University Cup begins Thursday

HALIFAX - Several former Saint John Sea Dogs will be competing for the University Cup in Wolfville, NS this week.

This week's tournament is poised to be the first University Cup held since 20119 due to COVID-19. The 2020 tournament was cancelled after the first day of action because of the original COVID sports shutdown (simpler times!).

The UNB Reds are looking to win their second straight national championship. The Reds defeated the Alberta Golden Bears in the 2019 final in Lethbridge - and there is certainly a good chance we could see that classic matchup in the gold medal game once again this year.

The Reds are led by captain Samuel Dove-McFalls, the former Sea Dogs forward who helped UNB win the 2019 University Cup in his freshman season. He recorded two goals and and an assist in the 2019 tournament.

Dove-McFalls is one of nine former Sea Dogs who are part of teams that qualified for the University Cup.

1. Alberta Golden Bears (CW champions): None

2. UNB Reds (AUS champions): Samuel Dove-McFalls and Benjamin Gagne

3. UQTR Patriotes (OUA champions): Julien Tessier

4. Brock Badgers (OUA finalists): Olivier DesRoches

5. StFX X-Men (AUS finalists): Bailey Webster, Will Thompson and Blade Mann-Dixon

6. UBC Thunderbirds (CW finalists): None

7. Ryerson Rams (OUA third-place): Kevin Gursoy

8. Acadia Axemen (hosts): Nicholas Deakin-Poot

DesRoches did not play in any games with Brock this season but is still listed on their roster.

Declan Smith, a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft who was later traded to Cape Breton, is part of the StFX roster. Nicolas Guay, meanwhile, spent the first half of the season with UNB before turning pro during this winter's COVID pause.

Acadia is coached by Darren Burns, the father of current Sea Dogs forward Brady Burns.

The tournament begins Thursday on the Acadia University campus with the first two quarterfinal games. The other quarterfinal contests will take place Friday; the semifinals will be held Saturday; and the gold and bronze medal matches on Sunday.

All games will be streamed for free on CBC Sports' digital platforms.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-4

FINAL: Saint John 6, Halifax 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs got some revenge on the Halifax Mooseheads on Wednesday.

After the Mooseheads defeated the Sea Dogs 5-4 on Sunday at TD Station, Saint John picked up a road win of their own by defeating Halifax 6-4 at Scotiabank Centre.

Philippe Daoust had two goals and an assist while singles came from Olivier Picard, Vincent Sevigny, William Dufour and Nathan Drapeau. Thomas Couture overcame a rough start to make 26 stops in the victory.

Like the past few Sea Dogs games, this was not a work of art. Saint John struggled in the first period, going back-and-forth with the Mooseheads and giving up three goals on 12 shots. But a quick goal from Sevigny in the second period seemed to calm things down. The final 40 minutes were much less chaotic and Saint John held an edge in play for much of it.

Zachary Beauregard, James Swan, Elliot Desnoyers and Bobby Orr scored for Halifax. Brady James made 29 saves in the loss.

Game Day 54: at Halifax

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs are back in action tonight, visiting the Halifax Mooseheads.

The Mooseheads upset the Sea Dogs 5-4 at TD Station on Sunday - a rare home loss for Saint John in this second half. The two squads have been heading in opposite directions of late with the Sea Dogs 8-2 in their last 10 games while the Mooseheads are 3-7.

This will be the final meeting of the regular season between the two. There is a chance they could meet in the opening round of the playoffs.

Game time tonight at Scotiabank Centre is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 32-17-1-3 for 68 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 27-25-1-1 for 56 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads met on Sunday at TD Station where Halifax won 5-4. Elliot Desnoyers, Bobby Orr, Jordan Dumais, Zack Jones and Zachary Beauregard all scored for the Mooseheads. Saint John had a pair of goals from Ryan Francis and singles from Raivis Ansons and William Dufour. Brady James made 35 saves in the win. Nikolas Hurtubise was pulled after allowing five goals on 24 shots. Thomas Couture stopped all five shots he faced in relief.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 5-2-0-0 against the Mooseheads this season while Halifax is 2-4-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: This past Sunday at TD Station. See above.

Eastern Conference race remains tight

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

EDMONTON - It's looking like we're in for quite a finish in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Eastern Conference.

With a little over a month left in the regular season, the Charlottetown Islanders and Quebec Remparts are battling it out for top spot in the conference while the Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadie-Bathurst Titan are fighting for third.

The Islanders, who have played one less game than the Remparts, still own the league's best winning percentage.

While it remains possible that the Titan and/or Sea Dogs could catch up to the Islanders and/or Remparts, it remains a long shot. The two New Brunswick clubs appear destined for a close race for third-place in the conference.

The Titan have a two-point lead on the Sea Dogs heading into action this week. But Bathurst has played two fewer games than Saint John, meaning the Sea Dogs can't afford many more errors - like Sunday's loss to the Halifax Mooseheads - if they want to pass the Titan.

The two teams will meet just two more times in the regular season: April 9 in Saint John and April 22 in Bathurst.

Looking at Saint John's remaining schedule, they have some tough matchups remaining, including those two matches against Bathurst; home dates with Gatineau, Quebec and Sherbrooke; and a road contest in Charlottetown. They'll also face Cape Breton six times; Moncton twice; and Halifax once.

Playoff seeding could play a pivotal role in this year's post-season with most series reduced to best-of-five instead of the usual best-of-seven.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-4

FINAL: Halifax 5, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Missed scoring opportunities and some defensive mishaps proved costly for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday.

The Sea Dogs hit (at least) four posts and then struggled defensively at times in the second half of the game, ultimately falling 5-4 to the Halifax Mooseheads at TD Station.

