18 Thoughts: Bill Stewart?

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SAINT JOHN - It's been just over four years (Oct. 29) since the Saint John Sea Dogs fired head coach and general manager Mike Kelly.

Kelly and the Sea Dogs got off to a 5-10-0-2 start that year, which was good for 12 points. Fast forward four years and the Sea Dogs are off to a 4-9-3-1 start, good for 12 points.

Josh Dixon's job is very likely safe. Whether people like it or not, it's still early, and firing a guy that was hired two months ago would be an overreaction. But you have to wonder if the team is interested in getting him some additional support.

The Sea Dogs have just one assistant coach currently - Jeff Cowan, who's an associate coach. While having one assistant behind the bench has seemingly become a popular trend in junior of late, Saint John has always gone with two assistants.

On Saturday, Rogers TV's Aaron Kennedy got the rumours started on air, saying that Bill Stewart is interested in joining the team's coaching staff. It's unclear if the team is interested in having him join, though.

The @SJSeaDogs have a vacancy on their bench. They have a young, inexperienced head coach who needs to be mentored....

— Aaron Kennedy (@scoop88) October 28, 2017

There's a well known coach with ties to Saint John who could be the perfect fit. He has #nhl experience, international experience and #CHL

— Aaron Kennedy (@scoop88) October 28, 2017

He guided the Saint John Flames to a berth in 1998 Calder Cup Final. @SJSeaDogs know he's interested & available. He's Bill Stewart.

— Aaron Kennedy (@scoop88) October 28, 2017

Stewart has an impressive coaching resume, as his Elite Prospects page will tell you. He had been coaching in Germany until a few weeks ago.

Reid rejoins Aces

The St. Stephen Aces announced Monday that forward Ben Reid has rejoined the club.

Reid has been with the Saint John Sea Dogs all season but has seen limited playing time, especially of late. The 18-year-old has played in seven QMJHL games this year, going pointless. He has not played since Oct. 19.

A seventh-round pick of Saint John in the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft, Reid has played 16 games with Saint John over three seasons. He has not recorded a point.

This will be Reid's second full season with the Aces. Last year, the Quispamsis native recorded 16 goals and 12 assists in 41 MHL games.

According to the Aces website, "Reid is expected to be in the lineup this Friday when the Aces visit the Campbellton Tigers."

The Aces sit second in a weak Eastlink North Division (only one team is over .500) with a 7-9-0-0 record. St. Stephen visits Campbellton on Friday and hosts the division leading Edmundston Blizzard on Saturday.

Quarter of the way home

SAINT JOHN - With a quarter of the season complete, the numbers aren't pretty for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

While Sunday's win makes things a bit cheerier, the reality is that the team is off to one of the worst starts in franchise history. Four wins is the fewest the team has ever had after 17 games. Their 12 points match the 2013-14 team for the fewest at this point in a season.

As mentioned last week, this year's rough start is similar to the starts the team had in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2013-14 - all seasons that saw the Sea Dogs miss the playoffs (and win the draft lottery).

Season	Overall	After 17 games (PTS)
2017-18	4-9-3-1	4-9-3-1 (12)
2016-17^	48-14-5-1	11-5-1-0 (23)
2015-16	42-20-6-0	9-7-1-0 (19)
2014-15	32-26-4-6	11-3-0-3 (25)
2013-14*	19-44-2-3	5-10-0-2 (12)
2012-13	23-44-1-0	9-8-0-0 (18)
2011-12^	50-15-0-3	12-5-0-0 (24)
2010-11^	58-7-1-2	13-3-0-1 (27)
2009-10	53-12-1-2	12-4-1-0 (25)
2008-09	34-30-2-2	9-7-1-0 (19)
2007-08	44-22-4-3	10-5-0-2 (22)
2006-07*	20-47-1-2	6-9-1-1 (14)
2005-06*	15-47-2-6	7-8-0-2 (16)

*Missed playoffs

^Won championship

The struggles the Sea Dogs have had over the past month - losing nine straight games - was similar to what many teams go through after gutting their roster at the holiday trade deadline. But it's only October, and the Sea Dogs were expected to perform much better than they have - especially since the team has not committed to a full-fledged rebuild yet.

The big question is: now what? Do you go full-on rebuild like in year's past? Do you make some more roster changes? Do you acquire some new players? Do you make a move behind the bench (rumours about adding a coach to the staff were started up this weekend during the Rogers TV broadcast)?

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 5-4 (OT)

FINAL: Rouyn-Noranda 4, Saint John 5 (OT)

SAINT JOHN - The streak is over.

After failing to beat the likes of the Charlottetown Islanders, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, Val-d'Or Foreurs, etc., the Saint John Sea Dogs were able to end their nine-game losing streak with a thrilling, come-from-behind 5-4 overtime win over one of the league's top teams, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station.

Radim Salda scored on a power play at 1:25 of overtime to give the Sea Dogs their first victory since Oct. 6. After weeks of bad luck and losing games they should have won, it seemed fitting that the squad ended their streak with a come-from-behind win over one of the league's best.

The Sea Dogs were down 4-2 with 12:20 remaining in regulation time. Ostap Safin scored twice in the third to send the game to overtime. Anthony Boucher and Cole Reginato also scored. Matthew Williams made 26 stops to earn his first QMJHL win.

Peter Abbandonato, Tyler Hinam, Mathieu Boucher and Jacob Neveu scored for Rouyn-Noranda. Samuel Harvey made 24 saves in the loss.

Game Day 17: vs Huskies

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try to snap their nine-game losing streak against one of the league's top teams this afternoon.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who sit second overall in the QMJHL and were third in last week's CHL Top 10, make their lone appearance of the regular season at Harbour Station today. Game time is 3 p.m.

Following yesterday's ugly 4-2 loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs, the Dogs carry a nine game losing skid into this match. They have not won a game since Oct. 6.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-9-3-1 (10 points, 6th Maritimes, 18th QMJHL) while the Huskies are 10-2-1-2 (23 points, 1st West, 2nd QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs last night at Harbour Station. Cole Reginato and Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John while Alex D'Orio made 28 stops in the loss. The Huskies are coming off a surprising 2-0 loss in Charlottetown on Saturday. Zachary Emond made 24 saves in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-1-0-0 against the Huskies last season while Rouyn-Noranda went 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 22, 2016 at Harbour Station where the Huskies defeated the Sea Dogs 5-1. Evan MacKinnon, Peter Abbandonato, Jean-Christophe Beaudin, Gabriel Fontaine and Jérémy Diotte scored for Rouyn-Noranda. Nathan Noel had Saint John's lone goal. Samuel Harvey made 29 saves in the win. Alex Bishop was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Alex D'Orio allowed two goals on 17 shots in relief.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Val-d'Or 4, Saint John 2

Lorne Webster | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs lost to the Val-d'Or Foreurs 4-2 Saturday evening on Halloween Night at Harbour Station.

