Notebook: Sea Dogs' playoff hopes starting to fade

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs still aren't out of the playoff race, but things aren't looking quite as optimistic as they were a few weeks ago.

Following back-to-back losses in Cape Breton on the weekend, the Sea Dogs remain six points back of the QMJHL's final playoff spots. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada currently sit 16th and the Val-d'Or Foreurs 15th - both have 48 points and 10 games to play.

The Sea Dogs, who sit 17th with 42 points, have 11 games remaining.

Recent losses to Cape Breton and the Charlottetown Islanders make it unlikely that the Sea Dogs will be able to catch their Maritimes Division rivals. They've still got a shot at reaching the Armada and Foreurs, but Saint John can't afford to drop too many more "winnable" games (i.e. matchups with Cape Breton, Charlottetown and Bathurst) as the regular season begins to wind down.

COMING UP

The Sea Dogs have a busy schedule this week.

They'll travel to Halifax on Thursday for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Mooseheads and then visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

The Sea Dogs return home and host the Cape Breton Eagles on Sunday at 3 p.m. In an odd scheduling quirk, the Sea Dogs will also host the Eagles on Tuesday night.

Of Saint John's 11 remaining games, five will be played at TD Station.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 9-8

FINAL: Saint John 8, Cape Breton 9

Cape Breton Eagles

SYDNEY, NS - It was a wild Sunday afternoon at Centre 200.

The Saint John Sea Dogs trailed 2-0, led 3-2, fell behind 7-3 and then pulled back within one only to lose 9-8 to the Cape Breton Eagles. The Sea Dogs fell 3-1 to the Eagles on Saturday night and are now eight points back of their division rival.

The Sea Dogs remain six points back of the final playoff spot(s), which are currently held by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Val-d'Or Foreurs. The Sea Dogs have played one less game than the Armada and Foreurs.

Saint John had a rough start in the first period, falling behind 2-0. They rebounded in the second half of the frame and then pulled ahead, 3-2, early in the second period. The Eagles then scored five straight goals in the middle frame, which was followed by two Saint John markers. Cape Breton took an 8-5 lead into the third period.

The Sea Dogs managed to get within a goal again before the midway mark of the third period but could not net an equalizer.

Eagles captain Ivan Ivan had seven points (two goals and five assists) while Samuel Johnson had a goal and three assists. William Shields and Angelo Fullerton each scored a pair of goals while other singles came from Trevor Thurston and Cam Squires. 

Oliver Satny played the entire game in net, making 29 stops in the win.

Eriks Mateiko scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Vince Elie, Luka Benoit, Brady Burns, Joseph Ianniello, Alexis Cournoyer and Noah Reinhart. Peter Reynolds had three assists.

Olivier Brideau allowed five goals on 23 shots while Ventsislav Shingarov allowed four goals on 23 shots.

Quebec wins bronze at Canada Games

Emma Stewart/Canada Games

SUMMERSIDE, PE - The male hockey tournament of the 2023 Canada Winter Games came to a close Saturday with Ontario defeating Saskatchewan 3-2 in double overtime to win gold.

Earlier in the day, Quebec, which featured a lot of the top prospects for June's QMJHL Entry Draft, defeated British Columbia 7-3 in the bronze medal game.

A few notes and takeaways from the tournament...

• Quebec's roster included 16 players who were given an "A" rating by QMJHL Central Scouting in December's initial listing.
• Quebec's top line of Shawn Carrier, Caleb Desnoyers (the younger brother of Elliot Desnoyers - who coincidently made his NHL debut on Saturday) and Emile Guite was very good in Sunday's bronze medal game.
• According to the Canada Games website, Guite (six goals and three assists), Carrier (four goals and five assists), Desnoyers (one goal and eight assists) and Olivier Lampron (two goals and seven assists) all finished the tournament with nine points each.
• Yukon's Gavin McKenna, the first overall pick in last year's WHL Prospects Draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers, set a Canada Games record with an absurd 29 points (14 goals and 15 assists). The 15-year-old McKenna, who isn't eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026, has eight points in the 11 games he has played in with the Tigers this season.
• McKenna helped Yukon to their best finish ever at a Canada Games, placing 10th. Nova Scotia was seventh, New Brunswick eighth, Newfoundland and Labrador ninth and PEI 11th.
• Newfoundland's Ty Peddigrew, who is playing US prep school hockey this year, and PEI's Kayden McGuigan of the Charlottetown Knights finished third and fourth, respectively, in tournament scoring with 12 points each.
• A teammate of Peddigrew's with the Bishop Kearney Selects is Brady Peddle of Antigonish, an "A" prospect for this year's draft. Peddle's older brother, Tyler, plays for the Drummondville Voltigeurs while is father, Brad, is the coach of the StFX X-Men. Peddle had a goal and four assists at the Canada Games.
• Cole Chandler, who plays for Steele Subaru in the Nova Scotia under-18 league, led Nova Scotia in scoring with six goals and three assists. Chandler is an "A" prospect for this year's draft.
• Liam Kilfoil, also an "A" prospect, led New Brunswick in scoring with four goals and four assists. The Quispamsis native is playing US prep school hockey at Salisbury this season. 
• Sea Dogs forward Peter Reynolds led New Brunswick in scoring at the 2019 Canada Games.
• Here's Sea Dogs assistant coach Mark Lee, who was the head coach for Newfoundland and Labrador, discussing his team's performance. Of course, it will be interesting to see how many Newfoundlanders the Sea Dogs pick in this year's draft with Lee's (and head coach Travis Crickard's) connections.

