Game Day 50: at Chicoutimi

CHICOUTIMI, Que. - It hasn't been an easy road trip so far for the Saint John Sea Dogs - and things won't be getting any easier.

The Sea Dogs face one of the league's heavyweights, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, tonight at 8:30 p.m. The Sags sit second in the overall standings and are widely considered to be one of the favourites to win the President Cup this season.

Saint John has dropped the first two games of this road trip, falling in Rimouski on Tuesday and Quebec City on Wednesday.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-26-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 33-9-4-0 for 70 points (first East, first Eastern, second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-1 loss in Quebec City on Wednesday. Dawson Stairs scored Saint John's only goal. Noah Patenaude made 38 stops in the loss. The Sagueneens are coming off a 6-1 loss to the league leading Sherbrooke Phoenix on Sunday. Felix-Antoine Drolet scored Chicoutimi's only goal. Alexis Shank made 42 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Sagueneens this season while Chicoutimi is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 22 at TD Station where the Sags defeated the Dogs 5-4. Félix-Antoine Marcotty, Justin Ducharme, Félix-Antoine Drolet, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Ethan Crossman scored for Chicoutimi. Saint John goals came from Charlie DesRoches, Brady Burns, Ben Badalamenti and Maxim Cajkovic. Daniel Moody made 33 stops in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 37 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Quebec 4

QUEBEC CITY, Que. - The Quebec Remparts are enjoying the Maritimes this season.

The Remparts improved to 6-0-0-0 against Maritimes Division clubs on Wednesday night at Videotron Centre, defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs 4-1. It was the second time this season that Quebec bested Saint John.

Much like Tuesday night in Rimouski, play was pretty even through a lot of the game but the Sea Dogs' penalty troubles proved costly. The Remparts scored their first two goals on the man advantage and finished the night 2/6 when up a man.

It's been a frustrating week for the Sea Dogs, who have been playing decent but haven't been able to pick up a win. They have now dropped three straight games and have one of the league's best teams, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, on deck.

Anthony Gagnon, Pierrick Dube, Jacob Melanson and Nathan Gaucher scored for Quebec. Tristan Côté-Cazenave made 29 saves in the win.

Dawson Stairs scored Saint John's only goal. Noah Patenaude made 36 stops in the loss.

Game Day 49: at Quebec

QUEBEC CITY, Que. - The road trip continues for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

After a close loss to the Rimouski Oceanic last night, the Sea Dogs continue their tour around the East Division with a stop at the Videotron Centre. Saint John will faceoff against Patrick Roy and the Quebec Remparts tonight at 8 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-25-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Remparts are 19-26-2-1 for 41 points (fourth East, eighth Eastern, 15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in Rimouski last night. Maxim Cajkovic and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Zachary Bouthillier made 41 stops in the loss. The Remparts are coming off a 4-2 loss in Rimouski on Sunday. Anthony Gagnon and Nathan Gaucher scored for Quebec. Emerik Despatie made 30 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Remparts this season while Quebec is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 6 at TD Station where the Remparts defeated the Sea Dogs 7-5. Darien Kielb had a hat trick for Quebec while singles came from Colton O'Brien, Nathan Gaucher, James Malatesta and Felix Bibeau. Nicholas Deakin-Poot scored twice for Saint John with singles coming from Nicolas Guay, Jeremie Poirier and Brady Burns. Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo made 36 saves in the win. Noah Patenaude made 31 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Rimouski 3

RIMOUSKI, Que. - A third period goal by Adam Raska proved to be the difference on Tuesday night at Sun Life Financial Colisee.

Raska's third period goal ended up being the game-winner in a 3-2 Rimouski Oceanic victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. Saint John applied some great pressure in the final 30 seconds of regulation to try and net the equalizer, but it wasn't to be on this night.

The ice was heavily tilted in favour of the Oceanic in the opening frame thanks to three power play opportunities. Zachary Bouthillier was busy, stopping all 16 shots he faced. Saint John recorded just two shots in the frame.

Saint John turned things around in the second when Maxim Cajkovic opened the scoring at 3:59. The Oceanic scored two in the period to grab a 2-1 edge through 40 minutes.

Jeremie Poirier finished off a nice passing play with William Villeneuve and Joshua Roy early in the third to tie the game at 2-2. Raska would put the Oceanic in front for good at 10:30.

