It's CHL Import Draft day

This Canada Day is also CHL Import Draft day.

The annual Import Draft begins at noon Atlantic on Friday with the Saint John Sea Dogs currently holding the 48th and 108th overall picks, respectively. Both of those picks will likely be higher with some teams opting to pass on their selections.

The WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers will pick first overall followed by the OHL's Saginaw Spirit and QMJHL's Cape Breton Eagles.

The draft can be followed on the CHL website.

Both of Saint John's current import players, forward Raivis Ansons and defenseman Yan Kuznetsov, are expected to graduate to the professional ranks for 2022-23.

The Sea Dogs have made two picks in four of the past five Import Drafts.

The Sea Dogs selected Kuznetsov, a Calgary Flames prospect, with their first-round pick last year. In the second-round, the Sea Dogs selected Belarusian forward Evgeny Sapelnikov, who the team dealt to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the Ansons deal.

The major news surrounding this year's Import Draft is that Russian and Belarusian players are not eligible to be selected, making for a smaller pool of players to pick from. The Sea Dogs have selected a total of five Russians and one Belarusian in their history.

The 2022 QMJHL Entry Draft, meanwhile, takes place virtually this Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday's championship win

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - For the Saint John Sea Dogs, a lot of things haven't gone according to plan over the past few years.

The coaching changes. The goaltending carousel. The Joshua Roy situation. COVID. The trade drama(s) with the Halifax Mooseheads. The first round playoff loss. And there's probably many more.

But for one night, and for much of the past two weeks, everything went right for the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs won their second Memorial Cup championship with a decisive 6-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Wednesday night at TD Station. The Sea Dogs scored twice in the first six minutes. They defended well and got good goaltending from Nikolas Hurtubise. When momentum swung in Hamilton's favour, Saint John was able to take it right back with an equal or better blow.

Wednesday's game, simply put, was one of the best games played by this group of Sea Dogs players.

Saint John finished the Memorial Cup with a 3-0-1 record, defeating the Bulldogs twice and the rival Shawinigan Cataractes once. The team's lone loss was an overtime thriller to the Edmonton Oil Kings, which could have gone either way.

There's no doubting that Gardiner MacDouagll had a huge influence on this team, injecting new life into a group that easily could have given up on the season after a gut wrenching first round playoff loss. The team looked refreshed and prepared when it took to the ice. They had the advantage of rest, and they definitely used that to their advantage.

Photos: Sea Dogs championship parade

SAINT JOHN - 2022 Memorial Cup festivities ended with a championship parade on Thursday afternoon in Saint John.

The Memorial Cup champions Saint John Sea Dogs paraded down King Street before making the turn down Water Street en route to Area 506 Waterfront Container Village stage. Once at the stage, brief speeches were made by Scott McCain, Gardiner MacDougall, Trevor Georgie, Mark-Anthony Ashfield, Vincent Sevigny and William Dufour.

The Sea Dogs held a similar parade in 2011 when the team won its first Memorial Cup championship. That year, the parade ended at the Market Square stage where speeches were made.

Memorial Cup parade to be held today

SAINT JOHN - The Memorial Cup officially arrived in Saint John via a parade on June 19. Now, almost two weeks later, the Memorial Cup will be staying in Saint John via a parade.

The Saint John Sea Dogs will celebrate their Memorial Cup championship, which was clinched with a 6-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs last night at TD Station, this afternoon.

The parade will begin tomorrow at noon!

Going from King St. East to the @area506fest Container Village, we can't wait to see you there! #CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/OfMtwrSzBj

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) June 30, 2022

The Sea Dogs also held a parade for their 2011 Memorial Cup win, which saw a huge turnout.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Hamilton 3, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are Memorial Cup champions again.

The Sea Dogs won their second Memorial Cup championship on Wednesday night at TD Station, posting a convincing 6-3 win over the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

Vincent Sevigny, Cam MacDonald, Riley Bezeau, William Dufour, Josh Lawrence and Peter Reynolds scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise earned the win in net, making 25 saves. 

Mason McTavish scored twice for Hamilton while Jan Mysak added a solo marker. Marco Costantini took the loss in goal, making 21 saves.

Saint John got off to a strong start, scoring twice in the first six minutes, and never really looked back. Hamilton stayed in the game and had momentum go in their favour at times, but Saint John stayed composed and responded well.

It's been a wild few years for this core group of players. It was a wild season of ups and downs. The Sea Dogs certainly took an unusual route to becoming Memorial Cup champions, but they got there - and looked very worthy of a championship on Wednesday.

Sea Dogs win 2022 Memorial Cup

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are Memorial Cup champions.

The Sea Dogs captured junior hockey's most prestigious trophy with a 6-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Wednesday night in front of a packed house at TD Station.

Vincent Sevigny, Cam MacDonald, Riley Bezeau, William Dufour, Josh Lawrence and Peter Reynolds scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise earned the win in net.

Mason McTavish scored twice for Hamilton while Jan Mysak added a solo marker. Marco Costantini took the loss in goal.

The Sea Dogs advanced to the championship game following a 2-0-1 record in the round-robin portion of the tournament. The team earned a bye straight to the final thanks to a 5-3 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Saturday.

It's the second Memorial Cup championship for Saint John and first since 2011.

This was the fourth time the Sea Dogs had played in the tournament and the first on home ice. They lost in the semifinals in 2012 in Shawinigan and 2017 in Windsor.

This was the first time the Sea Dogs clinched a championship on home ice.

More to come...

Notebook: Cataractes' dream run ends

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The Shawinigan Cataractes' Cinderella run came to an end on Monday at TD Station.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions fell short in their two chances to advance to Wednesday's final, falling 5-3 to the Saint John Sea Dogs in their final round-robin game and 4-3 in overtime to the Hamilton Bulldogs in Monday's semifinal.

