The American Hockey League's best team, the Calgary Wranglers, looked very much like the circuit's best team for much of Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Colorado Eagles. The Wranglers led 5-0 after two periods before giving the Eagles some life in the third.
The game featured three former Saint John Sea Dogs - and all three were part of championship teams. The Wranglers feature defensemen Jeremie Poirier and Yan Kuznetsov, who helped the Sea Dogs win the Memorial Cup last June, while the Eagles include forward Spencer Smallman, who captained the Sea Dogs to a President Cup title in 2017.
Poirier now sits fifth in AHL defensemen scoring and first amongst rookie defensemen with seven goals and 37 points in 54 games. Poirier has the same point total as William Dufour of the Bridgeport Islanders.
A few other notes...
- There is a lot of hockey being played at the Scotiabank Saddledome with the Flames, Wranglers and Hitmen all calling the building home this season. You have to wonder what the future will be for the Western Hockey League's Hitmen as the Flames will likely want to give priority to their AHL club.
- Sea Dogs forward Nathan Casey, who had to be stretchered off the ice on Sunday following a collision, has been diagnosed with a concussion. His season is presumably over with seven regular season games remaining for the Sea Dogs.
- The Saint Mary's Huskies, thanks to a 6-5 double overtime win over the UNB Reds on Tuesday, have forced a deciding Game 3 in the AUS men's hockey final. Former Sea Dogs forward Dawson Theede scored a pair of goals - including the OT winner. Both teams have already qualified for the University Cup tournament.
- UNB will host Game 3 of the men's final on Thursday. On Wednesday night, UNB will host the deciding Game 3 of the AUS women's final between the Reds and StFX X-Women.
- Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil, a top prospect for this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, has signed with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints for the 2023-24 season.
- As expected, Mario Cecchini has been hired as the QMJHL's new commissioner. According to a league news release, "interim commissioner Martin Lavallée will continue to act as Commissioner until the first day in office of Mr. Cecchini, which is scheduled for May 8, 2023." Cecchini is currently the interim president of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes.
- On this week's episode of The Hockey News on the Q, Will MacLaren and I discuss the sudden resignation of long-time commissioner Gilles Courteau.
.@willmacwriter and @station_nation fully break down @QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau's sudden resignation, then discuss @Avalanche players from the 'Q' and more: https://t.co/v7n5NoF7XP
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) March 7, 2023
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