The loss drops the Sea Dogs two points back of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for third-place in the Eastern Conference. The Titan have played two fewer games as well.

After winning 10 straight contests, it was a bit of a rough week for the Sea Dogs, falling to both the Mooseheads and Charlottetown Islanders in regulation time. Both games were winnable - but some mishaps proved too costly to overcome.

Ryan Francis scored a pair of goals for Saint John while Raivis Ansons and William Dufour also scored. Nikolas Hurtubise was pulled after allowing five goals on 24 shots - including a pair of third period goals 34 seconds apart. Thomas Couture stopped all five shots he faced in relief.

Brady James was a major reason for the Mooseheads win, making 35 stops. Elliot Desnoyers, Bobby Orr, Jordan Dumais, Zack Jones and Zachary Beauregard scored for Halifax.

Notebook: Lawrence close to team record

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

WINNIPEG - Josh Lawrence has quietly climbed up the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League points leader board.

Lawrence enters action Sunday sitting seventh in league scoring with 75 points. His 54 assists in second only to Sherbrooke's Joshua Roy who leads the circuit with 56. Lawrence posted four helpers in Saint John's 8-3 victory over the Moncton Wildcats on Friday.

The Fredericton native has a good shot at breaking the franchise record for most assists in one season. The record currently belongs to Jonathan Huberdeau who recorded 62 in 2010-11.

Lawrence's 54 assists this season place him in a tie with Michael Kirkpatrick (2009-10) for fifth in team history.

WINNING STREAK

The Sea Dogs' winning streak came to an end at 10 games this past week in Charlottetown.

The 10-gamer ties this year's squad with the 2010-11 team for the fourth longest winning streak in franchise history. This was the first time Saint John had won 10 of more games consecutively since the 2011-12 season.

The franchise record remains 22 straight wins, set in 2009-10 - a record that will likely never be broken.

Game Day 53: vs Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - A hot team and a cold team meet this afternoon at TD Station.

The Saint John Sea Dogs, winners of nine of their last 10 games, host the Halifax Mooseheads, who have dropped eight of their past 10.

It wasn't that long ago that the Sea Dogs and Mooseheads were tied in the standings. But as the second half has moved along, the two teams have headed in opposite directions. Saint John and Halifax are now separated by 14 points in the standings.

Game time this afternoon at TD Station is 3 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 32-16-1-3 for 68 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 26-25-1-1 for 54 points (fourth Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-3 win over the Moncton Wildcats on Friday. William Dufour scored a pair of goals while singles came from Riley Bezeau, Raivis Ansons, Brady Burns, Philippe Daoust, Jeremie Poirier and Connor Trenholm. Thomas Couture made 14 saves in the win. The Mooseheads are coming off an 11-2 home loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday. James Swan and Evan Boucher scored for Halifax. Brady James allowed eight goals on 35 shots while Mathis Rousseau allowed three goals on four shots.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 5-1-0-0 against the Mooseheads this season while Halifax is 1-4-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 6 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs hammered the Mooseheads 10-2. William Dufour had a hat trick for Saint John; Cam MacDonald scored twice; and singles came from Raivis Ansons; William Villeneuve; Philippe Daoust; Riley Bezau and Josh Lawrence. Senna Peeters scored both Halifax goals. Thomas Couture made 38 saves in the win. Mathis Rousseau allowed five goals on 19 shots and Brady James allowed five goals on 20 shots.

Reds win AUS title; Dove-McFalls named playoff MVP

UNB Hockey Twitter

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Samuel Dove-McFalls scored the game-winning goal to clinch a fourth consecutive Atlantic University Sport championship for the UNB Reds on Friday.

Dove-McFalls, the Reds captain, broke a 1-1 tie with a power play goal early in the third period. The Reds would add an empty net goal late to defeat the rival StFX X-Men 3-1 in the one-game AUS championship.

"It was a play that we like to run on the power play that worked out perfectly," Dove-McFalls told the Reds website after the game. "All the credit goes to Rob Hennigar, our power play coach, for setting that up."

🚨🚨REDS GOOOAL🚨🚨

The captain @SamDoveMcFalls buries the one timer on the power play!

Reds take the lead with just over 16 mins to go in the game!@UNBAthletics #goredsgo pic.twitter.com/Yf5iuqQNos

— UNB Men’s Hockey (@UNBMHockey) March 25, 2022

With two goals and three assists in three playoff games, Dove-McFalls was named the AUS playoff MVP.

The 24-year-old is in his fourth season at UNB (including last year's cancelled campaign). He recorded 10 goals and 20 points in 24 regular season games.
 

Recap: Sea Dogs win 8-3

FINAL: Moncton 3, Saint John 8

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs wasted little time getting back in the win column.

After having their 10-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday in Charlottetown, the Sea Dogs had a fairly easy time defeating the Moncton Wildcats 8-3 on Friday at TD Station.

William Dufour ended his goalless drought, scoring twice. Riley Bezeau, Raivis Ansons, Brady Burns, Philippe Daoust, Jeremie Poirier and Connor Trenholm added singles. Josh Lawrence had four assists.

Thomas Couture made 14 stops in the victory.

The Sea Dogs got off a to great start, scoring twice in the opening six minutes. They led 4-0 after one, outshooting the Wildcats 14-5.

The Wildcats had some momentum going early in the second period, but that would be the only blip in the Sea Dogs' game. Saint John would outshoot Moncton 16-2 in the third period and 48-17 overall.

Alex Mercier, Brooklyn Kalmikov and Maxim Barbashev had Wildcats goals. Vincent Fillion was chased from the net after allowing four goals on 14 shots in the opening frame. Jonathan Lemieux allowed four goals on 34 shots in the final two periods.

Game Day 52: vs Wildcats

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to start a new winning streak tonight.

