Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Halifax 3, Saint John 4 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - William Villeneuve wasted little time ending Tuesday's game in overtime.

Villeneuve showed off some patience and skated around an outstretched Brady James in the Halifax Mooseheads net, depositing his hid goal of the season to give the Saint John Sea Dogs a 4-3 victory at TD Station.

The win makes the Sea Dogs a perfect 3-0 in their three-game homestand - with the final two matches both being decided in overtime.

Villeneuve, Josh Lawrence, Peter Reynolds and Jeremie Poirier all scored for Saint John. Noah Patenaude made 33 saves in the win.

It certainly wasn't a perfect game by the Sea Dogs who were outplayed by the Mooseheads at times. The Dogs led 3-2 in the third but the Moose were pressing late and finally netted the equalizer at 15:23. Halifax then had a great chance to win the game in the dying seconds of regulation but couldn't connect on an odd-man rush.

Villeneuve had the only scoring chance of the extra frame and did not waste it.

Jordan Dumais, Zachary Beauregard and Attilio Biasca scored for Halifax. Brady James made 25 stops in the loss.

Top 10 Sea Dogs Memorial Cup Moments: #7 - Veleno gives Sea Dogs life

(Ed. Note: In honour of 2022 Memorial Cup tickets going on sale to the general public on Dec. 6, we're counting down the top 10 Sea Dogs moments in Memorial Cup history.)

#8 - Joe Veleno gives Sea Dogs life in Windsor

After an 0-2 start to the 2017 Memorial Cup and coming off an ugly 12-5 loss to the Ontario Hockey League champion Erie Otters, the Saint John Sea Dogs were in desperate need of a victory.

Playing in their final game of the round-robin, the Sea Dogs faced off against the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds - who were also 0-2. After a scoreless first period, Veleno scored just 1:14 into the second to set the tone for a six-goal middle frame for the Sea Dogs.

Veleno finished the game with two goals, an assist, five shots and +5 rating. He was named the game's second star while goaltender Callum Booth took home first star honours with his 31-save shutout performance.

The Sea Dogs advanced to the semifinals with the victory where they would lose 6-3 to the Otters, ending their tournament. Veleno also scored Saint John's first goal in that game.

Game Day 23: vs Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - A stretch of three straight home games comes to an end for the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight.

The Sea Dogs have had a good run so far, hammering the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 9-2 last Thursday at TD Station and then winning a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime game over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday. Tonight, the Sea Dogs will host the Halifax Mooseheads before travelling to Quebec for three straight.

The Sea Dogs, Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats all sit in a tie for second-place in the Maritimes Division with 25 points.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 11-8-0-3 for 25 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 12-8-0-1 for 25 points (second Maritimes/fourth Eastern/eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 overtime victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday. Yanic Crete, Jacob Chantler, Josh Lawrence, Ryan Francis and William Dufour scored for Saint John. Jonathan Lemieux allowed two goals on nine shots before leaving the game with an injury. Noah Patenaude allowed two goals on 17 shots in relief. The Mooseheads are coming off a 5-4 overtime victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday. Bobby Orr, Brady Schultz, Elliot Desnoyers, Attilio Biasco and Zack Jones scored for Halifax. Brady James made 27 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Mooseheads this season while Halifax is 0-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Halloween at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Mooseheads 4-3. Riley Bezeau, Brady Burns, Evgeny Sapelnikov and Ryan Francis all scored for Saint John. Cameron Whynot, Elliot Desnoyers and Markus Vidicek scored for Halifax. Jonathan Lemieux made 26 saves in the win. Brady James made 32 stops in the loss.

Notebook: Dogs welcome back division rival

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will do something on Tuesday they haven't done much over the past month: play a Maritimes Division opponent.

Tuesday's home game against the Halifax Mooseheads ends a streak of 10 straight games against Quebec based clubs. The last time the Sea Dogs played a team from within their division was none other than the Mooseheads on Halloween.

The Sea Dogs are 6-3-0-1 in their past 10 games but are on a 3-0-0-1 run. Tuesday's game ends a three-game homestand before the team heads back to Quebec for a three-in-three this weekend.

Saint John has a chance to make up some ground in the standings with a victory Tuesday. The Sea Dogs, Mooseheads and Moncton Wildcats sit in a tie for second in the Maritimes Division with 25 points each.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Sea Dogs defenseman William Villeneuve has been named to the QMJHL's team of the week.

Oyé! Oyé! Here is the ninth edition of the @Videotron Team of the Week! 👇

STATS 📊 | https://t.co/RnqCHKaFRj pic.twitter.com/5AXxrlyM6d

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) November 29, 2021

Villeneuve has point in three straight games and six of his past seven.

POINT LEADERS

William Dufour heads into action this week as the league leader in goals with 18. Shawinigan's Xavier Bourgault and Charlottetown's Xavier Simoneau sit tied for second with 17 goals each.

Dufour currently sits third in points with 36, trailing Sherbrooke's Joshua Roy (39) and Simoneau (38).

Jeremie Poirier, meanwhile, sits fourth in defensemen scoring with 21 points and fourth in defensemen assists with 16.

Top 10 Sea Dogs Memorial Cup Moments: #8 - Jurco scores with his head

(Ed. Note: In honour of 2022 Memorial Cup tickets going on sale to the general public on Dec. 6, we're counting down the top 10 Sea Dogs moments in Memorial Cup history.)

#8 - Tomas Jurco scores with his head

Having already secured a spot in the 2011 Memorial Cup final, the Saint John Sea Dogs concluded round-robin play in Mississauga with what was essentially a meaningless game against the Western Hockey League's Kootenay Ice.

The Sea Dogs got off to a good start, leading 2-0 early in the second period. But the Ice then started to turn it on, leading 3-2 early in the third period and then 4-3.

With 15 seconds remaining in regulation time, a Zack Phillips shot hit Tomas Jurco in the head and went in, sending the game to overtime.

From The Canadian Press:

"It hurts a little bit but it's not too bad," said Jurco following the Sea Dogs 5-4 overtime loss on Tuesday night, and added that it was likely the strangest goal he's ever scored. "It was just a lucky goal, I don't know what else I can say about it."

Jurco spoke to reporters with the lingering effects of his game-tying goal still showing thanks to a red mark on his neck just under his right ear. "It didn't feel great but it wasn't bad," Jurco added.

"I didn't worry about how it hurt because I had scored ... I think it's going to be a tough morning."

The Ice eventually won the game just 3:55 into overtime, but at least we got a very memorable moment in what was a meaningless game for the Sea Dogs.

