 4-2 in Victoriaville on Thursday night and 6-3 in Sherbrooke last night. They play their final game of this three-in-three Quebec road trip this evening at 8pm in Gatineau against the Olympiques.

Saint John has lost five straight and sit 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 6-16-0-2 record. They are also just 2-10-0-1 on the road this year and have lost eight straight away games.

If there is any good news for the Sea Dogs it’s that their offense hasn’t been as bad of late compared to a few weeks ago. Since being shutout on November 5^th, the Dogs have scored 13 goals in four games. Unfortunately they have given up 25 over that same span.

The Dogs will face their toughest match of this road trip tonight. Gatineau, winners of three straight, enters play with a 17-8-0-0 record which is good for second in the Telus West Division and fourth overall in the league.

The Olympiques are led by Emile Poirier who has 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points in 22 games. Gatineau also has an intriguing goaltending duo of Robert Steeves and Anthony Brodeur, the son of Martin Brodeur.

RECAP: Dogs Lose 6-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Sherbrooke 6

SHERBROOKE, Que. – It’s far too early to start thinking about playoff positioning but the Saint John Sea Dogs certainly aren't doing themselves any favours these days.

The Sea Dogs fell 6-3 to the Sherbrooke Phoenix in Friday night Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at the Arena-With-A-Really-Long-Name. The Phoenix currently own the league’s final playoff spot with 22 points. Saint John sits just below them with 14. Obviously there is a ton of time to catch up but, you know, losing games to the team just above you in the standings isn’t going to help the cause.

The Dogs are colder than New River Beach in January right now, losing their fifth straight on this night. They have also lost eight straight on the road which includes the first two games of this Quebec road trip that ends tomorrow in Gatineau.

In this loss, Matthew Highmore scored twice while Olivier LeBlanc added a single. Michael Abbott had two assists. Sebastien Auger made 27 saves in the loss.

Sherbrooke had a pair of goals from Jean-Francois Plante while solo markers came from Jason Houde, Daniel Audette, Simon Desbiens, and William Couture. Tim Wieser added three assists. Gabriel Parent made 24 saves in the win.

GAMEDAY 24 - at Sherbrooke

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Sherbrooke Phoenix

Tonight at 8:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None

Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet – Sherbrooke, Que.

PREVIEW

SHERBROOKE, Que. – The Saint John Sea Dogs continue their trip through Quebec tonight with an 8pm game against the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

The Phoenix sit just above the Sea Dogs in the standings. They are 16^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 9-12-1-1 record for 20 points.

Sherbrooke is in their second year in the league and, much like Saint John, are in the second year of a build/rebuild. They do have a decent core group together now with the likes of Daniel Audette, Carl Neill, and the fourth overall pick in the 2013 Q draft - Jeremy Roy.

The Sea Dogs sit 17^th overall and are six points back of Sherbrooke/the final playoff spot with a record of 6-15-0-2.

Saint John has lost four straight contests and seven straight on the road. Maybe tonight will be the night those streaks come to an end.

News & Notes From Thursday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• Saint John lost their fourth straight game while Victoriaville ended their four-game losing skid.
• The Sea Dogs fell to 2-9-0-1 on the road this season and have lost seven straight away from Harbour Station.
• Nathan Noel scored his eighth goal of the season last night, retaking the team’s goal scoring lead. Noel has two goals and three assists over his last three games.
• Spencer Smallman continued his solid campaign with a goal and an assist last night. Smallman now has six goals and six assists for 12 points in 22 games, already doubling his point total from last year.
• After playing and scoring four goals in the third period of Saturday’s 7-5 loss in Halifax, the Dogs were held to just five shots on goal in Thursday’s third while allowing 18.
• The Tigres opened the scoring just 1:02 in with a Mathieu Ayotte goal. The goal was reviewed and it would stand.
• Goaltender Brandon Whitney and the newly acquired Matthew Boudreau had assists on Victoriaville’s third goal.
• Boudreau, making his Victoriaville debut, was named first star. He had an assist and seven shots in this game.
• Sebastien Auger was back to being Sebastien Auger. He made 40 stops in the loss, a good showing after getting pulled on Saturday in Halifax. It was the ninth time this season that Auger has faced 40 or more shots.
• Lukas Walter had his eighth fight of the season which, according to HockeyFights.com, is tied for second most in the QMJHL.
• Defenseman Michael Abbott returned to the Saint John lineup. He hadn’t played since October 25^th due to an upper body injury. Abbott had three shots last night.
• Jason Cameron took a beating in this one. He was high-sticked in the second period but there was no call. He also blocked a shot in the third period and was in some pain.
• The Sea Dogs were without forwards Samuel Dove-McFalls (upper body) and Connor Donaghey (healthy) along with defensemen Will Thompson (death in family) and Alexander McQuaid (healthy).
• Victoriaville still loves their horns and flashing lights.

