Race developing for final playoff spots

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are very much in the playoff race as the calendar flips to February.

Thanks to back-to-back wins this past week, the Sea Dogs now have 34 points, putting them just three back of of the final playoff spot. There is quite a playoff race developing - which could be extra fun given that the four Maritimes Division clubs have plenty of head-to-head meetings remaining.

The top-16 teams qualify for the playoffs.

Of Saint John's 23 remaining games, they'll play Charlottetown six times (yes, six times!), Bathurst four times and Cape Breton four times.

It's worth mentioning that the Sea Dogs do not own their first-round pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, so there is no benefit to tanking.

Making the playoffs would be a significant achievement for this rebuilding Sea Dogs squad. If they play like they did this past week down the stretch, they've got a strong shot at qualifying.

Saint John's recent success hasn't just involved their veteran players. Many of the teams young and inexperienced players have stepped up in the past month or so - a promising sign as the team continues through the early stages of this rebuild.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-3

FINAL: Saint John 7, Moncton 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs won their third straight road game on Saturday, defeating the Moncton Wildcats 7-3 in front of nearly 7,000 fans at Avenir Centre.

Cole Burbidge, Nico Laforge and Pavel Simek all scored two goals each while Brady Burns added an empty netter to secure the victory. A night after recording a hat trick, rookie defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau registered a pair of assists.

Rookie netminder Olivier Brideau made 32 stops to earn his first career QMJHL win.

It's the second straight 7-3 win for the Sea Dogs. The team defeated the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on the road on Friday.

The Sea Dogs are now right back in the playoff mix with 34 points. They are just two points back of the Charlottetown Islanders who currently hold the final spot.

Saint John took advantage of a Moncton team that is struggling right now. The Wildcats are just three games above .500, which is certainly not where they hoped to be at this point. They are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games. 

Thomas Auger, Yoan Loshing and Miles Mueller scored for Moncton. Vincent Filion was pulled in the third period after allowing six goals on 29 shots. Jacob Steinman faced just one shot in relief.

A historic night for Bilodeau

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Some great offensive defensemen have been developed by the Saint John Sea Dogs over the years, but very few accomplished what Nicolas Bilodeau did on Friday night.

Bilodeau, 17, posted a hat trick in Saint John's 7-3 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, becoming just the third Sea Dogs defenseman to record three goals in a single game. Luke Green recorded a hat trick once in his Sea Dogs career while Jeremie Poirier did it twice.

Bilodeau scores on the power play to complete his FIRST QMJHL Hat Trick! Congratulations Nicolas! #CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/DTj6q0DdRD

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 28, 2023

Bilodeau was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft but is in his first QMJHL season. He is the first Sea Dogs rookie defenseman to record a hat trick. Only four other Sea Dogs rookie defensemen - Green, Alex Grant, Jakub Zboril and Radim Salda - ever recorded a multi-goal game.

The Gatineau native now has seven goals and 22 points in 44 games this season which leads all QMJHL rookie defensemen in scoring.

Bilodeau is having a great season offensively, but he'll need to turn up his production even more down the stretch if he wants to match the franchise record for goals in a single season by a rookie defenseman.

Brady Burns, meanwhile, is inching closer to franchise history. With a goal on Friday, the 20-year-old is just one away from tying Michael Kirkpatrick's franchise record of 108.

Burns now has 234 points as a Sea Dog. He needs 23 points in Saint John's final 24 games to match Jonathan Huberdeau's franchise points record of 257.

Game Day 45: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to build off last night's victory this evening at Avenir Centre.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a solid 7-3 win in Bathurst last night, a victory that ended a three-game losing streak. Saint John has struggled on the road all season but are on a little run right now, winning back-to-back road matches.

The Wildcats have 14 more points than the Sea Dogs but they have been struggling a bit of late. They are just 6-4-0-0 in their last 10 games and have fallen way back of the Maritimes Division leading Halifax Mooseheads.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 15-27-1-1 for 32 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 22-18-0-2 for 46 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-3 win in Bathurst last night. Nicolas Bilodeau recorded a hat trick while Brady Burns, Cole Burbidge, Noah Reinhart and Alexis Cournoyer added singles. Ventsislav Shingarov made 31 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-2 home loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last Sunday. Yoan Loshing and Vincent Labelle scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 18 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-3

FINAL: Saint John 7, Bathurst 3

Bryannah James/Acadie-Bathurst Titan

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended a three-game losing streak with a big 7-3 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday.

Rookie defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau had the best offensive performance of his junior career, netting a hat trick in the victory. Noah Reinhart, meanwhile, had four points (one goal and three assists) while Brady Burns (one goal and two assists) and Cole Burbidge (one goal and two assists) each had three. Alexis Cournoyer had Saint John's other goal.

Ventsislav Shingarov made 31 stops in the win.

The Sea Dogs have struggled on the road all season but have now won back-to-back games away from home: this 7-3 victory and the big 8-3 win in Rimouski on Jan. 14.

Including this game, the Sea Dogs play five straight games on the road.

Dylan Andrews scored a pair of goals for Bathurst while Noah Ryan added a single. Joshua Fleming made 30 stops in the loss.

Game Day 44: at Bathurst

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to end a three-game losing streak tonight at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

The Sea Dogs, who are just 2-8-0-0 in their last 10 games, visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan this evening. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Gordie Dwyer's Titan, who unloaded many of their top players at the trade deadline, haven't been much better than the Sea Dogs of late, losing three straight and going 2-6-2-0 in their last 10.