Zachary Massicotte and Nathan Ouellet also scored for Rimouski. Creed Jones made 23 stops in the win.

Bouthillier made 41 saves in the loss.

While the Oceanic were no doubt the favourites heading into the match, this will go down as a missed opportunity for the Sea Dogs. The Oceanic were without two of their top forwards - Alexis Lafreniere and Nicolas Guay - and started their backup goaltender. Saint John came close to a win, but it just wasn't quite enough.

Saint John's four-game Quebec road trip continues tomorrow night in Quebec City.

Lafreniere suspended for match with Dogs

Embed from Getty Images
RIMOUSKI, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs will avoid the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's leading scorer tonight.

The QMJHL announced on Tuesday that Alexis Lafreniere has been suspended three games for a check to the head in Sunday's Oceanic win over the Quebec Remparts.

Alexis Lafrenière has been suspended for 3 games by the QMJHL for delivering a head shot.

(🎥: RDS) pic.twitter.com/el6uRatVnr

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 28, 2020

Lafreniere will begin serving the three-game suspension tonight when the Sea Dogs take on the Oceanic at 8:30 p.m.

This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the two clubs. On Halloween night, Lafreniere recorded four assists in the Oceanic's 6-1 win over the Sea Dogs at TD Station.

Nicolas Guay, meanwhile, is questionable for tonight's game due to injury, reports le Journal de Quebec. Guay, the former Sea Dogs captain, missed Sunday's game.

Game Day 48: at Rimouski

RIMOUSKI, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin their final Quebec road trip of the regular season tonight.

The Sea Dogs play the first of four straight road games this evening against Nicolas Guay, Cedric Pare and the Rimouski Oceanic. Following tonight's matchup they'll make stops in Quebec City, Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau.

Game time tonight is 8:30 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-24-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Oceanic are 27-14-3-4 for 61 points (second East, third Eastern, fourth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday at TD Station. Anderson MacDonald scored Saint John's lone goal. Zachary Bouthillier made 27 saves in the loss. The Oceanic are coming off a 4-2 home win over the Quebec Remparts on Sunday. Maxime Collin, Adam Raska, Justin Bergeron and Zachary Bolduc scored for Rimouski. Colten Ellis made 24 saves in the win.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Oceanic this season while Rimouski is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Halloween night at TD Station where the Oceanic defeated the Sea Dogs 6-1. Cedric Pare had a hat trick while Rimouski singles came from Isaac Belliveau, Dmitry Zavgorodniy and Adam Raska. Joona Lehmus scored Saint John's only goal. Raphael Audet made 15 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 50 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 2-1

FINAL: Charlottetown 2, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN - Sometimes you score 10, sometimes you score one.

A couple days after scoring 10 goals against the Gatineau Olympiques, the Saint John Sea Dogs found themselves in a low scoring affair against the defensively stingy Charlottetown Islanders. Despite outshooting the Isles and controlling the play at times, the Sea Dogs fell 2-1 to the visitors at TD Station on Friday night.

The Sea Dogs outplayed Charlottetown in the first period but still found themselves down 2-0. The Islanders gained momentum throughout the contest and survived a third period surge - including an Anderson MacDonald shot that hit the post with just over 30 seconds remaining - by the Sea Dogs to end a two-game losing skid.

Brendon Clavelle and Cole Edwards scored for Charlottetown. Matthew Welsh made 40 saves in the win.

MacDonald scored Saint John's only goal. Zachary Bouthillier made 27 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 47: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs say farewell to TD Station for couple weeks tonight.

Tonight's contest against the Charlottetown Islanders will be Saint John's final home game until Feb. 7. The Sea Dogs begin a challenging four-game Quebec road trip on Tuesday night, visiting Alex Lafreniere and the Rimouski Oceanic.

