Let's hear you Scotiabank Centre 📢
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 30, 2023
🚨 Doucet (7) 19:51 3rd period
🍎 Lawrence, Furlong #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/87viZRofna
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Sunday, April 30, 2023
Phoenix, Remparts both go up 2-0
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Phoenix take Game 1 from Mooseheads
That gets the building shaking early. Oh baby.
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 29, 2023
🚨 Lawrence (7) SH 8:29 1st period
Unassisted | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/SWTAS72vdO
- Game 2 of the Quebec/Gatineau series is also on Sunday afternoon. The Remparts lead that series 1-0.
- Josh Lawrence sits third in QMJHL playoff scoring with 20 points.
- In the OHL conference finals, London leads Sarnia 1-0 and Peterborough leads North Bay 1-0. Those series resume on Sunday.
Hurtubise, Cobras win QJHL championship
Vincent Ethier/CHL |
Hurtubise earned the win in net as the Cobras defeated the Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors 6-2 in Game 7 of the league final, capturing the Napa Cup.
CHAMPIONS DE LA COUPE NAPA 2023 🏆🏆#UneHistoireDeFierté l #LHJAAAQ pic.twitter.com/om27umMmEY
— Cobras de Terrebonne (@cobraterrebonne) April 29, 2023
- What a start to the semifinals. The Quebec Remparts defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 5-2 to take a 1-0 series lead on Friday night. The third period, in particular, was tremendous with the two teams going back-and-forth with both goaltenders making some great saves. It was also physical (the clean variety) at times, which sets up a fun series.
- Justin Robidas scored his fifth goal of the playoffs late in the third period to make it 4-2. James Malatesta added an empty net goal with 10 seconds remaining.
- Former Sea Dogs forward Charles Savoie had an assist and four hits in the win. Cam MacDonald, meanwhile, was held pointless with one shot and three hits.
- Attendance at Centre Videotron was 17,416, the second largest playoff crowd in QMJHL history.
- Game 2 is Sunday at 4 p.m. Atlantic.
- The Sherbrooke/Halifax series gets going on Saturday night at Scotiabank Centre.
- Charlie Coyle and the Boston Bruins are heading to Game 7 in their first round matchup against the Florida Panthers. Coyle has a goal and an assist in the series. Jakub Zboril has not played. Game 7 is on Sunday in Boston.
Friday, April 28, 2023
Notebook: Wildcats win lottery
Vincent Ethier/QMJHL |
1st pick – Moncton Wildcats (from Val-d’Or)2nd pick – Chicoutimi Saguenéens (from Acadie-Bathurst)3rd pick – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada4th pick – Val-d’Or Foreurs (from Saint John)5th pick – Rimouski Océanic (from Charlottetown)
L’ordre de sélection de la première ronde pour le repêchage de la LHJMQ
— Jérôme Bérubé (@Jerome_Berube) April 26, 2023
1st round draft order for the QMJHL Draft #Qdraft @ScoutingService pic.twitter.com/2L9lpKv3hQ
Thursday, April 27, 2023
World under-18s end for Mateiko, Simek
IIHF |
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Final fours set across CHL
REVERSE SWEEP BABY!!!! pic.twitter.com/qfQJ7xEzNi
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 26, 2023
Eastern Conference FinalSaskatoon (3) vs Winnipeg (1)Western Conference FinalKamloops (2) vs Seattle (1)
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Quarterfinals set at world under-18s
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Etienne Morin des #Wildcats va rejoindre l’équipe canadienne des
— Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) April 25, 2023
Moins de 18 ans pour remplacer Quinton Burns qui s’est blessé lors du dernier match.
Morin (72 pts en saison) ne sera pas en uniforme aujourd’hui mais sera dispo pour la ronde des médailles a partir de jeudi. #RDS
Monday, April 24, 2023
Notebook: Oceanic fire Beausoleil
The often vocal Beausoleil also got into it with Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard earlier this season after the Sea Dogs took a late-game timeout in a blowout win.