This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the two. The season series has been split so far.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 14-27-1-1 for 30 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Titan are 15-21-5-2 for 37 points (third Maritimes/seventh Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a wild 10-7 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. Cole Burbidge recorded a hat trick for the Sea Dogs while singles came from Luka Benoit, Eriks Mateiko, Nicolas Bilodeau and Alexis Cournoyer. Olivier Brideau allowed nine goals on 41 shots in the loss. The Titan are coming off a 2-1 loss in Charlottetown on Sunday. Donovan Arsenault scored Bathurst's lone goal. Joshua Fleming made 30 stops in the loss.

Notebook: Bezeau among AHL fight leaders

Embed from Getty Images

Riley Bezeau is making a name for himself in the American Hockey League.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward is among the AHL leaders in fights this season, dropping the gloves five times in 26 games with the Charlotte Checkers. The league leader, Matthew Rempe of the Hartford Wolf Pack, has seven.

Fighting Riley Bezeau - not a great idea! pic.twitter.com/GO9vtIr8nQ

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) January 24, 2023

All five of Bezeau's fights have come on home ice. The 20-year-old has two goals, two assists and 52 penalty minutes in his first professional season.

Billy Sweezey and Riley Bezeau
Go blow for blow#CLEvsCHA #CLEMonsters #LetsGoCheckers @fpc_ahl pic.twitter.com/w887bTZN36

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) January 22, 2023

Bezeau spent parts of three seasons with the Sea Dogs, helping the club win the Memorial Cup last June.

ONE FOR ALL FESTIVAL

The Sea Dogs have announced details for the One For All Festival, which will take place Family Day Weekend at TD Station.

From the team's press release:

From Friday, February 17 to Monday, February 20 (Family Day), the One for All Festival will take over TD Station, with four days of events capturing the spirit of the 2022 Memorial Cup and building upon it. It will bring together and integrate arts, culture, and the entire community into the hockey experience.

The Sea Dogs will play three home games during that span and each will feature a musical performance. Full details can be found on the team's website.

Sea Dogs connections win University Games gold medals

U Sports

While no former Saint John Sea Dogs players participated in this year's FISU World University Games, there are a couple Sea Dogs connections coming home with gold medals.

Head coach Gardiner MacDougall of the UNB Reds, who guided the Sea Dogs to a Memorial Cup championship in June, led the Canadian men's hockey squad to a gold medal.

Canada defeated the United States 7-2 in the championship game on Sunday, which was held at the historic Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, NY.

Hear from Gardiner MacDougall, Canada’s gold medal winning coach in men’s hockey.

In the late 1980s, he visited Lake Placid just to see this arena and where Herb Brooks coached USA to gold.

Today, he won a gold medal in the same rink. pic.twitter.com/I8F4VkieRM

— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) January 23, 2023

As 49-Sports notes, MacDougall has now won "an AUS championship, Memorial Cup and FISU gold medal all within the last 10 months."

The Canadian women's team is also coming home with gold. Canada defeated Japan 5-0 in Saturday's gold medal contest.

Canada’s 3-0 goal on the five on three advantage from Maggy Burbidge.

The U SPORTS top scorer doing it on the biggest stage in university hockey.

pic.twitter.com/wHAwiKUfIq

— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) January 22, 2023

A key contributor for the Canadians was Maggy Burbidge of the StFX X-Women, the sister of Sea Dogs forward Cole Burbidge. She scored in the championship game - the same night her brother netted his first career QMJHL hat trick.

A wild Saturday night in Saint John

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs were once again victims of the Halifax Mooseheads' powerful offense.

The Sea Dogs fell 10-7 to the Mooseheads in a wild game Saturday night at TD Station. Saint John never led in the contest but tied the game on three separate occasions, only to allow three goals in the final half of the third period in the loss.

The Mooseheads are averaging a league high 4.88 goals per game - and the Sea Dogs are definitely aware of that. Saint John is now 0-6-0-0 against Halifax this season and have allowed five or more goals in every meeting.

Halifax 10 @ Saint John 7 (Jan 21 2023) Final

Halifax 8 @ Saint John 1 (Jan 20 2023) Final

Halifax 6 @ Saint John 4 (Jan 6 2023) Final

Saint John 0 @ Halifax 5 (Nov 19 2022) Final

Saint John 4 @ Halifax 9 (Nov 18 2022) Final

Saint John 0 @ Halifax 7 (Nov 6 2022) Final

Saturday's game was Halifax's third in three nights, which may have played a factor in the team's bad puck management at times, head coach Sylvain Favreau told Saltwire.

Some more takeaways from Saturday's game...

• The Mooseheads extended their point streak to 19 games. They are 17-0-2-0 during this run. Heading into play Sunday, they are just four points back of the Quebec Remparts for first overall in the QMJHL standings.
• The 17 combined goals scored in the game are the most in any QMJHL game this season, surpassing the 16 scored by Chicoutimi and Rimouski on Nov. 8. The Oceanic won that game 12-4.
• This was the most goals allowed by the Sea Dogs in a single game this season. The previous high was nine - a 9-4 loss to Halifax on Nov. 18.
• As The Athletic's Scott Wheeler notes, Jordan Dumais, following his five assist night, has surpassed Regina's Connor Bedard for the CHL scoring lead.
• Attilio Biasca became the first QMJHL player this season to score five goals in a single game. The Mooseheads captain joins Nathan MacKinnon and Jason King for the franchise record for goals scored in a single game.
• Brady Burns, with three assists last night, now has four goals and four assists in five games against the Mooseheads this season.
• Burns, with 106 career goals as a Sea Dog, is now two away from tying Michael Kirkpatrick's franchise record of 108. Also, Burns now has 231 career points and, with 25 games to go, is 26 points away from tying Jonathan Huberdeau's franchise points record of 257.
• The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads meet twice more this season: once in Halifax (March 2) and once in Saint John (March 17).
• The Sea Dogs have dropped five straight home games. They play their next five matches on the road.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 10-7

FINAL: Halifax 10, Saint John 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - It was a wild Saturday night at TD Station.