"It's been a great year. Bottom line, we're champions," said head coach Daniel Renaud after Monday's loss. "That's the message to the players. Heads up, be proud of yourself, be proud of your team. It's been a helluva year and you'll be champions forever, no matter what. Out of 12 periods we've played, we've played 11 great periods here at the Memorial Cup. One bad period. Be proud of yourself."

The Cataractes fought through a regular season that was plagued with injuries, finishing seventh in the overall standings. They were healthy when it mattered most though, allowing them to upset the top-seeded Quebec Remparts in the third-round and the favoured Charlottetown Islanders in the President Cup final.

This Shawinigan team will always be remembered for their historic overtime success, going 7-0 in OT games during the QMJHL playoffs. Ironically, it was an overtime loss that ended their season on Monday.

"OT is one shot," said Renaud. "I think we played a good overtime. We got a couple of grade A scoring chances early in the overtime. To be honest, when I saw Mavrik Bourque on the zone entry, I thought that was the game-winner because he'd done that so many times. One shot, one tip. Bottom line, we're just so proud of all the players. It's been a great year for everybody.

CHL AWARDS

Logan Stankoven of the Kamloops Blazers was named the CHL Player of the Year on Tuesday night at the Saint John Marina.

Stankoven won the award over fellow nominees Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires and William Dufour of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Only two awards were won by QMJHL nominees: Jordan Dumais of the Halifax Mooseheads was named the Sportsman Player of the Year and Jim Hulton of the Charlottetown Islanders was named the Coach of the Year.

The full list of award winners can be found on the CHL website.

Sea Dogs excited to play in final

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - It's easy to tell that Gardiner MacDougall has had a significant influence on the Saint John Sea Dogs in his short time as head coach.

Ahead of the 2022 Memorial Cup championship game - MacDougall's final match with the club - players continued to speak about the "better every day" motto that the veteran head coach brought to the Sea Dogs.

"I'm very excited," said captain Vincent Sevigny ahead of the Sea Dogs' showdown with the Hamilton Bulldogs. "I think all the boys are excited to play that game. We're happy to be there at this moment and we'll do anything to win that game.

"In each practice we try to be better every day. It's our mindset. Same thing for today. That game, we'll try to get better and to win it."

Pre-game thoughts from @SJSeaDogs head coach Gardiner MacDougall, as well as William Dufour and Vincent Sevigny, ahead of tonight's #MemorialCup final! pic.twitter.com/5a6b68c1GL

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 29, 2022

Sevigny no doubt wants to lead the Sea Dogs to a better result than their last "winner-take-all" game on home ice. Sevigny was a -4 in the team's 4-3 overtime loss to the Rimouski Oceanic back on May 12, a loss that eliminated the Memorial Cup hosts from the President Cup playoffs.

William Dufour has already posted better numbers at the Memorial Cup (six goals in three games) than the first-round of the playoffs (two goals and two assists). He's likely the leading candidate for tournament MVP if Saint John is victorious tonight.

Memorial Cup Game Day: Final vs Bulldogs

SAINT JOHN - It all comes down to this.

For the second time in Saint John Sea Dogs history, the club will play in the Memorial Cup final. Just like in 2011, they'll play a team from southern Ontario, this time the Hamilton Bulldogs, with a national championship on the line. Game time is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

Winning a Memorial Cup is a rare and difficult opportunity. Winning a Memorial Cup on home ice is an even rarer opportunity. The Sea Dogs have a chance to do that tonight, which would go down as one of the greatest sports moments in this city's history.

The players know what is on the line. Most will not get this close to winning the Memorial Cup again in their careers. And this is certainly the only chance for this group of Sea Dogs to win a championship together.

It's been quite a journey for this core group of Sea Dogs. They had a few rough seasons (to put it lightly), were put through several coaching changes, dealt with the impacts of COVID and then suffered a first-round loss in the playoffs ahead of hosting the Memorial Cup. It hasn't been easy reaching this point. But here they are, one win away from reaching their goal.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Bulldogs in the opening game of the round-robin. Hamilton has gotten better as the tournament has gone on though and could bring their best game tonight. Saint John will need to be ready, and falling down 3-0 in the first period like they did against Shawinigan would not be ideal.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, will be looking to win their first Memorial Cup in their first final appearance. The last Ontario Hockey League team to lift the trophy was the 2017 Windsor Spitfires.

Will Sea Dogs finally celebrate at home?

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to do something they've never done before on Wednesday: win a championship on home ice.

The Sea Dogs have won three President Cup titles and one Memorial Cup championship, all of which were clinched on the road. Only once has the team even had the opportunity to raise a trophy on home ice: Game 5 of the 2011 President Cup final, which the Sea Dogs dropped 3-2 before winning the series in six games.

A few other things to think to about it...

• Raising the Memorial Cup on home ice has proven to be difficult in recent years. Since 2000, the host team has appeared in the final 11 times but won only five times.
• This is the fourth straight tournament that the host team has advanced to the final. Halifax (2019) and Regina (2018) both lost while Windsor (2017) was victorious. Like the Sea Dogs, those three host teams did not win their league championship (the Mooseheads lost in the final).
• The Sea Dogs will look to become the third straight QMJHL team to win the Memorial Cup, joining Rouyn-Noranda (2019) and Bathurst (2018).
• The Bulldogs will be looking to win their first Memorial Cup championship. The city of Hamilton does have a couple previous champions though, most recently the Hamilton Fincups (now the Erie Otters) in 1976.
• Sea Dogs head coach Gardiner MacDougall has led the UNB Reds into 10 University Cup championship games, winning seven. That includes a 2-1 record when the championship game was played on home ice.
• The Sea Dogs are 1-2 all-time in must-win games at the Memorial Cup, winning the 2011 final before losing in the semifinals in both 2012 and 2017. This Sea Dogs group, of course, dropped a must-win game earlier this year when they lost Game 5 of the opening round to the Rimouski Oceanic.
• Saint John also had a bye to the final in 2011. That year, they defeated the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors in the opening game of the tournament and did so again in the championship game.
• The Sea Dogs are 4-4 all-time against teams from the OHL at the Memorial Cup. Saint John's 5-3 win over the Bulldogs in the tournament opener ended a four-game losing streak against OHL clubs.