Dufour having quite the season

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - William Dufour is having an incredible season.

The 19-year-old currently leads the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in goals with 18 and sits third in points with 36. He's been held pointless in just two of the Saint John Sea Dogs' 22 games this year.

But perhaps were undervaluing just how good of a season the New York Islanders prospect is having. Take a look at this tweet for example.

Dufour is on pace for a 55 goal season.

Last time a player hit 50 in the @QMJHL was Alex Baré-Boulet in 17-18 with 53 goals and 116 points.#Isles

— Michel Anderson (@TLOMitch) November 26, 2021

Following Saturday's game, Dufour is on pace for just under 56 goals and 111 points if he were to play the full 68-game schedule. If Dufour maintains that pace, it would place him in some pretty select company in Sea Dogs franchise history.

The franchise record for goals in a single season is owned by Danick Gauthier who recorded 47 in 2011-12. Mike Hoffman, meanwhile, scored 46 in 2009-10 while Jonathan Huberdeau netted 43 in 2010-11. Only five players have scored 40 or more goals in Sea Dogs history.

1. Danick Gauthier - 47 (2011-12)

2. Mike Hoffman - 46 (2009-10)

3. Jonathan Huberdeau - 43 (2010-11)

4. Scott Howes - 42 (2007-08)

5. Bokondji Imama - 41 (2016-17)

Huberdeau is the only Sea Dog to ever surpass 100 points in a single season, recording 105 in 2010-11.

Top 10 Sea Dogs Memorial Cup Moments: #9 - Saint John wins 2022 tournament bid

Kevin Chambers/Station Nation

(Ed. Note: In honour of 2022 Memorial Cup tickets going on sale to the general public on Dec. 6, we're counting down the top 10 Sea Dogs moments in Memorial Cup history.)

#9 - Saint John wins 2022 Memorial Cup tournament bid

It was a long wait for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

After losing the 2012 Memorial Cup bid to the Shawinigan Cataractes (a setback that remains painful), the Sea Dogs waited a decade to get back in the ring. The Quebec Remparts - a big market team with a big market building - were the only other QMJHL squad to put a bid in.

After a few delays in announcing the winner, the Sea Dogs were awarded the 2022 tournament by the CHL on the morning of Sept. 22.

"In choosing Saint John as the host, there were three things that stuck out," said CHL president Dan MacKenzie in a speech at TD Station. "First, a comprehensive ticket sales plan to ensure Harbour Station is full each night of the event - even when the Sea Dogs are not playing. No. 2, a strong community event portfolio that included the opportunity to leave a lasting physical legacy in Saint John. And finally, the commitment of the bid committee to ensure the event will be operating on a sustainable footprint; be a celebration of the game and the history of this trophy; and inclusive for all."

📹 Behind The Scenes - CHL President Dan MacKenzie surprises @SJSeaDogs front office with the big Memorial Cup news! #OneForAll | #UnPourTous | @KiaCanada pic.twitter.com/HSwnJvEwPg

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) September 22, 2021

Saint John became just the third Maritime city to be awarded the tournament following Halifax (2000 and 2019) and Moncton (2006).

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4 (OT)

FINAL: Baie-Comeau 4, Saint John 5 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs won an emotional rollercoaster on Saturday night at TD Station.

William Dufour scored the winner just 15 seconds into overtime to give the Sea Dogs a 5-4 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

Things were looking good for the Sea Dogs in the first 40 minutes of the game, leading 3-2 and outshooting the Drakkar 30-13. But things took a turn in the third period when Jacob Gaucher scored two quick goals to put Baie-Comeau up 4-3.

Saint John had trouble getting the offense rolling in the third, firing just nine shots on net. With 32.8 seconds remaining and Noah Patenaude on the bench, a backdoor door pass from Jeremie Poirier went off Ryan Francis' skate and in to tie things up and eventually allow Dufour to score the OT winner.

Dufour, Francis, Yanic Crete, Jacob Chantler and Josh Lawrence all scored for Saint John. Jonathan Lemieux allowed two goals on nine shots before leaving the game with an injury in the second period. Noah Patenaude allowed two goals on 17 shots in relief.

Gaucher scored twice for the Drakkar - who had their four-game winning streak come to an end - while singles came from Benjamin Corbeil and Isaac Dufort. Olivier Ciarlo made 35 saves in the loss.

The Sea Dogs trailed 2-1 after one despite outshooting the Drakkar 11-7.

The Sea Dogs continued to control the game in the second period but simply couldn't find the back of the net. They had nearly four-minutes of power play time early in the period and then Francis was awarded a shorthanded penalty shot but fired high.

Finally at 16:52, Chantler jammed the puck through the pads of Ciarlo to tie things at 2-2. Then with 4.8 seconds remaining, Lawrence scored on a one-time shot on a power play to give the Sea Dogs their first lead of the game,  3-2.

Gaucher tied the game at 7:51 of the third, finishing off a nice passing play on a three-on-one. Then at 9:08, the puck took of bounce off the backboards that led to Gaucher scoring again, quickly putting Baie-Comeau in front 4-3.

With 32.8 seconds remaining and Patenaude on the bench, Poirier's backdoor feed found Francis' skate to even things up at 4-4.

Just 15 seconds into overtime, Francis made a perfect pass to Dufour who went in alone and beat Ciarlo blocker side to make it a 5-4 final.

Top 10 Sea Dogs Memorial Cup Moments: #10 - Misspelled merch gets fixed

(Ed. Note: In honour of 2022 Memorial Cup tickets going on sale to the general public on Dec. 6, we're counting down the top 10 Sea Dogs moments in Memorial Cup history.)

#10 - Misspelled merchandise gets fixed in Windsor

The 2017 Memorial Cup had some interesting merchandise.

Each of the four teams had signs like the below (I can't remember what Windsor's, as the hosts, said) that, at quick glance, made it seem like that particular team was the 2017 Memorial Cup champion.

I believe the intention was to show that the Sea Dogs were QMJHL champions.

Each of the four teams also had shirts and pucks. Unfortunately for the Sea Dogs, "Saint John" was spelled "St. John."

Game Day 22: vs Drakkar

SAINT JOHN - One of the hottest teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League visits TD Station tonight.

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar sit 16th overall in the QMJHL standings but have won four straight games heading into tonight's matchup against the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Drakkar extended their win streak with a 3-2 victory in Moncton last night.

