The Sea Dogs, at long last, are hosting the Memorial Cup - and what a year to host it. A season that's about the Great Comeback of Junior Hockey is also about, well, just getting the season off the ground and rolling as smoothly as possible.
No matter what happens, it'll be a year that won't be forgotten in Saint John. A Memorial Cup year in a pandemic. It's going to be quite a ride.
To top all that off, the Sea Dogs open the season tonight against the Charlottetown Islanders, a team they could be battling with at the top of the standings all year. Game time tonight at TD Station is 7 p.m.
TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV
Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/Required/Required
Records: This is the first game of the 2021-22 regular season for both clubs.
2021 pre-season records: The Sea Dogs went 6-1-1-0 in the pre-season while the Islanders went 2-6-0-0.
Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 shootout win in Halifax last Friday. William Dufour and Cole Foston scored for Saint John. Jonathan Lemieux made 33 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday. Noah Laaouan scored the Islanders' lone goal. Jacob Goobie made 22 stops in the loss.
2021 pre-season head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 2-0-0-0 against the Islanders in the pre-season while Charlottetown went 0-2-0-0 against Saint John.
Last meeting: Aug. 25 at the Aitken Centre where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 8-1 in pre-season play. Josh Lawrence had a hat trick for Saint John while singles came from Charles Savoie, Kanaga Mangala, Loik Miville, Peter Reynolds and Nico Laforge. Charlottetown's goal came from Daniel Kline. Noah Patenaude made 27 saves in the first 40 minutes of play while Ventsislav Shingarov stopped all 16 shots he faced in the third. Paolo Marabello allowed a goal on 22 shots in the first half of the contest. Jacob Leblanc allowed seven goals on 28 shots in the second half.
2020-21 records: The Sea Dogs finished the regular season with a 15-14-3-1 record for a .515 points percentage (third Maritimes) while the Islanders went 35-5-0-0 for a .875 points percentage (first Maritimes).
2020-21 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 0-2-0-0 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 2-0-0-0 against Saint John.
Ex-Sea Dogs on the Islanders: None.
Islander to watch: Vegas Golden Knights prospect Lukas Cormier had a goal and three assists in two games against Saint John last season.
Random stat: This is the first meeting between the Sea Dogs and Islanders at TD Station in nearly a year. They last met in Saint John on Oct. 3, 2020 where the Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 6-5.
Notes: Josh Lawrence led Saint John in pre-season scoring with nine points... William Dufour led Saint John in goals with six... Riley Bezeau had a team high six assists... Ryan Francis remains away at Calgary Flames training camp... Saint John did not play any pre-season games at TD Station due to the installation of new lights and boards... the Sea Dogs were 8-8-1-0 at home last season while the Islanders went 18-2-0-0 on the road.
Out of town:
Moncton at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:00 PM ADT Halifax at Cape Breton - 7:00 PM ADT
Rimouski at Québec - 7:00 PM EDT
Sherbrooke at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:00 PM EDT
Drummondville at Val-d'Or - 7:00 PM EDT
Gatineau at Blainville-Boisbriand - 7:30 PM EDT
Baie-Comeau at Chicoutimi - 7:30 PM EDT
Victoriaville at Shawinigan - 7:30 PM EDT
Next game: The Sea Dogs and Islanders meet again on Saturday night at the Eastlink Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
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