The result extended the Sea Dogs' streak of consecutive losses to nine.

Veteran goaltender Etienne Montpetit turned in an impressive 31 save performance in his return to Harbour Station - after being swept in the second round of the 2017 playoffs by the eventual President Cup champions from Saint John.

Mathieu Nadeu - in his first game back from a suspension - led Val-d'Or with two goals. David Noel and Alexandre Couture also scored for the Foreurs.

Cole Reginato and Kevin Gursoy replied for Saint John. Alex D'Orio continued his strong play on the season with 28 saves.

NOTES

• After a strong start to the game, things got spooky quickly for the Sea Dogs around the midpoint of the opening frame. First, Nadeau scored a power play goal at 12:45, when he banged in a rebound off a scramble. The Foreurs' power play would strike again at 18:53, when Noel's blast from the point found the right corner past a screened D'Orio.
• Val-d'Or took advantage of a deflated Port City squad seconds later when Couture slid the puck past a fallen D'Orio at 19:15 - after the Sea Dogs 'keeper had made stops on two previous close range shots.
• Reginato got the hosts on the board on a power play at 1:43 of the second, when he snapped a cross ice pass from Gursoy past Montpetit.
• Montpetit made three big saves shortly after Reginato's goal, including thwarting Anthony Boucher at the end of a two-on-one rush with Joe Veleno.
• Nadeau re-established Val-d'Or's three goal lead at 17:15 of the second as we one-timed the rebound off a two-on-one rush with Adam Cheezo.
• With 20 seconds left in the game, Gursoy gave the Sea Dogs faithful a reason to cheer as he snapped the rebound of a Alexis Girard point shot past Montpetit to make the final score 4-2.
• Foreurs defensive stalwards David Noel and David Henley were on the ice every second shift - as well as being on the first power play unit and much of Val-d'Or's penalty kill.
• A family with a baby Batman, lady Robin and The Penguin won the Sea Dogs Halloween costume contest during the second intermission.
• Per Rogers TV's Aaron Kennedy, rumours are circulating that former Saint John Flames head coach Bill Stewart has made it known that he is interested in joining the Sea Dogs coaching staff. It will be interesting to see if Trevor Georgie wants to add an established coach such as Stewart to fill the void left by the departure of Paul ('Boots') Boutilier to the AHL.

Game Day 16: vs Foreurs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to do something they haven't done since Oct. 6 tonight - win a hockey game.

The Sea Dogs carry an eight-game losing streak into tonight's contest with the Val-d'Or Foreurs. Game time is 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.

The Foreurs are playing the third game of a three-in-three through the Maritimes, which has seen the team fall 6-4 in Charlottetown on Thursday and 5-2 in Moncton last night. They'll no doubt be a bit fatigued, which could be good news for the Sea Dogs.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-8-3-1 (10 points, 6th Maritimes, 18th QMJHL) while the Foreurs are 6-7-0-1 (13 points, 6th West, 14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 loss in Bathurst on Wednesday. Joe Veleno, Anthony Boucher and Robbie Burt scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 19 saves in the loss. The Foreurs are coming off a 5-2 loss in Moncton last night. Adam Cheezo and Nicolas Ouellet scored for Val-d'Or. Jonathan Lemieux made 26 saves in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 2-0-0-0 against the Foreurs last season while Val-d'Or went 0-2-0-0 against Saint John. In the playoffs, the Sea Dogs swept the Foreurs in four games.

Last meeting: April 12 at the Air Creebec Centre where the Sea Dogs defeated the Foreurs 7-1 to win the second round playoff series in four games. Spencer Smallman had a hat trick, Joe Veleno two goals and singles came from Simon Bourque and Julien Gauthier. Charley Graaskamp scored for Val-d'Or. Callum Booth made 18 saves in the win. Etienne Montpetit made 38 stops in the loss.

Despres named to Canada's Karjala Cup roster

Simon Despres is a step closer to playing for Team Canada at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Despres was one of the 26 players named to the Canadian roster for the Karjala Cup, which will be held Nov. 8-12 in Helsinki, Finland, and Biel, Switzerland. Canada will face off against Switzerland, Sweden and Finland in the tournament.

Hockey Canada coaches said in a press release that this tournament is the next step in determining who will represent the country at February's Olympics.

“These 26 players are part of the larger group that is still under consideration for the Olympic team; 10 of these players were not with us in August in Russia, while others who remain under consideration won’t join us next month due either to their being unavailable, or because we feel we already have a good sense of where they could fit with our team," said general manager Sean Burke.

#NEWS | 26 @HC_Men to play for Canada at the Karjala Cup, Nov. 8-12, part of the ongoing evaluation for PyeongChang. https://t.co/qfYLG3niG8 pic.twitter.com/m9UxuJPOJZ

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) October 26, 2017

TSN will broadcast Canada's games against Sweden (Nov. 10, 12:30 p.m.) and Finland (Nov. 12, 10130 a.m.).

Despres is playing with the KHL's HC Slovan Bratislava this season where he has three goals and two assists in 17 games.

The 26-year-old defenceman missed almost all of last season with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks due to a concussion. It's believed one of the reasons Despres went to Russia this year was so he could be considered for Canada's Olympic roster, which will not feature NHLers.

Despres spent four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs from 2007 to 2011, helping the club win a Memorial Cup title in his final season.

No Sea Dog has ever played for Canada at an Olympic Games.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Bathurst 5

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended their streak of one-goal loses on Wednesday night - but the overall losing skid continues.

The Sea Dogs lost their eighth straight contest in front of a sparse KC Irving Regional Centre crowd on Wednesday, falling 5-3 to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Saint John has not won a game since a 4-0 win in Charlottetown on Oct. 6.