Game time this evening against the Isles is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-23-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 23-18-5-0 for 51 points (third Maritimes, fifth Eastern, eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a wild 10-6 win over the Gatineau Olympiques on Wednesday at TD Station. Josh Lawrence and Jeremie Poirier each scored twice while singles came from Julian Vander Voet, Joshua Roy, William Villeneuve, Kale McCallum, Maxim Cajkovic and Nicholas Deakin-Poot. Noah Patenaude made 27 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off an 8-2 home loss to the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday. William Trudeau and Justin Gill scored Charlottetown's lone goals. Matthew Welsh allowed five goals on 16 shots before being pulled. Jacob Goobie allowed three goals on 18 shots in relief.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-3-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 4-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Jan. 4 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 4-3. Josh Lawrence scored two goals for Saint John while singles came from Dawson Stairs and Joshua Roy. Lukas Cormier, Thomas Casey and Brett Budgell scored for the Islanders. Zachary Bouthillier made 29 saves in the win. Matthew Welsh made 26 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 10-6

FINAL: Gatineau 6, Saint John 10

SAINT JOHN - A wild night at TD Station ended with a Saint John Sea Dogs victory.

The Sea Dogs and Gatineau Olympiques went back-and-forth all night long in an offensive affair that ended in a 10-6 Saint John win. The two clubs combined for 16 goals on 75 shots, which included a seven goal second period.

The Sea Dogs chased their former teammate, goaltender Tommy DaSilva, from the Olympiques net after he allowed six goals on 31 shots in the first 40 minutes. Saint John scored on just their second shot of the game, which ended up setting the tone for a busy night. It was DaSilva's first start with his new team after being traded by Saint John at the holiday deadline.

Remi Poirier, Gatineau's No. 1 netminder, didn't have much better luck with the Dogs, allowing four goal on 11 shots in the third.

Several Sea Dogs had big offensive nights. Josh Lawrence and Jeremie Poirier each scored twice while Joshua Roy added a goal and three assists. William Villeneuve and Nicholas Deakin-Poot each had a goal and two helpers while other singles came from Kale McCallum, Julian Vander Voet and Maxim Cajkovic.

Noah Patenaude didn't have a night to remember in the Sea Dogs net, but earned the win anyways. He looked shaky at times, allowing six goals on 33 shots.

The Sea Dogs victory ended a four-game winning streak for the Olympiques.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 46: vs Olympiques

SAINT JOHN - After facing one of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's top teams in back-to-back games last weekend, a seemingly easier test awaits the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight.

The Gatineau Olympiques, who sit 17th in the overall standings, make their only visit of the season to TD Station this evening. While the Olympiques own one of the league's worst records, they come into Saint John as one of the league's hottest teams, winning four straight and nine of their past 10. They're not the Wildcats, but the Sea Dogs would be wise to not take the Olympiques too lightly.

Game time is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 21-23-1-0 for 43 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Olympiques are 16-24-3-0 for 35 points (fourth West, eighth Western, 17th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday. Jeffrey Durocher scored twice while singles came from Matt Gould and Dawson Stairs. Zachary Bouthillier allowed five goals on 51 shots in 40 minutes of play. Noah Patenaude made 16 stops in relief. The Olympiques are coming off an 8-3 home win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday. Zachary Dean had a hat trick for Gatineau while singles came from Mathieu Bizier, Kieran Craig, Manix Landry, Jeremy Rainville and Pier-Olivier Roy. Remi Poirier made 24 stops in the win.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Olympiques this season while Gatineau is 0-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Dec. 4 in Gatineau where the Sea Dogs defeated the Olympiques 8-4. Josh Lawrence, Dawson Stairs, Nicolas Guay, Jeremie Poirier, Kale McCallum, Alex Drover, Matt Gould and Maxim Cajkovic scored for Saint John. Gatineau goals came from Kieran Craig, William Dagenais, Pier-Olivier Roy and Charles-Antoine Roy. Noah Patenaude made 18 stops in the win. Remi Poirier was pulled after allowing four goals on 17 shots. Creed Jones allowed three goals on 15 shots.

City seeking deals for TD Station

SAINT JOHN - More changes could be on the way to the Saint John Sea Dogs' home - and they may be much more significant than a name change.

The City of Saint John announced yesterday that it is open to selling or leasing the publicly owned and operated facility to the private sector. From a news release:

The City of Saint John is seeking to engage with experienced organizations interested in the purchase or lease, and related operation, of TD Station, one of Eastern Canada’s most popular and successful multi-purpose event venues. Any partnership would be for the purposes of maintaining the facility as a major events venue for the benefit of the Greater Saint John Region. The formal and open request for expressions of interest was issued by the City on January 20, 2020 and will close on February 14, 2020. 

