Game Day 3 & 4: vs Eagles

SAINT JOHN - Two teams that had very different opening weekends meet this weekend at TD Station.

The rebuilding Saint John Sea Dogs had a fairly solid first two games, winning their season opener and earning another point in a shootout loss on Saturday. The Cape Breton Eagles, who could push for one of the top spots in the Maritimes Division, had a weekend to forget, dropping two games on home ice and getting outscored 13-1.

The Eagles will try and get their offense going this Friday and Saturday night when they visit the Sea Dogs. Both games start at 7 p.m.

Cape Breton should have some reinforcements with forwards Cam Squires and Cam MacDonald both being released from their respective NHL camps.

The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, will look to give goaltender Patrick Leaver a bit more support. The overage netminder was forced to make a league high 88 saves last weekend.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/Sea Dogs Radio/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-1 for three points (third Maritimes/fifth Eastern/eighth QMJHL) while the Eagles are 0-2-0-0 for no points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/18th QMJHL).

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs finished 24-38-5-1 for 54 points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Eagles were 30-34-3-1 for 64 points (third Maritimes/seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday. Nate Tivey, Pavel Simek and Vince Elie scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 51 saves in the loss. The Eagles are coming off a 9-1 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday. Luke McPhee scored Cape Breton's lone goal of the weekend. Jakob Milota allowed four goals on 13 shots while Nicolas Ruccia allowed five goals on 16 shots.

2023-24 head-to-head: This is the first meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Eagles.

2022-23 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 5-3-1-0 against the Eagles last season while Cape Breton went 4-5-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 7 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Eagles 5-2. Alex Drover had a hat trick for Saint John while singles came from Brady Burns and Charlie DesRoches. Cam Squires and Ivan Ivan scored for Cape Breton. Ventsislav Shingarov made 36 saves in the win. Oliver Satny made 37 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Eagles: Forwards Cole Burbidge and Cam MacDonald.

Eagle to watch: Former Sea Dog Cole Burbidge will play against his old club for the first time. Against the Eagles last season, Burbidge had five points in nine games.

Random stat: Cam Squires had five goals and four assists in nine games against Saint John last season.

Notes: Vince Elie, Eriks Mateiko, Peter Reynolds and Pavel Simek all have a Saint John high three points... Elie, Mateiko and Simek each have two goals... Reynolds leads the team in assists with three... Luke McPhee has scored Cape Breton's lone goal of the season... the Eagles went 0/6 on the power play last weekend while Saint John went 1/6... Cape Breton allowed two shorthanded goals against Moncton.

Out of town:

Moncton at Charlottetown - 7:30 PM ADT 

Rimouski at Baie-Comeau - 7:00 PM EDT 

Drummondville at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:00 PM EDT 

Gatineau at Sherbrooke - 7:00 PM EDT 

Shawinigan at Val-d'Or - 7:00 PM EDT 

Chicoutimi at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EDT 

Québec at Blainville-Boisbriand - 7:30 PM EDT

Next game: Following this two-game set with the Eagles, the Sea Dogs visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Friday at 7 p.m.