Just like most of the loses during this streak, Saint John was in this game until the end. The Sea Dogs exploded for three goals in just over five minutes late in the second period, giving the team a 3-2 advantage. Jordan Maher tied things up with a goal in the final minute of the second and Samuel L'Italien netted what proved to be the game-winner at 6:26 of the third.

The Sea Dogs had a power play late in the third, but an offensive zone penalty ended the man advantage early. L'Italien netted an insurance marker with 26 seconds remaining, giving the Titan a 5-3 victory.

Saint John outshot Bathurst 30-24 - numbers that were helped by seven Saint John power play opportunities. The Sea Dogs were able to score just one time on the man advantage on Wednesday.

The loss pushes the Sea Dogs closer to the team record for consecutive loses, which is 11 (and has been done twice).

Joe Veleno, Anthony Boucher and Robbie Burt scored for Saint John on Wednesday. Alex D'Orio made 19 stops in the loss.

Samuel L'Italien scored twice for Bathurst while singles came from Ethan Crossman, Antoine Morand and Jordan Maher. Reilly Pickard made 27 saves in the win.

Game Day 15: at Bathurst

BATHURST - Is tonight the night?

The Saint John Sea Dogs will try to break a seven-game losing streak tonight in Bathurst. Puck drop against the Titan is 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs came painfully close to snapping the skid a couple times this past weekend, only to fall in extra time both times. Tonight, Saint John will try and get a win in a building they've had trouble in over the past few years.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-7-3-1 (10 points, 6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Titan are 5-5-2-2 (14 points, 4th Maritimes, 11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-5 overtime loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Sunday at Harbour Station. Daniel Hardie, Ostap Safin, Samuel Leblanc, Matt Green and Alexandre Lafreniere scored for the Sea Dogs. Alex D'Orio made 33 saves in the loss. The Titan are coming off a 4-1 loss in Val-d'Or on Saturday. Noah Dobson scored the Titan's lone goal. Dominik Tmej made 20 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-1-0-0 against the Titan this season while Bathurst is 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 12 at the KC Irving Regional Centre where the Titan edged the Sea Dogs 2-1. Antoine Morand and Domenic Malatesta scored for Bathurst while Kevin Gursoy netted Saint John's lone goal. Reilly Pickard made 30 saves in the win. Alex D'Orio made 37 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Titan: Forward Dawson Theede

How bad is it?

With the 2017-18 season nearly a quarter of the way completed, just how bad is the Saint John Sea Dogs' start?

The Sea Dogs are off to one of the worst starts in team history, this we know. Through 14 games, the team is 3-7-3-1. The good news for Saint John is that they've picked up quite a few loser points, giving them 10 points on the year.

The Sea Dogs were expected to have their struggles this season - just like many Sea Dogs teams in the past. So how does this year's start compare to those other years? We've gone back and taken a look. 

For simplicity, we've looked at Saint John's record after 17 games, which is 1/4 of the regular season (for the seasons that featured 68 games, at least). The 2017-18 Sea Dogs will play their 17th game of the year on Sunday.

Season	Overall	After 17 games (PTS)
2017-18	3-7-3-1	TBD (TBD)
2016-17^	48-14-5-1	11-5-1-0 (23)
2015-16	42-20-6-0	9-7-1-0 (19)
2014-15	32-26-4-6	11-3-0-3 (25)
2013-14*	19-44-2-3	5-10-0-2 (12)
2012-13	23-44-1-0	9-8-0-0 (18)
2011-12^	50-15-0-3	12-5-0-0 (24)
2010-11^	58-7-1-2	13-3-0-1 (27)
2009-10	53-12-1-2	12-4-1-0 (25)
2008-09	34-30-2-2	9-7-1-0 (19)
2007-08	44-22-4-3	10-5-0-2 (22)
2006-07*	20-47-1-2	6-9-1-1 (14)
2005-06*	15-47-2-6	7-8-0-2 (16)

*Missed playoffs

^Won championship

This year's start is indeed a rough one. The Sea Dogs will need to win their next three games in order to not tie or set the club record for fewest wins after 17 games. Points wise, the Dogs could certainly catch or surpass the 2013-14 club that had 12 points after 17 matches.

To be fair, it's very difficult to compare season-to-season. Teams can recover from bad starts -  remember, there's still 3/4 of the season to play. You can take in these numbers however you choose.

Of note, Saint John's three previous worst starts - 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2013-14 - all ended with the Sea Dogs missing the playoffs and selecting first overall in the QMJHL Entry Draft.

18 Thoughts: Drake Batherson off to quite a start

A couple months into the season, Drake Batherson has been the QMJHL's best story.

Batherson scored a hat trick on Sunday afternoon in Saint John - which included the game-winner in overtime - to give him an incredible 15 goals in 13 games this season. This comes after he scored 22 goals all of last season (in 61 games).

A fourth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators last year, Batherson is leading the league in goals and points (24). It's highly unlikely he maintains his 1.15 goals per game average, but Batherson could have quite an impressive stat line come March.

As HockeyProspect.com writes, "Batherson is the classic late-bloomer type of player who was undersized but had a late growth spurt. He’s showing early on this season that he’s going to have a dominant year in the QMJHL."

The top five scorers in the league at the moment all play in the Maritimes Division: Batherson (Cape Breton), Mika Cyr (Moncton), Filip Zadina (Halifax), Maxime Fortier (Halifax) and Jeremy McKenna (Moncton).

As Willy Palov notes, the top three rookie scorers - Zadina, Jakob Pelletier (Moncton) and Ostap Safin (Saint John) - also all play in the Maritimes.

Some other notes from around the circuit...

1. While Batherson has put Cape Breton's offence in the spotlight early this year, their defence and goaltending has to be a concern. The team has allowed a league high 56 goals and have had a wild few weeks. In their past four games, Cape Breton has allowed nine, three, seven and five goals against, respectively. Eagles games have been entertaining, at least.

2. The Screaming Eagles opened the scoring on Sunday against the Sea Dogs. Anyone who has watched the Dogs this season knows they've had issues getting off to quality starts - and the numbers reflect that. Saint John has scored first in just three of their 14 games, which is tied for the league low.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 6-5 (OT)

FINAL: Cape Breton 6, Saint John 5 (OT)

SAINT JOHN - Will the losing streak ever end?

It looked as though the Saint John Sea Dogs were well on their way to ending their six-game slide - but then the third period happened. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles erased a 5-2 deficit and the league's leading goal scorer took the game over, guiding his club to a come-from-behind 6-5 overtime win on Sunday at Harbour Station.