It's the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Drakkar. Baie-Comeau's last visit to Saint John was on Jan. 12, 2020.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 10-8-0-3 for 23 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Drakkar are 6-9-1-3 for 16 points (fourth East/ninth Eastern/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a big 9-2 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Thursday at TD Station. Josh Lawrence, William Dufour, Charlie DesRoches, Jacob Chantler, Cam MacDonald, William Villeneuve, Nico Laforge, Carter McCluskey and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Jonathan Lemieux made 22 saves in the win. The Drakkar are coming off a 3-2 win in Moncton last night. Isaac Dufort, Andrew Belchamber and Jacob Gaucher all scored for Baie-Comeau. Olivier Adam made 29 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Drakkar.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not meet last season.

Last meeting: Feb. 1, 2020 in Baie-Comeau where the Sea Dogs defeated the Drakkar 4-3 in overtime. Maxim Cajkovic, Charlie DesRoches, Julian Vander Voet and Brady Burns all scored for Saint John. Brandon Frattaroli, Nathan Legare and Valentin Demchenko scored for the Drakkar. Noah Patenaude made 50 stops in the win. Lucas Fitzpatrick made 24 saves in the loss.

Notebook: Foston assigned to Yarmouth

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Saint John Sea Dogs forward Cole Foston has been officially assigned to the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Yarmouth Mariners.

#BreakingNews We are proud to announce we have signed forward @Colefoston99. Cole joins us from the @SJSeaDogs and will be in the lineup this weekend. Welcome Cole!#BleedBlue #MarinersArmy pic.twitter.com/fFjWuyOEaL

— Yarmouth Mariners (@MarinersHockey) November 25, 2021

The 18-year-old was a sixth-round pick of the Mariners in the 2019 MHL Draft.

“We weren’t sure if we’d see him here when we drafted him, but we’re excited for him to be part of our organization now,” Mariners head coach and general manager Laurie Barron told Y95.5.

Foston spent last season with the Halifax Mooseheads. He appeared in 14 games with the Sea Dogs this season - recording one goal and one assist - but was pushed down the lineup with recent additions up front. 

The Mariners, as they usually do, sit first in the MHL's South Division with a 12-6-2-0 record heading into this weekend's action. Their lineup also features former Dogs defenseman Benjamin Roode.

LELAND TAKES OVER TITAN

Former Sea Dogs assistant coach Greg Leland is now the interim head coach of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

The Titan announced Thursday that Mario Durocher had been relieved of his duties. The team has put Leland, who's been on the Titan bench as an assistant for the past two seasons, in charge on an interim basis.

Bathurst has struggled after a hot start, sitting fifth in the Maritimes Division and 14th overall in the QMJHL with a 9-9-0-2 record.

Leland, from Quispamsis, was an assistant coach with the Sea Dogs for eight seasons, which included helping the club win two President Cup championships and the 2011 Memorial Cup title.

Before joining the Titan, Leland was the head coach and general manager of the MHL's Campbellton Tigers.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 9-2

FINAL: Rouyn-Noranda 2, Saint John 9

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Despite missing three regulars, the Saint John Sea Dogs had one of their best performances of the season on Thursday, defeating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 9-2 at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs were without forwards Ryan Francis, Riley Bezeau and Charles Savoie but had little trouble scoring with the lineup they did dress. Saint John kept pouring it on all game - something the team has struggled to do this season.

Saint John's season high nine goals were scored by Josh Lawrence, William Dufour, Charlie DesRoches, Jacob Chantler, Cam MacDonald, William Villeneuve, Nico Laforge, Carter McCluskey and Brady Burns. Burns also had three assists while Jeremie Poirier, Villeneuve, Lawrence, Dufour and MacDonald all had two assists each.

Jonathan Lemieux made 22 saves in the win.

The Sea Dogs got some revenge on the Huskies after falling 6-5 in a shootout on Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda. In Thursday's game, Saint John was dominant for most of it, outshooting Rouyn-Noranda 39-24 despite giving the Huskies nine power play opportunities.

Donovan Arsenault and Louis-Philippe Fontaine scored for the Huskies. Samuel Richard allowed five goals on 21 shots in the first two periods. Mathis Dorcal-Mador allowed four goals on 13 shots in the third.

The Sea Dogs led 2-1 after 20 minutes. Lawrence opened the scoring just 12 seconds in on a lovely pass from MacDonald. The Huskies tied the game at 3:52 when Arsenault netted a power play marker. Dufour's man advantage goal at 5:50 - which came thanks to a perfect cross crease feed from Burns - gave the Dogs the lead after one.

Saint John scored three more times in the second period and outshot Rouyn-Noranda 13-7 - this despite the Huskies having quite a bit of power play time. After DesRoches and Chantler scored 42 seconds apart, MacDonald put in the rebound of a Jeremie Poirier blocked shot at 16:59 to give the Dogs a 5-1 advantage through two periods.

Just 21 seconds into the third, Villeneuve scored to make it a 6-1 game. Then at 4:25, Poirier stole the puck at the blue line and setup Laforge for his first QMJHL goal, giving Saint John a 7-1 lead.

McCluskey scored a shorthanded goal at 10:47 on a give-and-go with Villeneuve. Then at 13:13, Burns scored from the slot to extend Saint John's lead. Fontaine got one back for the Huskies at 14:03 to make it 9-2.

Game Day 21: vs Huskies

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies complete a back-to-back tonight at TD Station.

The Huskies defeated the Sea Dogs in a wild 6-5 shootout decision last Saturday at Glencore Arena. The major storyline was Saint John's inability to maintain leads in the third period that ultimately led the game into extra time and a shootout loss for the Dogs.

Saint John, coming off a 1-1-0-1 road trip through Quebec, will look to get some revenge on Rouyn-Noranda tonight. It's the final meeting of the regular season between the two.

The Huskies will also visit Halifax and Cape Breton on this trip.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 9-8-0-3 for 21 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/13th QMJHL) while the Huskies are 10-6-0-3 for 23 points (second West/fourth Western/eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Huskies met last Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda where the the home team earned a 6-5 shootout victory. Mathieu Gagnon, Louis-Philippe Fontaine, Jeremie Minville, Anthony Turcotte and Dyllan Gill scored for Rouyn-Noranda. William Villeneuve, Olivier Picard, Carter McCluskey, Charlie DesRoches and Ryan Francis all scored for Saint John. Mathis Dorcal-Madore was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots while Samuel Richard allowed two goals on 28 shots in the win. Noah Patenaude allowed five goals on 36 shots in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-0-0-1 against the Huskies this season while Rouyn-Noranda is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: See above.