“There are a number of potential types of partnerships whereby the importance of the facility to the Region could be protected but perhaps with reduced overall costs,” says Saint John Mayor Don Darling. “At this point, we are in the early exploratory stages to find out what they might be. Deliberations and a decision to proceed with any interested party will only be made once options are explored and City staff report to Common Council with a business case.”

It is noted a couple times in the release that the facility must remain an entertainment venue and its current lease agreements with the Sea Dogs and TD, which both run until 2024, must be honoured. The idea of the venue being bought and blown up is out of the question.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-4

FINAL: Moncton 7, Saint John 4

SAINT JOHN - The Moncton Wildcats finally found a way to win at TD Station.

The Wildcats, who were winless in three tries in Saint John this season, fired a franchise record 69 nice shots on goal in a dominant 7-4 win over the Sea Dogs on Saturday night.

The Sea Dogs managed to grab a 3-0 lead in the first period - scoring on their first two shots of the game - but watched that lead slowly slip away. The Wildcats scored twice in the first and three times in the second to stay in front for good.

Saint John was simply outmatched by a superior hockey club. The Wildcats, who loaded up during the holiday trading period, look like they are on their way clicking as a group. The next few meetings between the two could be just as lopsided.

Gabriel Fortier and Jordan Spence both scored two goals for Moncton while singles came from Alexander Khovanov, Philippe Daoust and Benoit-Olivier Groulx. Olivier Rodrigue made 26 saves in the win.

Saint John had a pair of goals from Jeffrey Durocher and solo markers from Matt Gould and Dawson Stairs. Zachary Bouthillier made 46 stops in the first 40 minutes and Noah Patenaude 16 in the third.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 45: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats meet again tonight at TD Station.

The Wildcats registered 49 shots on goal last night at Avenir Centre in a 4-3 win over the Sea Dogs. They'll look to win their third straight game this evening.

Game time is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 21-22-1-0 for 43 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 29-12-0-0 for 58 points (first Maritimes, second Eastern, third QMJHL).

Last games: The Wildcats defeated the Sea Dogs 4-3 last night in Moncton. Mika Cyr, Jared McIsaac, Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Liam Leonard scored for Moncton. Dawson Stairs, Jeremie Poirier and Jeffrey Durocher scored for Saint John. Olivier Rodrigue made 23 stops in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 45 saves in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 3-2-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 2-3-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Last night. See above.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Moncton 4

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs came close but could not edge the Moncton Wildcats on Friday night at Avenir Centre.

Despite being heavily outshot for most of the night, Zachary Bouthillier gave the Sea Dogs a chance which resulted in a 4-3 Wildcats win. Bouthillier made 45 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs didn't play a bad game but were definitely outmatched by the Wildcats for the majority of the game. Bouthillier made several key saves throughout the contest to keep it close.

The Wildcats clearly haven't clicked yet, which is understandable given the amount of additions they made during the QMJHL trading period. Some of their top players weren't overly visible in this game. They'll get things rolling at some point - but the Sea Dogs will hope that happens after Saturday night's rematch.

Mika Cyr, Jared McIsaac, Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Liam Leonard scored for Moncton. Olivier Rodrigue made 23 stops in the win.

Dawson Stairs, Jeremie Poirier and Jeffrey Durocher scored for Saint John.

Game Day 44: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats play the first game of a home-and-home series tonight at Avenir Centre.

The Sea Dogs have a tall task in front of them this weekend, facing a team that has loaded up for a long playoff run and will dress their full lineup for just the second time.

Game time this evening is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 21-21-1-0 for 43 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 28-12-0-0 for 56 points (first Maritimes, second Eastern, third QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-0 home win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday. Dawson Stairs, Josh Lawrence and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Zachary Bouthillier made 32 stops in the shutout win. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-1 home win over the Cape Breton Eagles on Sunday. Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Philippe Daoust, Jakob Pelletier and Tristan DeJong scored for Moncton. Kevin Mandolese made 34 stops in the win.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 3-1-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 1-3-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Dec. 29 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats 1-0. Kale McCallum scored the game's lone goal. Zachary Bouthillier made 43 stops in the victory.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Wildcats: Radio broadcaster Tim Roszell.