The Saint John Sea Dogs erased 3-1, 6-3 and 7-6 deficits only to fall 10-7 to the Halifax Mooseheads. Halifax scored three times in the final 7:17 to secure the win. The Moose have now earned points in 19 straight games.

The Sea Dogs never led in the game and while they managed to keep coming back, it never quite felt like momentum was fully on their side.

Mooseheads captain Attilio Biasca recorded five goals and an assist to lead his team to victory. Markus Vidicek had two goals and two assists while single goals came from Evan Boucher, Mathieu Cataford and Zachary L'Heureux. Jordan Dumais had five assists.

Brady James allowed six goals on 30 shots in 46:31 of action. Mathis Rousseau allowed a goal on eight shots in relief.

Cole Burbidge recorded a hat trick for Saint John while solo markers came from Luka Benoit, Eriks Mateiko, Nicolas Bilodeau and Alexis Cournoyer. Brady Burns added three assists while Alex Drover had two.

Olivier Brideau played the entire game in net, allowing nine goals on 41 shots.

Some Saturday notes

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs did something Friday that not many teams have been able to do this season: keep Jordan Dumais off the scoresheet.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's leading scorer was held pointless in an 8-1 Halifax Mooseheads win, displaying just how deep the Maritimes Division's top team is offensively.

Oddly, it was the second time this season that the Sea Dogs have kept Dumais off the scoresheet. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect has been held pointless in just six games all year.

Dumais still has an impressive six goals and four assists in five games against Saint John in five meetings.

Dumais and the Mooseheads take on the Sea Dogs again tonight in Saint John.

A few other notes...

• The Mooseheads are now 5-0-0-0 against the Sea Dogs this season.
• With four points against his former team last night, Josh Lawrence moved into a tie for fourth in league scoring with 68 points. Dumais sits first (77 points) while Alexandre Doucet is second (75).
• Nikolas Hurtubise made his debut with the QJHL's Terrebonne Cobras on Friday, allowing four goals on 35 shots in a 4-1 loss to Collège Français de Longueuil. It was just the third loss of the season in 33 games for the Cobras.
• Hurtubise hadn't started a game since Dec. 9 when he was still a member of the Sea Dogs.
• Le Nouvelliste has a story on just how stacked the Cobras are, arguing that the team could give some QMJHL squads a test.
• Hurtubise is expected to split goaltending duties with Alexandre Marchand the rest of the way. Marchand is an impressive 23-0-0 this season with a 2.25 GAA and .922 SV%.
• In his return to the AHL on Friday, William Dufour scored the lone goal in the Bridgeport Islanders' 1-0 overtime victory over the Rochester Americans.
• Former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum scored his first Atlantic University Sport goal with the UNB Reds last night, netting a first period power play marker in a dominant 6-1 win at Saint Mary's. McCallum now has a goal and three assists in three games with the Reds.
• Nick Blagden, sporting a full cage, didn't play much for UNB but did receive a 10-minute misconduct late in the third period.
• Patrick Roy earned his 500th victory as a head coach Friday in the Quebec Remparts' 5-2 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-1

FINAL: Halifax 8, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Josh Lawrence scored a hat trick to lead the Halifax Mooseheads past the Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday at TD Station.

Lawrence had three goals and an assist in the Mooseheads' 8-1 victory over his former club. Logan Crosby, Brody Fournier, Brady Schultz, Braeden McPhee and Owen Phillips also scored in the win. Alexandre Doucet had three assists.

Mathis Rousseau made 23 saves in the victory.

The Mooseheads have now earned at least a point in 18 straight games. They are on a 16-0-2-0 run.

Brady Burns scored Saint John's only goal. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed eight goals on 39 shots in the loss.

Game Day 42 & 43: vs Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - The red hot Halifax Mooseheads travel to Saint John for a pair of games against the Sea Dogs this weekend.

The Mooseheads carry a 17-game point streak (15-0-2-0) into this Friday and Saturday's games at TD Station. Game times are 7 p.m.

On paper this is a lopsided matchup, but the Sea Dogs gave the Mooseheads a real push the last time they met a couple weeks ago. Halifax is 4-0-0-0 against Saint John this season.

The Sea Dogs had one of their best performances of the year last Saturday in Rimouski but followed that up with a flat 4-1 home loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday. 

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 14-25-1-1 for 30 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 29-7-4-1 for 63 points (first Maritimes/second Eastern/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off 4-1 home loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday. Noah Reinhart scored Saint John's only goal. Ventsislav Shingarov made 21 saves in the loss. The Mooseheads are coming off a 6-3 home win over the Cataractes last night. Jake Furlong, Markus Vidicek, Attillio Biasca, Evan Boucher, Jordan Dumais and Zachary L'Heureux scored for Halifax. Mathis Rousseau made 22 saves in the win.

Notebook: Moose coming in hot

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Halifax Mooseheads are more than hot. The Maritimes Division leading club makes their way to Saint John essentially on fire.

The Mooseheads have earned at least a point in 17 straight games. Following Thursday's 6-3 home win over the Shawinigan Cataractes, Halifax is on a 15-0-2-0 run, tying a franchise best.