Busy stretch begins for Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A busy week-and-a-half begins on Thursday for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs will play six games over an 11-day period beginning with Thursday night's home contest against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (10-6-0-3). Three of those games will be at TD Station while the other three will be road contests in Quebec.

Here's what Saint John's schedule is looking like over the next six games.

Thursday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. vs Rouyn-Noranda

Saturday, Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. vs Baie-Comeau

Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. vs Halifax

Friday, Dec. 3 at 8:30 p.m. at Blainville-Boisbriand

Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. at Sherbrooke

Sunday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. at Victoriaville

The Sea Dogs have played only two of these teams so far this season. The Sea Dogs blew three third-period leads on Saturday in a 6-5 shootout loss in Rouyn-Noranda. Saint John is 1-0 against the Mooseheads (10-8-0-1) this year.

The Drakkar (5-9-1-3) sit last overall in the league but enter this Maritime road trip on a three-game winning streak. They are, however, 0-6-1-2 on the road this season.

The Armada, who feature former Sea Dogs forward Connor Richard, sit third in the West Division (10-8-0-1).

The biggest test of this stretch will no doubt be the Dec. 4 game in Sherbrooke when the Sea Dogs face Joshua Roy and the Phoenix for the first time. Sherbrooke currently sits first overall in the QMJHL standings (14-4-1-0) and are an impressive 8-1 at home. Roy sits third in league scoring with 32 points, nearly matching his point total from last season.

This busy stretch ends on Dec. 5 when the Sea Dogs visit the reigning the President Cup champion Tigres (8-9-2-1) who, unsurprisingly, sit 15th overall in the league.

The top few teams in the league are slowly starting to separate themselves from the middle of the pack. The Sea Dogs, with own a 9-8-0-3 record, now sit eight points back of the top spot. Making up that much ground isn't impossible - but they've not made things easy on themselves. Help will be on the way after Christmas, but the Dogs need to start consistently earning points against teams they are capable of beating in order to keep pace. Maybe this will be, at long last, the stretch of games where that finally starts to happen.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-5 (SO)

FINAL: Saint John 5, Rouyn-Noranda 6 (SO)

ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs' inability to maintain a lead on Saturday night proved costly. 

The Sea Dogs surrendered 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 leads in the third period in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at Glencore Arena. The loss gives the Dogs a 1-1-0-1 record on their three-game road trip through the West Division.

The Sea Dogs didn't have the best first period, trailing 2-1 after one. They were excellent in the second period, scoring twice, outshooting Rouyn-Noranda 20-8 and controlling most of the play.

The third proved to be a wild, back-and-forth 20 minutes with the two teams trading goals. It looked as though Ryan Francis' shorthanded breakaway goal at 14:43 would be the winner but the Sea Dogs could not, once again, hold the lead. Dyllan Gill scored less than two minutes later to send the match to overtime.

Jeremie Poirier was the only Saint John player to score in the shootout as the Huskies won it in the fourth round. Saint John is now 1-3 in shootouts this season.

Francis, William Villeneuve, Olivier Picard, Carter McCluskey and Charlie DesRoches scored for Saint John. Noah Patenaude allowed five goals on 36 shots in the loss.

Gill, Mathieu Gagnon, Louis-Philippe Fontaine, Jeremie Minville and Anthony Turcotte all scored for Rouyn-Noranda. Mathis Dorcal-Madore was pulled in the second period after allowing three goals on 17 shots. Samuel Richard allowed two goals on 28 shots in relief.

The loss drops the Sea Dogs back to .500 with a 9-9-0-2 record as they continue to struggle with consistency. 

Game Day 20: at Rouyn-Noranda

ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs' latest Quebec road trip comes to an end tonight.

After falling 5-3 to the Gatineau Olympiques on Wednesday and defeating the Val-d'Or Foreurs 5-1 last night, the Sea Dogs will look to make this a winning road trip this evening when they face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

The Huskies are 9-6-0-3 on the year. Rouyn-Noranda is always a tough place to play and the Huskies currently own an impressive 6-2-0-1 home record.

Game time tonight is 8 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 9-8-0-2 for 20 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Huskies are 9-6-0-3 for 21 points (second West/fourth Western/ninth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-1 win in Val-d'Or last night. Brady Burns scored a hat trick while singles came from Carter McCluskey and Jacob Chantler. Jonathan Lemieux made 24 saves in the win. The Huskies are coming off a 5-1 home win over the Halifax Mooseheads last night. Alex Arsenault, Donovan Arsenault, Jared Cosman, Jakub Hujer and Dyllan Gill all scored for the Huskies. Samuel Richard made 35 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Huskies.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not meet last season.

Last meeting: Feb. 23, 2020 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Huskies 3-2. Anderson MacDonald, Brady Burns and Joshua Roy all scored for Saint John. Rouyn-Noranda goals came from Mathieu Gagnon and Shaun Miller. Zachary Bouthillier made 36 saves in the win. Samuel Richard made 23 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-1

FINAL: Saint John 5, Val-d'Or 1

VAL-D'OR, Que. - Brady Burns scored a hat trick to lead the Saint John Sea Dogs to a 5-1 win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Friday.

Playing their second game of a three game Quebec road trip, the Sea Dogs played a fairly solid contest. Saint John, once again, had a bit of a rough start but rebounded from it. After Burns' second period goal gave the Sea Dogs a 2-1 advantage, the game never really felt in doubt from there.

Carter McCluskey and Jacob Chantler also scored for the Sea Dogs. Jonathan Lemieux, making his return to Val-d'Or, made 24 stops in the win.

Alexandre Doucet scored the Foreurs' lone goal. Philippe Cloutier made 32 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs' road trip concludes on Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda.

Game Day 19: at Val-d'Or

VAL-D'OR, Que. - Jonathan Lemieux and the Saint John Sea Dogs visit the Val-d'Or Foreurs tonight.

Lemieux spent the past four seasons with the Foreurs and helped the club reach the President Cup final last year. He went 11-4 in the playoffs with a 1.95 goals against average and .910 save percentage.

The Foreurs are not the team they were a year ago, sitting last in the Western Conference with a 7-9-1-0 record.

Game time tonight at the Agnico Eagle Centre is 8 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 8-8-0-2 for 18 points (fourth Maritimes/fifth Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Foreurs are 7-9-1-0 for 15 points (fourth West/eighth Western/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 loss in Gatineau on Wednesday. Josh Lawrence scored twice while William Dufour added a single. Jonathan Lemieux made 37 saves. The Foreurs are coming off a 5-3 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads last night. Jason Desruisseaux, William Provost and Jeremy Michel scored for Val-d'Or. William Blackburn made 32 saves in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Foreurs.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not meet last season.