Drake Batherson - who now has 15 goals in 13 games - netted a hat trick while singles came from Brooklyn Kalmikov, Ryan Francis and Adam McCormick. Kevin Mandolese was pulled after allowing two goals on eight shots in the first period. Kyle Jessiman made 19 stops in relief.

Daniel Hardie, Ostap Safin, Samuel Leblanc, Matt Green and Alexandre Lafreniere scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 33 stops in the loss.

While the game itself was entertaining, this was perhaps the Sea Dogs' most painful loss during this skid. It looked like the team was going to win for much of this game, but the Screaming Eagles dominated the third period. The Dogs were no doubt fighting some fatigue, having played Saturday night.

Saint John has now lost seven straight overall with the last six of those loses being decided by a single goal. The good news is that the Dogs were able pick up a couple points this weekend, at least.

Game Day 14: vs Screaming Eagles

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try - again - to snap their losing streak.

The Sea Dogs lost their sixth straight game - and fifth straight one goal game - last night in a shootout at Harbour Station. Saint John will look to end their streak today, hosting the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at 2 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-7-2-1 (9 points, 6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Screaming Eagles are 7-5-1-0 (15 points, 3rd Maritimes, 8th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 loss on home ice to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last night. Cole Reginato scored twice while Bailey Webster added a single. Alex D'Orio made 31 saves in the loss. The Screaming Eagles are coming off a wild 7-6 overtime loss on Thursday at Centre 200. Drake Batherson and Mathias Laferriere scored twice while Egor Sokolov and Ross MacDougall had singles. Kyle Jessiman allowed five goals on 12 shots in 40 minutes of action. Kevin Mandolese allowed two goals on 15 shots.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-1-0-0 against the Screaming Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 1 at Centre 200 where the Sea Dogs defeated the Screaming Eagles 3-1. Daniel Hardie, Radim Salda and Landon Quinney all scored for Saint John. Drake Batherson scored for Cape Breton. Alex D'Orio made 22 stops in the win. Kevin Mandolese made 33 saves in the loss.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 4-3 (SO)

FINAL: Chicoutimi 4, Saint John 3 (SO)

SAINT JOHN - It was another night of misfortune for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Chicoutimi Sagueneens scored the only goal of a four-round shootout on Saturday at Harbour Station, handing the Sea Dogs their sixth straight loss.

The loss continued a rough trend for the Sea Dogs, who lost their fifth consecutive one-goal game. This was the first one of those loses that ended in a shootout. Saint John played well at times and struggled at times, but, like their previous five loses, dropped a close, winnable game.

Cole Reginato, making his return to the lineup after a two-game absence, scored twice for the Sea Dogs. Bailey Webster added a solo marker. Alex D'Orio was excellent again, making 31 stops in the loss.

Chicoutimi had goals from Olivier Galipeau, German Rubtsov and Jeremy Diotte. Alexis Shank made 35 stops in the win.

Game Day 13: vs Sagueneens

SAINT JOHN - Coming off a fifth straight loss, the Saint John Sea Dogs look to get things back on track tonight against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

The Sea Dogs have been playing okay lately, losing four straight one goal games. Their latest loss came on Thursday against the Charlottetown Islanders.

Tonight's meeting with the Sags will be the first time the two have played each other since the QMJHL semifinals, which Saint John won in six games.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-7-2-0 (8 points, 6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 3-6-2-0 (8 points, 5th East, 16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in Charlottetown on Thursday night. Cedric Pare and Nathan Larose scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 21 stops in the loss. The Sagueneens are coming off a 3-2 loss in Moncton last night. Ryan Smith scored both Chicoutimi goals. Zachary Bouthillier made 24 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs went 2-0-0-0 against the Sagueneens last season while Chicoutimi went 0-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: April 30 in Chicoutimi where the Sea Dogs defeated the Sagueneens 6-5, winning the QMJHL semifinal playoff series in six games. Joe Veleno, Jakub Zboril, Julien Gauthier, Thomas Chabot, Samuel Dove-McFalls and Bokondji Imama scored for Saint John. Joey Ratelle and Frederic Allard each scored twice for Chicoutimi while Dmitry Zhukenov added a single. Callum Booth made 16 stops in the win. Julio Billia made 28 saves in the loss.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Charlottetown 3

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The Saint John Sea Dogs suffered their fifth straight loss on Thursday night in Charlottetown.

The Sea Dogs struggled to generate and sustain offence in a 3-2 defeat to the Charlottetown Islanders at Eastlink Centre, dropping yet another one-goal game. The loss pushes the Isles, who have now won three straight, ahead of Saint John in the standings.

Saint John has now lost four straight one goal games. Thursday's was similar to the other's - the Sea Dogs didn't play all that badly nor did they play absolutely amazing. But they matched their opponent only to fall by a single goal. The Dogs just can't break out of this slump at the moment.

Adding sting to this loss is that Saint John was outscored by the league's worst offensive team - a team that was missing it's top two scorers on Thursday due to illness and injury.

You have to give the Isles some credit for how they played in this game - and the fact that they have now won three straight.

Cayse Ton, Pascal Aquin and Matthew Grouchy had goals for Charlottetown. Matthew Welsh made 26 saves in the win.

Cedric Pare and Nathan Larose scored for the Sea Dogs. Alex D'Orio made 21 stops in the loss.

Game Day 12: at Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to snap a losing streak again tonight.

The Sea Dogs were able to take their last match to overtime, which the Moncton Wildcats ended up winning. Saint John carries a four-game losing streak into tonight's match against the Charlottetown Islanders at Eastlink Centre - which is the building their last win came in.

Puck drop this evening is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-6-2-0 (8 points, 5th Maritimes, 16th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 3-6-1-0 (7 points, 6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Moncton on Sunday. Cedric Pare scored twice while Robbie Burt added a single. Matt Williams made 25 stops in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 shootout win in Bathurst on Saturday. Sam King had a pair of goals for the Isles while Adam Marsh added a solo marker. Matthew Welsh made 40 stops in the win.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 6 in Charlottetown where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 4-0. Ostap Safin scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Kevin Gursoy and Daniel Hardie. Cody Porter made 28 saves in the shutout win. Dakato Lund-Cornish made 29 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Islanders: Forward Adam Marsh

Alumdate: Hot starts in the AHL

Matthew Highmore isn't the only Saint John Sea Dogs alumnus off to a hot start in the American Hockey League.