Franchise record tying win in Moose Country! pic.twitter.com/w1MbWpYeGF

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) January 20, 2023

Halifax is, of course, led by its offense with Jordan Dumais, Alexandre Doucet and Josh Lawrence all sitting top-five in league scoring. But it's the team's defense and goaltending that has been noticeably impressive of late.

Netminder Mathis Rousseau was named the QMJHL's Player of the Week, playing a key role in the Mooseheads defeating the Quebec Remparts and Sherbrooke Phoenix on home ice.

The Mooseheads face the Sea Dogs on Friday and Saturday night at TD Station.

DUFOUR SENT DOWN

A day after making his NHL debut, the New York Islanders have reassigned former Sea Dogs forward William Dufour back to the American Hockey League's Bridgeport Islanders.

#Isles Transaction: William Dufour has been returned on loan to Bridgeport.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 19, 2023

Dufour finished Wednesday's game - a 4-1 Islanders loss to the league-leading Boston Bruins - with a -2 rating and played less than seven minutes. The handling of Dufour, who has risen to become one of New York's best prospects over the past calendar year, was not well received by some.

William Dufour back to Bridgeport.

So Isles recall him, play him for less than 7 minutes against the league's best team, and then bench him for the remaining half of the game.

In other words, an organizational error, IMO.

— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) January 19, 2023

The 20-year-old Dufour, playing in his first season of professional hockey, has an impressive 13 goals and 12 assists in 37 games, placing him ninth in AHL rookie points and fourth in rookie goals.

Dufour makes NHL debut with Islanders

Embed from Getty Images

William Dufour made his National Hockey League debut with the New York Islanders Wednesday night.

The 20-year-old saw just 6:48 of ice time in the Islander's 4-1 loss to Charlie Coyle and the league-leading Boston Bruins at UBS Arena. Dufour finished a -2 with one hit and one giveaway.

I’ve seen the work and sacrifices behind the scenes. Congratulations and good luck in your nhl debut, really happy for you my friend @williamdufour16 pic.twitter.com/vtqtswRgwd

— William Villeneuve (@WilliamVillene9) January 18, 2023

Dufour, wearing No. 14 (half of his usual No. 28), had five shifts and played 3:12 in the first period, skating alongside Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey. The Memorial Cup MVP saw very little ice time (if any) after Boston's second goal halfway through the middle frame.

“I liked his first period,” Islanders head coach Lane Lambert told media after the game, via the New York Post. “I liked some of the things he did. He’s a big body. Again he went to the net hard. He’ll continue to learn and grow from that. That’s what that’s about from that standpoint. In his development, he’ll be fine.”

Before the game, Dufour had the traditional rookie lap at the beginning of warmup.

Rookie lap for Dufour! 👏 pic.twitter.com/ukkbPHkjfg

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 19, 2023

It may not have been the dream start that Dufour envisioned, but making your debut against a veteran Bruins team that's having a historically good season is not a simple assignment. The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward will no doubt get more chances to impress at the NHL level.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Shawinigan 4, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs couldn't keep the momentum going from Saturday's big road win in Rimouski.

The Sea Dogs looked flat at times in a 4-1 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday at TD Station. The Sea Dogs had a rough opening frame and were a bit fortunate to be down just 2-0. They rebounded in the second, getting back within one, but let the game slip away in the third period.

Saint John had four power plays but were unable to get much going on any of them. The team registered just 12 dangerous shots and 23 shots total. Saint John didn't record a shot in the third period until past the halfway mark.

Noah Reinhart scored Saint John's lone goal. Ventsislav Shingarov made 21 saves in the loss.

Kody Dupuis, Lou-Felix Denis, Alexis Bonefon and Felix Lacerte scored for Shawinigan. Remi Delafontaine made 22 saves in the win.

The Cataractes improved to an impressive 11-9-1-2 on the road this season and 4-0-0-0 against Maritimes Division opponents.

Dufour called up by Islanders

New York Islanders

On the same night the Shawinigan Cataractes make their first visit to Saint John since last year's Memorial Cup, William Dufour could make his National Hockey League debut with the New York Islanders.

Dufour, according to NHL.com, is "projected" to make his debut tonight when the Islanders host the Boston Bruins at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic.

The 20-year-old practiced on New York's top line with Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal on Wednesday morning.

🎥 William Dufour Pregame Media Availability 🎥 pic.twitter.com/YARbJw5ySq

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 18, 2023

"What I've seen and what I've heard is he just continues to develop and grow," Islanders head coach Lane Lambert told NHL.com. "He's a big body who shoots the puck well. He's had a great year, for sure, if you look at the calendar year. He's had a lot of success and that breeds confidence. He's playing well in Bridgeport."

A fifth-round pick of the Islanders in the 2020 NHL Draft, Dufour has 13 goals and 12 assists in 25 American Hockey League games with the Bridgeport Islanders.

Not only does it look like William Dufour will make his NHL debut on Wednesday, it looks like he will start on a line with Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey.

The 2020 fifth-round pick has 13 goals and 12 assists (25 points) in 37 AHL games this season. pic.twitter.com/qY7BA6u0QU

— Daily Faceoff - Fantasy (@DFOFantasy) January 18, 2023

Dufour recorded 56 goals and 116 points in 66 games with the Sea Dogs last season. He went on to register an impressive seven goals and eight points in four games at the Memorial Cup, being named tournament MVP. His most impressive performance came against the Cataractes when he registered four goals in a 5-3 win to advance Saint John into the championship game.

If he plays, Dufour would become the first member of Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup championship team to appear in an NHL game.

Game Day 41: vs Cataractes

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs return to home ice tonight, hosting the rival Shawinigan Cataractes for the first time since the 2022 Memorial Cup.