Poirier scores in Top Prospects Game

Embed from Getty Images
HAMILTON, ON - Jeremie Poirier scored in the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Thursday night.

Poirier scored the game's first goal to give his Team Red squad, headlined by captain Quinton Byfield, an early lead. Unfortunately for Poirier, who finished a -1, Team White scored three times in the second period and went on to win 5-3.

Here’s the perfectly placed one-timer from the @SJSeaDogs blueliner! 🔥 #CHLKTP pic.twitter.com/QA4tk8W9MG

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) January 17, 2020

Poirier was paired with Erie Otters defenseman Jamie Drysdale. He finished with an assist and a game high five shots. His assist came on a Dawson Mercer goal scored in the final seconds of regulation.

The Sea Dogs defenseman was also the victim of this hit from Team White captain Alexis Lafreniere.

Key thing about this hit (like Sam Cosentino said) was Lafreniere getting right back into the play. All in one motion. He would end up with an Ovechkin-style bullet through a screen seconds later that nearly took the goalie's head off. pic.twitter.com/seIwbXXO3K

— Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst) January 17, 2020

Poirier is projected to be a first round pick by most draft publications and he didn't look out of place on Thursday. This week, Poirier was ranked 16th amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and TSN's Craig Button ranked him 18th overall.

Four Dogs crack latest CSS rankings

SAINT JOHN - Four members of the Saint John Sea Dogs cracked NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings for the 2020 NHL Draft.

Defenseman Jeremie Poirier was the highest ranked Sea Dog, coming in at No. 16 amongst North American skaters. Poirier has been projected to be a mid to late first round pick by most scouting publications all season long.

The other Sea Dogs to be make the rankings were defenseman William Villeneuve (No. 108), defenseman Charlie DesRoches (No. 169) and forward Brady Burns (No. 188).

Poirier will be the only Sea Dog taking part in Thursday's CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Hamilton. That game can be seen on Sportsnet.

Rimouski Oceanic forward Alexis Lafreniere was, unsurprisingly, the top ranked North American skater.

The full list can be found here.

The 2020 NHL Draft takes place June 26-27 in Montreal.

Huberdeau makes history with Panthers

Embed from Getty Images

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' all-time leading scorer has become the leading scorer of another franchise.

Jonathan Huberdeau recorded his 420th point as a member of the Florida Panthers on Sunday night, passing Olli Jokinen as the NHL franchise's all-time leading scorer.

Fittingly, the record breaking point came on a Mike Hoffman goal - who Huberdeau played with during the 2009-10 Sea Dogs season.

And there you have it, Jonathan Huberdeau (@JonnyHuby11) — the all-time @FlaPanthers leader in points! pic.twitter.com/sVIkXRc17Y

— NHL (@NHL) January 13, 2020

Huby Duby History. #FlaPanthers @JonnyHuby11 now holds the franchise points record! pic.twitter.com/PNeuU6NqaB

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) January 13, 2020

After quietly recording 92 points last season, Huberdeau is on pace to have the best campaign of his NHL career. With a goal and an assist in Florida's 8-4 blowout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, Huberdeau now has 18 goals and 61 points in 45 games.

Huberdeau will participate in the NHL All-Star Game for the first time in his career later this month.

The 26-year-old recorded 257 points in 195 QMJHL games with the Sea Dogs over three-and-a-half seasons.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 3-0

FINAL: Baie-Comeau 0, Saint John 3

SAINT JOHN - The Baie-Comeau Drakkar seemingly ran out of gas on Sunday at TD Station.

Playing their second road game in less than 24 hours, the Drakkar had their four-game winning streak come to a close with a 3-0 loss to the Saint John Sea Dogs. Zachary Bouthillier made 32 stops to earn his second shutout of the season.

All of the scoring was done in the first period on Sunday. Dawson Stairs, Josh Lawrence and Brady Burns all scored.

Lucas Fitzpatrick made 32 stops in the loss.

The win pushes the Sea Dogs back to the .500 mark with a 21-21-1-0 record. They'll face a tough test this coming weekend, playing a home-and-home with the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 43: vs Drakkar

SAINT JOHN - After dropping back-to-back games against the hot Cape Breton Eagles, the Saint John Sea Dogs will face another team on a winning streak this afternoon.