Highmore leads the Rockford IceHogs in scoring with three goals and five points through three games. He also sits second in AHL rookie scoring - one point behind former Charlottetown Islander Daniel Sprong.

The IceHogs might be the favourite AHL club of Sea Dogs fans right now. Tomas Jurco sits second on the team in scoring - and he setup Highmore's first AHL goal in the team's season opener on Oct. 7 in Cleveland (yes, Brett Gallant had a fight in that game).

The IceHogs received another former Sea Dog on Wednesday with the Chicago Blackhawks assigning Nathan Noel to the club. Noel has yet to play anywhere this season after suffering a knee injury at Blackhawks training camp.

In Belleville, Thomas Chabot is back from the big club, joining former Sea Dog Chris DiDomenico. DiDomenico, who spent a few years in the AHL and ECHL before going to Europe, has a Senators high three goals and two assists.

Alex Grant, meanwhile, is off to a fairly good start with the Iowa Wild. His first goal of the season came in the first period against Rockford on Oct. 8 - a period that saw Highmore score twice and Jurco record an assist. It's neat to see all three generations of Sea Dogs playing in the same game.

Here's a look at all the former Sea Dogs currently playing in the AHL.

Porter no longer with Sea Dogs

According to Cody Porter, Cody Porter is no longer with the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Porter tweeted Monday night that his brief time with the club has come to an end.

Thank you to the @SJSeaDogs .First class team from top to bottom. Not sure what the future holds for me but it’s all a part of the process. pic.twitter.com/JASHlhrPWp

— Cody Porter (@CodyPorter31) October 17, 2017

The 20-year-old netminder signed with the Sea Dogs as a free agent on Sept. 20. He appeared in two games with Saint John, recording a 1-1 record, one shutout, a 2.54 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.

Porter spent his entire junior career in the WHL before joining the Sea Dogs. In 117 career WHL games with the Vancouver Giants and Calgary Hitmen, Porter recorded a 52-42-5-4 record to go along with a 3.30 GAA and a .887 SV%. Last season, Porter appeared in 34 games with the Hitmen, posting a 14-16-2-1 record with a 3.46 GAA and a .888 SV%.

Porter has been removed from Saint John's roster on the team website. Alex D'Orio and Matt Williams will be the Sea Dogs' goaltending tandem.

The Sea Dogs now have a vacant 20-year-old spot. Bailey Webster and Cole Reginato are the team's only overage players at the moment.

18 Thoughts: Sea Dogs' offence has brought a mixed bag of results

SAINT JOHN - While the Saint John Sea Dogs have struggled to score this season, they have had some players meet and exceed expectations offensively.

Daniel Hardie, who scored 18 goals and 38 points in 45 games with a below .500 Rimouski Oceanic team last year, leads Saint John in scoring with five goals and 14 points in 11 games.

Import forward Ostap Safin has been living up to the hype, registering three goals and eight assists. Import defenceman Radim Salda has exceeded all expectations and has three goals and six assists. After some rough years and bad luck in the Import Draft, it's nice to see a couple guys come to Saint John and make an immediate impact.

Safin is fourth overall in QMJHL rookie scoring while Salda leads all rookie defencemen in points.

Captain Joe Veleno has found the back of the net just once this year, but has - somewhat quietly - recorded eight assists in 11 games. Not bad for a team that's averaging 2.16 goals per game (only Charlottetown is averaging fewer).

The big question: can these four keep this going all season? If not, who is going to step up?

As expected, Saint John's secondary scoring has been lacking - especially during this four game losing streak. After Veleno, Saint John's next leading scorer in Cedric Pare with four points.

Pare had a big game in Moncton on Sunday, which is hopefully a sign of things to come. Other guys have produced at times, but not consistently. But this was an expected problem heading into the season, and it's an issue that has no easy fix.

It's still early, though. There's plenty of time for the Sea Dogs to get their offence running smoother. We'll see.

Some other random thoughts...

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Moncton 4 (OT)

MONCTON - A frustrating trend continued for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon.

The Sea Dogs have now lost three straight one-goal games - and four straight matches overall - following a 4-3 overtime loss to the Moncton Wildcats.

Like their previous two loses, the Sea Dogs played well enough to win but simply couldn't outscore their opposition. Saint John's offence was able to score more than it has recently, though, even taking a third period lead for a short time.

The Sea Dogs aren't catching many breaks these days. Saint John, up 3-2 near the midway mark of the third, could have taken a 4-2 lead if Landon Quinney's shot had gone in rather than hitting the post. A two-goal lead at that moment could have changed the final result as the Wildcats ended up tying the game a short time later. That's the kind of puck luck the Sea Dogs have had over the past week or so.

Cedric Pare scored twice for Saint John while Robbie Burt recorded his first QMJHL goal. Matt Williams, making his first QMJHL start, played very well in the loss, making 25 saves.

Brady Pataki scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Julien Tessier and Mika Cyr. Mark Grametbauer made 32 stops in the win.

Game Day 11: at Moncton

MONCTON - Losers of three straight, the Saint John Sea Dogs will look to turn things around this afternoon in Moncton.

The Sea Dogs lost their third consecutive match last night at Harbour Station, dropping a close 3-2 contest to the Wildcats. The two meet again today as part of the QMJHL's Rivalry Weekend.

Scoring has been a major problem for the Sea Dogs during this stretch, scoring just four goals in their past three games.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-6-1-0 (7 points, 5th Maritimes, 16th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 7-1-2-0 (16 points, 1st Maritimes, 2nd QMJHL).

Last games: These two met last night at Harbour Station with the Wildcats winning 3-2. Radim Salda scored both Sea Dogs goals - both of which came on five-on-three power plays. Nicholas Welsh, Mika Cyr and Dylan Seitz scored for Moncton. Mark Grametbauer made 26 saves in the win. Alex D'Orio made 30 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-2-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 2-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: See above.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Moncton 3, Saint John 2

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' scoring woes continued on Saturday at Harbour Station.

For a third straight game, the Sea Dogs were only able to score two or fewer goals, falling 3-2 to the Moncton Wildcats. Saint John's second goal came on a five-on-three power play with 26 seconds remaining.

The Dogs have now lost three straight games, scoring a total of four goals in those loses. The good news - and frustrating news - is that two of those loses have been close games.