Both teams will have much different looking rosters tonight compared to those used in June. The Sea Dogs played in Shawinigan in December, falling 6-2.

The Sea Dogs are coming off an interesting three-game road trip in Quebec that saw them drop two close games then hammer the favoured Rimouski Oceanic 8-3. The win ended a four-game losing streak.

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 14-24-1-1 for 30 points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Cataractes are 20-19-1-2 for 43 points (third Central/fifth Western/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-3 win in Rimouski on Saturday. Alex Drover scored a pair of goals while singles came from Jacob Beaulieu, Noah Reinhart, Nate Tivey, Vince Elie, Brady Burns and Alexis Cournoyer. Ventsislav Shingarov made 28 saves in the win. The Cataractes are coming off a 4-3 win in Rimouski on Friday. Stephane Jr Huard scored a pair of goals while Isaac Menard and Felix Lacerte added singles. Remi Delafontaine made 26 saves in the victory. 

Cataractes return to Saint John

Vincent Ethier/CHL

The stakes were just a little bit higher the last time the Shawinigan Cataractes took on the Saint John Sea Dogs at TD Station.

The long-time rivals met in the final game of the round-robin portion of the 2022 Memorial Cup with a bye to the championship game on the line. The Cataractes led 3-0 after the first period but the Sea Dogs, led by a four-goal performance from William Dufour, went on to earn a 5-3 victory.

The Cataractes fell in the Memorial Cup semifinal to the Hamilton Bulldogs while the Sea Dogs went on to beat the Ontario Hockey League champions in the final.

Very few players from that Cataractes-Sea Dogs game will be in either lineup Wednesday night when the two meet at TD Station. Game time is 7 p.m.

Peter Reynolds, Brady Burns and Charlie DesRoches are the only Sea Dogs who played in that game who are still with the team.

Shawinigan, the defending QMJHL champions, are having a respectable season given their roster turnover. The Cataractes sit 10th overall in the league with a 20-19-1-2 record.

The Sea Dogs sit 17th overall with a 14-24-1-1 record.

A few other notes...

• The Sea Dogs play their next three games at home. Following Wednesday's match against Shawinigan, Josh Lawrence and the Halifax Mooseheads visit Saint John for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday.
• Lawrence was named to the QMJHL's Team of the Week. With 64 points in 41 games, the 20-year-old sits in a tie for third in league scoring.
• The Mooseheads have earned points in 16 straight games (14-0-2-0). The Moose host the Cataractes on Thursday before travelling to Saint John.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Dawson Theede is back playing with the National Lacrosse League's Halifax Thunderbirds. Theede had two goals in Halifax's 17-8 loss to the Toronto Rock in Hamilton on Saturday.
• Due to arena scheduling issues, it looks like the OHL's Ottawa 67's will play their first-round playoff games at Gatineau's Slush Puppie Centre, according to Le Driot. 

Sea Dogs earn key road victory

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

This year's Saint John Sea Dogs team will not be making history - and that's a good thing.

Saturday's Sea Dogs win in Rimouski was Saint John's fifth road victory of the year. The franchise low for road wins in a season is four, which was accomplished in 2018-19. This year's Sea Dogs team will not be a member of that unfortunate club.

The Sea Dogs are now 5-12-1-1 on the road this season. They have a number of "winnable" road games remaining on their schedule, visiting Bathurst (three times), Cape Breton (two times) and Charlottetown (three times). There's also the chance the Dogs catch some higher ranked teams sleeping, like they did Saturday against the Oceanic.

That 2018-19 team finished the season with a 13-49-2-4 record, setting the franchise low for wins in a single season. This year's Sea Dogs team is now 14-24-1-1 with 28 games remaining.

Saturday's victory also moved the Sea Dogs out of the QMJHL's basement and into the 17th spot, one-point ahead of the Charlottetown Islanders. The Islanders have, however, played two fewer games heading into Sunday's action.

The battle for the final playoff spots could be interesting as there are a cluster of teams sitting near the bottom of the standings. The Sea Dogs traded away their first-round pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, so there is no reason to tank.

A few other random notes...

• The Sea Dogs are back in action on Wednesday, hosting the Shawinigan Cataractes at 7 p.m.
• With 28 regular season games remaining, Brady Burns has 227 points as a Sea Dog. The franchise record is 257, held by Jonathan Huberdeau. Burns is averaging 1.21 points per game this season, so it's possible - but there is little room for error.
• The Sea Dogs ended a four-game road losing streak with Saturday's win.
• Gordie Dwyer's Acadie-Bathurst Titan currently have the fewest road wins in the league this season (3-15-1-1).

Recap: Sea Dogs win 8-3

FINAL: Saint John 8, Rimouski 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

RIMOUSKI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs made what was expected to be the most difficult game of their road trip look rather easy.

Seven different players scored in what was one of Saint John's best games of the season, defeating the Rimouski Oceanic 8-3. The Sea Dogs led 3-0 after one and were up 6-0 at one point in the second period. Two of Rimouski's goals came late in the third with the game already out of reach.

Alex Drover scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Jacob Beaulieu, Noah Reinhart, Nate Tivey, Vince Elie, Brady Burns and Alexis Cournoyer. Ventsislav Shingarov made 28 saves in the win.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Sea Dogs and was just the team's fifth road victory of the season. Saint John heads home with a 1-2-0-0 record on their three-game trip following close losses in Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau.

Saint John took advantage of a possibly fatigued Rimouski squad (they played last night at home) or perhaps a team that took the last-place Sea Dogs too lightly. 

