Saint John bouncing back from losing streak

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - It was an impressive week for the Saint John Sea Dogs, picking up five of a possible six points over their past three games.

After losing six straight, the Sea Dogs won back-to-back games at home and then dropped a shootout contest on the road. Saint John defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 6-5 last Thursday; downed the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 6-1 on Friday; and then concluded the week by falling 3-2 in a shootout to the Moncton Wildcats.

The club now owns a 4-7-0-1 record, which is fairly solid considering how tough the team's schedule has been (of their 12 games, they've played two against Quebec, one against Sherbrooke, three against Moncton and one against Gatineau).

This "hot and cold" style is the norm for a rebuilding team like Saint John that features a mix of veterans and rookies. The big question is: which version of the Sea Dogs will we see more of as the first half continues?

Some takeaways from the past three games:

• This positive stretch has been costly for the Sea Dogs on the injury front. Goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise was injured in a collision against Gatineau and, although he stayed in the game, did not dress Friday or Sunday. According to the Telegraph-Journal (paywall), Peter Reynolds will miss four weeks with an upper body injury suffered Friday. Cam MacDonald, meanwhile, missed much of the second half of Sunday's game with an apparent injury. Those are three key, veteran players for Saint John.
• Over three seasons, goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov had appeared in a total of seven QMJHL games before this year. He's already played in nine this season and has had some rough moments. But he's looked much more comfortable over the past couple games, carrying a shutout into the third period in both. He was named to the QMJHL's Team of the Week with a 1-0-0-1 record, .950 SV% and 1.44 GAA.
• Also named to the Team of the Week was captain Charlie DesRoches, who posted two goals, four assists and a +3 rating this past week.
• After a slow start to the season, Connor Trenholm has scored in three straight games.
• With Reynolds out of the lineup and MacDonald unavailable, Saint John started Sunday's three-on-three overtime with Burns-Trenholm-DesRoches and then went to the much less experienced Burbidge-Elie-Tivey combo followed by Laforge-Simek-Cosman.
• Friday's game against Bathurst ended a streak of seven straight games where the Sea Dogs allowed five or more goals. Saint John's goals against per game average has dropped down to 4.80.
• The Sea Dogs are averaging 31.45 shots per game, the sixth most in the league. Brady Burns has recorded 54 shots on goal in 12 games, the 11th most in the QMJHL. He has seven goals on the season but could easily have more if a few bounces had gone his way.
• Something each of the past three games had in common: the Sea Dogs scored first and they carried a lead into the third period.
• The Sea Dogs play three games again this week: Wednesday in Charlottetown, Saturday in Cape Breton and Sunday in Halifax.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2 (SO)

FINAL: Saint John 2, Moncton 3 (SO)

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up just short in their quest for a third straight win.

The Sea Dogs carried a 2-0 lead into the third period on Sunday at Avenir Centre but the Moncton Wildcats scored two goals in the final seven minutes of regulation to send the game into extra time. In the shootout, Vincent Labelle scored the lone goal to give the Wildcats the extra point and a 3-2 win.

Saint John played a solid road game and were certainly worthy of the point. Charlie DesRoches and Connor Trenholm scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 24 saves in the loss.

Miles Mueller and Yoan Loshing scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion made 22 stops in the win.

Saint John had a pretty strong first period, outshooting Moncton 8-4. They gave up some odd-man rushes but were able to recover on most. Brady Burns nearly opened the scoring, ripping a shot off the post for what was the period's best scoring chance.

The Wildcats had a bit more offensive jump in the second period but it would be Saint John opening the scoring at 11:42 when DesRoches ripped a shot over the blocker of Filion. Then at 14:13 and with Saint John shorthanded, Trenholm sped into the offensive zone and held off Etienne Morin to make it 2-0 Saint John.

Mueller got the Wildcats on the board at 13:03 of the third. Jonas Taibel was behind the net and sent the puck in front for Mueller who beat Shingarov through the pads, making it a one-goal game.

Moncton tied the game at 16:40. A Morin point shot was blocked but Loshing grabbed the puck, spun and quickly fired a shot over the glove of Shingarov to make it 2-2.

After a fairly uneventful overtime session, Labelle scored the lone goal of the shootout to give the Wildcats the extra point.

Game Day 12: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs travel to Moncton for the first time this season today.

After losing six straight games, the Sea Dogs have won back-to-back contests, defeating the Gatineau Olympiques and Acadie-Bathurst Titan on home ice.

The Sea Dogs face another tough challenge today, taking on a Wildcats team that has won three straight games and six of their past seven.

The Wildcats have defeated the Sea Dogs twice already this season, outscoring Saint John a combined 11-5. This is the first meeting between the two at Avenir Centre.

Game time this afternoon is 4 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 4-7-0-0 for eight points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 7-3-0-1 for 15 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-1 home win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday. Nico Laforge, Cam MacDonald, Vince Elie, Eriks Mateiko, Brady Burns and Connor Trenholm scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 33 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-2 home win over the Gatineau Olympiques on Friday. Charles Beaudoin, Francesco Iasenza, Yoan Loshing and Etienne Morin scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 29 saves in the win.

Francis, Guay score first pro goals

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two former Saint John Sea Dogs scored their first professional goals on Friday.