The Sea Dogs dropped their first game since Feb. 26 last night in Charlottetown, falling 6-4 to the Islanders. The loss ended Saint John's winning streak at 10 games.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats four times during that win streak, including a 6-2 win in Moncton on Tuesday night.

Game time tonight at TD Station is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 31-16-1-3 for 66 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 22-21-5-1 for 50 points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-4 loss in Charlottetown last night. Philippe Daoust scored a pair of goals while singles came from Raivis Ansons and Ryan Francis. Nikolas Hurtubise allowed five goals on 15 shots in 40 minutes of play. Thomas Couture stopped all three shots he faced in the third period. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-2 home win over the Cape Breton Eagles last night. Maxim Barbashev scored twice while Brooklyn Kalmikov, Mathis Cloutier and Jonas Taibel added singles. Jonathan Lemieux made 25 saves in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 4-2-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 2-4-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Tuesday night at Avenir Centre where the Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats 6-2. Ryan Francis scored a pair of goals while singles came from Vincent Sevigny, Nathan Drapeau, Nicholas Blagden and Brady Burns. Thomas Darcy and Mathis Cloutier scored for Moncton. Nikolas Hurtubise made 23 saves in the win. Vincent Filion made 34 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-4

RECAP: Saint John 4, Charlottetown 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' 10-game winning streak came to an end Thursday.

The Sea Dogs came up just short at Eastlink Centre, falling 6-4 to the league leading Charlottetown Islanders. It was the team's first loss since Feb. 26.

Saint John had a rough second period, getting into penalty trouble and giving up three goals - and they ultimately couldn't complete the comeback. The Sea Dogs pushed hard in the third period (which was good to see), outshooting the Islanders 10-4. The Dogs were able to make it a 5-4 game before giving up an empty net goal to make it a 6-4 final.

It was another playoff like battle between these two Maritime powers. Like last Friday at TD Station - which saw the Sea Dogs complete a third period comeback - it was a very physical and intense matchup. A playoff series between these two would be quite the war.

While they hung on for the victory, the Islanders have certainly developed a reputation in the second half as a team that has trouble holding onto leads. They'll want to clean that up over the next month.

Patrick Guay had a pair of goals for Charlottetown while singles came from Brett Budgell, Jakub Brabenec, Dawson Stairs and Noah Laaouan. Francesco Lapenna made 24 stops in the win.

Philippe Daoust scored a pair for Saint John while Raivis Ansons and Ryan Francis added solo markers. Nikolas Hurtubise allowed five goals on 15 shots in two periods of action. Thomas Couture stopped all three shots he faced in the third. 

Game Day 51: at Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN - Another big showdown between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Charlottetown Islanders is here.

The Sea Dogs visit Charlottetown tonight as the No. 9 and No. 4 teams in the latest CHL Top 10 rankings go head-to-head. Game time at Eastlink Centre is 7 p.m.

Saint John carries a 10-game winning streak into this contest - a streak that includes two wins over Charlottetown. The latest was last Friday at TD Station when the Sea Dogs came back to win 4-3 in overtime.

Charlottetown, meanwhile, is on a 4-0-2-0 run even as the team continues to deal with injury issues.

It's still not impossible for Saint John to catch Charlottetown in the standings - but it is still unlikely. Entering play tonight, the Islanders have an eight-point lead on the Sea Dogs and have a game in-hand.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 75%/None/Required

Records: The Sea Dogs are 31-15-1-3 for 66 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Islanders are 34-9-6-0 for 74 points (first Maritimes/first Eastern/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-2 win in Moncton on Tuesday night. Ryan Francis scored a pair of goals while singles came from Vincent Sevigny, Nathan Drapeau, Nicholas Blagden and Brady Burns. Nikolas Hurtubise made 23 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off a 4-2 win in Cape Breton on Tuesday. Lukas Cormier, Drew Elliott, Noah Laaouan and Jakub Brabenec scored for Charlottetown. Oliver Satny made 22 stops in the win.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 3-4-0-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 4-2-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 18 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 4-3 in overtime. Jeremie Poirier, Philippe Daoust, Brady Burns and Vincent Sevigny scored for Saint John. Patrick Guay, Keiran Gallant and Brett Budgell scored for Charlottetown. Nikolas Hurtubise made 28 saves in the win. Francesco Lapenna made 35 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-2

FINAL: Saint John 6, Moncton 2

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs' winning streak has reached double digits.

The Sea Dogs won their 10th straight game on Tuesday night at Avenir Centre, defeating the Moncton Wildcats 6-2. The Sea Dogs have beaten the Wildcats four times during this win streak.

Ryan Francis scored a pair of goals while singles came from Vincent Sevigny, Nathan Drapeau, Nicholas Blagden and Brady Burns. Raivis Ansons had a pair of assists. Nikolas Hurtubise made 23 saves in the win.

It wasn't the prettiest or most dominant win by the Sea Dogs but it got the job done. After a fairly even opening frame, Saint John took control for parts of the second period, outshooting Moncton 17-13.

The Wildcats never really went away all game, even with several regulars missing from their lineup. Despite being outplayed for much of the third, Moncton nearly made it a one-goal game late in the frame when Brooklyn Kalmikov hit the post. Blagden secured the win with an empty net goal at 18:32 and then Burns made it a 6-2 final with 17 seconds remaining.

Thomas Darcy and Mathis Cloutier scored for the Wildcats. Vincent Filion made 34 stops in the loss.

Moncton has now lost seven straight games.

Sea Dogs back in CHL Top 10

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs have moved back into the CHL Top 10 Rankings.