Alexander Gaudio scored twice for Rimouski while Luke Verreault added a single. Gabriel Robert, who played the first and third periods, allowed four goals on 18 shots. Affiliate netminder Cedric Masse allowed four goals on 10 shots in the second period.

McCallum, Blagden make UNB debuts

Kale McCallum and Nick Blagden made their debuts with the UNB Reds on Friday night.

McCallum picked up an assist, four shots and a tripping minor in UNB's 5-4 overtime victory over the Dalhousie Tigers at the Aitken Centre. Blagden finished the game a -1.

There were three former Sea Dogs skating in the UNB/Dalhousie game: McCallum, Blagden and Tigers forward Matt Green. Green had two assists in the loss and was named the game's third star.

The Reds are currently without forwards Austen Keating and Brady Gilmour; defenseman Adam McCormick; and head coach Gardiner MacDougall due to their participation in the 2023 FISU World Winter University Games.

UNB hosts the StFX X-Men Saturday night in Fredericton.

A few other notes...

• McCallum's last QMJHL game with the Val-d'Or Foreurs was on Jan. 3. He still sits second in Foreurs scoring and seventh in QMJHL defensemen scoring.
• The Gatineau Olympiques have now won three straight games following a 7-0 win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs Friday. Cam MacDonald has five goals and three assists in six games since joining the Olympiques.
• Sine being dealt to the Moncton Wildcats, Connor Trenholm has three goals and an assist in four games. Moncton's Friday night home game against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan was postponed due to weather.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy had a goal and three assists for the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Thursday, his first QMJHL game since winning world junior gold with Team Canada. Roy and Tyson Hinds return to the Scotiabank Centre ice on Saturday for a big game against the Halifax Mooseheads.
• Since rejoining the Maritime Hockey League's Fredericton Red Wings, defenseman Jake Tracey has one assist in two games.
• In QJHL action, Tristan Dassylva had a goal in the Princeville Titan's 7-5 loss to Laval on Friday.

Game Day 40: at Rimouski

RIMOUSKI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs play the final game of their three-game Quebec road trip today.

It's been a frustrating road trip so far for the Sea Dogs, dropping two close games in similar fashion. The team fell 5-4 in Chicoutimi on Wednesday and 5-3 in Baie-Comeau on Thursday, surrendering two early third period goals in both losses.

The Sea Dogs will look to tighten things up today against the Oceanic. This is Saint John's first visit to Rimouski since last season's first-round playoff matchup. The Sea Dogs outshot the Oceanic 40-14 on May 10, 2022 but lost 1-0 due to the 40-save shutout performance by Patrik Hamrla.

Game time today is 5 p.m. Atlantic.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-24-1-1 for 28 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Oceanic are 23-17-1-1 for 48 points (second East/third Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 loss in Baie-Comeau on Thursday. Peter Reynolds, Danny Akkouche and Alexis Cournoyer scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 36 saves in the loss. The Oceanic are coming off a 4-3 home loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes last night. Xavier Filion scored a pair of goals for Rimouski while Julien Beland added a single. Patrik Hamrla made 26 saves in the loss.

Notebook: Blagden, McCallum join UNB

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two former Saint John Sea Dogs have joined the UNB Reds for the second half of the Atlantic University Sport season.

Defenseman Kale McCallum and forward Nick Blagden will both suit up for Gardiner MacDougall's squad. Both are 20-year-olds and were still eligible to play junior hockey this winter.

McCallum, a Quispamsis native, spent two seasons in Saint John before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He's been one of the QMJHL's top offensive defensemen the past two seasons. McCallum recorded 34 points in 36 games with Val-d'Or in the first half, currently placing him sixth in defensemen scoring.

Blagden, meanwhile, appeared in four games with Saint John this season before announcing his retirement from the sport - a retirement that was short lived. He's also played with the Southern Senior Hockey League's River Valley Rock this season.

Coming outta retirement again I guess…Excited to get things started👊 https://t.co/KscIj1C7an

— Nick Blagden (@Nick_Blagden) January 11, 2023

Blagden won a Memorial Cup championship with MacDougall and the Sea Dogs last June.

“Coach Mac is an icon in Saint John,” said Bladgen in a news release. “Without him, that team wouldn’t have won the Cup. He provided us with the motivation in our toughest times.”

Heading into play this weekend, UNB sits first in the AUS men's hockey standings with a 16-3-0-1 record.

BACK IN PRINCEVILLE

Newly acquired defenseman Tristan Dassylva is back with the QJHL's Princeville Titans. The 17-year-old told the Quebec outlet CIMT/CHAU that he will spend the rest of the season with the club.

Dassylva, acquired by the Sea Dogs during the holiday trade period, made his Saint John debut on Jan. 8. He appeared in 10 games with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar earlier this season.

CIMT/CHAU notes that Dassylva was teammates with Sea Dogs rookie forward Jacob Beaulieu last season with the College Notre-Dame Albatros.

Princeville sits second in the QJHL standings behind Nikolas Hurtubise and the Terrebonne Cobras. 

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Baie-Comeau 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

BAIE-COMEAU, QC - A couple third period goals against proved costly once again for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Thursday night.

Charles-Antoine Dumont, a 2018 draft pick of Saint John, and Juston Poirier, the brother of Jeremie Poirier, both scored in the third period to push the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to a 5-3 victory over the Sea Dogs at the Henry Leonard Centre.

It's the second straight loss for Saint John on this three-game Quebec road trip and fourth straight defeat overall. On Wednesday in Chicoutimi, the Sea Dogs allowed two early third period goals in a 5-4 loss.