Forwards Ryan Francis and Nicolas Guay both scored in the Trois-Rivieres Lions' 6-3 loss to the Newfoundland Growlers in ECHL action.

Francis netted a shorthanded goal at 13:19 of the first period.

Quelle feinte de Francis pour marquer son premier but dans les rangs professionnels!🚨 #Lions3R pic.twitter.com/y0JcaSk61N

— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) October 28, 2022

Guay scored shortly after at 15:42.

Nicolas Guay donne les devants 3-2 aux Lions!👊 #Lions3R pic.twitter.com/9WHFlYzC99

— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) October 28, 2022

Francis is in his first full season of pro hockey. The 20-year-old appeared in four games with the AHL's Stockton Heat last season before being sent back to junior for his overage season.

Heading into Saturday's action, Francis has a goal and two assists in five games with the Lions.

Guay, who captained the Sea Dogs in the first half of the 2019-20 season, played in 16 games with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks last year after leaving the UNB Reds mid-season. He did not score in any of those AHL games.

The 23-year-old has a goal and an assist in five games with the Lions this season.

Other Sea Dogs alumni to appear in ECHL games this season include Olivier LeBlanc (Kalamazoo Wings), Samuel Dove-McFalls (Fort Wayne Komets), Nathan Noel (Newfoundland Growlers), Oliver Cooper (Fort Wayne Komets), Chase Stewart (South Carolina Stingrays) and Benjamin Gagne (Fort Wayne Komets).

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-1

FINAL: Bathurst 1, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - After dropping six straight, the Saint John Sea Dogs have now won back-to-back games.

The Sea Dogs earned their second victory in as many nights on Friday, defeating the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 6-1 at TD Station.

Nico Laforge, Cam MacDonald, Vince Elie, Eriks Mateiko, Brady Burns and Connor Trenholm all scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 33 saves in the win, earning his first victory since Oct. 7.

The Sea Dogs never trailed in this game and felt in control for most of it. They produced some solid penalty kills in the opening frame - including a shorthanded goal - which proved key as the game stayed close until the middle frame. Saint John netted three goals in the second and then secured the win with a couple more in the third.

Philippe Collette scored Bathurst's lone goal. Sergei Litvinov allowed four goals on 31 shots in the first two periods. Jack Howatt allowed two goals on 13 shots in the third.

Game Day 11: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - Coming off a surprising upset win last night, the Saint John Sea Dogs will look to keep the positive momentum rolling tonight at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs downed the Gatineau Olympiques 6-5 last night thanks to a Cam MacDonald hat trick; a four assist night from Peter Reynolds; and a 42-save performance by Nikolas Hurtubise. The win was Saint John's first since Oct. 7 and ended a six-game losing streak.

Can the Sea Dogs have a repeat performance tonight? The Acadie-Bathurst Titan come to town with only a slightly better record than Saint John. The Titan have dropped two straight games and are 1-5-0-0 on the road this season.

Game time for Hockey Fights Cancer night is 7 p.m.

Tonight is Hockey Fights Cancer!

Head to TD Station wearing purple to show your support for cancer survivors, those currently going through treatments, and honor those who are no longer with us as the Sea Dogs take on the Titan at 7 PM.

🎟️: https://t.co/soWOVNn6ab pic.twitter.com/05V9tEBQBq

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) October 28, 2022

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 3-7-0-0 for six points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Titan are 4-8-1-0 for nine points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-5 win over the Gatineau Olympiques last night. Cam MacDonald netted a hat trick while singles came from Pavel Simek, Connor Trenholm and Charlie DesRoches. The Titan are coming off a 6-3 loss in Halifax on Sunday. Ben Allison, Ty Higgins and Dylan Andrews scored for Bathurst. Sergei Litvinov made 27 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-5

FINAL: Gatineau 5, Saint John 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended a six-game losing streak with a big upset win on Thursday night at TD Station.

Cam MacDonald netted a hat trick to lead the Sea Dogs to a 6-5 win over the Gatineau Olympiques, one of the top teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Western Conference.

Pavel Simek, Connor Trenholm and Charlie DesRoches added singles in Saint John's first victory since Oct. 7. Nikolas Hurtubise made 42 saves, earning his first win of the season.

The Sea Dogs made the most of their chances, especially in the first period when they scored on their first two shots of the game. The Olympiques pressed hard at times - especially in the third period where they recorded 21 shots - but Saint John was able to hold them off enough for the win.

Saint John's struggling power play also had a decent game, going 2/5 on the man advantage. Gatineau, who has also struggled on the power play, went 3/6.

Isaac Belliveau, Marcel Marcel, Tristan Luneau, Zachary Dean and Cole Cormier had Gatineau goals. Emerik Despatie was pulled in the third period after allowing five goals on 25 shots. Kaiden Kirkwood allowed a goal on four shots in relief.

Game Day 10: vs Olympiques

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Seas Dogs will face the Gatineau Olympiques for the first time this season tonight.

The Olympiques are expected to be one of the better teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this year and, despite some major injury issues, are off to a respectable 7-3-2-0 start, placing them second in the Western Conference behind the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

Tonight's game kicks off a three-in-three New Brunswick road trip for the Olympiques. They'll visit Moncton tomorrow and Bathurst on Saturday.

The Olympiques will be a tough task for a Sea Dogs team that has lost six straight games. Saint John is 0-5-0-0 against Quebec-based clubs so far this year.

