News & Notes From Friday's Game

Last night’s 7-2 loss in Halifax means Saint John has officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Shawinigan grabbed the final spot and even leapfrogged Charlottetown with a win last night.

It’s the first time the Sea Dogs have missed the playoffs since the 2006-07 season. How long ago was that? Claude Giroux was one of the league’s top scorers, the St. John’s Fog Devils finished just ahead of the Sea Dogs in the East Division, and the Lewiston Maineiacs were the top team in the league.

The Sea Dogs and Sherbrooke Phoenix are the only two teams in the league to miss this year’s post-season and the two will take part in a coin flip to determine who has the first overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft. Saint John will also pick fifth overall in the CHL Import Draft.

Some other stuff from last night’s game…

• Halifax really came to play last night. They took a 3-0 lead before the game was seven minutes old and led 5-0 after one period, outshooting Saint John 17-5. Matthew Highmore had Saint John’s best scoring chance of the period and Zach Fucale made a fairly easy stop on it.
• The Moose kept rolling in the second period, scoring two more times and getting 19 shots on net. They took their foot off the gas a bit in the third and allowed the Dogs to get two goals but the result of the game was never in doubt.
• Saint John’s power play was once again ineffective, going 1-for-7 on the night. Their only goal on the man advantage came late in the third. The Sea Dogs had 23 shots overall in this game with 12 being considered dangerous. Their offense wasn't great but better than the last time they played the Moose.
• Thanks to two goals and an assist last night, Jonathan Drouin now has 101 points on the year with one game to play. Philippe Gadoury also had two goals and an assist.
• The Sea Dogs managed to keep Nikolaj Ehlers to just one goal. So that’s something.
• Marcus Cuomo and Mathieu Joseph each had two assists.
• Zach Fucale was taken out of the Moose net after two periods and replaced by Kevin Darveau. Sebastien Auger played the entire game for Saint John. It’s got to be rare that the team leading 7-0 changes goalies and the team losing does not.
• With the game being a blowout so early, there were plenty of fights throughout as you would expect. There was quite a scene at the end of the game following a late Jason Cameron shot on goal as the horn sounded. Everyone on the ice got involved, including Sebastien Auger who had to be separated from Kevin Darveau by an official.
• Halifax wore their green third jerseys so the Sea Dogs were in white.
• The Sea Dogs were without forwards Joey Richard (shoulder) and Stephen Anderson (upper body) along with Michael Abbott (wrist), Jeremy Doucet (upper body), and David Weckworth (upper body). News 88.9 reported Nathan Noel was a late scratch with the flu. He is listed on the QMJHL’s game sheet.

NOTES: Jurij Repe and Marcus Cuomo returned from suspensions… sell-out crowd of 10,595 watched the game… there was a moment of silence for Terry Trafford before the game… just under $15,000 went to the 50/50 winner… Samuel Dove-McFalls had four shots… Noah Zilbert had three hits… Jonathan Drouin had seven shots… MacKenzie Weegar had three hits… Kelly Bent got an aggressor game misconduct in the second period for going after Connor Moynihan… Alexander McQuaid and Lukas Walter were shown on the kiss cam while sitting in the penalty box… pictured above is a scoreboard malfunction.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs play their final game of the season as they take on the Islanders tonight in Charlottetown.