The Sea Dogs, who enter play Tuesday on a nine-game winning streak, were ranked ninth in the weekly rankings. Other QMJHL teams in the Top 10 were the Charlottetown Islanders (fourth) and the Sherbrooke Phoenix (seventh). The Acadie-Bathurst Titan and Quebec Remparts were honourable mentions.

The @EdmOilKings keep the crown in the Week 21 edition of the @KiaCanada CHL Top-10 Rankings 👑

📰 | https://t.co/zHSoe836L1 pic.twitter.com/tHW5zdiSvE

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) March 22, 2022

From the CHL website:

Returning to the national spotlight, the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia host Saint John Sea Dogs have found their offensive legs with the past week’s pair of outings seeing the team combine for 10 goals. Going without a regulation loss in their past 10 contests, among the most noted contributors for the surging Sea Dogs is veteran right-wing and New York Islanders 2020 fifth-round selection William Dufour who has racked up 19 points counting seven goals and 12 assists through eight games in March.

The Sea Dogs have the seventh best winning percentage in the QMJHL with a record of 30-15-1-3.

The Western Hockey League's Edmonton Oil Kings were ranked first once again this week.

Game Day 50: at Moncton

MONCTON - For a third time this month, the Saint John Sea Dogs will take on the Moncton Wildcats tonight.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats have met three times in the second half with Saint John winning all three easily, outscoring Moncton by a total of 19-3. The latest meeting, which took place on Saturday at TD Station, ended in a 6-2 Sea Dogs win.

These two clubs have been heading in opposite directions for a few weeks now. Saint John carries a nine-game winning streak into tonight's game while Moncton has dropped six straight.

Game time tonight at Avenir Centre is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 30-15-1-3 for 64 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 21-20-5-1 for 48 points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-2 win over the Wildcats on Saturday at TD Station. Ryan Francis, Cam MacDonald and Philippe Daoust all scored a pair of goals each. Thomas Couture made 19 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-3 loss in Charlottetown on Sunday. Yoan Loshing, Mathis Cloutier and Thomas Darcy all scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion made 38 stops in the loss.

Two ex-Dogs traded in NHL

Two former Saint John Sea Dogs were dealt prior to the NHL's trade deadline on Monday.

On Sunday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded former Sea Dogs forward Mathieu Joseph and a draft pick to the Ottawa Senators for Nick Paul. Jospeh, 25, has spent his entire professional career with the Lightning organization, winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

Joseph remains the only former Sea Dog to win a Stanley Cup title.

You’ll be missed here in Tampa, @MathJoseph7. 💙

Best of luck in Ottawa! pic.twitter.com/4KahIyWbBi

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 21, 2022

Joseph, who played with the Sea Dogs from 2013-14 to 2016-17, has eight goals and 10 assists in 58 games this season. While his chances of winning a third straight Stanley Cup are gone, Joseph will likely have a much more prominent role with the rebuilding Sens.

Mathieu Joseph’s arb case this summer was going to be an issue for cap-challenged Tampa Bay. Probably would not have qualified him, making him UFA. So really in Tampa’s eyes, a pending UFA for a pending UFA.
Tampa also likes Nick Paul’s versatility.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 20, 2022

The Sens, of course, feature former Sea Dogs defenseman Thomas Chabot, who played with Joseph in Saint John and on Canada's world junior team. Chabot is out for the rest of the season with a broken hand.

Notebook: Gone streaking

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are enjoying their longest winning streak since the 2016-17 season.

With Saturday's 6-2 victory over the Moncton Wildcats, the Sea Dogs extended their winning streak to nine games. The team's last nine-game winning streak came in 2016-17, a campaign that ended with a President Cup title.

This current nine-game streak is tied for fifth longest in franchise history.

There are also a couple individual streaks worth pointing out. Josh Lawrence has recorded at least a point in 18 straight home games while William Dufour has done the same in 16 consecutive home matches. The two streaks now sit second and third, respectively, in franchise history.

The Sea Dogs team record for most consecutive home games with at least a point is 19, set by Chris DiDomenico way back in 2007-08.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Given their nine-game winning streak and having defeated the Charlottetown Islanders two weeks in a row, you have to think the Sea Dogs are getting close to entering the CHL Top 10.

The Sea Dogs were an honourable mention again last week. The Islanders were ranked fourth, the Sherbrooke Phoenix seventh and the Shawinigan Cataractes eighth. The Quebec Remparts were also an honourable mention.

The WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings were ranked first.

Who will host in 2025?

The 2022 Memorial Cup begins three months from today in Saint John. But who will host the event the next time it's the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's turn?

Assuming the Canadian Hockey League maintains its current rotation, the 2023 tournament will be held out west and the 2024 event in Ontario. The QMJHL will host again in 2025.

As Mikael Lalancette writes in Le Manic, two QMJHL teams have expressed interest so far: the Rimouski Oceanic and the Gatineau Olympiques.

The Oceanic last hosted in 2009 and the CHL has seemingly opened the door for medium size markets to get back into the bidding process. The Olympiques, meanwhile, finally have a modern building to host the event in. There is an outdoor concert space across the street from the new Slush Puppie Centre that would be perfect for hosting some Memorial Cup events.

You have to think the Moncton Wildcats are also considering a bid. The Avenir Centre has yet to host a major sports tournament since it opened. Working against the Wildcats is that a Maritime city has hosted in each of the past two QMJHL cycles (Halifax in 2019 and Saint John in 2022).

The Kamloops Blazers have further confirmed their interest in hosting next year's Memorial Cup. Like with Saint John's bid last year, the CHL will determine the host city for 2023, not the WHL.

“It’s better,” Blazers owner Tom Gaglardi told Kamloops The Week about the new bid process. “It should be decided by people who are, you know … I just think it takes biases out and the real reasons a winning team should host have got a better chance of prevailing. I’m hopeful this is a good system and a better system, but that remains to be seen.”

