Notebook: Foreurs earn crucial point

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Val-d'Or Foreurs picked up a very important point in an absurd 9-8 shootout loss to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Tuesday night.

The Foreurs scored three times in the third period to send the match into overtime before losing a nine-round shootout.

The shootout loss pushed the Foreurs into a tie for 16th overall in the QMJHL standings. The top 16 teams qualify for the post-season.

The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Saint John Sea Dogs both have two games remaining while Val-d'Or has just one. The Armada will play Gatineau twice; the Sea Dogs will take on Charlottetown and Bathurst; and the Foreurs play Rouyn-Noranda again.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Friday, playing their final road game of the regular season in Charlottetown. The team closes out the 2022-23 campaign on Saturday, hosting the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 4 p.m.

It's worth noting as well that the first tie-breaker is total wins excluding shootout wins. Val-d'Or currently has 23 while Saint John and Blainville-Boisbriand have 22.

BURBIDGE GETTING NOTICED

You have to think Sea Dogs forward Cole Burbidge has started to generate some attention from NHL scouts.

The 17-year-old, in his first QMJHL season, has produced 19 goals and 30 assists in 66 games. He sits fourth in rookie scoring.

"The timing should work out for Burbidge to be at the peak of his game by the time it all comes together," writes Steven Ellis in Daily Faceoff. "I think Burbidge, at best, is a late-round selection, and while I don’t think his ceiling is that high, I think there’s enough raw talent for him to be a nice little pickup."

Burbidge's 49 points is currently the sixth most by a rookie in team history. He could match or surpass Tomas Jurco (51 points) and Felix Schutz (52 points) this weekend. Chris DiDomenico's 75 points in 2006-07 remains the best offensive rookie campaign in team history.

PHOTO NOMINATION

Sea Dogs photographer Michael Hawkins was among the nominees for this year's Atlantic Journalism Awards.

Hawkins' photo from the Memorial Cup final that appeared in the Telegraph-Journal, labelled "Memorial Cup Final, Celebration and Defeat," was nominated in the photojournalism news category.

This photo from the Memorial Cup final by Sea Dogs photographer @Hawkalicious has been nominated for a photojournalism award at the 2023 Atlantic Journalism Awards. pic.twitter.com/VAhdeFHO5q

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) March 21, 2023

The awards show takes place April 20.

LAWRENCE REACHES 300

Josh Lawrence recently reached another offensive milestone.

The former Sea Dogs forward recorded his 300th career QMJHL point recently.

Josh Lawrence becomes the League's newest 300-point player after 2 goals, 1 assist of his own. 300th point comes on a shorthanded tally, 6th since becoming a member of the Mooseheads and 30th total. Pulls into franchise tie for 7th most SHG goals in one year. https://t.co/lzWVZgp7IF

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) March 20, 2023

The Halifax Moosehead currently sits third in QMJHL scoring with 108 points, his second straight 100-point campaign.

ROODE TO RIDGEBACKS

Defenseman Benjamin Roode is the latest Sea Dogs alumnus to commit to the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.

The overager recorded 11 goals and 30 assists in 52 games with the Maritime Hockey League's Yarmouth Mariners this past season.

We would like to welcome D Ben Roode to our program from the @MarinersHockey. The 6’4 205 right shot defenceman hails from Dartmouth, NS and is the co-captain of his Mariners’ club. Roode was a league all star in 21-22 and is a former first round pick in the QMJHL. Welcome Ben! pic.twitter.com/JUvdcQBTc2

— Ontario Tech MHKY (@RidgebacksMHKY) March 20, 2023

Roode appeared in two games with the Sea Dogs during the 2020-21 COVID year. He has spent most of the past three seasons with the Mariners.

Sea Dogs forward Alex Drover committed to the Ridgebacks last month. The OUA team has been a popular landing spot for Maritime and QMJHL players in recent years. Sea Dogs alumni James White and Pier-Luc Lurette skated with the Oshawa based squad this past season.

White, who spent parts of two seasons with the Sea Dogs, was named to the OUA's second all-star team.

OTHER THINGS

• The Moncton Wildcats will be making a "special announcement" on Friday morning at the Avenir Centre.
• Speaking of the Wildcats, the Telegraph-Journal (paywall) is reporting that Preston Lounsbury's regular season is over due to a broken wrist.
• And speaking of injuries, Gatineau Olympiques defenseman Noah Warren's season is over. The Anaheim Ducks prospect suffered a shoulder injury on March 9 and will require surgery.
• The Olympiques have won 21 straight games. They are a win away from matching Saint John's 22-game winning streak in 2009, the fourth longest in league history. The league record is 25 which the Olympiques, with two games remaining, will not be able to reach.
• Gatineau has a huge showdown with the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Wednesday. Gatineau has a one-point lead on the Phoenix for first overall in the Western Conference.
• Sportsnet's roundtable discusses the QMJHL's imminent move to ban fighting next season.
• The NCAA men's hockey tournament begins Thursday with regional tournaments. TSN+ will be airing all the games.
• There hasn't been much talk about it, but the Eastern Canadian Basketball League gets going real soon. According to the TD Station website, the Saint John Union play their first home game on March 31 against the Bathurst Bears.