Last meeting: Nov. 14, 2019 in Val-d'Or where the Foreurs defeated the Sea Dogs 7-3. Marshall Lessard scored twice for the Foreurs while singles came from Jacob Gaucher, Alexandre Doucet, Alexander Mirzabalaev, Olivier Picard and Jeremy Michel. Saint John goals came from Maxim Cajkovic, Jeremie Poirier and Josh Lawrence. Jonathan Lemieux made 49 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier allowed five goals on 19 shots while Tommy DaSilva allowed two on 10 shots in the loss.

Memorial Cup schedule, ticket info announced by CHL

GATINEAU, Que. - The Canadian Hockey League and Saint John Sea Dogs announced several details about the 2022 Memorial Cup on Thursday.

The biggest adjustment compared to past years: the tournament opener will be played on a Saturday and the championship game will take place on a Monday. This means the official dates for the event will be June 4-13, 2022.

The scheduling format itself remains the same. The Sea Dogs, as hosts, will have at least one day off between each round robin game.

Sat., June 4 – Round Robin Game 1 – OHL at SNB – 7 pm ET 

Sun., June 5 – Round Robin Game 2 – QMJHL at WHL – 4 pm ET 

Mon., June 6 – Round Robin Game 3 – SNB at WHL – 7 pm ET 

Tues, June 7 – Round Robin Game 4 – QMJHL at OHL – 7 pm ET 

Wed., June 8 – Round Robin Game 5 – WHL at OHL – 7 pm ET 

Thurs., June 9 – Round Robin Game 6 – SNB at QMJHL – 7 pm ET 

Fri., June 10 – Tie-Breaker (If Nec.) – 7 pm ET 

Sat., June 11 – Semi-Final – 7 pm ET 

Mon., June 13 – Championship Final – 7 pm ET

Sea Dogs season ticket members can secure their seats for the event at lower prices until Nov. 26.

Tickets for the general public go on sale on Dec. 6. From the CHL:

Beginning December 6, tickets to the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia will be available to the general public online at chlmemorialcup.ca. Full tournament ticket packages counting all eight games plus an if necessary tie-breaker game will be available in two tiers priced at $390 and $460 plus applicable taxes and fees. Additionally, beginning November 26, a limited pre-sale opportunity will be available to subscribers of the Saint John Sea Dogs Insider. Visit sjseadogs.com to subscribe and ensure your seat to the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia.

This will be the first Memorial Cup held since 2019 due to the pandemic. 

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Gatineau 5

GATINEAU, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs' first trip to the Slush Puppie Centre did not go as hoped.

The Sea Dogs recovered from a rough start but could not quite match the Gatineau Olympiques' offense, falling 5-3 on Wednesday night. This was the first match of a three-game Quebec road trip for Saint John.

Bad starts were a problem on Saint John's last road trip and those issues crept up again Wednesday. The Olympiques scored just 27 seconds in and were outshooting Saint John 13-1 before Josh Lawrence's shorthanded goal at 6:28.

Saint John struggled to match Gatineau in terms of shots and quality chances. The Olympiques entered the game with the best shots per game average in the league and it showed.

Lawrence had two goals and an assist to lead Saint John. William Dufour also scored. Jonathan Lemieux made 37 saves in the loss.

Gatineau goals came from Jonah De Simone, Antonin Verreault, Mathieu Bizier, Manix Landry and Samuel Savoie. Remi Poirier made 26 saves in the win.

That old barn and new ones

GATINEAU, Que. - A few weeks ago I finally had the chance to visit Jacques Plante Arena, the former home of the Shawinigan Cataractes.

It's unfortunately an office building now (although a rather nice one, it appears) so it wasn't all that exciting. It did get me thinking: how did the Sea Dogs perform in the few games they played in this barn?

The answer: not well.

The Sea Dogs went 0-3-0-1 all-time at the Jacques Plante Arena with their final appearance coming in the first half of 2008-09, the season the Cataractes moved up the street to their new rink. Here's a quick look back at the results.

Nov. 19, 2005: 5-1 Sea Dogs loss
Playing in their second ever game in Quebec, the Sea Dogs fell 5-1 to the Cataractes in front of just 1,825 fans. Felix Schutz scored Saint John's only goal. Riley Whitlock made 31 stops in the loss.

Jan. 26, 2007: 5-4 Sea Dogs shootout loss

Steve Bellefleur, Chris DiDomenico, Francois Gauthier and Kevin Charland scored in regulation time for Saint John. DiDomenico and Ryan Sparling both failed to score in their shootout attempts. Travis Fullerton made 31 saves in the loss. 

Feb. 9, 2008: 6-4 Sea Dogs loss

Scott Howes and Ryan Sparling each scored a pair of goals. Chris DiDomenico and Alexandre Picard-Hooper both added a pair of assists. Travis Fullerton made 26 saves in the loss.

Sept. 28, 2008: 2-1 Sea Dogs loss

Chris DiDomenico scored Saint John's only goal. Robert Mayer made 25 stops in the loss. Future Sea Dogs defenseman Charles-Olivier Roussel was named the game's first star.

The Sea Dogs lost their first game at Shawinigan's Bionest Centre (now Gervais Auto Centre) on Oct. 3, 2009, falling 5-4 in overtime. Saint John's first franchise win in Shawinigan came on Feb. 27, 2011, a 6-3 victory.

The Sea Dogs will play their first game at Gatineau's new Slush Puppie Centre on Wednesday night. It'll be the team's first visit to Gatineau since Dec. 4, 2019.

Game Day 18: at Gatineau

GATINEAU, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin another three-game road trip through Quebec tonight in Gatineau.

This will be the Sea Dogs' first visit to the Olympiques' new home, the Slush Puppie Centre, which opened this year. The Olympiques are 5-1-1-1 in their new home so far.

The Sea Dogs went 2-1 in their first Quebec road trip of the season a couple weeks ago, defeating Quebec and Shawinigan before falling to Drummondville. Following tonight's stop in Gatineau, the Sea Dogs will head north to visit Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda.

Game time tonight is 8 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 8-7-0-2 for 18 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Olympiques are 8-4-2-2 for 20 points (first West/second Western/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 home loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Saturday. William Dufour and Evgeny Sapelnikov scored for Saint John. Noah Patenaude made 21 saves in the loss. The Olympiques are coming off a 7-3 home win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Sunday. Cole Cormier had two goals while singles came from Kieran Craig, Samuel Savoie, Antonin Verreault, Isaac Belliveau and Evgenii Kashnikov. Emerik Despatie made 32 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Olympiques.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not meet last season.