The list of top scorers from the 2019 Canada Games has proven to be an all-star list of junior hockey players.

The 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 10 in Sherbrooke.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Cape Breton 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS - It was not a great night for the Saint John Sea Dogs' playoff hopes.

The Sea Dogs fell 3-1 to the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday night at Centre 200. Falling to the Eagles was not ideal for Saint John, nor was the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Acadie-Bathurst Titan winning on the same night.

The Sea Dogs remain 17th overall in the QMJHL standings but are now six points back of the final playoff spot(s). The top-16 teams qualify for the post-season.

Pavel Simek - on a fortunate bounce - scored Saint John's lone goal, which tied the game at 1-1 in the second period. Ventsislav Shingarov made 38 stops in the loss.

Antoine Roy, Trevor Thurston and Came Squires scored for Cape Breton. Oliver Satney made 27 saves in the win.

The Sea Dogs and Eagles meet again on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Game Day 56 & 57: at Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs play a pair of crucial games this weekend against the Cape Breton Eagles.

The Sea Dogs ended a three-game losing streak on Thursday in Moncton, giving them 42 points on the season. The team remains in 17th-place, four points back of the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Eagles who sit 16th and 15h, respectively, in the overall standings. The top-16 teams qualify for the QMJHL's post-season.

The Eagles host the Sea Dogs at Centre 200 on Saturday night at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Including these contests, the Dogs and Eagles meet four more times this season.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 20-33-1-1 for 42 points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 21-29-3-1 for 46 points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off 3-2 win in Moncton on Thursday night. Vince Elie, Noah Reinhart and Joseph Ianniello scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 33 saves in the win. The Eagles are coming off an 8-4 loss in Gatineau on Saturday. Samuel Johnson scored twice for Cape Breton while Luke Patterson and Olivier Houde added singles. Nicolas Ruccia made 27 saves in the loss.

Notebook: New playoff logo unveiled

The President Cup playoffs have a new name and look.

With the QMJHL's championship trophy being renamed in honour of retiring commissioner Gilles Courteau, the league released a new logo for this year's post-season, which will begin just over a month from now.

As sportslogos.net breaks down, the logo is quite similar to last year's.

The QMJHL has released a new playoff logo following the renaming of their championship trophy from the President Cup to the Gilles Courteau Trophy for 2023.

Story, history here: https://t.co/6bFmwFj6jm pic.twitter.com/gSAaYwHACe

— Chris Creamer (@sportslogosnet) February 21, 2023

The QMJHL's regular season ends on Saturday, March 25. The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 4 p.m. that day.

NEW POD EPISODE

This week on The Hockey News on the Q podcast, Will MacLaren and I discuss the sale of the Halifax Mooseheads; the race for the final playoff spots; QMJHL players in the Arizona Coyotes system; and much more.

The @HFXMooseheads have a new majority owner. @willmacwriter and @station_nation break that down along with the @QMJHL playoff race, #Yotes prospects and more: https://t.co/Y8oGGNrEEL

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) February 22, 2023 

Recap: Sea Dogs win 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 3, Moncton 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - Defenseman Joseph Ianniello scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the Moncton Wildcats 3-2 on Thursday night at Avenir Centre.

Ianniello scored from a sharp angle below the faceoff circle with 5:02 to play in the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie. The Wildcats applied plenty of offensive zone pressure in the final few minutes to try and net an equalizer but could not convert.

Sea Dogs goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov had a busy night, making 33 saves in the win. The Wildcats were outshooting the Sea Dogs 26-15 through two periods although dangerous chances remained close throughout the night.

The Wildcats opened the scoring just 42 seconds into the game but the Sea Dogs tied it up a few minutes later. Saint John took a 2-1 lead into the third period only to have Moncton tie it up a few minutes into the final frame.

Vince Elie and Noah Reinhart also scored for Saint John, who ended a three-game losing streak and picked up a crucial two points.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, have now dropped four straight games. Jonas Taibel and Vincent Labelle scored for Moncton while Vincent Filion, who had a rough go last week, made 21 stops in the loss.

Game Day 55: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to end a three-game losing streak tonight against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs dropped all three of their games over the long weekend, including a couple of close losses to the Charlottetown Islanders. The Sea Dogs are still in the mix for the final playoff spot(s) but they can't afford to fall too far behind this late in the year.

The Wildcats, who have also lost three straight, are coming off a tough home-and-home with the Halifax Mooseheads that saw them outscored 15-5.

Game time for this rare Thursday night matchup between the two provincial rivals is 7 p.m. at Avenir Centre.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-33-1-1 for 40 points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 25-26-1-2 for 53 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/ninth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 home loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Monday afternoon. Noah Reinhart, Pavel Simek and Luka Benoit scored for Saint John. Olivier Brideau made 25 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-2 loss in Halifax on Monday. Miles Mueller and Connor Trenholm scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 shots in the first period. Vincent Filion allowed a goal on 14 shots in relief. 

What could Mooseheads' sale mean for Q?

Halifax Mooseheads

HALIFAX - In a surprising announcement made Tuesday morning, Halifax Mooseheads majority owner Bobby Smith announced he's sold his stake in the team to Michigan-based businessman Sam Simon.