Sea Dogs to face Bulldogs in final

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Hamilton Bulldogs will face the Saint John Sea Dogs in the 2022 Memorial Cup final on Wednesday at TD Station.

Jan Mysak scored at 10:08 of overtime to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes in Monday night's semifinal. 

Hamilton had regulation time goals from Artem Grushnikov, Mason McTavish and Logan Morrison. Marco Costantini made 33 saves in the win.

Mavrik Bourque, Olivier Nadeau and William Veillette scored for the Cataractes. Antoine Coulombe got the start in goal once again, making 39 saves in the loss.

The two teams entered the third period tied 2-2. It looked as though Hamilton may have taken the lead with 12:27 remaining in the period but the goal was called off due to an official blowing the whistle before the puck crossed the line. Shawinigan quickly capitalized when an Angus Booth point shot was redirected by Veillette to give the Cataractes a 3-2 lead at 10:01.

Hamilton would respond though. At 13:56, Ryan Winterton found Morrison in the slot who beat Coulombe five-hole to tie the game at 3-3 and send it into overtime.

After the teams traded some quality chances in the overtime period, a low Nathan Staios point shot was redirected past the pad of Coulombe to send the Bulldogs into the final.

The Sea Dogs and Bulldogs will meet in the national final on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at TD Station. The game is sold out.

Notebook: Dufour breaks Huberdeau record

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - William Dufour's four-goal performance Saturday pushed him into the goal scoring lead at the 2022 Memorial Cup.

Dufour ended round-robin play with six goals in three games. No other player had more than three.

Dufour is tied for the tournament's points lead with six (all goals). He's tied with the Shawinigan duo of Mavrik Bourque and Xavier Bourgault along with Hamilton's Logan Morrison. 

Morrison leads the tournament in assists with six. Saint John's Philippe Daoust has five.

Dufour has already broken Jonathan Huberdeau's team record for most goals in a single Memorial Cup and is one point away from matching the points record. Daoust has already broken the record for most assists in a single Memorial Cup by a Sea Dog.

Here's a look at Sea Dogs points leaders in previous tournaments:

2017: Points - Julien Gauthier (6); goals - Joe Veleno (3); assists - Gauthier (4)

2012: Points - Jonathan Huberdeau (7); goals - Huberdeau (5); assists - Nathan Beaulieu and Charlie Coyle (4)

2011: Points - Jonathan Huberdeau (6); goals - Tomas Jurco (4); assists - Michael Kirkpatrick and Zack Phillips (4)

SOLD OUT

Since Saturday night, the TD Station website has been showing that Wednesday's championship game is sold out.

Saturday's game between the Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes was the first of the tournament to be called a sell out. The announced attendance was 5,657.

Tickets are listed as limited for Monday's semifinal. Most of the seats remaining are in the upper bowl end zone.

Sea Dogs will know final opponent tonight

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will find out who they are playing in the 2022 Memorial Cup final tonight.

The Sea Dogs will face the winner of this evening's semifinal between the Shawinigan Cataractes and Hamilton Bulldogs. Saint John defeated Shawinigan 5-3 on Saturday to earn a bye to Wednesday's championship game.

Saint John has also defeated Hamilton in this year's tournament, winning the event's opening game 5-3 last Monday.

The Bulldogs dropped their first two games of the tournament, losing to Saint John and Shawinigan, but advanced to the semifinal by defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-2 on Friday. Hamilton, who has been and continues to get banged up, has seemingly been getting better as the tournament has gone on.

Hear from @BulldogsOHL head coach Jay McKee, as well as captain Colton Kammerer and Logan Morrison, ahead of tonight's semi against Shawinigan. #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/7ngtbuu8XA

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 27, 2022

Hamilton made it to the 2018 Memorial Cup semifinal where they lost 4-2 to the host Regina Pats.

Shawinigan, meanwhile, defeated the Sea Dogs in the 2012 Memorial Cup semifinal to advance to the final.

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

Smallman, Wolves win Calder Cup

Spencer Smallman is a Calder Cup champion.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs captain helped the Chicago Wolves win the American Hockey League title on Saturday night, defeating the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-0 to win the series in five games.

The Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, dropped the first game of the series in overtime but went on to win the next four.

It's the third Calder Cup championship for the Wolves and first since 2008.

Smallman had an assist and three shots on goal in the Game 5 victory. He finished the playoffs with two goals and four helpers in 18 games. In the regular season, the 25-year-old had 10 goals and 27 points in 65 games.

Big congrats to Spencer Smallman on winning the 2022 Calder Cup Trophy!!

Spencer has been so many things this season with Chicago. Leader, Warrior, Penalty Killing Machine, Clutch Performer. Such a well deserved accomplishment 👏 @Chicago_Wolves @CHCanada @Canes @ssmallman96 pic.twitter.com/gfwcZgeqmE

— Maritime Hockey (@HockeyMaritime) June 26, 2022

Great night in Springfield for the Smallman family last night! Congratulations Spencer! pic.twitter.com/K76Y9CF3Bz

— Champions Hockey (@CHCanada) June 26, 2022

Smallman spent five seasons with the Sea Dogs, recording 86 goals and 137 assists in 293 career regular season games. He added 15 goals and 45 points in 44 career playoff games, which included captaining the Sea Dogs to the 2017 President Cup title.

Smallman has spent much of his professional career bouncing between the AHL and ECHL. He spent the entire 2021-22 season in the AHL.

Takeaways from Saint John's 5-3 win

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - There have been some great Saint John Sea Dogs games played at TD Station over the years.