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

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-7-0-0 for four points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Olympiques are 7-3-2-0 for 16 points (first West/second Western/third QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-2 home loss to the Quebec Remparts on Sunday. Peter Reynolds and Cole Burbidge scored for Saint John while Ventsislav Shingarov made 34 stops in the loss. The Olympiques are coming off a 6-3 home loss to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday. Donovan Arsenault, Samuel Savoie and Joey Vetrano scored for Gatineau. Tye Austin allowed five goals on 23 shots while Emerik Despatie allowed a goal on six shots.

Lessard traded to Drakkar

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs made a significant trade on Tuesday, dealing 20-year-old forward Marshall Lessard to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

In exchange for Lessard, the Sea Dogs receive a second-round pick in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft - a solid return for an overage player.

“Marsh is a great person and teammate” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “It’s not ideal having four 20-year-old players on your roster when you can only dress three, and we made it a priority to ensure that all of our overage players have full-time homes this season. Marsh is a resilient young man and he will bring a lot of character and experience to Baie-Comeau. For us, second round picks are valuable and important for our future. I am confident that our scouts will make the most of the selection.”

Lessard was acquired by the Sea Dogs at January's trade deadline. He went on to record four goals and six assists in 19 regular season games and registered an assist in five playoff games. He appeared in all four of Saint John's Memorial Cup games but saw limited ice time due to injury.

Lessard has appeared in just two games with Saint John this season due to a recurring knee issue. He was one of four 20-year-olds on the club's roster along with forward Brady Burns, defenseman Charlie DesRoches and goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise.

The Drakkar currently sit fourth in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference with a 5-6-0-1 record. The Sea Dogs and Drakkar meet on Jan. 4 in Saint John and Jan. 12 in Baie-Comeau.

Until this trade, the Sea Dogs weren't scheduled to pick in the 2023 draft until the sixth-round (according to the French fan boards). Saint John will no doubt try and make more deals during the holiday trade period to collect more picks.

Notebook: Trio of games ahead for Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Another challenging week is ahead for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs, who had their losing streak reach six games on Sunday, host the Gatineau Olympiques on Thursday and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and the Olympiques. Gatineau, expected to be one of the league's top teams this season, has been plagued by injuries in the early goings but still have a solid 7-3-2-0 record. They sit second in the QMJHL's Western Conference behind the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

Friday's contest will be just the second meeting of the year between the Sea Dogs and Gordie Dwyer's Titan. Saint John earned a 4-3 win in Bathurst to open the season on Sept. 25.

On Sunday, the Sea Dogs travel to Moncton to face the Wildcats at 4 p.m. Saint John is 0-2 against Moncton this season.

THE STRUGGLES

A few stats really stick out when examining Saint John's early season struggles.

The Sea Dogs are struggling to both score and keep the puck out of their own net. Saint John is averaging just 2.56 goals per game (16th in the QMJHL) despite averaging 31.44 shots per game (7th). At the other end, the Dogs are averaging a league worst 5.44 goals against per game. No other team is averaging above 4.5.

Saint John is also struggling with special teams. Their power play is operating at just 9.1% (17th) while their penalty kill is operating at a league worst 64.7%.

Things aren't good - but it's worth pointing out that Saint John has had a challenging schedule. They have played nine games and six of those have been against Quebec (1st overall), Sherbrooke (2nd) and Moncton (8th).

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-2

FINAL: Quebec 6, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs lost their sixth straight game on Sunday, falling 6-2 to the league-leading Quebec Remparts.

Quebec scored two goals in the first 2:58 of the game and dominated puck possession at times. They also took advantage of Saint John's struggling penalty kill, going 2/4 on the man advantage.

James Malatesta scored a pair of goals for Quebec while singles came from Nathan Gaucher, Andrew Gweon, Davis Cooper and Zachary Bolduc. William Rousseau made 23 saves in his league-leading seventh victory of the season.

Quebec swept their three-game Maritime road trip and improved their record to 10-1-0-1.

This was the fifth straight game that Saint John allowed six or more goals. The team also struggled to get much going offensively with just 11 of their 25 shots being classified as dangerous.

Peter Reynolds and Cole Burbidge scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed six goals on 30 shots in the loss.

Game Day 9: vs Remparts

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will, once again, try and end their losing streak today.

The Sea Dogs dropped their fifth straight game last night at TD Station, falling 7-4 to the Moncton Wildcats. Saint John got off to a good start, leading 2-0 in the first period, but allowed Moncton back into the game. The Wildcats broke a 3-3 tie in the third period, scoring four goals in the frame.

Things don't get any easier for the Sea Dogs who face one of the league's best teams this afternoon. Patrick's Roy's Quebec Remparts, who sit first overall in the QMJHL standings, carry a four-game winning streak into today's contest.

Game time today is 3 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-6-0-0 for four points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Remparts are 9-1-0-1 for 19 points (first East/first Eastern/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 loss to the Moncton Wildcats last night at TD Station. Charlie DesRoches, Pavel Simek, Brady Burns and Vincent Despont scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise, in his season debut, made 27 saves in the loss. The Remparts are coming off a 7-1 win in Charlottetown last night. James Malatesta and Zachary Marquis-Laflamme each scored twice while singles came from Zachary Bolduc, Charles Savoie and Nathan Gaucher. Quentin Miller made 20 saves in the win.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-4

FINAL: Moncton 7, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - A four-goal third period lifted the Moncton Wildcats past the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs, who led the game 2-0 at one point, were even at 3-3 with the Wildcats through 40 minutes. But things quickly went south for Saint John with Moncton scoring two goals less than 20 seconds apart early in the third. The Dogs were able to get back within one but that was as close as they would get.