The wildcard in all of this: could the CHL change the Memorial Cup format in the near future? Given the financial hits teams have faced the past couple years and a new TV partner on board, it feels like a prime time to try something new. But who knows.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-2

FINAL: Moncton 2, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Make it nine straight wins for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Ryan Francis, Philippe Daoust and Cam MacDonald all scored two goals each in the Sea Dogs' 6-2 victory over the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at TD Station. Thomas Couture made 19 stops to earn the win against his old club.

Maxim Barbashev and Brooklyn Kalmikov scored for Moncton. Former Sea Dog Jonathan Lemieux made 34 stops - including breakaway saves off both Francis and William Dufour in the third period - in the loss.

The Sea Dogs dominated the opening 10 minutes of the game, grabbing a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats slowly found their legs though, connecting on a five-on-three advantage that seemed to give them some energy.

Saint John led 3-2 after one. The Wildcats stayed in the game throughout the second thanks to the Sea Dogs getting into some penalty trouble. Moncton had three straight power plays in the frame but it would be Saint John scoring the only goal of the period to lead 4-2 through two.

The Sea Dogs returned to form in the third, scoring twice and outshooting Moncton 18-5.

The two teams continue to head in opposite directions. While the Sea Dogs extended their winning streak to nine games, the Wildcats have now lost five straight. The two meet again on Tuesday in Moncton.

Game Day 49: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - After a thrilling overtime win over the league-leading Charlottetown Islanders last night, the Saint John Sea Dogs are right back in action this evening, hosting the Moncton Wildcats.

Last night's victory, which saw the Sea Dogs erase a 2-0 third period deficit, extended the team's winning streak to eight games. They'll face the Wildcats tonight at TD Station and again on Tuesday in Moncton.

The Wildcats have been hit hard by COVID, injuries and a challenging schedule over the past few weeks, which has led to them sliding down the standings. The team has dropped four straight heading into tonight's contest and are just 3-6-1-0 in their last 10 games.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 29-15-1-3 for 62 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 21-18-5-1 for 48 points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Charlottetown Islanders last night at TD Station. Jeremie Poirier, Philippe Daoust, Brady Burns and Vincent Sevigny scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise made 28 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-0 loss in Charlottetown on Thursday. Vincent Filion made 42 saves in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 2-2-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 2-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Last Saturday at the Avenir Centre where the Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats 5-0. Josh Lawrence had a pair of goals while singles came from William Dufour, Charlie DesRoches and Peter Reynolds. Thomas Couture made 20 saves in the shutout. Jonathan Lemieux made 31 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 4 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Vincent Sévigny made his first game as Saint John Sea Dogs captain a memorable one.

The overage defenseman scored 51 seconds into overtime to give the Sea Dogs a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday at TD Station. The victory extended Saint John's winning streak to eight games.

The Sea Dogs trailed 2-0 heading into the third period. Jeremie Porier got Saint John on the board at 5:14 with a blast from the point. Then Philippe Daoust tied the match with a shorthanded goal at 16:38.

Saint John kept the momentum going from the shorthanded goal. At 18:26, Brady Burns beat Francesco Lapenna five hole to give Saint John their first lead of the game. But the Islanders would not go away. With Lapenna pulled, Brett Budgell scored at 19:27 to tie the game at 3-3, ultimately setting up Sévigny's heroics in overtime.

A snipe from CAPTAIN SEVIGNY wins it in OT! 🚨#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/em29pz7TF5

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) March 19, 2022

Nikolas Hurtubise made 28 stops in the win while Lapenna stopped 35 shots in the loss.

Patrick Guay and Keiran Gallant also scored for Charlottetown.

Saint John struggled to get through Charlottetown's strong defense for much of the game. A major storyline - especially before the final minutes of the third period - was the Sea Dogs' power play struggles, which went 1-for-6 on the night.

It felt very much like a playoff game with a lot of physical play and a level of intensity on the ice that hadn't been seen at TD Station yet this season. Hopefully there are a lot more games of this caliber to come.

Game Day 48: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Charlottetown Islanders meet again tonight in a significant Maritimes Division showdown.

While it remains unlikely (but not impossible) that the Sea Dogs catch the Islanders in the standings, these remaining head-to-head matchups will help set the tone for a possible playoff matchup down the road. Charlottetown has been one of the best teams all season and Saint John is the league's hottest team right now.

The Sea Dogs enter play tonight in a tie for second-place in the Maritimes with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The Titan have played one less game.

Game time tonight at TD Station is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 28-15-1-3 for 60 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL) while the Islanders are 32-9-5-0 for 69 nice points (first Maritimes/first Eastern/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-0 win in Moncton on Saturday. Josh Lawrence scored a pair of goals while singles came from William Dufour, Charlie DesRoches and Peter Reynolds. Thomas Couture made 20 saves in the shutout win. The Islanders are coming off a 5-0 home win over the Wildcats last night. Patrick Guay scored a hat trick while Lukas Cormier and Owen Saye added solo markers. Francesco Lapenna made 19 stops in the shutout victory.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 2-4-0-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 4-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Last Friday at Eastlink Centre where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 2-1. Ryan Francis and Josh Lawrence scored for Saint John. Brett Budgell scored for Charlottetown. Nikolas Hurtubise made 22 saves in the win. Francesco Lapenna made 21 stops in the loss.

Daoust signs ELC with Senators

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Thursday was a good day for Saint John Sea Dogs forward Philippe Daoust.

Along with being named one of Saint John's assistant captains for the remainder of the season, the overager signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators.