Il y en avait des vidéo, voici le but refusé du Drakkar. Tranquillement les vidéos commence à sortir. C’est un vol pic.twitter.com/eOOIQ45fTI
— Sébastien Chouinard (@sebchou1) April 24, 2023
Sunday, April 23, 2023
QMJHL's final four set; Mateiko scores in U-18 Latvia loss
- St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored his first career QMJHL playoff goal in the third period. A few minutes later, it was announced that somebody from St. Andrews won the 50/50.
- Connor Trenholm finishes the playoffs with three assists in 12 games.
- Moncton's Etienne Morin leaves the playoffs as the league's scoring leader amongst defensemen with an impressive 17 points (two goals and 15 assists) in 12 games.
- At the IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Switzerland, Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko scored Latvia's only goal in a 5-1 loss to the host Swiss. The Latvian captain had three shots in 18:42 of ice time. Latvia faces Norway on Monday.
- Pavel Simek and Team Czechia fell 2-0 to Sweden on Sunday. Simek had one shot in 13:52 of ice time. On Saturday, Team Czechia defeated Germany 7-1. Simek had an assist and two shots in 15:46 of ice time. Czechia plays Canada on Tuesday.
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Mariners win MHL championship
Percy Picard/MHL |
Congratulations to @MarinersHockey, who have captured the #MetalfabMHLCup and will now represent the MHL at the 2023 #CentennialCup, scheduled for May 11-21 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. pic.twitter.com/e25ge0GD9s
— The MHL (@THEMHL) April 22, 2023
Friday, April 21, 2023
Catching up on some news
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
- The Halifax Mooseheads can secure a spot in the QMJHL semifinals with a win over the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre. The Mooseheads took a 3-1 series lead on Thursday, defeating the Wildcats 3-0. Josh Lawrence was held pointless in the win.
- Les 2 Rives has a story on Sea Dogs forward Alexis Cournoyer and his solid season.
- The Chicoutimi Sagueneens will release the rights of first-round pick Sacha Boisvert and receive a first-round pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft as compensation. Boisvert spent this past season in the USHL and has committed to the University of North Dakota. UND is one of the premier college hockey programs but rarely recruits from QMJHL territory.
- CBC Nova Scotia spoke with Sea Dogs forward Brady Burns about his friend and fellow Nova Scotian Jacob Quillan, who scored the overtime winner in the NCAA championship game.
- The NCAA men's hockey final had record TV ratings on ESPN. TSN owns the NCAA hockey rights in Canada (along with the CHL rights) and only aired the game online through TSN+.
- In the Maritime Hockey League final, Ben Roode and the Yarmouth Mariners carry a 3-0 series lead over Brandon Casey and the Edmundston Blizzard heading into action Friday.
- In Ontario, former Sea Dogs forward Jacob Chantler and the St. Marys Lincolns were eliminated in the conference championship of the GOJHL playoffs. Chantler had two goals and 12 assists in 13 playoff games with the Lincolns.
- Former Sea Dogs defenseman Matt Murphy will be working with the Champions Hockey spring and summer program this off-season. Murphy spent parts of this past season in the AHL, ECHL and Austria.
- It feels like the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads are entering an important season off the ice.
- Cape Breton's Centre 200 needs some upgrades, reports CTV Atlantic.
- Bill Schurman has passed away. Schurman, a PEI native, spent many years involved with the QMJHL, working in front offices in Moncton and Lewiston and most recently in Charlottetown's Eastlink Centre.
- On this week's episode of The Hockey News on the Q, Will MacLaren and I discuss the QMJHL playoffs, awards season, St. Louis Blues prospects and Cole Burbidge.
.@willmacwriter and @station_nation discuss the second round of the QMJHL playoffs, the @QMJHL Awards, @StLouisBlues prospects and more: https://t.co/v3KgaHQtSo
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 19, 2023
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Mateiko captains Latvia; Canada struggles
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
"Eriks Mateiko should provide some offensive punch after a decent season in the QMJHL," wrote Tony Ferrari in The Hockey News. "The 6-foot-4 winger should bring some of the experience from last year’s team to the tournament and build off the two goals he scored last time."
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Mooseheads win; three teams sweep
Hat Trick into the empty net for Zach to seal Game #3!