The loss was Saint John's fifth straight.

Charles Beaudoin, Preston Lounsbury, Jonas Taibel, Cole Bishop, Thomas Auger, Maxim Barbashev and Hugo Marcil scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion made 25 saves in the win.

Charlie DesRoches, Pavel Simek, Brady Burns and Vincent Despont scored for Saint John. Nikolas Hurtubise, making his season debut, made 27 stops in the loss.

Game Day 8: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to end a four-game losing streak tonight at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a winless three-game road trip through Quebec last weekend, a trio of games that saw them outscored a combined 20-3 by the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Quebec Remparts and Victoriaville Tigres. Saint John's last win was on Oct. 7 against the Charlottetown Islanders.

Saint John will try and get things back on track tonight against the Moncton Wildcats. Moncton has been heading in the opposite direction of Saint John, winning four of their past five games.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-5-0-0 for four points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 5-3-0-1 for 11 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/eighth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-0 loss in Victoriaville on Sunday. Olivier Brideau made 23 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Thursday at Avenir Centre. Yoan Loshing had a hat trick while singles came from Etienne Morin and Francesco Iasenza. Vincent Filion made 36 saves in the victory.

Dufour nets first pro goal and OT winner

Embed from Getty Images

William Dufour scored the first goals of his professional playing career on Friday night.

The Memorial Cup MVP opened the scoring early in the first period and then netted the overtime winner 2:11 into the extra frame to lift the Bridgeport Islanders to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Providence Bruins.

Here's Dufour's first of the night, which came just 1:32 in the opening frame.

William Dufour’s first AHL goal was a beauty 🤩 #Isles pic.twitter.com/2fEeB2zzzG

— Nicole Shirman (@nicolefshirman) October 21, 2022

And here's the game-winner.

Räty ➡️ Dufour for the OT winner is something all #Isles fans could get used to pic.twitter.com/dXUvy0Fh5E

— Nicole Shirman (@nicolefshirman) October 22, 2022

The pair of goals give Dufour two points in three AHL games so far this season. He has 11 shots on goal during that span.

The Islanders are back in action on Saturday, hosting the Laval Rocket.

Notebook: Lots of Sea Dogs in AHL

Vincent Ethier/CHL

13 Saint John Sea Dogs alumni have already skated in American Hockey League games this season.

Among those who have appeared in a game is Memorial Cup champion Philippe Daoust, who is off to a hot start with a goal and three assists in three games with the Belleville Senators. The Sens also feature former Dogs forward Cedric Pare, who has a goal and two assists.

Other former Sea Dogs who have skated in the AHL this season include Matthew Highmore (Springfield), Samuel Dove-McFalls (Bakersfield), Jeremie Poirier (Calgary), Julien Gauthier (Hartford), William Villeneuve (Toronto), Matt Murphy (Iowa), Spencer Smallman (Colorado), Riley Bezeau (Charlotte), William Dufour (Bridgeport), Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary) and Raivis Ansons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton).

Brett Gallant (Cleveland), Bokondji Imama (Tucson), Vincent Sevigny (Bridgeport), Zachary Emond (San Jose) and Callum Booth (Coachella Valley) have started the season on AHL rosters but have not appeared in a game.

COMING UP

The Sea Dogs return home for a pair of games this weekend.

The Moncton Wildcats visit TD Station on Saturday for a 7 p.m. puck drop. This is the second meeting of the regular season between the two following Moncton's 4-1 win in Saint John on Oct. 1. The two meet again next Sunday, Oct. 30 at Avenir Centre.

On Sunday, the Sea Dogs host the Quebec Remparts in a 3 p.m. contest. The Remparts downed the Sea Dogs 7-2 this past Saturday at Videotron Centre thanks to a huge game from their top line, which combined for 16 points. This will be the final meeting of the season between Saint John and Quebec.

After dropping all three games of their challenging Quebec road trip, the Sea Dogs carry a four-game losing streak into the weekend. They are 1-2-0-0 on home ice this season.

Poirier, Daoust score first AHL goals

Embed from Getty Images

Jeremie Poirier made some Calgary Wranglers history on Sunday.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman scored the first goal in Wranglers American Hockey League history, converting on a power play in the second period.

History made 🔥

Check out the first-ever @ahlwranglers goal courtesy of Jeremie Poirier, with @sprusina on call! pic.twitter.com/P6TUsuAvkd

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 17, 2022

The Wranglers went on to lose the game 6-5 to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the new AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.

Poirier, who was playing in his first career AHL game, finished the contest with four shots and a -2 rating.

Former Sea Dogs forward Philippe Daoust also scored his first career AHL goal this past weekend, connecting in the Belleville Senators' 6-3 home win over the Laval Rocket on Saturday.

Congratulations to Philippe Daoust on scoring his first AHL career goal! #ForTheB pic.twitter.com/3VJrkDMsFR

— Belleville Senators (@BellevilleSens) October 16, 2022

Daoust, who recorded five assists in 15 games with the Senators last season, is off to a strong start, posting a goal and two helpers in two games so far. Former Dogs forward Cedric Pare also has a goal and two assists in two games with Belleville this season.