RECAP: Victoryville. Dogs Lose 4-2.

FINAL: Saint John 2, Victoriaville 4

VICTORIAVILLE – The Saint John Sea Dogs kicked off their Quebec road trip on a losing note.

The Sea Dogs dropped the fourth straight game in a 4-2 loss to the Victoriaville Tigres in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Thursday night. The Tigres, meanwhile, ended a four-game losing streak with the win.

Saint John has had some wild games in Victoriaville over the years but this one was kind of uneventful. The team on the longer losing streak was able to score more goals than the team with the shorter losing streak. The end.

Nathan Noel and Spencer Smallman scored for Saint John. Sebastien Auger allowed three goals on 43 shots in the defeat.

Mathieu Ayotte, Ross Johnston, Angelo Miceli, and Mark Tremaine scored for the Tigres. Brandon Whitney made 28 saves in the win.

Saint John’s road trip continues tomorrow in Sherbrooke and on Saturday in Gatineau.

November CSS List, Button's Rankings, And McKeznie On Eichel

Four members of the Saint John Sea Dogs have made Central Scouting’s November list of players to watch for the 2014 NHL Draft.

Sea Dogs centre Matthew Highmore, defenseman Oliver LeBlanc, and winger Spencer Smallman were all given a “C rating,” indicating a 4th/5th/6th round candidate. Centre Juraj Siska was also listed and given a “limited viewing” rating.

Highmore has five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 22 games and has been in the league’s top 10 in shots for most of the season. LeBlanc has four goals and 11 assists in 22 games while Smallman has five goals and five assists in 21 games. Siska has not played a game this year and it’s unclear when, or if, he will this season.

LeBlanc also made Craig Button’s latest draft rankings, coming in at 68^th. The TSN analyst has him one spot ahead of Sherbrooke’s Daniel Audette who was taken first overall in the 2012 QMJHL Entry Draft, the same draft LeBlanc was taken 11^th overall by Saint John.

Looking ahead to the 2015 NHL Draft, TSN’s Bob McKenzie had this to say about Sea Dogs property Jack Eichel in the latest Insider Trading column:

Everybody knows that the 2015 NHL draft is the so-called Connor McDavid draft and rightfully so. But keep an eye on Jack Eichel; a young American - a late 1996 birth date - who just tore up the Four Nations Cup in Finland. He had four goals and seven points in only three games for the Americans. He's slated to go to Boston University at some point. His CHL rights were initially owned by the Halifax Mooseheads but they dropped him when he committed to BU, and now the Saint John Sea Dogs hold his CHL rights. He's a big centre who could put points on the board.

I wouldn’t order that Eichel Sea Dogs just yet, but the Bob McKenzie didn’t exactly say that Eichel is 100% absolutely guaranteed for sure going to Boston University next year. So that’s something, right? RIGHT?

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

GAMEDAY 23 - at Victoriaville

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Victoriaville Tigres

Tonight at 8:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: @station_nation

Colisee Desjardins – Victoriaville, Que.

PREVIEW

VICTORIAVILLE, Que. – A three-in-three Quebec road trip begins tonight for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs are in Victoriaville tonight to battle the Tigres at 8pm. Saint John travels to Sherbrooke to take on the Phoenix tomorrow and are in Gatineau Saturday to face the Olympiques.

The Sea Dogs have been struggling of late. They have lost three straight games and six straight on the road. They are coming off a 7-5 loss in Halifax where they scored four goals in the third period to make a game of it. Hopefully the Dogs can take some of that momentum into tonight’s game.

Saint John sits 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a record of 6-14-0-2. They are five points back of the Tigres who currently own the final playoff spot.

The Sea Dogs are led offensively by Oliver Cooper who has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 22 games. Cooper and Nathan Noel each have seven goals to lead the team.

Victoriaville has been struggling just as much as the Sea Dogs of late, losing four straight and winning just once in their last 10 games. They sit 16^th overall with a 9-12-1-0 record.

Angelo Miceli leads the Tigres in scoring with 15 goals and nine assists for 24 points in 22 games.

Kirkpatrick Named To Team Canada

Former Sea Dog Michael Kirkpatrick is heading to Italy next month.