Stanislav Galiev's overtime winner against Chicoutimi in 2012. Nathan Beaulieu and Tomas Jurco both scoring less than 90 seconds into Game 1 of the 2012 final. Game 7 against Cape Breton in 2016. Even just a few days ago when the Sea Dogs dropped an overtime thriller to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

But all those were topped on Saturday night with Saint John's 5-3 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes. The building erupted for William Dufour's heroic four-goal performance and again when the horn sounded to end game, sending the Sea Dogs into Wednesday's championship game.

Veteran defenseman Jeremie Poirier has played a lot of games at TD Station. He said he'd never heard a crowd like that.

"It's been really good," said Poirier after the game. "A huge thank you to Saint John fans. They've been great, they've been loud. It helped us a lot tonight. Really grateful for those fans."

One of the loudest moments I’ve heard at TD. pic.twitter.com/JhRBGiXpXN

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) June 26, 2022

Poirier scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on a power play at 14:12 of the second period, a period that saw the Sea Dogs score four times and outshoot the Cataractes 21-5. The win pushes the Sea Dogs directly into Wednesday's championship game.

Poirier's goal was huge, but most of the post-game talk was around Dufour's four-goal night. While there have been some incredible individual performances by Sea Dogs players over the years, Dufour's might top them all. With a bye to the Memorial Cup final on the line, Dufour netted a natural hat trick in the second period to help the Sea Dogs overcome a 3-0 deficit. He added an insurance goal in the third.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-3

FINAL: Saint John 5, Shawinigan 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A legendary performance by William Dufour has pushed the Saint John Sea Dogs into Wednesday's Memorial Cup championship game.

Dufour scored four goals - including a natural hat trick in the second period - to lift the Sea Dogs to an unbelievable 5-3 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Saturday at TD Station. It was the final game of the round-robin with the Sea Dogs earning a bye straight to Wednesday's final. The Cataractes are now forced to play in Monday's semifinal against the Hamilton Bullodgs.

The Sea Dogs trailed 3-0 after what was a mess of a first period for the Sea Dogs. But the second frame was a complete reversal with Saint John scoring four times and outshooting Shawinigan 21-5.

Jeremie Poirier scored Saint John's other goal while Josh Lawrence had a pair of assists. Nikolas Hurtubise had a strong performance in net, making 26 stops in the win.

Loris Rafanomezantsoa, Olivier Nadeau and William Veillette scored for Shawinigan. Antoine Coulombe made 31 saves in the loss.

Memorial Cup Game Day 3: vs Cataractes

SAINT JOHN - The rivalry is back at the Memorial Cup.

The Saint John Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes had one of the best rivalries in junior hockey a decade ago, eventually meeting twice at the 2012 Memorial Cup. Saint John got the best of Shawinigan in the round-robin, winning 4-1 in a game that featured a combined 72 penalty minutes.

In the semifinal, it was the Cataractes eliminating the Sea Dogs with a 7-4 win. Shawinigan went on to beat the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final on home ice.

10 years later, it seems only fitting that Shawinigan is the team representing the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League at Saint John's Memorial Cup.

Tonight's game may not have the same level of hate or nastiness that was present in 2012, but it certainly has the potential to be the best of the tournament so far. There's more than just bragging rights on the line as well with, essentially, the winner of this game receiving a bye to Wednesday's championship and the loser forced to play the Hamilton Bulldogs in Monday's semifinal.

Saint John, with four points so far, must win in regulation time to receive the bye. Shawinigan, with six points, only needs a single point to earn the bye.

It's Saturday at the Memorial Cup in Saint John. It's going to be an electric atmosphere. The Sea Dogs are playing the rival Cataractes. This is going to be fun.

Game time is 5 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: TSN & RDS/93 CFBC/TSN.ca

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/Not mandatory

Tournament records: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-1 for four points while the Cataractes are 2-0-0 for six points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday. Raivis Ansons, Josh Lawrence and William Dufour scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise made 27 saves in the loss. The Cataractes are coming off a 3-2 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Thursday. Xavier Bourgault, Mavrik Bourque and Olivier Nadeau scored for Shawinigan. Antoine Coulombe made 38 stops in the win.

Regular season records: The Sea Dogs finished with a record of 47-17-1-3 for 98 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/third QMJHL) while the Cataractes went 40-24-1-3 for 84 points (second Central/third Western/seventh QMJHL).

Bulldogs advance to semifinal

SAINT JOHN - The Hamilton Bulldogs are semifinal bound.

Mason McTavish netted a pair of goals - including the game-winner - and an assist in the Bulldogs' 4-2 round-robin victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday at TD Station.

The Bulldogs needed to win in regulation time in order to advance. They did just that, never trailing in their first win of the tournament.

Hamilton advances to Monday's semifinal with the win where they'll play either the Saint John Sea Dogs or Shawinigan Cataractes. The Oil Kings, meanwhile, are heading home.

The last WHL champion to finish the round robin in first place was the 2008 Spokane Chiefs.

— OHL Arena Guide (@ohlarenaguide) June 25, 2022

Avery Hayes and Ryan Winterton also had Hamilton goals. Marco Costantini was very good in net, making 40 saves in the win

Jalen Luypen and Jake Neighbours scored for Edmonton. Sebastian Cossa made 32 stops in the loss.

Notebook: Sea Dogs' PK will be tested

QUISPAMSIS, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs' penalty kill will face a serious challenge on Saturday at the 2022 Memorial Cup.

With a bye to Wednesday's championship game on the line, the Sea Dogs will face their old Memorial Cup rival, the Shawinigan Cataractes, in the final game of the round-robin. Saint John needs a win in regulation time in order to earn the bye.

Shawinigan's power play went 3/7 in a 3-2 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Thursday. They went 1/5 in their opening game, a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

When Shawinigan's power play is clicking, they typically get a positive result. Here'a a look at their power play performances over the past seven games:

President Cup Final Game 1: 3/4 (win)

President Cup Final Game 2: 2/3 (win)

President Cup Final Game 3: 0/5 (win)

President Cup Final Game 4: 0/1 (loss)

President Cup Final Game 5: 1/5 (win)

Memorial Cup Game 1 (4-3 win): 1/5 (win)

Memorial Cup Game 2 (3-2 win): 3/7 (win)

Saint John's penalty kill has really struggled so far at the Memorial Cup, allowing four goals against on six opportunities. This comes after the team successfully killed off all 17 power play chances they gave the Rimouski Oceanic in their first round series loss.