A few other members of Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup championship team made their AHL debuts this past weekend, including Raivis Ansons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins), Riley Bezeau (Charlotte Checkers) and William Dufour (Bridgeport Islanders). William Villeneuve (Toronto Marlies) and Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Wranglers), who have previously appeared in AHL games, also made their season debuts this past weekend.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-0

FINAL: Saint John 0, Victoriaville 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

VICTORIAVILLE, QC - The goal horn got quite a workout on Sunday at Colisee Desjardins.

The Victoriaville Tigres scored four times in the second period and another three times in the third in a 7-0 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. It's the second time in just over a week that the Tigres defeated the Sea Dogs.

Thomas Belgarde scored a pair of goals for the Tigres while Justin Larose, Tommy Cormier, Nikita Prishchepov, Loick Daigle and Egor Goriunov added singles. Captain Maxime Pellerin had two assists.

Rookie goaltender Gabriel D'Aigle made 29 saves for his first career shutout in the QMJHL. The second overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft improved to 3-0 on the season - which includes two victories over Saint John.

The Tigres had an impressive showing on special teams, going 2/2 on the power play and scoring two shorthanded goals on three opportunities. Another goal was setup by Pellerin after he came out of the penalty box.

Olivier Brideau, in his first QMJHL start, allowed seven goals on 30 shots in the loss.

Saint John struggled on offense and defense on this winless three-game Quebec road trip, getting outscored a combined 20-3 by the Tigres, Sherbrooke Phoenix and Quebec Remparts.

Game Day 7: at Victoriaville

VICTORIAVILLE, QC - It's been a rough road trip for the Saint John Sea Dogs so far.

The Sea Dogs have dropped their first two games of this Quebec trek by a combined score of 13-3, falling 6-1 to the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Friday and 7-2 last night in Quebec City. The team will look to head home with a win when they face the Victoriaville Tigres today at 5 p.m.

This is the second meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Tigres. Victoriaville defeated Saint John 5-2 at TD Station last Saturday. This will be the final meeting between the two.

The Tigres are off to a decent start with a 5-3-0-0 record. They feature one of the league's best goal scorers in Maxime Pellerin, who has scored seven times in eight games.

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

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-4-0-0 for four points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Tigres are 5-3-0-0 for 10 points (second Central/third Western/fourth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-2 loss in Quebec City last night. Peter Reynolds and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov and Olivier Brideau split the loss in net. The Tigres are coming off a 6-1 home win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last night. Maxime Pellerin scored a pair of goals while singles came from Alexandre Nadeau, Igor Mburanumwe, Tommy Cormier and Egor Goriunov. Nathan Darveau made 16 saves in the win.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Quebec 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

QUEBEC CITY, QC - The stars came out to play for the Quebec Remparts on Saturday.

Quebec's top line of Theo Rochette (two goals and four assists), Pier-Olivier Roy (three goals and two assists) and Zachary Bolduc (two goals and three assists) combined for 16 points in a 7-2 thumping of the Saint John Sea Dogs at Videotron Centre.

The Remparts scored two goals just 1:17 into the game. After Peter Reynolds made it 2-1 at 8:36, Bolduc scored less than a minute later to restore Quebec's two-goal lead.

Any chance of a Saint John comeback ended quickly in the second period with Quebec scoring twice in the first 4:17 of the frame.

Reynolds and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov, who started once again in net even after leaving Friday's game with an injury, was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 16 shots. Olivier Brideau allowed two goals on 22 shots in relief.

Philippe Cloutier allowed two goals on 31 shots in the win.

It hasn't been an easy road trip for the Sea Dogs who have been outscored a combined 13-3 by two of the league's best teams. They'll look to end the trip on a positive note in Victoriaville on Sunday.

Game Day 6: at Quebec

QUEBEC CITY, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs are right back at it today in Quebec City.

After opening their three-in-three road trip with a 6-1 loss to the first-place Sherbrooke Phoenix last night, things don't get any easier for the Sea Dogs tonight, going up against the Quebec Remparts at Videotron Centre. Note the 5 p.m. Atlantic start time.

The Remparts sit first in the Eastern Conference and second overall in the QMJHL with a 6-1-0-1 record. They were ranked third in this week's CHL Top 10 rankings.

A big question for Saint John is who starts in goal tonight. Ventsislav Shingarov was injured late in the third period last night and left the game. Olivier Brideau, who has yet to start a game in the QMJHL, played the final few minutes. 20-year-old Nikolas Hurtubise is with the team and practicing but has not dressed for a game - regular season or pre-season - this year.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-3-0-0 for four points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Remparts are 6-1-0-1 for 13 points (first East/first Eastern/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-1 loss in Sherbrooke last night. Noah Reinhart scored Saint John's lone goal. Ventsislav Shingarov made 35 saves before leaving the game late in the third period with an injury. The Remparts are coming off a 6-2 home win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last night. Mikael Huchette and James Malatesta each scored twice while Nathan Gaucher and Davis Cooper added singles. William Rousseau made 22 saves in the win.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Sherbrooke 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SHERBROOKE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs hung around but the first-place Sherbrooke Phoenix proved to be too much on Friday night at Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet.