The third year St. Francis Xavier X-Men forward was one of 12 Atlantic University Sport forwards named to Team Canada for the 2013 Winter Universiade in Trentino, Italy. The 26th biennial Games will run from December 10^th to 21^st, with the men's hockey gold-medal match set for the final day of competition.

This year’s team is made up entirely of AUS players. There are plenty of former QMJHL standouts on the team but Kirkpatrick was the only former Sea Dog to make the 23-man squad.

The full roster, as well as more info on the Games, can be found on the AUS website.

Kirkpatrick has three goals and four assists in seven games with StFX this season.

The 23-year old spent four seasons with Saint John from 2007-2011, ending his junior career by helping the Sea Dogs win the 2011 Memorial Cup. In 266 regular season QMJHL games, Kirkpatrick recorded 108 goals and 143 assists. He added 55 points in 51 playoff contests.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

Quebec Road Trip Begins Tomorrow

The guys are heading out early this am for a long road trip! Everyone is finally healthy! 3 games in 3 days @station_nation @SeaDogsHockey
— Wayne Long (@WayneLongSJ) November 13, 2013

A three-in-three Quebec road trip begins tomorrow night for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs, losers of three straight and 1-8-0-1 in their last 10, play in Victoriaville tomorrow night, Sherbrooke on Friday, and Gatineau on Saturday. All games begin at 8pm Atlantic time.

The good news for the Sea Dogs is that the Tigres and Phoenix sit just above Saint John in the overall standings. The Tigres are 16^th with a 9-12-1-0 record and have been struggling just as badly as the Sea Dogs of late, losing four straight and have just one win in their last 10. Meanwhile, the Phoenix sit 15^th with a 9-12-1-1 record. The Olympiques are currently enjoying some good times, sitting fourth overall with a 16-8-0-0 record.

The Dogs have struggled on the road this year. They are 2-8-0-1 away from Harbour Station and have lost six straight. At least getting a couple points on this trip would be considered a success at this point.

Some other stuff…

• The Tigres acquired 20-year old forward Matthew Boudreau this week from Shawinigan in exchange for a fourth- and ninth-round pick. Boudreau was a point-per-game player with the Halifax Mooseheads last year.
• This road trip continues a stretch of five straight road games for the Sea Dogs. The very exciting Rhoda’s Christmas Festival is at Harbour Station this weekend.

Huberdeau On Cover Of Florida Magazine

Jonathan Huberdeau is on the cover of the November edition of THINK Magazine, “a one stop shop for all that South Florida has to offer.”

According to the magazine’s website, “reaching Miami-Dade, Broward, and the Palm Beaches, THINK Magazine’s monthly publication features South Florida entertainment, fine dining, fashion, jewelry, home design and décor, beauty, health and wellness, celebrities, and luxury items, and much more.”

The article on him, which talks a bit about his time with the Sea Dogs, can be found here.

News & Notes From Saturday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• It was all Moosheads in the first 40 minutes of this game. They led 6-1 after two and were outshooting the Sea Dogs 32-11.
• But in the third, Halifax took their foot off the gas and allowed the Sea Dogs to get back into the game. Saint John scored four times in the frame – including three in a 3:31 span – to make it 6-5 entering the final minutes. But that would be as close as the Sea Dogs would get.
• Nathan Noel was involved in all three Saint John goals in the later half of the third. He finished the game with a goal and two assists.
• The Dogs got as many shots in the third (11) as they did in the first two periods combined.
• Saint John has scored 24 goals in third periods this season, the most of any period.
• It was nice to see the Sea Dogs storm back and it was nice to see them score five goals in a game. They are averaging the second fewest goals per game in the QMJHL this year (2.38).
• Halifax had lots of goals but few goal scorers. Brent Andrews, Matt Murphy, and Nikolaj Ehlers all scored twice last night. Jonathan Drouin added an empty netter.
• Defenseman Will Thompson returned to the Saint John lineup and played his first game since October 12th due to an upper body injury. He made an impact in this one, scoring his second goal of the season in the second period to get Saint John on the board.
• On Thursday in Moncton, Noah Zilbert scored his first goal since opening night. He scored again last night, starting Saint John’s third period comeback with a goal 37 seconds in.
• Stephen Anderson had a two-goal game last night. It was a long time coming for Anderson who hadn’t scored since October 4^th.
• Sebastien Auger was pulled after 40 minutes in favour of Antoine Landry. Auger, who was given Thursday’s game off, allowed six goals on 32 shots. Landry played the third and played well, making 13 saves.
• Forward Spencer Smallman also returned to the Sea Dogs lineup. He missed Thursday’s game in Moncton after taking that hit into the boards on Tuesday. Smallman had an assist and two shots in last night’s contest.
• With an assist last night, David Weckworth has tied his career high for assists in a season with seven.
• Sea Dogs scratches were forwards Joey Richard (healthy) and Samuel Dove-McFalls (upper body) along with defensemen Michael Abbott (upper body) and Thomas Chabot (healthy).
• The Sea Dogs have lost three straight overall and six straight on the road. Saint John has been outscored 16-8 over their past three games.
• Kelly Bent and Liam Alcalde dropped the gloves at 13:33 of the second but was broken up by the officials before they could start throwing. In typical QMJHL fashion, the two tried again at 19:50 and had a decent tilt this time around.