Simon is the founder and chairman of Simon Group Holdings, a portfolio that includes Atlas Oil. He and his son Peter Simon, who will assist in operating the team, will remain based in Michigan. Peter will travel with the Mooseheads on their Quebec road trip this week, reports the Chronicle Herald.

Get to know the new majority owners of your Halifax Mooseheads in a recap of today's historic announcement for the franchise. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/TAAX0pbglm

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) February 21, 2023

This could impact the entire QMJHL in a number of ways. 

• While financial terms were not disclosed, this deal sets some sort of ballpark range for what junior hockey teams are worth right now in this post-pandemic world.
• The Mooseheads are obviously quite influential and what they do moving forward will likely be followed by other teams.
• Having owners who are not closely connected to the league or region is quite interesting - and could provide some much needed fresh ideas and plans to junior hockey.
• It's fair to say that Bobby Smith was a powerful and influential owner in the QMJHL. He was also quite involved with the Mooseheads' on-ice product. Smith and commissioner Gilles Courteau departing will be quite a change for the league.

It was all smiles at Tuesday's press conference, but plenty of fans have voiced some worries about what the future could bring.

Sea Dogs still in playoff race

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are far from out of the playoff race, but their winless long weekend certainly didn't help things.

The Sea Dogs fell 8-2 to the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Friday night before dropping two close matches to the Charlottetown Islanders on Saturday and Monday. Saint John has now dropped three straight games after winning back-to-back matches.

Saint John remains in 17th-place with 40 points, four points back of the Val-d'Or Foreurs who currently own the 16th and final playoff spot. The Sea Dogs have, however, played one less game than the Foreurs.

The top-16 teams in the QMJHL's overall standings qualify for the post-season.

The Sea Dogs have three games coming up this week, including two matchups with the Cape Breton Eagles.

Thursday, Feb. 23 at Moncton

Saturday, Feb. 25 at Cape Breton

Sunday, Feb. 26 at Cape Breton

Here's a look at Val-d'Or's schedule this week.

Thursday, Feb. 23 vs Blainville-Boisbriand

Saturday, Feb. 25 at Drummondville

Sunday, Feb. 26 at Sherbrooke

And here's the Acadie-Bathurst Titan's schedule.

Friday, Feb. 24 vs Moncton

Saturday, Feb. 25 vs Shawinigan

Sunday, Feb. 26 at Charlottetown

Saint John has 14 games remaining in the regular season. Of those 14 games they'll play Cape Breton four times, Charlottetown three times and Bathurst three times.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 5, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Charlottetown Islanders picked up another important victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Monday afternoon at TD Station.

Former Sea Dog Simon Hughes scored a pair of goals to lead the Islanders to a 5-3 win, extending Charlottetown's lead over Saint John in the race for the QMJHL's final playoff spots. The Islanders now have an eight-point lead on the Sea Dogs with 14 games remaining.

Quispamsis native Kiefer Lyons, who scored the game-winner in Charlottetown's 3-2 victory in Saint John on Saturday, scored again while Jeremie Biakabutuka and Michael Horth added the Islanders' other goals. Jakob Robillard was very good in net, making 39 saves in the win.

Noah Reinhart, Pavel Simek and Luca Benoit scored for Saint John. The Sea Dogs had plenty of offensive zone time - including five power plays - and created some quality chances but simply had a hard time converting. Saint John never led in the game.

Olivier Brideau made some key saves in the first two periods to keep the game close. The netminder made 25 saves in the loss.

Gauthier joins Dogs teammates with Sens

The Ottawa Senators continue to reassemble the 2016-17 Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Senators acquired Julien Gauthier from Gerard Gallant's New York Rangers on Sunday along with a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. In exchange, the Sens sent Tyler Motte to the Rangers.

Gauthier has spent most of the season with the Rangers, posting six goals and three assists in 40 games. He also recorded two goals in four games with the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack.

This is Gauthier's sixth season of professional hockey and fourth where he's appeared in NHL games. He's now appeared in 136 games at the NHL level, recording 11 goals and 16 assists.

Gauthier spent the second half of the 2016-17 season with the Sea Dogs, helping the team win the President Cup. He recorded 10 goals and 24 points in 20 regular season games and added another 11 goals and 17 points in 16 playoff games.

That 2016-17 Sea Dogs team included current Senators Thomas Chabot and Mathieu Joseph. Chabot spoke to the media about the trade on Sunday.

"Julien was someone we played with in junior. He's a big guy, fast and can skate really well. Obviously a great guy off the ice, I think he's going to fit right along in this locker room."

Thomas Chabot on having his junior teammate Julien Gauthier join the #Sens pic.twitter.com/unHVS6JBbO

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 20, 2023

Gauthier will wear No. 77 with the Sens and is expected to make his debut on Monday against the Boston Bruins.

Game Day 54: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - Another big game awaits the Saint John Sea Dogs today at TD Station.

Following a 3-2 loss on Saturday, the Sea Dogs are starting to lose sight of the Charlottetown Islanders in the overall standings. Charlottetown now has 46 points and sits 14th overall while Saint John is 17th with 40 points. An Islanders win over the Sea Dogs this afternoon would create some serious separation between the two with a month left in the season.

The top-16 teams qualify for the playoffs. Losing sight of the Islanders in the standings isn't the end of the world but it creates one less playoff spot for Saint John to try and grab.