Dumont also scored in the second period while Charles-Thomas Larochelle and Marc-Antoine Seguin added solo markers. Olivier Ciarlo made 20 stops in the victory.

Peter Reynolds, Danny Akkouche and Alexis Cournoyer had Saint John goals. Akkouche and Alex Drover each had two assists. Ventsislav Shingarov made 36 saves in the loss.

It was a fairly back-and-forth game with the Sea Dogs leading 2-1 at one point. Saint John registered just 12 dangerous shots in the loss but had a few other strong storing opportunities either miss the net or hit iron.

Game Day 39: at Baie-Comeau

BAIE-COMEAU, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs continue their Quebec road trip tonight in Baie-Comeau.

The Sea Dogs came up just short in the first game of their trip, falling 5-4 to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last night. It was a fairly evenly played game between the two with special teams playing a kay factor in the result.

Saint John has now dropped three straight games overall and three straight on the road.

The Drakkar sit six points ahead of the Sea Dogs in the standings but have played two more games.

Game time tonight at the Henry Leonard Centre is 8 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-23-1-1 for 28 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Drakkar are 15-21-3-1 for 34 points (fourth East/seventh Eastern/14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 loss in Chicoutimi last night. Vince Elie, Brady Burns, Peter Reynolds and Cole Burbidge scored for Saint John. Olivier Brideau made 37 stops in the loss. The Drakkar are coming off a 4-3 loss in Cape Breton on Saturday. Isaac Dufort, Anthony Lavoie and Charles-Antoine Dumont scored for Baie-Comeau. Olivier Ciarlo made 27 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-4

FINAL: Saint John 4, Chicoutimi 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHICOUTIMI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up just short in the first game of their three-game Quebec road trip on Wednesday.

Felix Bedard's power play goal at 3:32 of the third period proved to be the winner in the Chicoutimi Sagueneens' 5-4 win over the Sea Dogs at the Georges-Vezina Centre.

Bedard and Emmanuel Vermette both scored early power play goals in third period that gave the Sagueneens a 5-3 advantage at the time. The goals came as the Sea Dogs were trying to kill off a five-minute major that was handed to Jared Cosman for a check-to-the-head late in the second period.

Cole Burbidge scored at 17:24 to get the Sea Dogs within one and then the Sags took a too many men penalty with 1:18 remaining. Despite pulling Olivier Brideau and producing some strong offensive zone pressure on Chicoutimi's big ice, the Sea Dogs could not net the equalizer.

Fabrice Fortin, Loic Usereau and Samuel Vachon also scored for Chicoutimi. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 27 saves in the win.

Burbidge, Vince Elie, Brady Burns and Peter Reynolds scored for Saint John. Brideau made 37 stops in the loss.

Game Day 38: at Chicoutimi

CHICOUTIMI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin a three-game road trip through eastern Quebec tonight.

The Sea Dogs take on the Chicoutimi Sagueneens this evening at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic. Tomorrow the Sea Dogs travel to Baie-Comeau before wrapping up the trip on Saturday in Rimouski.

The Sags sit one game below .500 with an 18-19-2-0 record but have won back-to-back games - including a 6-4 victory over the Western Conference leading Victoriaville Tigres on Sunday.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-22-1-1 for 28 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 18-19-2-0 for 38 points (third East/fifth Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off 4-1 home loss to the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday. Jeremie Richard scored Saint John's only goal. Ventsislav Shingarov made 24 saves in the loss. The Sags are coming off a 6-4 win over the Victoriaville Tigres on Sunday. Edouard Carrier, Emmanuel Vermette, Andrei Loshko, Maxim Masse, Zachary Gravel and Alexis Morin scored for Chicoutimi. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 25 stops in the win.

Notebook: Sea Dogs hitting the road

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

After playing 10 of their past 12 games at home, the Saint John Sea Dogs head back out on the road this week.

The Sea Dogs begin a three-game Quebec road trip Wednesday in Chicoutimi, taking on the Sagueneens at 8:30 p.m. They'll travel to Baie-Comeau to face Marshall Lessard and the Drakkar on Thursday at 8 p.m. before wrapping things up with a 5 p.m. contest in Rimouski on Saturday.

Saint John is 4-10-1-1 on the road this season. After this week's trip, the Sea Dogs will head to Quebec just one more time.

The Sea Dogs are back on TD Station ice on Wednesday, Jan. 18 when they host the Shawinigan Cataractes. It will be the Cataractes' first visit to Saint John since last June's Memorial Cup.

NEW ADDITIONS

The Sea Dogs have added two more players to their roster.

The club announced Tuesday the signings of defenseman Joseph Ianniello and forward Luka Benoit. Both players come from the Central Canadian Hockey League.

Ianniello, 18, recorded five goals and 20 assists in 28 games with the CCHL's Navan Grads this season. An eighth-round pick of the Barrie Colts in the 2020 OHL Draft, Ianniello recorded a goal and three assists in six games with Canada Red at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.

According to a Sea Dogs news release, the Woodbridge, ON native previously had NCAA intentions.

Benoit, 17, had eight goals and eight assists in 27 games with the Nepean Raiders this season. The Ottawa native was selected seventh overall by the Ottawa 67's in the 2022 OHL U18 Priority Selection Draft.

“Joseph and Luka were standout players in their league” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “They fit our age group here and have earned this opportunity. We are very pleased that they decided to commit to Sea Dogs.”

TRACEY BACK WITH RED WINGS

18-year-old defenseman Jake Tracey was back with the Maritime Hockey League's Fredericton Red Wings this weekend.