"We've been very pleased with Philippe's progress," said Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion in a news release. "He's a highly skilled forward who displays good offensive instincts and creativity. With Saint John serving as Memorial Cup host this spring, we expect him to play an important role throughout the Sea Dogs' post-season."

The Barrie, ON native was a sixth-round pick of the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft. He started the season with the club's AHL affiliate in Belleville where he recorded five assists in 15 games.

Daoust is signed‼️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/6sheIZwl58

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 17, 2022

Since being traded to and joining the Sea Dogs for his final year of junior eligibility, Daoust has 11 goals and 11 assists in 17 games. He'll remain in Saint John for the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign.

There have been several Sea Dogs/Senators connections over the years. Former Dogs to play for the Sens include Mike Hoffman, Chris DiDomenico and Thomas Chabot. Former/current Sea Dogs coach Paul Boutilier was previously a member of the Belleville coaching staff.

The Sens also announced Thursday that Chabot will miss the remainder of the season due to a fractured right hand. Ottawa isn't in a playoff position, sitting 15th overall in the 16-team Eastern Conference.

Sévigny named Sea Dogs captain

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Vincent Sévigny has been named captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs made the long awaited announcement on Thursday. The overage defenseman becomes the 19th captain in team history and the first since Nicolas Guay in 2019-20.

“Vincent brings professionalism to the group and has valuable experience having won last season” said Sea Dogs head coach Gordie Dwyer in a news release. “There are a lot of qualified leaders that have been identified within our group and Vincent has certainly earned the respect of his teammates and taken on important responsibilities since entering our environment.”

Sévigny was acquired from the Victoriaville Tigres during the holiday trade period. He has five goals and seven assists in 16 games with Saint John, playing a significant amount of minutes on the backend.

Sévigny helped the Tigres win the President Cup last season.

“It’s an honour to be the captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs” said Sévigny. “It’s a Memorial Cup year and we are on a mission. I want everyone to know it.”

Forwards Riley Bezeau and Philippe Daoust along with defenseman William Villeneuve will serve as assistant captains. Villeneuve has already worn an 'A' for 43 games this season while Bezeau has had one for 39 contests.

The news release also noted that "three other players will be included in a larger leadership group: Calgary Flames prospect Yan Kuznetsov; 2021 President Cup champion goaltender Nicolas Hurtubise; and 2021 President Cup finalist Olivier Picard."

The Sea Dogs, winners of seven straight games, host the Maritimes Division leading Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night.

Sea Dogs to name captain "soon"

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Someone will be wearing a 'C' for the Saint John Sea Dogs before the season ends.

"We will name a captain," Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie said in an interview with the Seeing Double podcast. "It'll be soon." 

Georgie added that, in speaking with head coach Gordie Dwyer, the team wanted to take its time in naming a captain following the plethora of acquisitions made during the holiday trade period.

The Sea Dogs haven't had a captain since Nicolas Guay during the 2019-20 season. Guay was traded mid-season to the Rimouski Oceanic.

Seven different players have worn an 'A' for the Sea Dogs this season: William Villeneuve (43 games), Riley Bezeau (39), Olivier Picard (34), Vincent Sevigny (nine), Christopher Inniss (eight), Yan Kuznetsov (six) and Ryan Francis (two).

One player who hasn't worn an 'A' but is no doubt a candidate for a letter is overage forward Philippe Daoust.

A few other topics discussed on the podcast with Georgie:

• The current Sea Dogs team and how they've performed since the trade deadline.
• The upcoming Memorial Cup tournament and what the event will mean for Saint John.
• Wrestling.
• The Sea Dogs' partnership with TD.
• Ball hockey around the Saint John area.

Notebook: Hurtubise honoured

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise has been honoured for his play last week.

Hurtubise was named to the QMJHL's Team of the Week on Monday after posting a 2-0 record to go along with a .933 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average. The netminder helped the Sea Dogs pick up a couple big wins over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan and Charlottetown Islanders.

Since joining the Sea Dogs, Hurtubise is 6-2 with a 2.72 GAA and .904 save percentage.

Hurtubise leads all QMJHL goaltenders in minutes played and is third in saves.

Thomas Couture, meanwhile, posted his first career QMJHL shutout on Saturday, helping the Sea Dogs defeat the Moncton Wildcats 5-0. Couture is now 7-2 with the Sea Dogs to go along with a 1.96 GAA and .923 save percentage.

Couture is, somewhat surprisingly, third in the league in wins this season with 18 split between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats.

COUTURE'S NEW GEAR
Thomas Couture's Sea Dogs branded gear arrived last week.

New look for Thomas Couture 😍 pic.twitter.com/u1WjCtWotQ

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) March 8, 2022

COMING UP

After a hectic stretch filled with mid-week games, the Sea Dogs have the week off to prepare for two tilts this weekend.

The Sea Dogs have another big game against the Charlottetown Islanders set for this Friday, this time at TD Station. The two teams met last Friday at Eastlink Centre where Saint John earned a solid 2-1 victory.

The Islanders, who play Thursday at home against the Moncton Wildcats, have a seven-point lead on the Sea Dogs and have played two fewer games. Friday's match will be the final regular season meeting between the two in Saint John.

On Saturday the Sea Dogs host the Wildcats at 7 p.m. In two meetings in the second half, the Sea Dogs have outscored the Wildcats 13-1. The two will also face each other on March 22 (in Moncton) and March 25 (in Saint John).

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-0

FINAL: Saint John 5, Moncton 0

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs had little trouble with the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at Avenir Centre.

Josh Lawrence scored twice and added an assist to guide the Sea Dogs to a 5-0 victory. William Dufour had a goal and three helpers while Charlie DesRoches and Peter Reynolds also scored. Raivis Ansons added three assists.