Saturday's game was a close battle, similar to the last time these two met.

Radim Salda scored both Sea Dogs goals - both of which came on five-on-three power plays. Alex D'Orio was solid again, making 30 stops in the loss.

Nicholas Welsh, Mika Cyr and Dylan Seitz scored for Moncton. Mark Grametbauer made 26 saves in the win.

The Wildcats led 2-0 after one thanks to goals from Welsh at 14:08 and and Cyr at 17:36. It was a hard fought opening frame, but the Wildcats seemed to take an edge in play after opening the scoring.

Salda connected on the power play at 8:27 of the second, firing a shot from the top of the circle through a screen and past Grametbauer.

Seitz scored what proved to be the game-winner at 18:03 of the second, giving Moncton a 3-1 advantage entering the third.

In a penalty filled final half of the third, Salda scored another power play goal at 19:34. That would be as close as the Dogs would come to tying things up.

Shots were 33-28 in favour of Moncton.

Game Day 10: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to end a two-game losing streak against one of the league's hottest teams tonight.

The Sea Dogs take on the Moncton Wildcats - who sit second overall in the league standings - this evening at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station. It's Pink in the Rink night, meaning the Dogs will be wearing pink jerseys that will be raffled off in-house in support of breast cancer research.

This is the second meeting of the season between the two New Brunswick rivals.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-5-1-0 (7 points, 5th Maritimes, 15th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 6-1-2-0 (14 points, 1st Maritimes, 2nd QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 loss in Bathurst on Thursday night. Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John while Alex D'Orio made 37 stops in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Wednesday at the Moncton Coliseum. Jaxon Bellamy, Jeremy McKenna and Mika Cyr scored for Moncton. Mark Grametbauer made 40 stops in the win.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Sept. 29 at the Moncton Coliseum where the Wildcats defeated the Sea Dogs 6-4. Mika Cyr scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Simon Le Coultre, Jakob Pelletier, Jonathan Aspirot and Jeremy McKenna. Alexis Girard, Anthony Boucher, Daniel Hardie and Cedric Pare scored for Saint John. Mark Grametbauer made 30 saves in the win. Cody Porter made 29 stops in the loss.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 2-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Bathurst 2

BATHURST - The Saint John Seas Dogs find themselves in a slump heading into a weekend doubleheader with the league's top team.

The Sea Dogs suffered their second straight loss on Thursday night, falling 2-1 to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the KC Irving Regional Centre. This was also the second straight game Saint John scored just one goal.

Like Saturday's 8-1 blowout loss to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the Sea Dogs got off to a bad start. In the first period, the Dogs gave the Titan three power plays and were outshot 16-5. The good news for the Dogs was that they were down just 1-0 after one, but that goal proved to be pivotal in this low scoring contest.

Saint John did rebound from the rough first period, something they couldn't do on Saturday. The Dogs outshot the Titan in the second and managed to get on the board in the third, making it 2-1. But, despite some strong offensive pressure in final half of the third, Saint John would come no closer.

Kevin Gursoy scored Saint John's lone goal. Alex D'Orio was once again strong in net, making 37 saves in a third star performance.

Antoine Morand and Domenic Malatesta scored for the Titan. Reilly Pickard made 30 stops in the win.

Saint John will need to find their 'A' game again this weekend when they play the Moncton Wildcats twice as part of the QMJHL's Rivalry Week. The Wildcats are off to a great start and sit atop the league's standings with a 6-1-2 record.

Game Day 9: at Bathurst

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to rebound from their worst loss of the season tonight.

The Sea Dogs lost 8-1 on home ice to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday. The team got off to a rough start and never got things straightened out. They'll look to make some adjustments tonight when they face the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the KC Irving Regional Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-4-0-1 (7 points, 5th Maritimes, 14th QMJHL) this season while the Titan are 3-2-2-1 (9 points, 4th Maritimes, 10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-1 loss on home ice to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday at Harbour Station. Daniel Hardie scored Saint John's lone goal. Alex D'Orio allowed five goals on 15 shots while Matthew Williams allowed three goals on 19 shots. The Titan are coming off a 3-0 loss to the Quebec Remparts on Sunday. Adam Holwell scored twice while Antoine Morand added a single. Reilly Pickard made 22 saves in the shutout win.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Titan this season while Bathurst is 0-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: The Sea Dogs defeated the Titan 3-1 on Oct. 4 at Harbour Station. Ostap Safin, Alexis Girard and Cole Reginato scored for Saint John. Adam Holwell replied for Bathurst. Alex D'Orio made 34 saves in the win. Dominik Tmej allowed three goals on nine shots. Reilly Pickard made 17 saves in the loss.

U-17 Hockey Challenge coming in 2018

A major hockey tournament is coming to Saint John and Quispamsis next year.

On Tuesday, Hockey Canada announced that the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be held at Harbour Station and the qplex Nov. 3-10, 2018.

“The hockey community of southwestern New Brunswick is thrilled that Hockey Canada has chosen us to host this major international event,” said Aaron Kennedy, chair of the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge host organizing committee, in a release. “Our volunteers are excited and we promise to work hard over the next year to ensure we run a fantastic tournament.”

According to a release, "the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, Hockey New Brunswick, and the Canadian Hockey League, as well as the City of Saint John, the Town of Quispamsis, and the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL."

Huge congrats to @VisitSaintJohn @shannabanana8 @scoop88 @VictoriaClarke1 on the announcement of the @HockeyCanada World Under 17s! pic.twitter.com/WsdycVKLBc

— Wayne Long (@WayneLongSJ) October 11, 2017

This will be the first time New Brunswick has hosted the event since Moncton in 1995.

Quispamsis hosted the Telus Cup in 2016. Other than that, there haven't been a lot of major hockey events held in the province in recent years, so this is good to see.

The event, which features three Canadian teams, is loaded with future NHL players every year.

Ticket and schedule information - which will include pre-tournament games - has not been released yet. The Sea Dogs did, however, inform Season Ticket Members and corporate partners about discounted ticket rates on Wednesday.

This year's World Under-17 Hockey Challenge is being held in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C.  next month.

Ward leading MHL in scoring

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Kyle Ward is off to a blazing start with the Edmundston Blizzard.

Heading into the MHL Showcase, which begins Tuesday in Summerside, Ward leads the league in points (14) and goals (10). The 20-year-old's play is a major reason why the Blizzard - formerly the Dieppe Commandos - are a league leading 7-0.