On the flip side, Saint John's power play is 0/5 so far at the national championship tournament.

Saint John's best option on Saturday may simply be to do whatever they can to stay out of the box. The team will want to keep their composure in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere.

SEA DOGS VS WHL

With Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings, the Sea Dogs are now 2-0-1 all-time against Western Hockey League teams.

2011 vs Kootenay: 5-4 loss (OT)

2012 vs Edmonton: 5-2 win

2017 vs Seattle: 7-0 win

2022 vs Edmonton: 4-3 loss (OT)

The Sea Dogs face the Cataractes on Saturday, the only QMJHL team the Sea Dogs have ever faced in Memorial Cup competition. The two teams split their pair of games at the 2012 tournament.

A lot on the line in next two games

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The first four games of the round-robin portion of the 2022 Memorial Cup have been excellent. The final two matches could be even better.

Friday's 7 p.m. game between the Hamilton Bulldogs and Edmonton Oil Kings and Saturday's 5 p.m. contest between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes both have a lot on the line.

The Bulldogs, off to an 0-2 start following Thursday's loss to Shawinigan, must win in regulation time just to stay alive in the tournament.

Both Saint John and Shawinigan have already guaranteed themselves at least a spot in the semifinal. Saturday's contest will determine who gets the bye to Wednesday's championship game. Saint John must win in regulation time Saturday in order to receive the bye.

The stakes:
- Hamilton advances to the semi w/ a regulation win
- Edmonton advances to the semi w/ one point
- Saint John and Shawinigan will both advance
- Saint John advances directly to final w/ regulation win
- Shawinigan advances directly to final w/ one point

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 24, 2022

This, of course, brings up the fun question: will Hamilton and/or Saint John pull their goaltender if the game is tied late in the third?

Cataractes earn second Memorial Cup win

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Shawinigan Cataractes scored three power play goals in a 3-2 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Thursday night at the 2022 Memorial Cup.

Olivier Nadeau scored the game-winner at 7:06 of the third, securing Shawinigan their second win of the tournament. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are in a major hole now, falling to 0-2 heading into their final round-robin game on Friday against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

This could create the hockey oddity that if Hamilton and Edmonton are tied late in the third period, Bulldogs would have to consider pulling goalie to go for the win.

— Terry Doyle (@Terry_Doyle) June 24, 2022

Shawinigan also had power play goals from two of their other big guns: Xavier Bourgault and Mavrik Bourque. Antoine Coulombe got the start as the Cataractes continued their goaltending rotation. He made 38 stops in the win.

Mason McTavish and Avery Hayes scored for Hamilton. Marco Costantini made 31 saves in the loss.

Sea Dogs things at the HHOF exhibit

SAINT JOHN - The Hockey Hall of Fame's mobile exhibit has been set up inside the Saint John Public Library at Market Square.

Not surprisingly, there are plenty of Saint John Sea Dogs items displayed at the exhibit along with other junior, university and international hockey items. The CHL's trophies are also on display.

If you haven't checked it out yet, here's what you're missing.

Mathieu Joseph's helmet from 2016-17 season.

Jonathan Huberdeau's jersey from the 2010-11 season.

Takeaways from Saint John's 4-3 OT loss

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The first three-on-three overtime in Memorial Cup history was one to remember.

The Saint John Sea Dogs and Edmonton Oil Kings went back-and-forth for just over eight minutes, combining to record 12 shots on net. Edmonton's Jaxsen Wiebe won the game at 8:05, ripping a wrist shot over the shoulder of Saint John netminder Nikolas Hurtubise.

"Fans didn't sit down, did they?" said Oil Kings head coach Brad Lauer about the overtime format. "Entertainment wise, it was exciting hockey going back-and-forth. Coaching wise, it's maybe not something I like. I get the format. I think it's fun and I think it's great for the kids. The kids were having fun with it. That was important."

The Canadian Hockey League introduced 20-minute periods of sudden-death, three-on-three overtime for this year's round-robin portion of the Memorial Cup. A new point system was also introduced where teams are awarded three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss.

The Oil Kings are now 1-1-0 for two points heading into their final round-robin game on Friday against the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, fell to 1-0-1 for four points and will close out round-robin play on Saturday against the Shawinigan Cataractes.

The first seven minutes of the game were a lot like overtime: back-and-forth with plenty of chances. Saint John went down 2-0 less than five minutes in and then tied the game at 6:26. William Dufour put Saint John up 3-2 with a goal at the 10-minute mark.

"We had a rough start," Dufour said after the game. "They were up 2-0 after five minutes but we bounced back right away and that was good for our team. We showed some character.

"In overtime we had some chances, like myself. I could have finished the game on the 2-on-0 with (Jeremie) Poirier but (Oil Kings goaltender Sebastian) Cossa made a big save and that's why he's drafted first-round NHL. He's a pretty good goalie."

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Edmonton 4 (OT)

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The streak is over for the Western Hockey League.

For the first time since the 2015 semifinal, a WHL champion won a Memorial Cup game thanks to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who posted a 4-3 overtime victory over the host Saint John Sea Dogs on Wednesday at TD Station.

The Oil Kings were coming off a 4-3 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes in their tournament opener on Tuesday. Wednesday's win earned them two points while the Sea Dogs collected a single point for their overtime loss.

Jaxsen Wiebe had quite the game for Edmonton, completing a hat trick by scoring the overtime winner  8:05 into the three-in-three frame. Wiebe also had a rare Memorial Cup fight, dropping the gloves with Riley Bezeau in the first period.