RECAP: So, So Close. Dogs Lose 7-5.

FINAL: Saint John 5, Halifax 7

HALIFAX – The Saint John Sea Dogs nearly pulled off an unreal comeback on Saturday night at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Down 6-1 entering the third, the Sea Dogs scored four times in the final frame to make it a 6-5 contest entering the final minutes. But that would be as close as Saint John would get. The Halifax Mooseheads added an empty net goal to win the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League contest 7-5.

It was good to see the Sea Dogs get back into the game in the third as it was all Mooseheads in the first 40 minutes. The first two periods weren’t too pretty – Halifax outshot Saint John 32-11 – but hopefully the team can build off some of the things that they did in the third period.

The Dogs had a pair of goals from Stephen Anderson while singles came from Will Thompson, Noah Zilbert, and Nathan Noel. Sebastien Auger was pulled after giving up six goals on 32 shots in the first two periods. Antoine Landry took over in net for the third and made 13 stops.

Saint John, losers of three straight, fell to 6-14-0-2 on the year.

Meanwhile, the Mooseheads had two goals each from Brent Andrews, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Matt Murphy. Jonathan Drouin scored an empty net goal. Zach Fucale made 17 saves for the win.

Halifax, winners of four straight, improved to 16-8-0-0.

GAMEDAY 22 - at Halifax

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Halifax Mooseheads

Tonight at 7:00pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live: @station_nation

Halifax Metro Centre – Halifax, NS

PREVIEW

HALIFAX – The Sea Dogs take on the Mooseheads in Halifax tonight.

Saint John has lost back-to-back games and sit in the basement of the Telus Maritimes Division and 17^th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a 6-13-0-2 record. They have also lost five straight on the road.

The Mooseheads are first in the Maritimes Division and third overall in the league with a 15-8-0-0 record. They have won three straight and are 8-2 in their last 10.

The Sea Dogs are struggling these days and gave up eight goals in Moncton on Thursday night. A win tonight against the reigning champs would be huge. We’ll see what happens.

Gosselin Tweets That He Got 6 Games

Acadie-Bathurst Titan forward Gabriel Gosselin has apparently been suspended six games by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for his boarding incident involving Spencer Smallman on Tuesday.

The league has not posted the suspension on their website but Gosselin tweeted the following on Friday.

Friday Afternoon Stuff

Sportsnet’s Friday Night Hockey returns tonight with the Halifax Mooseheads hosting the Moncton Wildcats at 8pm.

Tune in to see the team the Sea Dogs played last night and the team the Sea Dogs play tomorrow night. Isn’t that just the neatest!

According to the broadcast schedule on the QMJHL website, the December 20^th Charlottetown Islanders game in Blainville-Boisbriand will be the only other Q game broadcast in the first half.

Some other news and notes on this cold Friday afternoon:

• The AUS is holding a men’s hockey all-star game tonight at the Grant*Harvey Centre in Fredericton. StFX’s Michael Kirkpatrick was the only former Sea Dog to receive an invite. The all-star showcase will serve as the final identification game before Team Canada’s 2013 FISU Winter Universiade team, made entirely of AUS players, is officially selected. Following Friday's all-star game, the 22-man team selected to represent Canada in Trentino, Italy this December will take part in an orientation camp over the weekend.
• Speaking of Kirkpatrick, he was named the StFX male athletic of the week this week. He has three goals and four assists in seven games with the X-Men this year.
• Be sure to check out the Sea Dogs MOvember page. David Weckworth currently leads with $100 in donations.
• The Sea Dogs are also beginning to auction off their 2012-13 blue jerseys. All the details on that can be found here.
• Give a follow to Sea Dogs President Wayne Long (@WayneLongSJ) on Twitter if you haven't already. He's tweeting some good tweets.
• Pictured above is from a very informative video posted on the NHL YouTube page this week.
• As noted, the Sea Dogs are back in action tomorrow night at 7pm in Halifax.