After a scoreless and fairly even first period, the Phoenix scored four times in the second en route to a 6-1 win over the Sea Dogs. Sherbrooke, who sat atop the QMJHL standings heading into the game, have yet to lose in regulation this season.

Sherbrooke's dangerous offense performed as expected after a bit of a slow start in this game with Joshua Roy (one goal and two assists), Justin Gill (three assists) and Ethan Gauthier (one goal) all finding the scoresheet. 

Milo Roelens, Joel Marchon, David Spacek and Tyson Hinds also scored for the Phoenix. Jakob Robillard made 34 saves in the win.

Despite the lopsided score, the Sea Dogs didn't perform too badly and could have easily had another goal or two. Saint John put 35 shots on net but had a difficult time creating sustained pressure near the Sherbrooke crease.

Noah Reinhart scored Saint John's lone goal. Ventsislav Shingarov made 35 stops before leaving the game with an injury with 4:08 remaining.

Notebook: Lessard on recent injury

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Marshall Lessard has been sidelined with an injury once again.

The 20-year-old forward hasn't played since the Saint John Sea Dogs' second game of the season on Oct. 1, a game where he saw limited playing team.

"It's still a knee problem," Lessard explained in a radio interview with John Moore last Saturday. "I had a major injury last year and it's still the same problem. I worked a lot on it this summer and I got hit last game against Moncton and unfortunately I got injured. It's not as long term as it was before."

Lessard noted that his ice time at the Memorial Cup was limited because of the injury. Lessard is one of four overage players with the Sea Dogs right now, a number that will eventually have to be reduced to three. He said his mindset is to take things day-to-day.

"I feel like we are four good 20-year-olds and we all deserve a spot in the league," Lessard said, speaking about himself, forward Brady Burns, defenseman Charlie DesRoches and goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise. "Just have to prove it."

FIRST GOALS

Heading into this weekend's action, eight Sea Dogs have scored goals so far this season and three of them were first-time goal scorers.

Rookies Cole Burbidge and Noah Reinhart along with second-year defenseman Vincent Despont have all scored their first career QMJHL goals this season.

His first @QMJHL goal and it was a beauty!

Congratulations Noah! https://t.co/qZIc2SrcpS pic.twitter.com/OxGRIwQ5BI

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) October 9, 2022

Last week Cole Burbidge scored his first QMJHL goal.

Last night Vincent Despont scored his first QMJHL goal.

Whose turn is it tonight? #CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/88JgWX9ZHH

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

Through four games, overage forward Brady Burns leads the team in points with seven and goals with four. Burns and Peter Reynolds each have a team high three assists.

Game Day 5: at Sherbrooke

SHERBROOKE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs face a major test tonight.

The Sea Dogs begin a three-in-three Quebec road trip tonight in Sherbrooke, facing off against Joshua Roy and the league-leading Phoenix at 8 p.m. The Phoenix have yet to lose in regulation time this season and were ranked second in the CHL Top 10 rankings this week.

Goals have not been a problem for Sherbrooke this season, scoring a league best 35 in seven games. Three of the QMJHL's top-eight scorers are Phoenix. 

This will be a bit of a measuring stick game for the Sea Dogs. How they perform in this contest will give us a better sense of where exactly this team is at. Saint John has performed pretty much as expected so far, looking good at times and rough at others.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-2-0-0 for four points (third Maritimes/fifth Eastern/14th QMJHL) while the Phoenix are 6-0-1-0 for 13 points (first Central/first Western/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Victoriaville Tigres on Saturday. Noah Reinhart and Cam MacDonald scored Saint John's only goals. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed five goals on 19 shots before getting pulled early in the third. Olivier Brideau stopped all six shots he faced in relief. The Phoenix are coming off a 6-2 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday. Israël Mianscum, Joshua Roy, Anthony Munroe-Boucher, Justin Gill, Milo Roelens and Ethan Gauthier scored for Sherbrooke. Samuel St-Hilaire made 15 saves in the win.

Big road test awaits Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

After playing three of their first four games at home, the Saint John Sea Dogs will face a major road test this weekend.

The Sea Dogs travel to Quebec where they'll play a three-in-three in Sherbrooke, Quebec City and Victoriaville. The Phoenix, who feature former Sea Dog Joshua Roy, and the Remparts, who feature Charles Savoie, are expected to be amongst the best in the league this season.

Sherbrooke has yet to lose in regulation time, posting a 6-0-1-0 record. That includes a 4-0-1-0 record on home ice. Three of the QMJHL's top six scorers are Phoenix: Justin Gill (10 goals and six assists), Ethan Gauthier (five goals and nine assists) and Roy (four goals and seven assists).

Quebec, meanwhile, is off to a 5-1-0-1 start and are 3-0-0-0 at Videotron Centre. A number of rookie Sea Dogs have scored their first QMJHL goals in Quebec City over the years, so that's something to keep an eye on as this young Saint John team faces a big challenge in the big city.

The Phoenix and Remparts were ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in this week's CHL Top 10.

There's some new entries in Week 2 of the @KiaCanada CHL Top 🔟 rankings❗️👀

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) October 11, 2022

Saint John hosted Victoriaville on Saturday, falling 5-2.