Carter Souch also scored for Edmonton. Sebastian Cossa made 36 stops in the win.

Raivis Ansons, Josh Lawrence and William Dufour scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise made 27 saves in the loss.

The game kicked off with a wild first period that saw the Sea Dogs carry a 3-2 lead into the second period. Things calmed down from there, but both teams had some quality chances throughout the remainder of regulation.

Overtime was quite the show with both teams getting plenty of opportunities. Wiebe netted the winner 8:05 in, ripping a perfectly placed shot over the shoulder of Hurtubise.

While a disappointing result for Saint John, they once again proved they can skate with a league champion. The Dogs can still end the round-robin with a winning record with a victory over the Cataractes on Saturday.

Sea Dogs ready to face hungry Oil Kings

Vincent Ethier/CHL

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are prepared to face a determined Edmonton Oil Kings squad tonight.

While it's technically not a must-win game for the Oil Kings, going down 0-2 at the Memorial Cup is a big hole to climb out of. Edmonton dropped their first game of the tournament Tuesday night, falling 4-3 to the Shawinigan Cataractes.

"When you lose a game your team is going to be better," said Sea Dogs head coach Gardiner MacDougall following the team's practice Wednesday at TD Station. "We know we're going to face a best edition of our opponent tonight. We have to be ready."

MacDougall said he talked to his team about the recent Stanley Cup Final games between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche. After losing 7-0 in Game 2, Tampa rebounded with a 6-2 win a couple days later.

"Obviously they're going to come out hungry," said forward Brady Burns. "They just lost last night. We're obviously 1-0 but we've got to have the same mentality that they do. They want this one but now we've got to come out and want it more. I think our team is pretty confident. As the coach said, we want to get better and better every game and I feel we've done a good job doing that over the past month. I think every day we've seen improvement and I think the more we play the more we'll get better. 

"I think we're going to come out and try and have a good first 10 minutes and the we'll worry about it from there out."

Memorial Cup Game Day 2: vs Oil Kings

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs look to improve to 2-0 tonight at the 2022 Memorial Cup.

The Sea Dogs, coming off a strong 5-3 victory on Monday over the Hamilton Bulldogs, take on the Western Hockey League champion Edmonton Oil Kings. Game time is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

A victory tonight would take some of the pressure off the Sea Dogs heading into their final round-robin game on Saturday. It'll be interesting to see if the Dogs can play with the same urgency and intensity as the Oil Kings no doubt will. This is something Saint John seemed to struggle with in their opening round playoff loss to the Rimouski Oceanic.

Tonight is a huge night for the Oil Kings. After falling 4-3 to the Shawinigan Cataractes last night, Edmonton will not want to go down 0-2. It's not an impossible hole to get out of, but it's a very difficult one.

The Oil Kings will also look to end the bizarre losing streak for WHL champions at the Memorial Cup, which has now reached 14 games.

TV/Radio/Webcast: TSN & RDS/93 CFBC/TSN.ca

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/Not mandatory

Tournament records: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0 for three points while the Oil Kings are 0-1-0 for no points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs on Monday. Ryan Francis scored a pair of goals while singles came from Yan Kuznetsov, William Dufour and Peter Reynolds. Nikolas Hurtubise made 17 saves in the win. The Oil Kings are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes last night. Luke Prokop, Tyler Horstmann and Cole Miller scored for Edmonton. Sebastian Cossa made 31 stops in the loss.

Regular season records: The Sea Dogs finished with a record of 47-17-1-3 for 98 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/third QMJHL) while the Oil Kings went 50-14-3-1 for 104 points (first Central/second Eastern/second WHL).

Cataractes open tournament with victory

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The streak goes on for Western Hockey League champions.

The Edmonton Oil Kings fell 4-3 to the Shawinigan Cataractes on Tuesday night at the 2022 Memorial Cup at TD Station. It's the 14th straight loss for a WHL champion at the Memorial Cup, a streak dating back to the 2015 tournament.

Things were looking up for the Oil Kings in the second period, grabbing 2-1 and 3-2 leads. But, like at times during the President Cup final, the Cataractes had a strong third period, scoring twice just over a minute apart to take a 4-3 lead - and that's how the game would end.

Shawinigan had solid performances from their top players. Jordan Tourigny, Xavier Bourgault, Pierrick Dube and Olivier Nadeau all scored. Mavrik Bourque had a pair of assists while Bourgault had one. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 25 stops in the victory.

Edmonton had goals from Luke Prokop, Tyler Horstmann and Cole Miller. Sebastian Cossa made 31 saves in the loss.

The Cataractes, meanwhile, have now won four straight Memorial Cup games - a winning streak that began with a victory over the Oil Kings on May 24, 2012. The team won their final three games of the 2012 tournament to win the trophy on home ice. 

Some notes...

• Edmonton defenseman Carson Golder was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding in the first period. The Cataractes opened the scoring on the power play.
• Shawinigan went 1/5 on the power play while Edmonton went 0/5.
• The Oil Kings won 46/74 faceoffs.
• Former Sea Dogs forward and 2011 Memorial Cup champion Zack Phillips performed the ceremonial puck drop.
• Oil Kings goaltender Sebastian Cossa has not allowed more than four goals in a playoff game this year.
• Hockey trick star artist Zac Bell performed during the second intermission.
• Bit surprising to see the CHL using the second half of Shawinigan's goal song during this tournament.
• The 50/50 winner took home $12,183.
• The Sea Dogs face the Oil Kings Wednesday night. Shawinigan returns to action on Thursday when they face the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Notebook: Cataractes, Kings meet tonight

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

SAINT JOHN - The Shawinigan Cataractes and Edmonton Oil Kings play their first games of the 2022 Memorial Cup Tuesday night at TD Station.

The Cataractes are coming off a five-game President Cup final series win over the Charlottetown Islanders. Shawinigan has one of the best duos in junior hockey in forwards Xavier Bourgault and Mavrik Bourque. The Oil Kings will need to find a way to stop the pair if they hope to win their opener. 