Thomas Couture stopped all 20 shots he faced to record a shutout against his former team.

The Sea Dogs led just 1-0 after an uneventful first period but took control of the game in the second frame, scoring three times. Saint John outshot Moncton 24-10 in the final two periods and 36-20 overall.

Former Sea Dog Jonathan Lemieux made 31 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs are really rolling right now. They've now won seven straight games and have picked up at least a point in eight straight.

Game Day 47: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to extend their winning streak to seven games this evening in Moncton.

The Sea Dogs are coming off back-to-back wins over two of the league's best teams, defeating the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 4-3 on Wednesday and the Charlottetown Islanders 2-1 last night. Tonight they'll face a Wildcats team that has begun to drop a bit in the standings after a competitive first half - but as the Sea Dogs have found out plenty of times over the past two seasons, Moncton can't be taken lightly.

Game time tonight at Avenir Centre is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/Required

Records: The Sea Dogs are 27-15-1-3 for 58 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 21-16-5-1- for 48 points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 win in Charlottetown last night. Ryan Francis and Josh Lawrence scored in the win. Nikolas Hurtubise made 22 saves in the victory.  The Wildcats are coming off a 5-3 loss in Bathurst last night. Vincent Labelle, Yoan Loshing and Brooklyn Kalmikov scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion made 37 saves in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-2-0-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 2-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 27 at Avenir Centre where the Sea Dogs hammered the Wildcats 8-1. William Dufour scored four times in that game while singles came from Cam MacDonald, Vincent Sevigny, Jeremie Poirier and Raivis Ansons. Vincent Labelle scored Moncton's lone goal. Thomas Couture made 19 saves in the win. Jonathan Lemieux made 43 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 2-1

FINAL: Saint John 2, Charlottetown 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs won their sixth straight game on Friday at Eastlink Centre.

Josh Lawrence put in his own rebound at 1:25 of the third period, a goal that proved to be the winner in a 2-1 Sea Dogs victory over the Charlottetown Islanders.

Ryan Francis scored Saint John's other goal, connecting early in the first period on a power play. Nikolas Hurtubise was solid in net, making 22 saves in the win.

It was a close, hard fought and entertaining contest even with both squads missing some regulars from their lineup. It was a fairly low event game - something unusual for the Sea Dogs - with shots ending just 23-23 in a faceoff between two of the QMJHL's top scoring teams.

Even though the Islanders were missing a few key players, this has to be another confidence boost for the Sea Dogs. Saint John entered the game having just one win in five tries against Charlottetown this season.

Brett Budgell scored Charlottetown's lone goal midway through the third period. Francesco Lapenna made 21 stops in the loss.

Game Day 46: at Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN - For the first time in the second half, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Charlottetown Islanders will go head-to-head tonight at Eastlink Centre.

The Sea Dogs are 1-4-0-0 against the Islanders this season but all five of those meetings took place prior to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League trade deadline. This will be the first meeting where both teams will have their "finalized" lineups on the ice (although there are injuries on both sides).

The Islanders officially sit third in the QMJHL standings, which is based on points, due to playing fewer games. They do, however, have the best winning percentage in the league. If the Sea Dogs want to win the President Cup this year, they'll need to figure out how to beat Charlottetown.

Note that tonight's game is a 7:30 p.m. start.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Eastlink TV/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 50%/None/Required

Records: The Sea Dogs are 26-15-1-3 for 56 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Islanders are 30-8-4-0 for 64 points (first Maritimes/second Eastern/third QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Wednesday. William Dufour, Cam MacDonald, Connor Trenholm and Philippe Daoust scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise made 34 stops in the win. The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Halifax on Tuesday. Patrick Guay, Patrick LeBlanc and Lukas Cormier all scored before the team blew a 3-0 lead. Oliver Satny made 32 stops in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-4-0-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 4-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Dec. 11 in Saint John where the Islanders defeated the Sea Dogs 5-3. Jakub Brabenec scored a pair for Charlottetown while singles came from Sam Archibald, Brett Budgell and Patrick Guay. Adam Bowness, Jeremie Poirier and Josh Lawrence scored for Saint John. Oliver Satny made 34 saves in the win. Jonathan Lemieux made 24 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-3

FINAL: Bathurst 3, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A power play goal from Philippe Daoust with 1:26 remaining in regulation time was the difference as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 4-3 on Wednesday at TD Station.

Ryan Francis set up the goal with a slap pass from the point, allowing Daoust to perfectly redirect the puck past Titan netminder Jan Bednar.

Bednar was excellent in the Titan net all game long, making 39 stops in the loss.

It looked as though Connor Trenholm's goal at 4:57 of the third would be the winner but Jacob Melanson tied it up with a power play marker at 16:08. It was a back-and-forth game with both teams controlling the play at times.

Daoust, Trenholm, William Dufour and Cam MacDonald all scored for Saint John. Ryan Francis chipped in with three assists. Nikolas Hurtubise made 34 saves in the win.

Melanson, Bennett MacArthur and Miguel Tourigny scored for the Titan.

The Sea Dogs have now won five straight games, a streak that dates back to an overtime loss in Bathurst. Wednesday's win pushes them four points ahead of the Titan in the battle for second-place in the Maritimes Division. Bathurst still has three games in-hand, though.

Playoff format announced

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League unveiled its playoff format on Wednesday.

As previously reported, the first three rounds will be best-of-five series while the President Cup Final will be a traditional best-of-seven.

The changes to the format are due to the league wanting to squeeze in its full 68-game schedule. The regular season is currently scheduled to end on May 1.

From the league's news release:

The round of 16 will oppose the eight teams from each conference, based on their position in the final regular season standings (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5). This round will be played from May 5 to 12.