Rookie netminder Olivier Brideau, who stopped all six shots he faced in a relief appearance against the Tigres on Saturday, will presumably make his first QMJHL start at some point on this trip. That is assuming Nikolas Hurtubise remains on the injured list. Ventsislav Shingarov has started all four games for Saint John this season.

Saint John travels to Quebec again in December (Shawinigan, Drummondville and Blainville-Boisbriand), January (Chicoutimi, Baie-Comeau and Rimouski) and February (Val-d'Or, Rouyn-Noranda and Gatineau).

NHL season begins for former Sea Dogs

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Will a former Saint John Sea Dog win the Stanley Cup this season?

Mathieu Joseph, formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning, remains the only Sea Dogs alumnus to win the NHL's championship trophy. It's unlikely that Joseph, Thomas Chabot and the Ottawa Senators will be Cup contenders this season, but they're getting closer.

A lot of eyes will be focused out west where Jonathan Huberdeau and the transformed Calgary Flames will look to make some noise. Huberdeau didn't have much playoff luck during his time with the Florida Panthers, but maybe this move will see the former Dogs captain make a deep run.

Here's a look at all the former Sea Dogs who find themselves on NHL opening night rosters.

Anaheim Ducks - Nathan Beaulieu

Boston Bruins - Charlie Coyle and Jakub Zboril

Calgary Flames - Jonathan Huberdeau

Detroit Red Wings - Joe Veleno

Montreal Canadiens - Mike Hoffman

Ottawa Senators - Mathieu Joseph and Thomas Chabot

Others who will start the year in the AHL but could get called up to the big club include Julien Gauthier (New York Rangers), Matthew Highmore (St. Louis Blues) and Bokondji Imama (Arizona Coyotes).

A few members of last year's Sea Dogs team - like William Dufour (New York Islanders), Jeremie Poirier (Calgary Flames) and William Villeneuve (Toronto Maple Leafs) - likely have a chance of getting called up for a game or two this year but will need some things to go their way.

The NHL season begins Tuesday night.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-2

FINAL: Victoriaville 5, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - It was a weekend of mixed results for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Following a 7-4 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday, the Sea Dogs returned to TD Station ice but fell 5-2 to the Victoriaville Tigres. The Sea Dogs are now 2-2-0-0 on the season as they head out on the road for a three-in-three in Quebec.

Saint John opened the scoring on Saturday but the Tigres tied it late in the first. Victoriaville scored three times in the second period and added another in the third to secure the win.

Victoriaville was coming off a come-from-behind overtime win in Halifax the night before. The Tigres have now won three straight games.

Tommy Cormier scored a pair of goals for the Tigres while singles came from Maxime Pellerin, Nikita Prishchepov and Benjamin Vigneault. Gabriel D'Aigle made 32 saves in the win. 

Noah Reinhart and Cam MacDonald scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov, making his fourth straight start, was pulled early in the third after allowing a fifth goal on 19 shots. Rookie Olivier Brideau stopped all six shots he faced in relief.

Game Day 4: vs Tigres

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

The Sea Dogs are coming off a fairly solid 7-4 win over the Charlottetown Islanders last night. Saint John had a strong opening period and, despite Charlottetown sticking around, never trailed in the game and held off any Islanders comeback attempts.

20-year-old forward Brady Burns scored a pair of goals last night, giving him four in three games to start the season.

The Sea Dogs face a Tigres team tonight that continues to rebuild from its 2021 President Cup championship run. Victoriaville erased a 3-1 third period deficit last night in Halifax, winning 4-3 in overtime.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 2-1-0-0 for four points (third Maritimes/fifth Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Tigres are 3-2-0-0 for six points (second Central/third Western/fifth QMJHL).

2022 pre-season records: The Sea Dogs were 3-5-0-0 this pre-season while the Tigres went 4-4-0-0.

2021-22 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 Tigres went 25-36-4-3 for 57 points (fourth Central/eighth Western/17th QMJHL). The Sea Dogs were eliminated in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs while the Tigres did not qualify. Saint John went on to win the Memorial Cup as the host team.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-4

FINAL: Charlottetown 4, Saint John 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' offense got its mojo back on Friday.

After struggling to score in a 4-1 loss to the Moncton Wildcats last Saturday, the Sea Dogs put up seven goals in a 7-4 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs dominated much of the first period, scoring the first three goals of the game and not allowing the Islanders to record a shot on net until past the midway mark of the frame. While Saint John never trailed in this game and the result never really felt in doubt, Charlottetown would not go away.

The Islanders made it 3-2 in the second period and 4-3 in the third. But a Peter Reynolds goal at 5:31 of the third and a Vincent Despont marker later on secured the win.

Along with goals from Reynolds and Despont, Brady Burns scored twice while Cam MacDonald, Jared Cosman and Cole Burbidge also connected. Saint John's top six forwards had a hard time getting things going last weekend, but they found their rhythm in this contest.

Ventsislav Shingarov, in his third straight start, made 33 saves in the win.

Charlottetown had a pair of goals from Michael Horth and solo markers from Giovanni Morneau and Jakub Brabenec. Oliver Satny made 30 saves in the loss.

Game Day 3: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to get back on track tonight.

After a strong season opening victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, the Sea Dogs ran into some struggles last Saturday, falling 4-1 to the Moncton Wildcats. Saint John's few returning players were key in that victory over the Titan, but the Wildcats were able to shut them down.