Shawinigan also has second line overager Pierrick Dube, who has been tremendous this post-season. Dube scored the President Cup wining goal in overtime in Game 5 in Charlottetown.

The Oil Kings, meanwhile, have one of the deepest lineups in the Canadian Hockey League. Even without Dylan Guenther, who is out for the tournament with an injury, the team still has plenty of star power in Kaiden Guhle, Jake Neighbours, Sebastien Cossa and others.

Game time is 7 p.m.

The two franchises have met twice previously. At the 2012 tournament in Shawinigan, the Oil Kings defeated the Cataractes 4-3 in the Memorial Cup opener. Shawinigan then eliminated Edmonton from the tournament with a 6-1 victory in the tie-breaker game a few days later.

UP NEXT

The host Saint John Sea Dogs return to action Wednesday night, taking on the Oil Kings.

The Sea Dogs played their first game in 38 days on Monday night, posting an impressive 5-3 victory over the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

Following Wednesday's game, the Sea Dogs will have two days off to prepare for their final game of the round-robin - a Saturday matchup with the rival Cataractes.

Takeaways from Saint John's 5-3 win

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

SAINT JOHN - Let us discuss what nobody wants to discuss one last time: Game 5 against the Rimouski Oceanic.

The Saint John Sea Dogs got off to horrendous start in that game, going down 2-0 less than seven minutes in. They couldn't keep up with Rimouski's speed and gave up way too many odd man rushes. The Sea Dogs managed to pull in front in the third period but let that lead slip away before losing in overtime.

The Sea Dogs didn't allow a repeat of Game 5 to happen on Monday night in their Memorial Cup opener.

The Sea Dogs got off to a strong start - which the team said they wanted to do - and led 1-0 just 2:17 in. They looked fast, which you would hope given the time they've had to train and get healthy. They also executed Gardiner MacDougall style hockey very well, being aggressive on the forecheck and doing a better job at getting sticks in lanes. They didn't let a third period lead slip away when the Hamilton Bulldogs got within a goal.

“We couldn’t have scripted it any better than to have scored the first goal,” MacDougall said after Saint John's 5-3 win. “Guys were excited to play. Any time that you are the host, you want to build momentum. You look at the building tonight and it was a great atmosphere.”

It was an impressive showing by the Sea Dogs, one that most followers of this team knew was possible. To see Saint John execute so well in such an important game is a good sign. Confidence is no doubt high on the Sea Dogs this morning - and deservingly so.

The Sea Dogs, who had 38 days away from game action, were able to use that rest to their advantage against a team that won a Game 7 just a few days prior. The Bulldogs looked tired and beaten up at times and will no doubt hope for a better showing in their next game.

"The Sea Dogs did not see the best version of the Hamilton Bulldogs tonight," said head coach Jay McKee after the game.

Hamilton will not practice Tuesday. The OHL champs return to game action Thursday against the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-3

FINAL: Hamilton 3, Saint John 5

Vincent Ethier/QMJHL

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs opened the 2022 Memorial Cup with a statement performance.

The Sea Dogs had one of their best performances of the season Monday, defeating the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs 5-3 at TD Station.

It was Saint John's first game since May 12, a devastating Game 5 overtime loss on home ice to the Rimouski Oceanic. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, were coming off a seven-game series win and had just four days off to prepare for this game against an opponent they've never played before.

In his coaching debut, it was obvious that Gardiner MacDougall has had an influence on this squad. The Sea Dogs, like UNB teams, played with a lot of speed and were strong on the forecheck. Saint John looked prepared and used the energy to their advantage.

Ryan Francis netted a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Yan Kuznetsov, Raivis Ansons and William Dufour. Nikolas Hurtubise made 17 stops in the win.

Ryan Winterton scored a pair of goals for Hamilton while Avery Hayes added a solo marker. Marco Costantini made 31 saves in the loss.

The Bulldogs scored two of their three goals on power plays while their third goal came with the goaltender pulled.

Notebook: It's going to be cold

SAINT JOHN - If you're coming to any Memorial Cup games at TD Station, you're asked to dress warmer than usual.

Even though it's late June and it's warm(ish) outside, fans may want to grab an extra sweater to bring to the rink.

"Please be advised the arena will be kept very cool in temperature to maintain ice quality," reads the TD Station website. "Dress accordingly.

"To control building humidity and temperature, there is no re-entry upon exit. This includes exiting the building to smoke. We appreciate your cooperation."

The box office will open at noon on game days and stay open until the second period. TD Station is also asking fans to be mindful of their tickets. There will be no reprinting lost tickets.

RULE CHANGES

There have been a few rule changes made to the Memorial Cup point system and overtime format.

From the CHL website:

The modifications include a new point system for the six-game round robin whereby teams will receive three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win, and one point for an overtime loss.

Additionally, overtime in the round robin will be played in a 3-on-3 format in 20-minute periods until a winner is decided. Intermissions between the third period and overtime and each additional overtime period will be 15 minutes. There will be no TV timeouts during overtime although a quick scrape of the front of nets and benches will be done at the first stoppage after the 10-minute mark should the overtime continue.

So there's that.

Bulldogs a big challenge for Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs have waited 38 days for this game.

After being the victim of a stunning first round upset on May 12, the Sea Dogs make their long awaited return to game action by hosting the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Game time is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

"It's a big challenge for us," said Gardiner MacDougall, who will make his Sea Dogs head coaching debut tonight. "I've been on that side before so I know what they're feeling. They're feeling lots of confidence and they deserve the confidence they feel. We just have to get that first minute under our belt and try to get better each minute after that."

The Bulldogs went 51-12-3-2 in the OHL regular season, finishing first overall. They followed that up by going 16-3 in the playoffs, winning their first 12 games.

"We matchup well with them and we're ready to go toe-to-toe and play a hard game."