The Sea Dogs are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games but have lost back-to-back contests heading into this afternoon's match with Charlottetown.

Today is also the final day of Saint John's One For All Festival.

It's GAME DAY!

The Sea Dogs are closing out the One for All Festival presented by TD with a game in support of mental health awareness!

The Lady Gaga tribute starts at 1:30 PM and the puck drops at 2 PM.

🎟️: https://t.co/gShq9a9l45 pic.twitter.com/Qwu0csPWZm

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 20, 2023

Game time on this Family Day Monday is 2 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-32-1-1 for 40 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 20-27-5-1 for 46 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Islanders met on Saturday night at TD Station where Charlottetown skated away with a 3-2 victory. Lucas Romeo, Jeremie Biakabutuka and Kiefer Lyons scored for the Islanders. Joseph Ianniello and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Jakob Robillard made 23 saves in the win. Olivier Brideau made 24 stops in the loss.

Notebook: Canada Games hockey begins

Bimal Grewal/Canada Winter Games

If the last Canada Winter Games are any indication, there will be some serious talent on the ice across Prince Edward Island this week.

The top-10 scorers from the 2019 Canada Winter Games have become very familiar names.

The 2023 edition of the male hockey tournament gets underway Sunday and many of the top prospects for upcoming CHL drafts will be suiting up. Each province and territory has a team, so QMJHL followers will want to keep a close eye on Quebec and the four Atlantic teams. HockeyProspect.com has a preview of those five squads.

One non-Quebec/Atlantic player to pay attention to is Yukon's Gavin McKenna, the first overall pick in last year's WHL draft. In 11 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers this season, McKenna has eight assists while still only 15-years-old.

Saint John Sea Dogs assistant coach Mark Lee will be the head coach for Newfoundland and Labrador while Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard is listed as an assistant.

NON-MARITIME NUMBERS

Friday night's game against the Sherbrooke Phoenix was Saint John's last match of the regular season against an opponent from outside the Maritimes Division.

The Sea Dogs will finish the season with an 8-16-0-0 record against teams from outside the Maritimes. They went 2-6-0-0 against East Division teams; 4-4-0-0 against West Division clubs; and 2-6-0-0 against Central Division teams.

The Sea Dogs could, of course, face a non-Maritimes team in the first round of the playoffs if they qualify.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Charlottetown Islanders picked up a crucial two points on the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday night at TD Station.

The Islanders erased a 2-0 first period deficit to earn a 3-2 win over the Sea Dogs. The victory gives the Islanders a bit more breathing room over the Dogs for the QMJHL's final playoff spots. Charlottetown currently has 46 points and sits 14th overall while Saint John has 40 points and sits 17th. The top-16 teams qualify for the post-season.

Saint John had a solid opening period but Charlottetown took over the game in the second, scoring three unanswered in the frame. Scoring chances were few and far between for both clubs after the Islanders took the lead. Saint John pressured in the final minute with their goaltender pulled but could not net the equalizer.

Lucas Romeo, Jeremie Biakabutuka and Kiefer Lyons scored for Charlottetown. Jakob Robillard made 23 saves in the victory.

Joseph Ianniello and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Olivier Brideau made 24 stops in the loss.

The two teams meet again on Monday afternoon in what will be another important game for both teams.

Game Day 53: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin a big two-game set against the Charlottetown Islanders tonight at TD Station.

The top-16 teams in the QMJHL's overall standings qualify for the playoffs. The Sea Dogs currently sit 17th with 40 points while the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Islanders sit 16th and 15th, respectively, with 44 points each. Both the Sea Dogs and Islanders have played one less game than Val-d'Or.

The Sea Dogs are 3-1-0-0 against the Islanders this season.

The two meet tonight at 7 p.m. and again on Family Day Monday at 2 p.m.

Saint John's One For All Festival weekend also continues tonight.

It's GAME DAY!

The Sea Dogs host the Islanders and will be celebrating Black History Month with a Tina Turner tribute for the second game of the One for All Festival presented by TD!

The show starts at 6:30 PM and the puck drops at 7 PM.

🎟️: https://t.co/Cb2tRDbSUH pic.twitter.com/nS1xaEkf9L

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 18, 2023

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-31-1-1 for 40 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 19-27-5-1 for 44 points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-2 home loss last night to the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Eriks Mateiko and Joseph Ianniello scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed eight goals on 42 shots in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 4-0 loss in Moncton on Thursday. Jakob Robillard made 37 saves in the loss

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-2

FINAL: Sherbrooke 8, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Sherbrooke Phoenix looked very much like one of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's best teams on Friday night at TD Station. 

World junior standout Joshua Roy had a five-point night - three goals and two assists - to lead the Phoenix to an 8-2 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. Former Acadie-Bathurst Titan forward Jacob Melanson, acquired by Sherbrooke at the deadline, also had a five-point night, posting two goals and three assists.

Former Charlottetown Islanders forward Jakub Brabenec, the third member of Sherbrooke's top line with Roy and Melanson, finished the night with four assists.

Justin Gill added a pair of goals while Israel Mianscum had a solo marker for the Western Conference's first-place squad. Olivier Adam made 26 saves in the win.

Saint John had a decent start to the game, but once Sherbrooke got rolling they couldn't be stopped. The Phoenix led 3-0 after one thanks to three goals in the second half of the period.