The Blizzard captain was named the MHL Player of the Month for September.

Ward spent the past two seasons with the Sea Dogs but was reassigned by the club this August. He has nine goals and 11 assists in 112 career QMJHL games.

This is Ward's first MHL action since the 2014-15 season when he suited up for the Commanados.

The Blizzard feature a few other notable names as well. 20-year-old defenecman Alexandre Bernier, who was reassigned by the Sea Dogs at the same time as Ward, has four assists in seven games. Tristan Mercure and Justin Lush, who both attended Sea Dogs camp, are also part of Edmundston's squad.

The MHL Showcase, which features all 12 of the league's teams playing games over two days, begins on Tuesday afternoon in Summerside. The Blizzard will play the Pictou County Weeks Crushers at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and the Truro Bearcats at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Some other MHL notes...

• Jordan King, who played in eight games with Saint John during the 2015-16 season, is fourth in league scoring with three goals and 12 points in seven games with the Amherst Ramblers. King is the Ramblers' captain.
• The St. Stephen Aces are 3-6 - but that's good enough for third in the Eastlink North Division. Sea Dogs prospect Aiden MacIntosh has two goals and four points in nine games.
• Mark Perone, a Toronto native who attended Sea Dogs rookie camp, is playing with the Aces this season. He has a goal and two assists in nine games.
• The Woodstock Slammers traded Ian Smallwood to the South Shore Lumberjacks last week. The defenceman has a goal and an assist in six MHL games.

Photo: Blizzard Facebook page

Chabot scores first pro goal; recalled by Senators to NHL

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Thomas Chabot didn't have to wait long to get called up to the NHL.

The Ottawa Senators announced this afternoon that Chabot has been recalled to the big club. The Sens assigned Chabot to Belleville of the American Hockey League on Oct. 1 following a rough final preseason outing with Ottawa.

The @Senators have recalled defencemen @ThomasChabot1 and @atani83 #itBegins #BellevilleSens pic.twitter.com/ORUHw1ZCAk

— Belleville Senators (@BellevilleSens) October 8, 2017

Chabot appeared in one NHL game with Ottawa last season before being assigned back to Saint John for a final season of junior.

Ottawa begins a western Canada road trip on Tuesday in Vancouver.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 8-1

FINAL: Blainville-Boisbriand 8, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN - It was a night to forget for the Saint John Dogs.

The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada scored three goals in first period and four in the second in an 8-1 blowout victory of the Sea Dogs on Friday night at Harbour Station. The loss ended Saint John's three-game winning streak and sent the team back below the .500 mark.

The Sea Dogs got off to bad start and were never able to recover in what was the squad's worst loss of the season. The Armada's three goals in the first period came on just eight shots, but it was hard to fault Alex D'Orio on any of them. It was simply a rough, rough night for Saint John.

D'Orio was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 15 shots. Matt Williams allowed three goals on 19 shots in relief.

Daniel Hardie scored Saint John's lone goal on the night.

Alexander Katerinakis scored two goals for the Armada while singles came from Ryan DaSilva, Anthony Poulin, Connor Bramwell, Jan Hladonik, Thomas Ethier and Charles-Antoine Giguere. Goaltender Emile Samson, making his QMJHL debut, made 27 saves in his first career victory.

Game Day 8: vs Armada

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs look to extend their winning streak tonight at Harbour Station.

Winners of three straight, the Sea Dogs host the St. John's Fog Devils Montreal Junior Blainville-Boisbriand Armada this evening at 7 p.m.

This is the first time these expansion cousins have met since the President Cup Final this past May.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 3-3-1-0 (7 points, 3rd Maritimes, 7th QMJHL) while the Armada are 3-1-0-0 (6 points, 2nd West Division, 9th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-0 win in Charlottetown last night. Ostap Safin scored twice while Kevin Gursoy and Daniel Hardie added singles. Cody Porter made 28 saves for his first QMJHL shutout and win. The Armada are coming off a 5-4 overtime win in Bathurst last night. Antoine Crete-Belzile scored twice while singles came from Micheal Kemp, Anthony Poulin and Joel Teasdale. Francis Leclerc made 33 saves in the win.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-0-1-0 against the Armada in the regular season last year while Blainville-Boisbriand went 1-1-0-0 against Saint John. The two also met in the President Final, which the Sea Dogs won in four straight games.

Last meeting: May 10 in Boisbriand where the Sea Dogs won Game 4 of the President Cup Final 5-1. Spencer Smallman scored twice while singles came from Bokondji Imama, Simon Bourque and Matthew Highmore. Pierre-Luc Dubois scored for the Armada. Callum Booth made 20 saves in the win. Samuel Montembeault made 29 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Armada: None.

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 4-0

FINAL: Saint John 4, Charlottetown 0

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The Saint John Sea Dogs solved the Charlottetown Islanders' penalty kill on Friday night at Eastlink Centre.

Charlottetown's penalty kill entered the game with a league best rating of 94.4% but struggled on Friday, giving up four goals in a 4-0 loss to the Sea Dogs.

The Islanders' penalty kill had been one of the few bright spots for the team so far this season. Charlottetown has just one win - and overtime victory in Saint John - and has scored just six goals in six games. They are now 1-5 on the season.

Meanwhile, the Sea Dogs have turned around their early season struggles, winning their third straight. Saint John is now 3-3-1-0 after a 0-4 start.

Saint John's offence was once agin led by Ostap Safin (two goals and an assist) and Daniel Hardie (one goal and one assist). Kevin Gursoy also scored while Joe Veleno and Radim Salda each had two assists.

Cody Porter earned his first QMJHL win and shutout, making 28 saves.

Game Day 7: at Charlottetown

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look for their third straight win tonight in Charlottetown.

The Sea Dogs, after an 0-4 start, have won back-to-back contests heading into this evening's 7 p.m. contest at Eastlink Centre.

The Islanders, meanwhile, have just one win in five tries this year - and that one victory was an overtime win in Saint John.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 2-3-1-0 (5 points, 5th Maritimes, 11th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 1-4-0-0 (2 points, 6th Maritimes, 16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-1 win over the Titan on Wednesday at Harbour Station. Ostap Safin, Alexis Girard and Cole Reginato scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 34 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off a 3-0 loss in Halifax on Sunday. Matthew Welsh made 22 saves in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-0-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 6-2-1-0 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 3-6-0-0 against against Saint John.