City keeping Titan in Bathurst

Any speculation of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan relocating in the near future were put to an end on Tuesday.

The Titan and the City of Bathurst announced a new financial agreement at a press conference at the KC Irving Regional Centre, a deal that will keep the team in town.

From the press release:

The initial one-year agreement will have the City offer a two-part financial grant to the Titan, including an amount of $75 000 grant, from monies raised through the City’s Accommodation Levy. This grant would also be included in the ensuing five-year agreement. A $100,000 grant from the City’s General Operating Fund will also be offered, $50,000 from the 2021 budget and $50,000 from the 2022 budget. The City will also purchase a Corporate Box that will be used for tourism promotional activities.

In August, The Northern Light reported that the Titan have lost more than $500,000 in each of the past two seasons and a decision on the future of the franchise would be made by Christmas. This deal with the city would appear to ease the financial strains on the team.

The Titan said this summer that the club needs at least 2,500 fans per game to be sustainable. Bathurst is currently averaging 1,574 fans per game this season, the third fewest in the league. The team hasn't surpassed the 2,000 fans per game mark since the 2007-08 season.

Ici pour y rester!

Here to stay! pic.twitter.com/SjCxQLYrMX

— Titan d'Acadie-Bathurst (@ABTitan) November 16, 2021

Bathurst mayor Kim Chamberlain added in the release that long term arrangements will still need to be sorted out.

“Due to the urgency of the matter, we worked intensely to secure the initial agreement," Chamberlain said. "With that said, we will now initiate discussions with the team and our municipal partners to secure a long-term agreement. It is important to note the positive economic impacts of the Titan’s presence is not just felt here in Bathurst, but throughout the region. Therefore, the dialogue with our municipal partners is also important."

This is obviously good news for the QMJHL and especially the five other Maritimes Division teams. Junior hockey franchises are hurting everywhere after the past two years and it wouldn't be shocking to see more deals like this made in the future.

Notebook: Another Quebec road trip ahead

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs head back to Quebec this week.

The team begins the three-games-in-four-nights stretch on Wednesday in Gatineau before heading north to face the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Friday and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Saturday.

The Sea Dogs went 2-1 on their first Quebec road trip a couple weeks ago - a solid performance given the quality of teams they were facing. This week will be the first time the Sea Dogs have faced any team from West Division which consists of Blainville-Boisbriand, Gatineau, Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda.

The Olympiques, an extremely talented team but still on the young side, lead the West with an 8-4-2-2 record. The Huskies sit second at 8-6-0-3 while the Foreurs, last year's President Cup finalists, sit last with a 7-8-1-0 record.

Wednesday's contest in Gatineau will be Saint John's first visit to the new Slush Puppie Centre. The Olympiques are 5-1-1-1 so far in their new home.

LEADERS

William Dufour enters play this week with 15 goals in 17 games, placing him in a tie with Shawinigan's Xavier Bourgault for the league lead.

Bourgault currently sits in a tie with former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy for the league scoring lead with 30 points. Dufour sits fourth with 27 points.

In defensemen scoring, Jeremie Poirier currently sits fifth with 17 points.

WILD WEEKEND

A few random notes from around the league this weekend:

• Chicoutimi rolled into New Brunswick and left with three regulation wins - despite being largely outshot in every game. They beat the Wildcats 6-4 (outshot 31-19); Sea Dogs 4-2 (outshot 46-25); and Titan 5-2 (outshot 35-27).
• I watched goaltender Kevyn Brassard play a couple weeks ago in Grand Falls where the Rapids scored six times on the Miramichi Timberwolves netminder. Brassard joined the Sags this weekend and won both of his starts.
• On the flip side are the Shawinigan Cataractes who, despite having some key players return from injury, lost all three games of their New Brunswick road trip. The are now 6-4 in their last 10 games.
• Xavier Bourgault is on another level right now, recording five goals during Shawinigan's road trip. That included a third period hat trick on Saturday when the Cataractes nearly erased a 5-0 deficit before falling 6-4 to the Titan.
• The Titan got a much needed boost injected into their lineup last week with Bennett MacArthur returning from injury and Hendrix Lapierre rejoining the team after starting the season with the Washington Capitals. MacArthur posted three goals and two assists in three games while Lapierre had three assists in two games.
• The Titan are just 2-7-0-1 in their last 10 games.
• The Quebec Remparts lost 5-0 to the last-place Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday.

Kuznetsov decision still to be made

Calgary Flames

SAINT JOHN - It's still to be determined if defenseman Yan Kuznetsov will join the Saint John Sea Dogs at some point this season.

In an intermission interview with John Moore during Saturday's radio broadcast, Ray Edwards, the director of player development for the Calgary Flames, said the team continues to evaluate Kuznetsov daily.

"There's a point where we will have to make a decision in terms of what is best for his development," Edwards said. "Our depth situation in Calgary - it is what it is. We don't have a ton in the American league and we do have a couple injuries."

.@NHLFlames still considering sending top prospect Yan Kuznetsov to @SJSeaDogs. Here's #Flames Director of Player Dev/ Ray Edwards. #NHL #QMJHL pic.twitter.com/T5uaFHJ2vE

— John Moore (@rinkrant) November 14, 2021

Kuznetsov has appeared in 10 games with the AHL's Stockton Heat this season. He's pointless with five shots and a +1 rating.

Kuznetsov, Saint John's first-round pick in this year's CHL Import Draft, spent last season with the NCAA's University of Connecticut before joining the Heat. He played for Russia at last year's World Junior Hockey Championship and will likely do so again this year.

Fellow Flames prospects Ryan Francis and Jeremie Poirier are currently on the Sea Dogs roster. Francis started the season with Kuznetsov in Stockton.

You'd have to think a decision on Kuznetsov will be made - at the latest - prior to January's trade deadline. Saint John currently has an open import spot and that will no doubt be filled one way or another.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Chicoutimi 4, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Fabrice Fortin's goal with 48.4 seconds remaining gave the Chicoutimi Sagueneens a regulation time win over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday at TD Station.

The puck was thrown on net from the point and deflected a couple times before going over the shoulder of Noah Patenaude to give the Sagueneens a 3-2 advantage. Felix Lafrance hit an empty net at 19:51 to make it a 4-2 final.

