DOGS DAILY: Chabot, Zboril Eliminated

There won’t be any medals from the World Junior Hockey Championship coming back to the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Both Thomas Chabot and Jakub Zboril were both eliminated from medal contention today in Helsinki. Chabot and the Canadians fell 6-5 to Finland in the quarterfinals while the United States hammered Zboril and the Czech Republic 7-0.

Chabot had one shot and two minutes in penalties in the game, finishing the tournament with three assists in five games. The Sea Dogs defenseman had a fairly strong world juniors playing with Joe Hicketts.

Zboril had two shots, two minutes in penalties and an even rating in the Czech loss. He had one assist in five games at this year’s tournament.

Former Sea Dogs forward Juraj Siska was also eliminated today as Slovakia fell 6-0 to Sweden. Siska had one goal and one assist in five games.

Monday’s semifinals will see Finland take on Sweden and Russia battle the United States.

In more pleasant news…

• The Sea Dogs officially announced the signing of Weeks Crushers defenseman Mark Kennedy today. According to general manager Darrell Young in a press release, “he will be with us for the next nine days in order to understand what it takes to play major junior hockey, and to learn what our expectations are as an organization."
• Saint John also announced this morning that defenseman Alex Bernier will remain with the team for the rest of the season. Forward Alex Lafreniere has also been reassigned to the Saint John Vito’s.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Noah Zilbert sits third in MHL scoring with 16 goals and 50 points in 28 games with the Woodstock Slammers. Riley Craft, a former Vito who has attended Dogs training camp in the past, is second in league scoring with 20 goals and 50 points.
• Mike Thomas, Stephen Anderson and the UNB Varsity Reds host Gabriel Bourret, Scott Oke and the Concordia Stings tonight at 7 p.m. and tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Aitken Centre.
• The Florida Panthers, winners of seven straight games and eight of their last 10, have given former Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant a contract extension. It’s reportedly through 2019.