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar come into TD Station today with a four-game winning streak. That includes a confidence building 5-2 victory over the Moncton Wildcats last night at Avenir Centre.

Game time this afternoon is 3 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 20-21-1-0 for 41 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Drakkar are 19-16-4-1 for 43 points (third East, sixth Eastern, ninth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-2 loss in Cape Breton on Friday night. Nicholas Deakin-Poot and Julian Vander Voet scored for Saint John. Zachary Bouthillier made 40 stops in the loss. The Drakkar are coming off a 5-2 win in Moncton last night. Valentin Demchenko, Raivis Kristians Ansons, Charles-Antoine Giguère, Brandon Frattaroli and Nathan Légaré scored for Baie-Comeau. Lucas Fitzpatrick made 19 stops in the win.

2019-20 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two.

2018-19 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 0-2-0-0 against the Drakkar last season while Baie-Comeau went 2-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Jan. 25, 2019 at TD Station where the Drakkar defeated the Sea Dogs 5-3. Ethan Crossman, Gabriel Fortier, Jordan Martel, Sacha Roy and Xavier Bouchard scored for the Drakkar. The Sea Dogs had goals from Jeremie Poirier, Maxim Cajkovic and Josh Lawrence. Alex D'Orio made 17 stops in the win against his old club. Mikhail Denisov made 40 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Cape Breton 8

SYDNEY, NS - It was another rough night for the Saint John Sea Dogs against the Cape Breton Eagles.

After falling 7-2 to the Eagles on home ice on Wednesday, the Sea Dogs travelled to Sydney on Friday and did not fare any better, falling 8-2 at Centre 200.

Shawn Bourdias led the way for the Eagles, recording three goals and an assist. Egor Sokolov, who had a hat trick on Wednesday, registered two goals while singles came from Nathan Larose, Shawn Element and Ivan Ivan. Derek Gentile had five assists. Kevin Mandolese made 29 stops in the win.

Nicholas Deakin-Poot and Julian Vander Voet scored for Saint John. Zachary Bouthillier made 40 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs led 1-0 after the first period but the wheels quickly came off in the second. Cape Breton scored four in the middle frame and another four in the third to cruise to their seventh straight victory.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Sea Dogs sign MacDonald

SYDNEY, NS - Even with the trade period over, the Saint John Sea Dogs announced a significant roster move on Friday.

In a move that has long been speculated, the Sea Dogs signed free agent forward Anderson MacDonald. The 19-year-old became a free agent after not signing with the Gatineau Olympiques, the team that picked him up off waivers from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan this week.

MacDonald, the 10th overall pick in the 2016 QMJHL Entry Draft, will play for his fourth team in his QMJHL career. He made his Sea Dogs debut on Friday night in Sydney.

“I have always dreamed of being a Sea Dog and playing in my hometown,” said MacDonald. “I want this more than anything. I’ll be surrounded by family and friends, and I know that I can help this team win. I believe this is where I can be my best. I am very grateful to the Sea Dogs organization, the coaches, and the players for welcoming me. I will not disappoint them. Putting that sweater on is a dream come true.”

The Quispamsis native, whether true or not, has been labelled by many throughout his QMJHL career as a non-team player and a problem in the dressing room. He has never been able to reach his full potential. Last spring, MacDonald opened up about those rumours, explaining to Rogers TV's Craig Eagles about his battle with ADHD, anxiety and depression.

Game Day 42: at Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Cape Breton Eagles play the second half of a home-and-home series tonight at Centre 200.

The Eagles had little trouble with the Sea Dogs on Wednesday at TD Station, earning a 7-2 win. It was Cape Breton's sixth straight victory.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 20-20-1-0 for 41 points (fourth Maritimes, sixth Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 23-13-2-1 for 49 points (second Maritimes, fourth Eastern, fifth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Eagles met on Wednesday at TD Station where Cape Breton picked up a 7-2 victory. Egor Sokolov had a hat trick for Cape Breton while singles came from Ivan Ivan, Adam McCormick, Nathan Larose and Shawn Element. Josh Lawrence and Dawson Stairs scored for Saint John. Kevin Mandolese made 23 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier was pulled after allowing four goals on nine shots. Noah Patenaude made 23 stops in relief.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-3-0-0 against the Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 3-0-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: See above.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Eagles: Defenseman Nathan Larose.