Matej Kaslik and Thomas Belgarde scored in the second period, which gave Chicoutimi a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes. Despite giving up the two goals, the Sea Dogs outshot the Sags 18-9 in the middle frame - but they just weren't generating great scoring chances.

In the third, William Dufour put in the rebound of a Josh Lawrence shot to get Saint John on the board at 2:48. Then at 5:56 - with Saint John on their first and only power play of the game - Evgeny Sapelnikov ripped a shot top corner from the circle to make it a 2-2 game.

The game seemed destined for overtime until Fortin's goal in the final minute.

Saint John outshot Chicoutimi 46-25 in the game but dangerous shots were listed at 12-12. The Sea Dogs just couldn't find the right gear offensively.

Sergei Litvinov made 44 saves in the win while Patenaude made 21 stops in the loss.

Game Day 17: vs Sagueneens

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Chicoutimi Sagueneens meet for the first time this season tonight at TD Station.

The Sags are in the middle of a three-in-three Maritime road trip that saw them hang on for a 6-4 win in Moncton last night after leading 4-0 and 5-1. They close out their trip tomorrow afternoon in Bathurst.

The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, are seemingly starting to click after a rough start to the year. With last night's strong 6-3 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes, Saint John has now won four of their past five games.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 8-6-0-2 for 18 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 6-7-0-3 for 15 points (third East/eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-3 home win over the Shawinigan Cataractes last night. William Dufour scored twice while singles came from Brady Burns, Ryan Francis, Nathan Drapeau and Josh Lawrence. Jonathan Lemieux made 30 stops in the win. The Sagueneens are coming off a 6-4 win in Moncton last night. Felix Lafrance and Matej Kaslik each scored twice while solo markers came from Felix Bedard and Felix-Olivier Chouinard. Kevyn Brassard, in his season debut, made 27 saves in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Sagueneens.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not meet last season.

Last meeting: Jan. 31, 2020 in Chicoutimi where the Sea Dogs defeated the Sagueneens 5-4 in a shootout. Josh Lawrence, Charlie DesRoches, Jeremie Poirier and Brady Burns all scored for Saint John. Dawson Mercer, Justin Ducharme, Xavier Labrecque and Raphael Lavoie had Chicoutimi goals. Zachary Bouthillier made 45 saves in the win. Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo allowed three goals 17 shots while Alexis Shank allowed a goal on three shots in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Shawinigan 3, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Make it two wins in the span of a week for the Saint John Sea Dogs over the Shawinigan Cataractes.

After a solid 4-2 road win last Friday in Shawinigan, the Sea Dogs produced another strong performance this Friday at TD Station, defeating the Cataractes 6-3.

William Dufour scored a pair while singles came from Brady Burns, Ryan Francis, Nathan Drapeau and Josh Lawrence. Jonathan Lemieux rebounded from a rough outing in his last start, making 30 saves in the win.

The Sea Dogs got off to a good start - something the team struggled with on the road last week - and carried that momentum from there. They got into some penalty trouble in the third period but the game never felt in doubt.

Xavier Bourgault scored twice for Shawinigan while Charles Beaudoin added a solo marker. Antoine Coulombe was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Charles-Antoine Lavallee allowed a goal on 15 shots the rest of the way.

Game Day 16: vs Cataractes

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are back home to host the Shawinigan Cataractes tonight at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs are returning from a fairly successful three-game Quebec road trip that saw the team go 2-1. That trip included a 4-2 win in Shawinigan last Friday - a victory that ended the Cataractes' winning streak at seven games.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 7-6-0-2 for 16 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Cataractes are 10-3-0-2 for 22 points (second Central/third Western/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 loss in Drummondville last Saturday. Brady Burns scored twice while Evgeny Sapelnikov added a solo marker. Jonathan Lemieux was pulled in the first period after allowing two goals on seven shots. Noah Patenaude allowed two goals on 24 shots the rest of the way. The Cataractes are coming off a 5-2 home win over the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday. Anthony DiCesare, Loic Gibeault, Alexis Bonefon, William Veillette and Natan Ethier scored for Shawinigan. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 21 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Cataractes this season while Shawinigan is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Last Friday in Shawinigan where the Sea Dogs edged the Cataractes 4-2. Charles Savoie, Ryan Francis, William Dufour and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Olivier Nadeau and Maximilien Ledoux scored for Shawinigan. Noah Patenaude made 27 saves in the win. Antoine Coulombe made 28 stops in the loss.

Notebook: Lapierre back to Bathurst

Embed from Getty Images

SAINT JOHN - The Acadie-Bathurst Titan received an early Christmas gift on Wednesday.

The Washington Capitals announced that 19-year-old forward Hendrix Lapierre has been sent back to junior where he'll rejoin the Titan. Lapierre was acquired by the Titan in the off-season after recording eight goals and 23 assists in 21 games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last year.

Lapierre recorded one goal in six games with the Capitals.

The news is a huge boost to a Titan team that has gone just 2-6-0-2 in their past 10 games after a hot start.

Lapierre appeared in just one pre-season game with the Titan, recording a goal and an assist against Saint John. Oddly, it may be some time before the Sea Dogs see the Capitals prospect in action again. The two teams have already played each other four times and will meet three times between Dec. 18-31 - when Lapierre will likely be in Edmonton with Canada's world junior team. The Sea Dogs and Titan won't meet again until Feb. 23.

FRANCIS' IMPACT

In many ways, the Sea Dogs have looked like a different team since the return of Ryan Francis. 

The Sea Dogs are 3-1 since his return. That included a 4-3 win over the Halifax Mooseheads in his season debut.

"As the game against the Mooseheads wore on, Francis was even more dominant and the rest of the team followed him," wrote Willy Palov in his Chronicle Herald column. "That intangible quality will be invaluable in Saint John where they need that kind of spark, not to mention the elite production the former Cape Breton Eagles star will provide."

Francis has two goals and three assists in four games this season.

Report: Sea Dogs add Chantler from OHL

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs have added another forward.

According to a London Free Press report, the Sea Dogs have picked up 19-year-old forward Jacob Chantler from the Ontario Hockey League.

London forward Jacob Chantler has been claimed by Saint John Sea Dogs. They’re the Memorial Cup hosts this season.

— Ryan Pyette (@RyanatLFPress) November 9, 2021

Chantler was a first-round pick of the London Knights in 2019 but has appeared in just four career OHL games - three of which have come this season. He was held pointless in all of those games.

A London native, Chantler's family were Knights season ticket holders when he was growing up. He played with the London Jr. Knights before heading to the GOJHL. In 2019-20, Chantler recorded 14 goals and 22 assists in 43 games with the London Nationals.