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 20, 2023
4-2 Mooseheads | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/ZTaRCUJAri
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Burbidge makes final Central Scouting list
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Monday, April 17, 2023
Coyle, Zboril and Bruins set to begin playoffs
Coyle appeared in all 82 games for his hometown Bruins this season and recorded 45 points, one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Zboril, meanwhile, was an extra defenseman for most of the year and appeared in 22 games.
Sunday, April 16, 2023
Big Game 2s for Lawrence and Roy
Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence was named the game's first star with two goals and three assists, leading the Mooseheads to a dominant 7-1 win over the Moncton Wildcats. The victory evens the second round series up at 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 taking place in Moncton later this week.
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Former Sea Dogs looking to win Jr A titles
Terrebonne Cobras Facebook |
Friday, April 14, 2023
Wildcats upset Mooseheads to take Game 1
- It's worth mentioning that the Moncton/Halifax series has a bit of a funky schedule. Following Game 2 on Saturday, Games 3 and 4 will be played Wednesday and Thursday in Moncton. Game 5 won't be until Sunday afternoon in Halifax with Game 6 scheduled for the following Monday in Moncton and Game 7 on Wednesday back in Halifax.
- Wildcats defenseman Natan Grenier, a first-round pick of Saint John in 2021 who was traded to Moncton in the Philippe Daoust deal, scored his first career playoff goal - which proved to be the game-winner.
- The Gatineau Olympiques shutout the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 5-0 to take Game 1. Cam MacDonald scored his fourth goal (an empty netter) of the playoffs in the win. Thomas Couture allowed five goals on 39 shots in the loss.
- Joshua Roy had a goal and an assist in the Sherbrooke Phoenix's 7-3 Game 1 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
- Charles Savoie and the Quebec Remparts defeated those pesky Rimouski Oceanic 6-3 to take a 1-0 series lead.
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Will an ex-Dog win a QMJHL championship?
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Player | Team | GP | Goals | Assists | Points |
Joshua Roy | SHE | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Josh Lawrence | HAL | 4 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
Cam MacDonald | GAT | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Charles Savoie | QUE | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Marshall Lessard | BAC | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Connor Trenholm | MON | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Leighton Carruthers | ROU | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Simon Hughes | CHA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Poirier makes AHL All-Rookie Team
A third-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, Jeremie Poirier has collected nine goals and 32 assists for 41 points in 66 games for the league-leading Wranglers in 2022-23. The puck-moving defender is also a perfect 4-for-4 in shootout attempts this season, the best mark in the entire AHL. Poirier, 20, is a native of Valleyfield, Que., and turned pro after four junior seasons with Saint John (QMJHL).
Other members of last year's Sea Dogs team playing in the AHL this season: William Villeneuve (Toronto Marlies), William Dufour (Bridgeport Islanders), Vincent Sevigny (Bridgeport Islanders), Riley Bezeau (Charlotte Checkers) and Raivis Ansons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins). Philippe Daoust (Belleville Senators) has missed most of the season with an injury while Ryan Francis (Laval Rocket) has spent the majority of the year in the ECHL.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
QMJHL's second round matchups set
The Wildcats and Drakkar went to overtime five times in the seven game series, a new QMJHL record. It was, without a doubt, one of the most entertaining playoff series in recent league history.It’s all over! Barbashev scores the OT winner in Game 7 to send the @monctonwildcats to the second round! 🚨 #QPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/BWhyE9xxDG
— QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 12, 2023
Now we look ahead to the next round where it would seem the much "juicer" matchups will be in the Eastern Conference.
Eastern Conference1) Quebec vs 5) Rimouski2) Halifax vs 3) MonctonWestern Conference1) Sherbrooke vs 6) Drummondville2) Gatineau vs 4) Rouyn-Noranda
The four teams that advance to the third round will all be reseeded based on the overall league standings.
Monday, April 10, 2023
Drakkar, Wildcats heading to Game 7
Blizzard Facebook |
Earlier in the third period, former Sea Dogs forward Marshall Lessard was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding. Baie-Comeau killed off that penalty though.Labelle sends it to OT with a late shortie! https://t.co/UYssA7EM2x pic.twitter.com/paVZfBSbTM
— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 11, 2023
This was the fourth game of this series that required overtime.