The Sea Dogs will look to get back in the win column against a team that is also entering a rebuild. After making it all the way to the President Cup final last season, the Charlottetown Islanders have a much different looking club due to graduation and trades.

Saint John and Charlottetown had some great battles last season at the top of the Maritimes Division. They might have some great games this season as well, but probably won't be fighting for first place.

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

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

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 1-1-0-0 for two points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 1-0-0-0 for two points (third Maritimes/fifth Eastern/13th QMJHL).

2022 pre-season records: The Sea Dogs were 3-5-0-0 this pre-season while the Islanders went 3-3-0-0.

2021-22 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 Islanders went 48-13-7-0 for 103 points (first Maritimes/second Eastern/second QMJHL). The Sea Dogs were eliminated in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs while the Islanders fell in the league final. Saint John went on to win the Memorial Cup as the host team.

Notebook: Some home opener video

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

If you missed Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs home opener, the QMJHL has uploaded the pre-game ceremony, which saw the 2022 Memorial Cup championship banner raised into the TD Station rafters.

The Sea Dogs have also shared the video that was shown during the ceremony.

Some of our favourite moments from the 2022 Memorial Cup presented by Kia, on the ice and in the community.

Thank you Saint John, for making last year one to remember.#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/tpwAAjoMGu

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) October 3, 2022

BIG CROWD

4,954 fans attended Saturday's Sea Dogs game at TD Station, making it the most attended home opener in Saint John since 2017 (5,309).

Saturday's crowd would have been Saint John's fourth largest all of last season. The team averaged 2,643 fans per game last season, although three home games were impacted by COVID capacity restrictions.

The Sea Dogs are no doubt hoping to ride the wave of enthusiasm generated during the Memorial Cup even as the team begins to rebuild.

Memorial Cup got around this summer

It's been an eventful few months for the Memorial Cup.

Saint John Sea Dogs captain Charlie DesRoches took the trophy for one last spin around the TD Station ice during Saturday's pre-game festivities. It was presumably the last time a Sea Dogs player will celebrate with the trophy, capping off a busy few months.

From weddings to bars to poutine, here's a quick look at what the historic trophy got up to during the off-season (posts are not all in order).

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - All the celebrating was done before Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs game.

After raising their Memorial Cup championship banner to the TD Station rafters before the game, the Sea Dogs' offense dried up, falling 4-1 to the Moncton Wildcats.

Rookie Cole Burbidge scored Saint John's lone goal in the loss. Saint John's veteran players came through for some key goals last Sunday in Bathurst, but things weren't quite clicking on Saturday.

Ventsislav Shingarov, making a second straight start with Nikolas Hurtubise still hurt, made 31 saves in the loss.

Yoan Loshing, Etienne Morin, Vincent Labelle and Maxim Barbashev scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion made 28 saves in the victory.

This was Moncton's first game of the season thanks to Hurricane Fiona postponing their games last weekend.

The Wildcats had a few great chances early in the game, forcing Shingarov to make some nice stops. Moncton opened the scoring at 12:27 not long after Sam-Luca Thifault took a huge hit at the Saint John offensive blue line. Play came back the other way and Loshing ripped the puck top corner on Shingarov to make it 1-0.

Burbidge tied the game at 2:23 of the second but the Wildcats scored twice more in the frame, taking a 3-1 lead into the third.

After a very disciplined game last Sunday, Saint John got into penalty trouble in the third. Barbashev's goal was scored on an odd-man rush at even strength at 7:18, but the penalties made it difficult for the Sea Dogs to get going offensively.

Saint John had a couple power plays of their own late in the third but could not connect. The Dogs went 0/6 on the man advantage.

Game Day 2: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - Ir's a special night for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs will raise their 2022 Memorial Cup championship banner to the rafters this evening at TD Station. Tonight's 7 p.m. contest against the Moncton Wildcats is Saint John's first on home ice - regular season or pre-season - since lifting the Memorial Cup in June.

Saint John got their regular season off to a rough start last Sunday in Bathurst, giving up two early goals. But the team settled down nicely from there and, led by veteran players, pulled off a 4-3 comeback win over the Titan.

The Sea Dogs and Wildcats met twice early in the pre-season with Saint John winning both games. Rosters will look much different tonight.

Thanks to Hurricane Fiona, this is Moncton's first game of the season. Most experts predict the 'Cats to finish second or third in the Maritimes Division.

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

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 for two points (first Maritimes/second Eastern/sixth QMJHL) while the Wildcats have not played game yet.

2022 pre-season records: The Sea Dogs were 3-5-0-0 this pre-season while the Wildcats went 3-3-2-0.

2021-22 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 Wildcats went 28-31-6-3 for 65 points (fifth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL). Both teams were eliminated in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs. Saint John went on to win the Memorial Cup as the host team.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 season opening win in Bathurst on Sunday. Brady Burns scored a pair of goals for Saint John while Marshall Lessard and Peter Reynolds added singles Ventsislav Shingarov made 21 saves in the victory. The Wildcats haven't played since defeating the Charlottetown Islanders 7-6 in their pre-season finale on Sept. 17. Vincent Labelle scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Charles Beaudoin, Yoan Loshing, Miles Mueller, Thomas Auger and Alexis Daniel. Vincent Filion allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first half of the game while Jacob Steinman allowed three goals on 16 shots in the second half.