Chantler played one game as a call up with the Knights in 2019-20 before suffering a shoulder injury.

Like most Ontario players, Chantler did not play anywhere last season.

This is a low risk move for the Sea Dogs that could pay off. There have been plenty of players over the years who, for whatever reason, could not stick in the OHL before finding their game in the QMJHL. That's not always the case - but it's worth a shot.

The Sea Dogs return to action on Friday, hosting the Shawinigan Cataractes at TD Station.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Drummondville 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up just short in the final game of their three-in-three Quebec road trip.

A power play goal in the third period by Jeremy Lapointe secured a 4-3 victory for the Drummondville Voltigeurs over the Sea Dogs on Saturday at the Marcel Dionne Centre. Jacob Dion, Simon Hughes and Tristan Roy also scored for Drummondville.

Volts netminder Francesco Lapenna made a few huge stops that could have easily been Saint John goals. He made 27 saves in the win.

Saint John had a rough start, allowing two goals in the first 5:21 of action and were being outshot 8-1 at one point. But, like the previous two games of this road trip, the Sea Dogs settled in and started to take control.

Brady Burns scored two goals in the second half of the first period to tie things up at 2-2. Evgeny Sapelnikov scored at 5:47 of the second period to put Saint John in front 3-2.

The Volts tied the game at 10:45 of the middle frame, which sent the teams to the dressing rooms even at 3-3.

Saint John had a glorious chance to retake the lead 25 seconds into the third when Roy was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for head-butting Jeremie Poirier. But the Saint John power play that has looked so good of late struggled to get rolling and a Josh Lawrence tripping call at 4:10 ended the man advantage early.

Lapointe scored on a power play at 8:54 to make it 4-3 for homeside. Despite some good chances later in the period, the Sea Dogs could not even things up.

Despite the loss, taking four of six points on this tough road trip is pretty solid. The team's play - even in this loss - was also very encouraging and seems to be trending in the right direction.

Game Day 15: at Drummondville

DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs wrap up their three-in-three Quebec road trip this afternoon against the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

The Sea Dogs have had an impressive trip so far, defeating the Quebec Remparts 5-4 on Thursday and Shawinigan Cataractes 4-2 last night. The team has now won three straight games and have improved their record to 7-5-0-2, good for eighth overall in the QMJHL.

This will be Saint John's second game is less than 24 hours and the third game of a three-in-three is typically the hardest. But with CBC in town broadcasting the game nationally, the Dogs have extra motivation to find an extra bit of energy.

Game time is 4 p.m. Atlantic.

TV/Radio/Webcast: CBC/93 CFBC/CBC & CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 7-5-0-2 for 16 points (third Maritimes/fifth Eastern/eighth QMJHL) while the Voltigeurs are 6-5-3-0 for 15 points (third Central/sixth Western/12th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 win in Shawinigan last night. Charles Savoie, Ryan Francis, William Dufour and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Noah Patenaude made 27 saves in the win. The Voltigeurs are coming off a wild 7-6 overtime loss in Boisbriand last night. Luke Woodworth and Justin Cote each had a pair of goals while singles came from Jeremy Lapointe and Charles-Antoine Dumont. Riley Mercer made 14 saves in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two. 

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not face each other last season. 

Last meeting: March 7, 2020 at TD Station - the last Sea Dogs game of the pre-COVID era - where the Voltigeurs beat the Sea Dogs 8-2. William Dufour was named the game's first star with three goals and two assists while Xavier Simoneau had a goal and four assists. Isiah Campbell, Charles-Antoine Dumont, Jeremy Lapointe and Mathieu Charlebois also scored. Charles Savoie and Kale McCallum scored for Saint John. Anthony Morrone made 28 stops in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 34 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-2

FINAL: Saint John 4, Shawinigan 2

SHAWINIGAN, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs did it again.

A night after defeating the Quebec Remparts, the Sea Dogs rolled into Shawinigan and rolled out with two points thanks to a solid 4-2 road win over the Cataractes on Friday.

Charles Savoie, Ryan Francis, William Dufour and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Dufour also had two assists in his first star performance. Noah Patenaude made 27 stops in the victory.

Shawinigan scored early in the first period but, like Friday, the Sea Dogs would be rebound. Saint John really settled down after the opening 10 minutes, limiting Shawinigan scoring chances and began to create their own.

Francis made it a 2-2 game at 14:24 of the second period but Dufour's goal at 19:40 of the middle frame seemed to deflate the Cataractes as the Dogs headed to the dressing room up 3-2.

Saint John went to the power play early in the third period and - not over exaggerate too much - essentially produced their best man advantage since 2017. Poirier scored at 2:56, giving the Dogs a much deserved goal.

The Catarcates didn't generate many chances in the third. Saint John outshot Shawinigan 13-6 in the third and 32-29 overall.

Olivier Nadeau and Maximilien Ledoux scored for Shawinigan. Antoine Coulombe made 28 saves in the loss.

The Sea Dogs have had two solid performance so far on this road trip and will try to make it three on Saturday in Drummondville.
 

Game Day 14: at Shawinigan

SHAWINIGNAN, Que. - After a big win in Quebec City last night, things don't get any easier for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs, who kicked off their three-in-three Quebec road trip with a 5-4 victory over the Remparts, take on the Shawinigan Cataractes tonight. The Cataractes currently sit first overall in the QMJHL with a 9-2-0-2 record and have won seven straight games. 

Game time tonight at Gervais Auto Centre is 8:30 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Records: The Sea Dogs are 6-5-0-2 for 14 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL) while the Cataractes are 9-2-0-2 for 20 points (first Central/first Western/first QMJHL)

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 win in Quebec City last night. Riley Bezeau scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Charles Savoie, William Dufour and Olivier Picard. Jonathan Lemieux made 30 saves in the win. The Cataractes are coming off an 8-5 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday. Olivier Nadeau recorded four goals and added three assists for Shawinigan. Xavier Bourgault, Owen Saye, Lou-Felix Denis and Martin Has also scored. Antoine Coulombe made 29 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the two.

2020-21 head-to-head: These two did not face each other last season.

Last meeting: Nov. 30, 2019 at TD Station where the Cataractes defeated the Sea Dogs 4-3. Gabriel Denis scored twice for Shawinigan while singles came from Vasily Ponomarev and Charles Beaudoin. James White, Brady Burns and William Villeneuve scored for Saint John. Antoine Coulombe made 24 stops in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 32 saves in the loss.