Two Dogs claimed off waivers

SAINT JOHN - A couple more roster adjustments were made by the Saint John Sea Dogs following Monday's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade deadline.

The team announced that defenceman Olivier DesRoches has been claimed off waivers by the Halifax Mooseheads while forward Jeremie Jacob has been claimed by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Both players had been used sparingly by the Sea Dogs this season, falling down the team's depth chart over the past couple months.

DesRoches, 18, was acquired in a trade with the Shawinigan Cataractes during training camp. The d-man recorded two assists in 23 games with Saint John.

Jacob, 18, was a sixth round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft. He recorded one assist in 22 games with Saint John this season after recording seven goals and eight helpers in 60 contests with the club last year.

Jacob made his debut with the Titan on Wednesday night in Charlottetown.

The status of forward James White is unclear at this time. The team has not made any official announcement, but White no longer appears on the club's roster and was not announced or listed as a scratch on Wednesday.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-2

FINAL: Cape Breton 7, Saint John 2

SAINT JOHN - Egor Sokolov made his presence felt in the Cape Breton Eagles lineup on Wednesday night at TD Station.

Playing in his first game back from helping Russia win a silver medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship, Sokolov recorded a hat trick and an assist in a 7-2 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Eagles had little trouble with the Sea Dogs on this night, scoring four goals on their first nine shots in the first period to chase Zachary Bouthillier from the net. Saint John didn't play all that bad - they simply got beat by a superior team that loaded up during the trade period.

Adam McCormick also had a big night for the Eagles, recording a goal and and two assists. Ivan Ivan, Nathan Larose and Shawn Element scored as well. Kevin Mandolese made x saves in the win.

Josh Lawrence and Dawson Stairs scored for Saint John. Noah Patenaude made 23 saves in relief of Bouthillier.

The Eagles, who have now won six straight games, host the Sea Dogs on Friday night.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 41: vs Eagles

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are back in action tonight at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs will enter tonight's matchup with the Cape Breton Eagles just over the .500 mark with 20-19-1-0 record. This comes after splitting a weekend series with the Charlottetown Islanders.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 20-19-1-0 for 41 points (fourth Maritimes, sixth Eastern, 10th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 22-13-2-1 for 47 points (third Maritimes, fourth Eastern, sixth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 home win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Saturday. Josh Lawrence had two goals while singles came from Dawson Stairs and Joshua Roy. Zachary Bouthillier made 29 saves in the win. The Eagles are coming off a 5-0 home win over the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday. Shaun Miller, Ryan Francis, Felix Lafrance, Mathias Laferriere and Shaun Boudrias scored for Cape Breton. Kevin Mandolese made 31 saves in the shutout victory.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-2-0-0 against the Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 2-0-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 27 at Centre 200 where the Sea Dogs defeated the Eagles 4-3 in a shootout. Nicolas Guay scored twice for Saint John while Brady Burns added a solo marker. Egor Sokolov scored a pair for Cape Breton and Ryan Francis added a single. Zachary Bouthillier made 48 saves in the win. Ewan MacDonald made 20 stops in the loss.

Sea Dogs make pair of trades

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs made a couple of small trades on the final day of dealing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Unsurprisingly, forward Alexis Belisle was traded to the Victoriaville Tigres in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft and a 10th round pick in the 2022 draft (originally Moncton's pick).

Belisle has been used sparingly by Saint John this season, appearing in just 12 games and recording three assists. Before playing in three games just before the Christmas break, the 17-year-old hadn't played in nearly a month.

Belisle, a third-round pick of the Rimouski Oceanic in the 2018 draft, was traded to Saint John last season.

Saint John's only other deal on the day saw the team trade 18-year-old goaltender Tommy DaSilva to the Gatineau Olympiques in exchange for a 10th round pick in the 2022 draft.

DaSilva didn't make the Sea Dogs out of camp this season after appearing in 11 games with the club during the 2018-19 season and five the year prior. He has appeared in three games this season - he was recalled due to injuries - and recorded his first career QMJHL win to go along with a 4.43 goals against average and a .873 save percentage.

His troubles at the QMJHL level have been well documented - he has a career 7.02 GAA and .829 SV% - but has found some success in the QJAAAHL this season, posting a 3.30 GAA and .904 SV% with the Saint Jerome Pantheres.