Tracey played in 19 games with the Sea Dogs during the first half the season, recording two assists. He returned to the Red Wings lineup on Saturday in Miramichi where he registered an assist in Fredericton's 4-2 loss. He also appeared in the Red Wings' 4-3 shootout loss to the Edmundston Blizzard.

The Kingston, ON native played in 30 games with Fredericton last season.

Hurtubise joins Cobras

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Nikolas Hurtubise has joined the Terrebonne Cobras of the Quebec Junior Hockey League.

The Cobras announced Monday that the 20-year-old goaltender has joined the club. Terrebonne currently sits first in the league standings with a 30-2-0-0 record through 32 games.

Hurtubise was an 11th-round pick of the Cobras in the 2018 QJHL Draft.

Hurtubise was injured during the off-season and appeared in just 11 games with the Sea Dogs during the first half, posting a 5-5 record to go along with a 4.71 goals against average and a .872 save percentage in 11 appearances.

Le gardien de but par excellence de la Coupe Memorial l’an passé, Nikolas Hurtubise, se joint aux Cobras.

Pour plus d’informations 👉 https://t.co/QuN53qVXkL #UneHistoireDeFierté pic.twitter.com/j14v6UvHoE

— Cobras de Terrebonne (@cobraterrebonne) January 9, 2023

Hurtubise was widely considered to be one of the top overage netminders available on the trade market during the off-season, but injuries and a crowded overage goaltending market were likely major factors in the Sea Dogs being unable to find him a home with a squad competing for a league championship.

Since the Christmas break ended, Hurtubise has been listed as a healthy scratch by the Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs acquired Hurtubise from the Victoriaville Tigres last season. Hurtubise helped the Tigres win a President Cup title in 2021 and then backstopped Saint John to a Memorial Cup championship last June.

The move presumably means the Sea Dogs will go with Ventsislav Shingarov and Olivier Brideau as their goaltending duo in the second half. Defenseman Charlie DesRoches and forwards Alex Drover and Brady Burns will be the club's overagers.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Rimouski 4, Saint John 1

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up short against the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday afternoon at TD Station.

Julien Beland scored twice to lead the Oceanic to a 4-1 win over the Sea Dogs. Maxime Coursol and Jan Sprynar also scored in the first meeting between the two teams since last season's first-round playoff matchup.

The Sea Dogs had a hard time getting the engines started and were unable to get much going in the first period. Despite that, the Dogs trailed just 1-0 after one and 2-0 after two. In the third, Jeremie Richard got Saint John within one but the Oceanic scored twice more to earn a 4-1 victory.

Gabriel Robert only had to make 18 stops in the win. Only eight of Saint John's shots were listed as dangerous.

Ventsislav Shingarov made 24 saves in the loss.

Sea Dogs add Drover and Ballard

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs have announced a couple additional roster moves.

The Sea Dogs announced Sunday that they have signed free agent forwards Alex Drover and Harrison Ballard to Quebec Major Junior Hockey League contracts,

Drover, an overager, spent parts of three seasons with the Sea Dogs before being dealt to the Rimouski Oceanic during the 2020-21 campaign. Last season he registered 14 goals and 37 points in 44 regular season games with the Oceanic. He added three goals in nine playoff games, which included helping the Oceanic upset the Sea Dogs in the opening round of the QMJHL post-season.

Drover started the season with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers where he recorded two goals and two assists in six games. Since being released, the Port-aux-Basques native has put up 12 goals and 29 points in 20 games with the Maritime Hockey League's Valley Wildcats.

“I’m excited to return to the Port City” Drover said in a news release. “I have many fond memories of my time there. I look forward to reconnecting with friends, fans, and the community. Saint John has always been a second home for me. I’m thrilled to finish my junior career wearing a Sea Dogs jersey.”

Drover, forward Brady Burns and defenseman Charlie DesRoches, it appears, will be Saint John's trio of overage players for the second half. Drover is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday when the Sea Dogs host the Oceanic.

Ballard, 18, comes to the Sea Dogs from the Ontario Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds where he recorded an assist in 20 games this season. He registered 14 goals and 14 assists in 54 games with the OJHL's Wellington Dukes last year.

According to a Sea Dogs news release, "Ballard, previously committed to UMass of the NCAA, was ranked ranked 199 on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for 2022 NHL Draft."

The Sea Dogs also acquired forward Nathan Casey and defenseman Tristan Dassylva in trades this past week.

“Welcome to Tristan, Nathan, Harrison, and welcome back to Alex” said Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie in a news release. “Each of them bring something unique to the lineup and will will get an opportunity to show us what they do best. We added valuable draft picks and took chances on some players that have something to prove and that we believe can help us this season and beyond.”

Game Day 37: vs Oceanic

SAINT JOHN - For the first time since last season's stunning playoff series, the Saint John Sea Dogs take on the Rimouski Oceanic this afternoon.

The Oceanic eliminated the Sea Dogs from the first-round of last year's playoffs, winning the deciding Game 5 in overtime at TD Station. Rimouski were heavy underdogs against the Memorial Cup hosts.

This season, Rimouski sits second in the East Division, well behind the league-leading Quebec Remparts. This afternoon's contest will wrap up a three-game Maritime road trip for the club.

Game time this afternoon is 3 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-21-1-1 for 28 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Oceanic are 22-16-1-1 for 46 points (second East/third Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-4 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday. Alexis Cournoyer, Reid Calder, Brady Burns and Nicolas Bilodeau scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 31 stops in the loss. The Oceanic are coming off a 5-1 loss in Moncton last night. Maxime Coursol scored Rimouski's lone goal. Patrik Hamrla made 24 stops in the loss.