The Sea Dogs had some good stretches here and there but the Phoenix were simply too much to handle.

Eriks Mateiko and Joseph Ianniello scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed eight goals on 42 shots in the loss.

Game Day: 52: vs Phoenix

SAINT JOHN - A tough test awaits the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight.

The Sea Dogs continue a four-game homestand this evening when they host Joshua Roy, Tyson Hinds and the Sherbrooke Phoenix at TD Station. The Phoenix, who loaded up at the trade deadline, currently sit first in the Western Conference and third overall in the QMJHL. They are league title contenders.

Saint John has won back-to-back games and are 5-5 in their last 10 but will need to have one of their best performances of the season tonight if they want to challenge the Phoenix.

This game also kicks off this weekend's One For All Festival.

It's GAME DAY!

The One for All Festival presented by TD starts today with Pride Night! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Doors open at 5:30 PM and our Elton John tribute will begin his first performance at 6:30 before the Sea Dogs take on the Phoenix.

🎟️: https://t.co/ERAebF0HqX pic.twitter.com/n5lN4R7fSo

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 17, 2023

The events begin at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-30-1-1 for 40 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Phoenix are 35-12-3-2 for 75 points (first Central/first Western/3rd QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 home win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday. Jared Cosman, Eriks Mateiko, Brady Burns, Noah Reinhart and Cole Burbidge scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Olivier Brideau allowed a goal on 21 shots in relief. The Phoenix are coming off a 4-0 win in Victoriaville last Saturday. Joshua Roy, Jakub Brabenec, Cole Huckins and Milo Roelens scored for Sherbrooke. Olivier Adam made 17 saves in the shutout win.

L'Heureux gets 10 games for fan incident

Halifax Mooseheads

Zachary L'Heureux has been suspended 10 games by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The suspension comes a week after the Halifax Mooseheads forward was involved in a post-game altercation with fans at the Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau.

Primeur : J’ai obtenu une vidéo qui montre que Zachary L’Heureux (@HFXMooseheads) passe son bâton entre la porte et la bande et il semble tenter de frapper des partisans. @OlympiquesGAT @LHJMQ pic.twitter.com/AHOG7Z21uh

— Yanick St-Denis (@StDenis1047) February 10, 2023

From the league's news release:

Here is the rationale that led to the decision:

As demonstrated in the new video footage obtained by the League, the player’s gesture which occurred following the game simply cannot be tolerated by the QMJHL. Moreover, since the player has been suspended on several occasions, he is considered as a repeat offender.

The Director of Player Safety came to this decision after reviewing the video of the incident, talking to the player and the organization involved and after consulting with the Advisory Committee for disciplinary action.

For L'Heureux, a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators, this is the ninth suspension of his QMJHL career. He has 18 goals and 19 assists in just 24 games this season. He missed much of the first half with an injury.

According to the Mooseheads website, "L’Heureux was originally handed an indefinite suspension on Friday and sat out the remaining two games of the Mooseheads’ road trip. He will be eligible to return to the lineup on Thursday, March 9th in Acadie-Bathurst."

Notebook: One For All Festival this weekend in Saint John

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's a big week on and off the ice for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs host Joshua Roy and the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Friday before taking on the Charlottetown Islanders for a pair of games on Saturday and holiday Monday. The Sea Dogs are chasing the Islanders for one of the QMJHL's final playoff spots.

All three games will be part of the Sea Dogs' "One For All Festival," which will try and recapture some of the excitement from the 2022 Memorial Cup. Like Saint John's New Year's Eve game, all three matches will feature musical performances.

This weekend will be unforgettable at TD Station with the first ever One for All Festival presented by TD!

🎟️ https://t.co/ERAebF1fgv
🎟️ https://t.co/BMabXSht0F
🎟️ https://t.co/ioOSpSGQbi#OneforAll #OneforAllFestival pic.twitter.com/3oLr3WEqSA

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) February 14, 2023

Friday's contest will feature an Elton John tribute; Saturday's will be a Tina Turner tribute; and Monday's will have a Lady Gaga tribute. Each show begins 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

According to the team's press release, "three performers from Legends in Concert, the longest running show in Las Vegas history, will entertain the crowd at TD Station. Acts in tribute to Elton John, Tina Turner, and Lady Gaga, will perform on the TD Stage before the game and during both intermissions. These three performers were selected for not only their iconic music, but for the important social impact that they have made."

More details on the One For All Festival can be found here.

ATTENDANCE WATCH

The Sea Dogs are no doubt hoping for some big crowds this weekend at TD Station.

Saint John is averaging 2,673 fans per game this season, good for seventh in the QMJHL. That number will likely grow as teams typically experience their largest crowds of the year in the second half. Saint John has eight home games remaining.

The team averaged 2,643 fans per game last season, although that included three games with capacity restrictions due to COVID.

The Sea Dogs never averaged fewer than 3,300 fans per game before the pandemic.

Another important week ahead for Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs enter the week just two points back of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's final playoff spot.

Following a four-point weekend, the Sea Dogs have 40 points on the season, placing them 17th overall. The Val-d'Or Foreurs, who currently own the 16th and final playoff spot, have 42 points and have played one more game than Saint John.

The Charlottetown Islanders and Cape Breton Eagles sit just ahead of Val-d'Or with 44 points each.