Last meeting: Sept. 28 at Harbour Station where the Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 2-1 in overtime. Adam Marsh and Keith Getson scored for Charlottetown. Joe Veleno scored Saint John's lone goal. Matthew Welsh made 20 saves in the win. Alex D'Orio made 46 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Islanders: Forward Adam Marsh

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 3-1

FINAL: Bathurst 1, Saint John 3

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are on a winning streak.

After an 0-4 start to the season, the Sea Dogs won their second straight QMJHL contest on Wednesday night, defeating the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 3-1 at Harbour Station.

Ostap Safin, Alexis Girard and Cole Reginato all scored for the Sea Dogs. Alex D'Orio was once again terrific in net, making 34 stops in a first star performance.

Like Sunday's win in Cape Breton - Saint John's first victory of the season - the Sea Dogs had a great first period. The Dogs opened the scoring less than two minutes in and led 3-0 after the opening frame.

Dominik Tmej allowed three goals on nine shots in the first. Reilly Pickard came on in relief and stopped all 17 shots he faced.

The Titan had their moments, outshooting Saint John 35-26. But D'Orio was the big difference maker, making several timely stops.

Game Day 6: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - Coming off their first victory of the season, the Saint John Sea Dogs will look to make it two-in-a-row tonight when they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at Harbour Station.

This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Titan, who split a pair of games in the preseason.

Puck drop tonight is at 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 1-3-1-0 (3 points, 5th Maritimes, 14th QMJHL) while the Titan are 2-1-1-1 (6 points, 3rd Maritimes, 7th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-1 win in Cape Breton on Sunday. Daniel Hardie, Radim Salda and Landon Quinney all scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 22 saves in the win. The Titan are coming off a 4-3 loss in Halifax on Saturday. Samuel L'Italien, Jeffrey Truchon-Viel and Justin Ducharme scored for Bathurst. Reilly Pickard made 29 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 4-4-1-0 against the Titan last season while Bathurst went 5-4-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Aug. 25 at the KC Irving Regional Centre where the Titan defeated the Sea Dogs in preseason play. Ethan Crossman had four goals for the Titan while singles came from Domenic Malatesta, Jordan Maher, Dawson Theede, Jeffrey Truchon-Viel and Antoine Morand. Ian Smallwood, Cedric Pare, Aiden MacIntosh and Samuel Leblanc scored for Saint John. Matthew Williams was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots in the first period. Joel Goguen made 16 saves in relief. For Bathurst, Dominik Tmej made 11 saves through two periods. Simon Boudreault-Belzile made eight saves in relief.

Deakin-Poot joining Sea Dogs?

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Are the Saint John Sea Dogs bringing in another Ontario forward?

Long-time Guelph Storm reporter Tony Saxon tweeted on Monday that there are rumblings of forward Nick Deakin-Poot joining the Sea Dogs.

Hearing Nick Deakin-Poot is heading to the St. John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL.

— Tony Saxon (@SaxonOnTheStorm) October 2, 2017

Deakin-Poot, a third-round pick of the Storm in 2015, has spent the past two seasons with the club but has not produced a whole lot offensively. In 112 career OHL games, the centre has 10 goals and 21 points.

The Georgetown, Ont. native has appeared in two games with Guelph this season, recording one assist. He is also listed on the active roster for the Brampton Jr. B 99ers of the GOJHL.

The Sea Dogs have added a number of Ontario-born players over the past few weeks as they try to retool their roster without giving up assets. The signings include Kevin Gursoy, Robbie Burt and Samuel Duchesne.

If Deakin-Poot signs with the Dogs, he would immediately crack the list of top names in team history.

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 3-1

FINAL: Saint John, Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs earned their first win of the season on Sunday at Centre 200.

Radim Salda's first QMJHL goal at 15:36 of the third period ended up being the game-winner as the Sea Dogs defeated the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles by a score of 3-1.

Salda, Daniel Hardie and Landon Quinney all scored in the win. Alex D'Orio had another strong game, making 22 saves.

The victory comes after several close loses for the Sea Dogs, who were no doubt getting frustrated by their final results. Given D'Orio's reaction to the final horn sounding, the win is no doubt a relief for the team.

Drake Batherson had Cape Breton's lone goal in what was a very entertaining, back-and-forth affair. Kevin Mandolese made 33 stops in the loss.

Chabot assigned to AHL Belleville

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Thomas Chabot was assigned to the American Hockey League by the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

Chabot had a rough outing in the Senators' final preseason match on Saturday, posting a -5 rating in 16:59 of ice time in Ottawa's 9-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

The 20-year-old defenceman will start the 2017-18 with the Senators' new AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, where he'll be reunited with former Sea Dogs assistant coach Paul Boutilier. The team begins regular season play on Friday in Laval against the Rocket.

Chabot will likely see some NHL action at some point this season, whether that be as a call up or a full time member of the Sens.

A 2015 first-rounder, Chabot started last season with Ottawa, appearing in one game before being sent back to Saint John.

In 34 regular season games with the Sea Dogs last year, Chabot had 10 goals and 45 points. He had another five goals and 23 points in 18 playoff games.

Game Day 5: at Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try once again to get their first win of the season.

Saint John is one of just three teams without a win yet this season, joining Shawinigan and Chicoutimi. They'll look to change that this afternoon when they take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in Sydney. Game time is 4 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 0-3-1-0 (1 point, 6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Screaming Eagles are 3-0-0-0 (6 points, 1st Maritimes, 3rd QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-4 loss in Moncton on Friday night. Alexis Girard, Anthony Boucher, Daniel Hardie and Cedric Pare all scored for Saint John. Cody Porter made 29 saves in the loss. The Screaming Eagles are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on home ice on Friday. Ryan Francis, Egor Sokolov, Mathias Laferriere and Declan Smith scored for Cape Breton. Kyle Jessiman made 21 saves in the win.

2016-17 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 6-2-1-0 against the Screaming Eagles last season while Cape Breton went 3-6-0-0 against Saint John.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Screaming Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Sept. 23 at Harbour Station where the Screaming Eagles defeated the Sea Dogs 3-1. Drake Batherson, Sacha Roy and Egor Sokolov all scored for Cape Breton. Isiah Campbell scored Saint John's lone goal. Kevin Mandolese made 28 saves in the win. Alex D'Orio made 31 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Screaming Eagles: None