In the second round, the four winning teams of each conference will compete against each other to clinch a berth in the semifinals. Once again, their seeding will be determined by their position in the final standings. The second round will be held from May 15 to 22.

The semifinals will feature the four remaining winning teams. They will be reseeded according to their position in the overall standings, but this time they will not automatically play within their conference. The two best-of-five series will occur between May 25 and June 1.

Finally, the President Cup Final series will be played from June 4 to 15. It will feature both winners from the semifinals.

The 2022 Memorial Cup is scheduled to be held June 20-29 in Saint John.

The Saint John Sea Dogs currently sit third in the Eastern Conference, which would only guarantee them home ice advantage in the first round. It's possible for them to move up, but it will be challenging.

If the season ended today, the Sea Dogs would play the Moncton Wildcats in the opening round.

Game Day 45: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - When the Saint John Sea Dogs last played the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, they'd dropped back-to-back games and been outscored a combined 8-3.

Things feel a little different as the Sea Dogs get set to take on the Titan this time around.

Saint John enters tonight's game on a four-game winning streak that has seem them outscore opponents 32-7. They'll look to keep rolling this evening against a very good - but potentially tired - Bathurst squad.

The Titan are coming off a four-game Quebec road trip that ended Sunday all the way up in Val-d'Or, a game they dropped 6-2. Bathurst is still 7-2-1-0 in their past 10 games and will look to get back in the win column tonight.

The Sea Dogs sit second in the Maritimes Division with 54 points, leading the Titan by two points. Bathurst, however, has played three fewer games. This game - and the rest of the head-to-head meetings this season - will be critical in determining playoff positioning.

Game time this evening at TD Station is 7 p.m.

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

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/Required

Records: The Sea Dogs are 25-15-1-3 for 54 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Titan are 24-13-2-2 for 52 points (third Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 10-2 home win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday. William Dufour had a hat trick for Saint John; Cam MacDonald scored twice; and singles came from Raivis Ansons, William Villeneuve, Philippe Daoust, Riley Bezeau and Josh Lawrence. Thomas Couture made 38 saves in the win. The Titan coming off a 6-2 loss in Val-d'Or on Sunday. Jacob Melanson and Riley Pitt scored for Bathurst. Chad Arsenault made 29 saves in the loss.

2021-22 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 2-2-1-1 against the Titan this season while Bathurst is 4-1-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 26 at the KC Irving Regional Centre where the Titan defeated the Sea Dogs 3-2 in overtime. Bennett MacArthur scored both regulation time goals for Bathurst while Felix Lafrance netted the overtime winner. Philippe Daoust and William Dufour scored for Saint John. Jan Bednar made 28 stops in the win. Thomas Couture made 26 saves in the loss.

Big tests ahead for Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A couple major tests await the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs are on a serious roll right now, winning four straight games while outscoring opponents 32-7. The team has looked impressive of late - but now it's time to show that they can perform this way against the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's top contenders.

Saint John will face two of the league's best teams over a three-day span, hosting the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Wednesday before travelling to Charlottetown to play the Islanders on Friday.

The Titan currently sit third in the Maritimes Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 24-13-2-2 record 52 points. They are a couple points behind Saint John but have played three fewer games.

The Sea Dogs are 2-2-1-1 against the Titan this season. The two have faced each other just once in the second half and that game saw the Titan earn a 3-2 overtime win at the KC Irving Regional Centre. Saint John's offense was struggling at the time of that loss but has found its form recently. 

Working in Saint John's favour Wednesday is the schedule. Both clubs played on Sunday - but the Sea Dogs were at home and the Titan were all the way in Val-d'Or, where they fell 6-2 to the Foreurs.

The Sea Dogs have struggled against the Islanders this season, dropping four of the five meetings. Friday's contest will be the first time they've faced each other since Dec. 11 at TD Station. Both clubs made some major additions during the holiday trade period.

Charlottetown entered action Tuesday with a 30-8-3-0 record for 63 points. They have the best winning percentage in the QMJHL.

Saint John is just 2-11-1-2 at Eastlink Centre over the past five years. One of those wins came earlier this season.

The Islanders are one of, if not the favourite to win the President Cup right now. While it may be a long shot for the Sea Dogs to catch the Islanders in the standings at this point, a win Friday would be a major statement and confidence boost.

Following Friday's game, the Sea Dogs will travel to Moncton to face the Wildcats on Saturday night.

Notebook: Sea Dogs win weekly honours

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Josh Lawrence has been named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's player of the week.

The 20-year-old forward recorded four goals and six assists in the Saint John Sea Dogs' three lopsided victories last week. He now has 18 goals and 42 assists in 44 games this season. His 42 helpers and 60 points are career highs.

As the league's press release notes, Lawrence was previously named the QMJHL player of the week in September 2018 - his first week in the league.

Lawrence was also named to the QMJHL's team of the week along with William Dufour and William Villeneuve. Dufour posted five goals and four assists in three games last week while Villeneuve had three goals and two assists.

Check out who made it onto the latest @Videotron Team of the Week! 👇#QMJHL | #UnitedAgain | https://t.co/jun3YhR9j0

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 7, 2022

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum, now with the Val-d'Or Foreurs, was also named to the team of the week.

BIG NIGHT

Josh Lawrence became the second Sea Dog to record five points in a single game this season on Sunday. William Dufour also had a five-point night on Feb. 8.

The @CHLMemorialCup hosts are heating up! 🔥🔥

🎥 | https://t.co/v1kJA2Qnhy pic.twitter.com/pIhbzVqBTs

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) March 7, 2022

The franchise record for points in a single game is six, which belongs to Alexandre Picard-Hooper (2007-08), Steven Anthony (2008-09) and Ryan Francis (2020-21).