The Sea Dogs will face a major challenge when they return to action on Friday, hosting Joshua Roy and the Sherbrooke Phoenix. The Phoenix, who loaded up at the trade deadline, currently sit first in the Western Conference and third overall in the league with 75 points.

On Saturday and holiday Monday, the Sea Dogs will host the Islanders in a couple of crucial games. The two teams have five meetings remaining in the regular season.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4

FINAL: Bathurst 4, Saint John 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs blew a three-goal lead but still managed to edge the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday afternoon at TD Station.

The Titan scored three times in the second period to tie things up at 4-4. The score would stay that way until Cole Burbidge converted at 6:21 of the third period to give the Sea Dogs a 5-4 lead - and the score would stay that way.

The victory ended a six-game home losing streak for the Sea Dogs and pushed them two points closer to the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot. The Titan, meanwhile, have now lost 12 straight games as their second half struggles continue. 

Jared Cosman, Eriks Mateiko, Brady Burns and Noah Reinhart also scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov was pulled in the second period after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Olivier Brideau allowed a goal on 21 shots in relief.

Markas Samenas scored twice for Bathurst while Ben Allison and Bobby Orr added singles. Joshua Fleming made 23 stops in the loss.

Saint John led 3-1 after one and took a 4-1 lead early in the second period but let Bathurst back into the game. The Titan scored three times in the middle frame and outshot the Sea Dogs 18-7.

Burbidge scored on a power play at 6:21 of the third and the goal would stand as the winner. Saint John went 1/3 on the man advantage in the victory.

Game Day 51: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - Another big game awaits the Saint John Sea Dogs today at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan this afternoon as Saint John continues to try and inch closer to the final playoff spot(s). The Dogs enter action today with 38 points, placing them just four points back of the Val-d'Or Foreurs who currently own the final playoff spot.

Saint John and Bathurst are tied in the league's basement, making this a key contest. The Titan have really been struggling since the trade deadline and enter play today on an 11-game losing streak.

Game time on this Super Bowl Sunday is 2 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 18-30-1-1 for 38 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Titan are 15-28-5-3 for 38 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 overtime win in Charlottetown on Friday night. Alexis Cournoyer, Pavel Simek and Charlie DesRoches all scored for Saint John. Ventsislav Shingarov made 25 saves in the win. The Titan are coming off a 5-0 home loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Friday. Joshua Fleming made 35 saves in the loss.

This and that on a Saturday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's been a disappointing season for the Drummondville Voltigeurs, which resulted in general manager Philippe Boucher stepping down earlier this week.

The Volts, despite having what most would consider an above average lineup, are 21-24-4-1 on the season, placing them last in the Central Division and sixth in the Western Conference. The team made a coaching change earlier in the season but the move hasn't had a significant impact on results.

Boucher was under contract until the completion of the 2025-26 season.

The Volts have won back-to-back games since the move, defeating the Cape Breton Eagles 3-2 in overtime and then putting an end to the Halifax Mooseheads' point streak with a 6-4 win Friday night.

Some other notes...

• The Mooseheads' epic point streak came to an end at 25 games with that loss in Drummondville. Halifax hadn't lost in regulation time since Nov. 27. The loss came just hours after the Zachary L'Heureux indefinite suspension was announced by the league.
• The Mooseheads and Quebec Remparts have both clinched playoff spots. Quebec has an eight-point lead on Halifax in the standings.
• The Remparts suffered a rare loss on Friday, falling 5-4 in Chicoutimi. Former Sea Dogs forward Charles Savoie had a fight in that game - the first fighting major handed to the Remparts this season.
• In an unexpected move, the Val-d'Or Foreurs fired general manager Pascal Daoust on Wednesday (the same day Boucher resigned). The Foreurs have been tumbling in the standings - but that was expected given that the team traded away Justin Robidas and Alexandre Doucet.
• The Daoust firing is certainly notable from a Saint John standpoint as the Sea Dogs and Foreurs have been frequent trade partners in recent years. The Foreurs currently own Saint John's first-round pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, which will likely be a lottery pick.
• Oddly, the day after Daoust's firing, the Foreurs defeated the Victoriaville Tigres 7-0. The Tigres sit fifth overall in the league.
• Val-d'Or's first-round pick is currently owned by the Moncton Wildcats - and they're no doubt enjoying the Foreurs' fall down the standings.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Connor Trenholm was not in Moncton's lineup on Friday due to an injury. Trenholm took a puck to the face late in the first period on Wednesday at TD Station and did not return.
• The Gatineau Olympiques defeated the Ottawa 67's 5-2 on Thursday. The 67's currently sit first overall in the OHL standings. The two meet again Saturday in Gatineau in front of a sold out Slush Puppie Centre.
• More inter-league play, please. It's time to make the investment.
• The Atlantic University Sport men's hockey regular season comes a close on Saturday. Former Sea Dogs forward Matt Green and the Dalhousie Tigers will be the lone team to miss the playoffs. Green enters Saturday's season finale tied with Campbell Pickard for the Dalhousie lead in scoring (seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points).
• The UNB Reds (Gardiner MacDougall, Kale McCallum and Nick Blagden) and Saint Mary's Huskies (Dawson Theede) have earned first-round byes in the AUS playoffs.
• Check out this save by former Sea Dogs goaltender Thomas Couture. The Acadia Axemen commit now has a 21-15 record to go along with a .910 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this season.