A few other notes...
- Brandon Casey and the Edmundston Blizzard will face Benjamin Roode and the Yarmouth Mariners in the Maritime Hockey League final (a very long distance one at that). The Blizzard completed a sweep of the Summerside Western Capitals on Monday.
- No teams from the 2022 Memorial Cup are still alive in the CHL playoffs. The Hamilton Bulldogs blew a 3-0 lead and fell 5-4 to the Barrie Colts on Monday, dropping the series in six games. The Edmonton Oil Kings missed the WHL post-season while the Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes were eliminated in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.
- This was the final Bulldogs game in Hamilton for at least the next three seasons. The Bulldogs will be relocating to Brantford while the FirstOntario Centre undergoes massive renovations.
- The Prince George Cougars have advanced to the second round of the WHL playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Cougars eliminated the Tri-City Americans in six games in the opening round. Former Sea Dogs head coach Josh Dixon is an associate coach with the Cougars.
- Worth nothing as well that the Spokane Chiefs did not make the WHL playoffs. Former Sea Dogs assistant coach Stefan Legein is an associate coach with the Chiefs.
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Notebook: First round nearly completed
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Et bien… #GoRouges pic.twitter.com/YUy6FnjeFj
— Voltigeurs de Drummondville (@VoltigeursDRU) April 8, 2023
2020-21 : 0,385 vs 0,662 vs SHA
— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) April 8, 2023
2021-22 : 23 points d'écart vs SNB
2022-23 : 1 point d'écart vs CHI https://t.co/8hoY4zQXBY
Zachary Dean ties Maxime Talbot and Claude Giroux for 3rd most points (13) in a best-of-seven series, and Giroux for 2nd most in series to end in 5.
— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) April 8, 2023
Olivier Nadeau scores for 4th time in series, tacking on an assist in each game in April. 217 points in 217 combined QMJHL GP. https://t.co/OVi4YIzqn5
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Plenty of positives as Sea Dogs begin rebuild
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
- Saint John's overagers - Charlie DesRoches, Brady Burns and Alex Drover - played their final games of junior hockey Friday night. Drover will be playing university hockey next year while nothing official has come out on the status of DesRoches and Burns.
- Players who could return as overagers next season: forwards Peter Reynolds and Alexis Cournoyer; defensemen Jared Cosman and Vincent Despont; and goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov. Despont is expected to play pro hockey in Switzerland next season.
- With DesRoches and Despont (expectedly, at least) both departing, there isn't a ton of QMJHL experience on Saint John's backend. While not "true rookies" (i.e. 16-year-olds), Nate Tivey, Joseph Ianniello, Danny Akkouche and Nicolas Bilodeau were all classified as rookies this past season.
- Bilodeau's numbers got most of the attention, but Cole Burbidge had 50 points in 68 games. He's looking like a bit of a second-round steal for Saint John.
- Ventsislav Shingarov has played in 62 career QMJHL games. 55 of those were played this past season. He had a slow start to the year, but he really found his groove in the second half. If he does return as an overager, you have to think the team will want to give Olivier Brideau some more game action though.
- Peter Reynolds had an excellent second half and likely would have pushed for the team scoring lead if he had stayed healthy. He'll obviously be a key contributor to Saint John's offense next year, but you also have to think some contending teams would like his point producing abilities as well.
- Whatever pipeline the Sea Dogs have found in Ontario - Tivey, Ianniello, Noah Reinhart, Luke Benoit, etc. - seems to be a good one.
- Nico Laforge, wearing an 'A' on his sweater, was the last player off the ice Friday. Have to wonder if that 'A' will be a 'C' next year.
- Rookie import forwards Pavel Simek and Eriks Mateiko both had pretty good seasons. Saint John will have a high import pick this year, so some decisions will have to be made there.
- Jacob Beaulieu and Jeremie Richard were the only members of Saint John's 2022 draft class to spend the full season with the Sea Dogs. There should be a few players from the 2023 draft class on next year's team with Saint John picking a few times in the top four rounds.