Several blockbusters were completed around the league today. A full list can be found here.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 4

SAINT JOHN - After a disappointing showing on Friday night against the Charlottetown Islanders, the Saint John Sea Dogs rebounded on Saturday at TD Station.

Playing the Islanders for a second straight night, the Sea Dogs survived a mid-game surge by the visitors to earn a 4-3 victory. It was Saint John's first win of the season against the Islanders. The two teams met the night before with the Isles winning 4-1.

Saint John grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period but Lukas Cormier scored late to give the Islanders some life heading into intermission. In the second, Charlottetown scored twice and outshot Saint John 14-5 to lead 3-2 entering the third. In the final frame, Dawson Stairs scored the tying goal two minutes in and then Joshua Roy scored what proved to be the game winner 1:04 later.

Stairs and Roy both scored singles in the game while Josh Lawrence netted a pair. Zachary Bouthillier made 29 saves in the win.

Cormier, Thomas Casey and Brett Budgell scored for Charlottetown. Matthew Welsh made 26 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Crossman suspended two games for hit

Embed from Getty Images

SAINT JOHN - The Charlottetown Islanders will be without forward Ethan Crossman for the next two games.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League suspended Crossman two games for his check to the head on Saint John Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence. Crossman was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for the play that happened in the first period of Friday's game at TD Station.

.@SJSeaDogs' Matt Gould to the defence of Josh Lawrence after hit by Ethan Crossman. #QMJHL pic.twitter.com/yTeo9e6UQc

— John Moore (@rinkrant) January 4, 2020

.@IslandersHKY overager Ethan Crossman suspended 2 games. #Qmjhl pic.twitter.com/5amVGrI1Y8

— John Moore (@rinkrant) January 4, 2020

Lawrence was not injured on the play and scored later in the game.

Crossman, acquired from the Chicoutimi Sagueneens a couple weeks ago, has a goal and an assist in four games since joining the Islanders.

The Sea Dogs and Islanders met again on Saturday night in Saint John.

Game Day 40: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Charlottetown Islanders meet again tonight at TD Station.

The two teams met last night with the Islanders winning 4-1. Saint John is now 0-3-1-0 against Charlottetown this season.

Game time this evening is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 19-19-1-0 for 39 points (fourth Maritimes, sixth Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 22-13-5-0 for 49 points (second Maritimes, third Eastern, fourth QMJHL). 

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Islanders met last night at TD Station where the visitors won 4-1. Cedric Desruisseaux scored a pair of goals for Charlottetown while singles came from Brett Budgell and Liam Peyton. Josh Lawrence scored for Saint John. Matthew Welsh made 26 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 27 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-3-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 4-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: See above.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Charlottetown 4, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' troubles with the Charlottetown Islanders continued on Friday night at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs fell to 0-3-1-0 against the Islanders this season with a 4-1 loss. Josh Lawrence scored Saint John's lone goal and Zachary Bouthillier made 27 stops.

Cedric Desruisseaux scored a pair of goals for Charlottetown while singles came from Brett Budgell and Liam Peyton. Matthew Welsh made 26 saves in the win.

These two teams meet again tomorrow night at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

Game Day 39: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs play the first of three straight home games tonight.

The Sea Dogs will take on the Charlottetown Islanders tonight and tomorrow night before hosting the Cape Breton Eagles on Wednesday. Game time this evening at TD Station is 7 p.m.

Tonight's match will be just the fourth meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Islanders and the first since Oct. 19.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 19-18-1-0 for 39 points (fourth Maritimes, sixth Eastern, 10th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 21-13-5-0 for 47 points (second Maritimes, third Eastern, fourth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-4 win in Halifax on New Year's Eve. Jeffrey Durocher had a hat trick while singles came from Jordan Spadafore, Dawson Stairs and Brady Burns. Noah Patenaude made 21 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off 4-0 loss in Cape Breton on New Year's Eve. Matthew Welsh made 25 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-2-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 3-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 19 in Saint John where the Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 4-2. Brett Budgell, Drew Johnston, Nikita Alexandrov and Thomas Casey scored for Charlottetown. Nicolas Guay scored both Saint John goals. Matthew Welsh made 23 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 20 stops in the loss.