VICTOIRE!!!! @tom_couttt tout simplement incroyable!!!#LHJMQ pic.twitter.com/WZMAiJFBpr

— Huskies de Rouyn-Noranda (@HuskiesRn) February 9, 2023

Recap: Sea Dogs win 3-2 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Charlottetown 2 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHARLOTTETOWN - PEI native Charlie DesRoches scored the overtime winner to give the Saint John Sea Dogs a pivotal 3-2 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders at Eastlink Centre on Friday night.

While allowing the Islanders to get a point wasn't ideal, the Sea Dogs inched closer to Charlottetown in the overall standings. The Sea Dogs are now four points back of the final playoff spot after entering the night five points behind.

Pavel Simek scored a late third period goal to force overtime. Alexis Cournoyer also connected in regulation time while defenseman Nicolas Bilodeau picked up two assists.

Ventsislav Shingarov made 25 saves in the victory.

Michael Horth and former Sea Dogs forward Simon Hughes scored for Charlottetown. Jakob Robillard made 20 stops in the loss.

Video: L'Heureux suspended indefinitely for incident with Gatineau fan

Nashville Predators

Zachary L'Heureux has been suspended again.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League handed the Halifax Mooseheads forward an indefinite suspension late Friday afternoon. The suspension comes after new video surfaced of an incident following Halifax's shootout loss in Gatineau on Wednesday.

From the league:

After receiving new video evidence, the QMJHL Director of Player Safety, Éric Chouinard, has suspended Halifax Mooseheads forward Zachary L'Heureux indefinitely for incidents that occurred after Wednesday's game in Gatineau.

The disciplinary committee will review the evidence over the weekend and announce their decision at a later date.

The new video, which appears to show L'Heureux swinging/spearing his stick at a fan as the Mooseheads are leaving the ice, was shared on Twitter by Quebec media.

Primeur : J’ai obtenu une vidéo qui montre que Zachary L’Heureux (@HFXMooseheads) passe son bâton entre la porte et la bande et il semble tenter de frapper des partisans. @OlympiquesGAT @LHJMQ pic.twitter.com/AHOG7Z21uh

— Yanick St-Denis (@StDenis1047) February 10, 2023

Reports of an incident involving L'Heureux and a fan surfaced soon after Wednesday's intense game between the Mooseheads and Olympiques. The league said no discipline would come due to a lack of video evidence.

In the absence of any video evidence or unbiased witnesses, the #QMJHL will not levy any disciplinary mesures following last night’s game between the @OlympiquesGAT and the @HFXMooseheads.

— Maxime Blouin (@max_blouin) February 9, 2023

Somewhat like Saint John Sea Dogs forward Mike Thomas back in the day, L'Heureux has had a hard time avoiding suspensions. But Thomas was able to adjust his game and play within the rules, something that L'Heureux has not been able to do. This is the ninth career suspension for the Nashville Predators prospect, which is simply wild.

Game Day 50: at Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs play a key game against the Charlottetown Islanders tonight at Eastlink Centre.

The Islanders, with 41 points, currently own the 16th and final playoff spot in the QMJHL. The Sea Dogs sit five points behind the Isles. Five points is quite a bit of ground to make up but, including tonight's matchup, these two will face each other six more times before the season comes to a close.

This is just the fourth meeting of the year between Saint John and Charlottetown, who battled for top spot in the Maritimes Division last season. Saint John has won two of the three meetings.

Game time tonight is 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: Eastlink Community TV/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 17-30-1-1 for 36 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 18-26-4-1 for 41 points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 home loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Wednesday. Alex Drover and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Olivier Brideau made 24 saves in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 win in Bathurst last night. Michael Horth, Carl-Etienne Michel and Giovanni Morneau scored for Charlottetown. Jakob Robillard made 34 stops in the win.

Alumdate: It's been quite a season for Sea Dogs alumni in the AHL

AHL

It's been an eventful year for Saint John Sea Dogs alumni in the American Hockey League.

While the highlight has to be Matthew Highmore earning an invite to this week's AHL All-Star Classic in Laval, it's been an impressive year for several Sea Dogs alumni - especially those who are first-year pros.

William Dufour, who has appeared in one game with the New York Islanders this season, sits 11th in AHL rookie scoring with 28 points in 44 games with the Bridgeport Islanders. He also sits fifth in rookie goals with 15.

Offensive defenseman Jeremie Poirier, meanwhile, has carried his scoring touch to the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers. Poirier sits in a tie for the rookie defenseman scoring lead with 26 points in 41 games, which also places him 14th in overall rookie scoring. Poirier also sits third in assists by rookies with 22.

Dufour and Poirier join Yan Kuznetsov (Calgary Wranglers), Vincent Sevigny (Bridgeport Islanders), Philippe Daoust (Belleville Senators), William Villeneuve (Toronto Marlies), Riley Bezeau (Charlotte Checkers), Raivis Ansons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) and Ryan Francis (Laval Rocket) as members of Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup championship team to appear in AHL games this season.

The AHL's all-star break comes to an end on Friday. Here's a look at how Sea Dogs alumni performed in the first half.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The losing streak is over for the Moncton Wildcats.

The Wildcats ended a six-game losing skid on Wednesday night at TD Station, defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs 4-2. Moncton has been ice cold of late, entering the game with a 1-9 record over their past 10 games.