- Travis Crickard and assistants Mark Lee and Jeff Hansen seem like a good fit for this rebuild. It feels like things are off to a good start, but now their challenge is to keep it going in an upward direction.
- Lastly, thank you to everyone who read the blog and listened to the podcast this year.
Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-1
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Friday, April 7, 2023
Playoff Game Day 5: vs Olympiques
Series status: Gatineau leads the first round best-of-seven series 3-1.
Last game: The Olympiques defeated the Sea Dogs 6-0 on Wednesday at TD Station. Alexis Gendron had a hat trick while singles came from Cam MacDonald, Riley Kidney and Zach Dean. Francesco Lapenna made 26 saves in the shutout win. Ventsislav Shingarov allowed five goals on 37 shots in the first two periods. Olivier Brideau allowed a goal on 10 shots in the third.
Thursday, April 6, 2023
Notebook: Game 5 goes Friday
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Game time for Game 5 is 7 p.m.#SaintJohn
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) April 5, 2023
Pack the Station for Game 5 on Friday, the 7th at 7PM with $7 tickets!
Get yours today at https://t.co/lIDh3lSuEE or stop in the Box Office before tonight's game! #CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/LlQSpDqiqQ
SERIES LEADERS
Stella named Sea Dogs general manager
“I’m incredibly proud to accept the role as General Manager of the Sea Dogs,” said Stella. “Next year I will be entering my 10th season with the organization and have been lucky to have grown and developed over that time. Saint John has become my second home and I look forward to continuing my time in the city and community. I’ve represented the logo for the past decade, was lucky enough to win a President Cup and a Memorial Cup and I couldn’t think of a better place to continue my growth as an executive and as a person. I look forward to carrying the torch, to continue to build and continue the traditions of this organization. I want to thank Scott and Trevor for their confidence and this opportunity.”Stella has been the Head Scout of the team at important drafts for the franchise, including the 2018 QMJHL Draft that produced six players on the 2022 Memorial Cup Championship team, and the most games and points of any single Sea Dogs draft class.“Anthony is determined, loyal, and committed to his craft,” said Sea Dogs President Trevor Georgie. “He has been an important part of our team for a long time and we are proud to promote him. We have worked side by side for the past 7 seasons and I look forward to continuing to work together and watching him take this next step in his career.”
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-0
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
Shingarov allowed five goals on 37 shots through the first two periods. Olivier Brideau played the third and allowed a goal on 10 shots.
Pre-game notes: Sea Dogs look to even up first round series
Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs |
- Olympiques overage forward Cole Cormier picked up a match penalty for a slew foot on Peter Reynolds last night, meaning he'll miss tonight's game with an automatic one-game suspension. Cormier has a goal and an assist in the series.
- Sea Dogs goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov faced 52 shots in Game 1 and 46 in Game 3.
- Following Tuesday's historically small crowd at TD Station, the Sea Dogs are offering $7 tickets for Friday's Game 5.
- Every series plays Game 4 tonight. Quebec, Halifax, Rimouski and Sherbrooke can all complete sweeps.
- The Moncton Wildcats were fined $2,000 for "inappropriate publication in the media." The fine is presumably related to this tweet, which has since been deleted. That tweet was in relation to this hit that took place in last night's Game 3.
- In the OHL, Shane Wright and the Windsor Spitfires are now down 3-0 in their first round series against the Kitchener Rangers. The Spitfires finished first in the OHL's Western Conference and were third overall. Game 4 is Thursday in Kitchener.
- The Saskatoon Blades got back into their first round series with Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats, earning a 4-3 overtime win last night. Bedard had a goal and two assists. The Pats lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 tonight in Regina.
- On the latest episode of The Hockey News on the Q, Will MacLaren and I discuss the playoffs, some league news, Nashville Predators prospects and more.
.@willmacwriter and @station_nation discuss the first days of the #QMJHL playoffs, @PredsNHL players in and from the QMJHL, Daniil Bourash and more: https://t.co/TZuLHGvt1n
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 5, 2023