More pre-game comments from Ryan Francis and Jérémie Poirier ⬇️ #MemorialCup | @SJSeaDogs pic.twitter.com/lroPF58Wup

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 20, 2022

The Bulldogs will be a big challenge for the Sea Dogs. There's plenty of mystery and intrigue surrounding Saint John's game plan given their coaching change and time off. MacDougall continues to preach about getting better every day.

"We've got better as a team in practice," said MacDougall. "Now we've got to learn to take the practice into the game. It all starts with first shift. Everyone has waited 38 days to play the first shift at the Memorial Cup. It's a lifetime opportunity. You only get to do it once. Try to make it incremental. There's three timeouts a period. I'm going to call it seven-minute sprints."

MacDougall wouldn't confirm who would get the start in net, but it certainly appears it will be veteran Nikolas Hurtubise. Thomas Couture and Noah Patenaude remained on the ice with the presumed scratches following the team's practice this morning.

"We'll let you know tonight," MacDougall told media about his starter. "They've both been exceptional, really. The strength of any good team is their goalie and we're lucky we've got two really good ones."

Memorial Cup Game Day 1: vs Bulldogs

SAINT JOHN - The wait is over.

The Saint John Sea Dogs return to action after more than a month off to host the opening game of the 2022 Memorial Cup tournament. And they'll do so with a new head coach.

The mystery surrounding Saint John's play has made this a highly anticipated match. New head coach Gardiner MacDougall likes speed and he expects his players to play hard every shift. If the team's practices are any indication, we'll see some of that on display tonight.

The Sea Dogs seem upbeat and prepared for this moment after a devastating first round loss to the Rimouski Oceanic, which ended on May 12 at TD Station. That Game 5 loss was a mess. They can certainly erase a lot of those bad memories with a strong performance this week.

The Dogs open the tournament against the 'Dogs - the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Hamilton cruised through the first three rounds of the OHL playoffs, going 12-0. They hit some bumps in the final though, needing seven games to eliminate the Windsor Spitfires.

The Bulldogs have had just four days away from game action to prepare for this match. They'll play without their captain, defenseman Colton Kammerer, and a few others are believed to be banged up (as you would expect).

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

TV/Radio/Webcast: TSN & RDS/93 CFBC/TSN.ca

Capacity/Proof of Vaccination/Masks: 100%/None/Not mandatory

Tournament records: This is the first game of the 2022 Memorial Cup for both clubs.

Regular season records: The Sea Dogs finished with a record of 47-17-1-3 for 98 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/third QMJHL) while the Bulldogs went 51-12-3-2 for 107 points (first East/first Eastern/first OHL).

Memorial Cup makes grand arrival; Sea Dogs' commemorative jersey unveiled

SAINT JOHN - It's officially official: the 2022 Memorial Cup is underway.

The Memorial Cup trophy made a grand entrance on Sunday afternoon in uptown Saint John, landing on a coast guard boat via helicopter before being paraded down Water Street to the Area 506 Waterfront Container Village.

The rain held off once the trophy reached land. A great crowd was on hand to welcome the prestigious piece of hardware, the four competing teams and dignitaries. 

The #MemorialCup is OFFICIALLY in Saint John! 🚁🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZAXygXw5k3

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 19, 2022 

Spirits high for Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs held their first official Memorial Cup practice on Sunday morning at TD Station.

Spirits appeared high during and after the high tempo practice held by new head coach Gardiner MacDougall and the rest of the coaching staff.

"We've been training and practicing for a month," said forward William Dufour after Sunday's practice. "We're always together and doing some activities outside the rink together. (Spirit is) very high. It's very nice right now.

"I can't wait for tomorrow."

Hear from William Dufour, Josh Lawrence and Vincent Sevigny after the @SJSeaDogs first practice at the 2022 #MemorialCup presented by @KiaCanada! pic.twitter.com/uF1xvLQtyW

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 19, 2022

Monday's game against the Ontario Hockey League champion Hamilton Bulldogs will be Saint John's first since a 4-3 overtime setback to the Rimouski Oceanic on May 12. There is plenty of mystery surrounding the Sea Dogs given their long layoff and coaching change.

“It is a big challenge but it is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said MacDougall at Saturday night's coaches press conference. “The last month has been an exhilarating experience for everyone. (Our players) went through probably the most adversity they have had. They have proven that they can be very successful in the regular season. I give full credit to the players as they have been very receptive and the buy-in has been terrific.”

MacDougall played up Saint John's underdog storyline during the press conference. The veteran coach and the team's roster have had a positive mindset about the lengthy layoff.

"We've kind of embraced what we've been going through with the hard workouts and the hard skates and just having fun with it, sticking together," said forward Josh Lawrence. "Hopefully it will pay off this week."

Notebook: Dufour makes first all-star team

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Saint John Sea Dogs forward William Dufour, who was recently named the QMJHL's most valuable player, has been named to the league's first all-star team.

Former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy was also named to the team.

The cream of the crop! Here are your First Team All-Stars for the 2021-22 season! 🤩#GoldenPuck | #QMJHL

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) June 17, 2022

Goaltender Samuel Richard will join Gardiner MacDougall's UNB Reds next season.

Dufour will be the QMJHL's representative for the CHL player of the year award.

FEDS MONEY

Saint John MP Wayne Long held a press conference at Market Square Friday, announcing a $1 million contribution to the 2022 Memorial Cup.

The Memorial Cup is here!

I'm thrilled to announce $1M federal from ACOA to support the Memorial Cup. You can feel the momentum in Saint John!

This funding is supporting the new ball hockey rink, as well as upgrades to TD Station, the press box, and Wi-Fi. pic.twitter.com/el2mzES6K1

— Wayne Long (@MPWayneLong) June 17, 2022

According to news release, "funding for this project is provided through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program."

The money will "support marketing, promotional and Fanfest activities such as the concert series and an outdoor ball hockey facility, as well as infrastructure including VIP tents, staging, lighting, press box upgrades, and wi-fi improvements."