The Sea Dogs, despite outshooting the Wildcats 34-28, simply couldn't get their offense clicking quite right. Only 14 of their shots were classified as dangerous and the team went just 1/5 on the power play - with their one man advantage goal coming with 1:11 remaining in regulation time.

While the Wildcats ended their losing streak, Saint John has now dropped three straight overall and six straight on home ice.

Jonas Taibel, Oscar Plandowski, Maxim Barbashev and Yoan Loshing scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 32 saves in the win.

Alex Drover and Brady Burns scored for Saint John. Olivier Brideau made 24 saves in the loss.

Game Day 49: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - The struggling Moncton Wildcats make their way to TD Station tonight.

The Wildcats, who are now one-game below the .500 mark, bring a six-game losing streak to Saint John where they'll face the Sea Dogs at 7 p.m. Moncton is just 1-9-0-0 in their last 10 games, falling to fifth in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference.

The Sea Dogs have been playing well recently despite losing the final two games of their Quebec road trip, which ended in an 11-3 blowout loss to the Gatineau Olympiques.

Saint John is in the hunt for the final playoff spot(s). They enter play today three points back of the Charlottetown Islanders who currently sit 16th overall.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 17-29-1-1 for 36 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 22-23-0-2 for 46 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/10th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 11-3 loss in Gatineau on Saturday. Alex Drover scored a pair of goals for Saint John while Vince Elie added a single. Ventsislav Shingarov and Olivier Brideau took the loss in net. The Wildcats are coming off a 5-1 loss in Quebec City on Saturday. Oscar Plandowski scored Moncton's lone goal. Jacob Steinman made 31 saves in the loss.

Notebook: Sea Dogs return to home ice

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are back home.

After playing five straight games on the road, the Sea Dogs return to TD Station ice on Wednesday night, hosting the Moncton Wildcats in an intriguing matchup. Saint John, despite losing back-to-back games, has been playing well in recent weeks while Moncton has been heading in the opposite direction, dropping six straight and going 1-9-0-0 in their last 10 games.

The Sea Dogs will quickly return to the road and travel to Charlottetown for a 7:30 p.m. matchup with the Islanders on Friday.

Following Friday's match, the Sea Dogs will play four straight at home, including a Sunday afternoon contest against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Note that this is the makeup game for Saint John's postponed Sept. 24 home opener. Also note that this is a 2 p.m. start on Super Bowl Sunday.

STANDINGS UPDATE

It's looking like every game will matter for the Sea Dogs down the stretch.

Heading into action Wednesday, the Sea Dogs have 36 points, placing them three points back of the final playoff spot. The top-16 teams in the QMJHL's overall standings qualify for the post-season.

As mentioned in a previous post, the Sea Dogs have plenty of matchups remaining against the Titan, Islanders and Cape Breton Eagles, so this could be a fun finish.

Alumdate: Bruins looking good

Embed from Getty Images

Could not one, but two former Saint John Sea Dogs win the Stanley Cup this year? If the NHL's regular season standings are any indication, there is a real chance this could happen.

The Boston Bruins, although they've come slightly back down to earth recently, have been having a spectacular season. The Bruins, who feature former Sea Dogs forward Charlie Coyle and defenseman Jakub Zboril, sit first overall in the NHL with a 39-7-5 record for 83 points, seven points up on second-place Carolina.

While the Bruins are having a great season, the same can't be said for Jonathan Huberdeau and the Calgary Flames who had a disappointing first half. The Flames are, at this time, in a fight for the two wildcard spots in the Western Conference.

With the NHL's second half getting started Monday night, here's a quick update on how Sea Dogs alumni have performed so far this season (at the time of this posting).

Player	Team	GP	Goals	Assists	Points
Jonathan Huberdeau	CGY	47	10	23	33
Thomas Chabot	OTT	45	8	21	29
Charlie Coyle	BOS	51	11	17	27
Mike Hoffman	MTL	37	9	9	18
Joe Veleno	DET	47	6	8	14
Mathieu Joseph	OTT	31	3	9	12
Julien Gauthier	NYR	35	6	3	9
Nathan Beaulieu	ANA	24	0	4	4
Jakub Zboril	BOS	14	1	0	1
William Dufour	NYI	1	0	0	0

Matthew Highmore, who appeared in 46 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season, has spent the entire 2022-23 campaign with the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate in Springfield. He is taking part in the AHL all-star events this week.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 11-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Gatineau 11

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

GATINEAU, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs have been on a nice little run of late, but Saturday's game was a reminder of where they are at in their rebuild.

The Gatineau Olympiques scored four times in both the second and third periods en route to a dominant 11-3 win over the Sea Dogs at Slush Puppie Centre. The Olympiques have now won five straight games as they try and keep pace with the Sherbrooke Phoenix atop the Western Conference.

Gatineau has loaded up for a big playoff run and it showed in this game. The 'Piques were in control from start to finish, outshooting Saint John 51-24.

Samuel Savoie, Zachary Dean and Olivier Boutin each scored a pair of goals for Gatineau while singles came from Alexis Gendron, Antoine Michaud, Cole Cormier, Colin Ratt and Marcel Marcel. Backup netminder Emerik Despatie made 21 saves in the win.

Saint John had a pair of goals from Alex Drover and a solo marker from Vince Elie. Ventsislav Shingarov was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 18 shots. Gatineau native Olivier Brideau allowed six goals on 33 shots in relief.