QMJHL trade period opens Monday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's that time of year.

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League trade period officially opens on Monday and will run until Jan. 6, the day after the gold medal game of the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Saint John Sea Dogs are expected to make at least one major trade, which will involve captain Eriks Mateiko. The 19-year-old forward is one of the top import players in the league and is expected to be dealt to a contender.

The Washington Capitals prospect has appeared in just 23 games this season due to NHL camp and injuries but has posted an impressive 14 goals and five assists. He's been out of Saint John's lineup since Nov. 29 due to an injury and is now off to play for Latvia at the world juniors.

Mateiko is the only obvious candidate for the Sea Dogs to move but, especially with a new general manager in place, the team is expected to make some other roster moves whether that be through trades or signings.

Saint John is still on the rebuilding side of this cycle – but there's a chance this could be the last trade period where the team is amongst the sellers. One thing to keep an eye on is that the team is still lacking in draft picks for the next couple drafts, which will likely be a priority for Travis Crickard.

Here's Saint John's current bank of picks, via the French fan boards.

2025: 1-1CB-2-6-6Rim-7-8-11-12

2026: 1-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-12Sha 

2027: 1-2-3-6-6gat-7-8-9-10-11-12

The wildcard for the Sea Dogs in this year's trade period is Crickard. Obviously, we don't know his style as a GM yet. It's also his team now, and there could very well be some moves that weren't expected.

Overall, this year's trade period is likely to be a bit unusual. There aren't a lot of big names on selling teams, so the major deals may not be as huge as we often see – even with the Memorial Cup being hosted within the league. But we'll see what happens.

Plus, there's the NCAA rule change that will no doubt make an impact. Some teams may look to make moves just to open up roster spots for new signings.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4 (SO)

FINAL: Bathurst 4, Saint John 5 (SO)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - What a way to end the first half.

Just like they did less than 24 hours prior, the Saint John Sea Dogs pulled off an extra time comeback win, this time defeating the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 5-4 in a shootout.

The Sea Dogs fell behind 4-1 early in the second period but stormed back to tie things at 4-4 before the frame ended. After a scoreless third period and overtime, William Yared netted the lone goal of the shootout to give Saint John the extra point.

The Sea Dogs are now 8-0 in games that go beyond regulation time. They are 5-0 in overtime and 3-0 shootouts.

While this game – like Friday's overtime win over the Cape Breton Eagles – had its ups and downs, it was another impressive performance by a Saint John squad that was without veteran forwards Eriks Mateiko and Tyler Peddle along with three regulars on the backend.

This was the seventh meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Titan and it got chippy at times. In what could have been Bathurst's last ever visit to Saint John, this had the feelings of an old school Sea Dogs and Titan matchup at times.

Yared, Ben Cross, Nate Tivey and Zachary Morin all scored in regulation for the Sea Dogs. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 stops in the victory.

Louis-Francois Belanger scored a pair of goals for Bathurst while singles came from Tyson Goguen and Tyler Wood. Joshua Fleming made 30 stops in the loss.

The win improved the Sea Dogs to 16-16-0-0 on the season, sending the team into the Christmas break with a .500 record.

Game Day 32: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - The first half comes to a close today for the Saint John Sea Dogs and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

The Sea Dogs play their 32nd game of this 64-game season this afternoon at 3 p.m. at TD Station, hosting the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. This is the sixth of eight meetings this season between the Sea Dogs and Titan – and it could be the last ever in Saint John. If reports end up being accurate, the Titan could be on their way to playing in St. John's next season.

The Titan sit second in the Maritimes Division with an 18-11-1-0 record, placing them seven points ahead of Saint John.

Today's contest will be Saint John's final home game until Jan. 8.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 15-16-0-0 for 30 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Titan are 18-11-1-0 for 37 points (second Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Cape Breton Eagles last night. Olivier Groulx scored a pair of goals while singles came from Zachary Morin, Florian Schenk and Egan Beveridge. Charles-Edward Gravel made 33 saves in the win. The Titan are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Moncton last night. Ty Peddigrew and Colby Huggan scored for Bathurst. Joshua Fleming made 46 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-4 (OT)

FINAL: Cape Breton 4, Saint John 5 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs remain perfect in extra time this season.

Egan Beveridge scored with one minute remaining in overtime on Friday at TD Station, giving the Sea Dogs a come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Cape Breton Eagles. Saint John improved to 7-0 in games that go beyond regulation time.

It was a far from easy victory for the Sea Dogs. Still without Eriks Mateiko, Tyler Peddle and three regular defensemen, the Sea Dogs grabbed a 2-0 lead early in the second period following an uneventful opening from.

But the tables quickly turned. The Eagles scored three times in the second to take a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

Cape Breton took a 4-2 lead at 6:30 of the third when Cole Burbidge scored on a power play. The Sea Dogs, who have been struggling in third periods, didn't mail it in. Florian Schenk scored at 10:55 to make it 4-3 and then, on a power play, Olivier Groulx picked the corner with a perfect wrist shot at 17:17 to make it 4-4.

With one minute remaining in the extra frame, Beveridge scored a goal similar to Groulx's, giving Saint John a 5-4 win.

Groulx scored twice for Saint John while Beverdige, Schenk and Zachary Morin netted singles. Charles-Edward Gravel made 33 saves in the victory.

Burbidge, Emile Ricard, Tomas Lavoie and Cam Squires all scored for Cape Breton. Backup goaltender Brandon Lavoie made 30 stops in the loss.

Game Day 31: vs Eagles

SAINT JOHN - The first half of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season winds down this weekend.

The Saint John Sea Dogs will play the first of two weekend matches tonight at TD Station when they host the Cape Breton Eagles at 7 p.m. It's just the third meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Eagles and the first in Saint John.

The Sea Dogs have lost back-to-back games – which includes a 5-0 loss in Cape Breton last Friday. They've fallen two games below .500 but are 8-7-0-0 on home ice this year.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 14-16-0-0 for 28 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 13-13-2-1 for 29 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday. Zachary Morin scored both Saint John goals while Justin Robinson made 36 saves in the loss. The Eagles are coming off a 5-3 home win over the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Sunday. Cam Squires netted a hat trick for the Eagles while Luke Patterson and Emile Ricard netted singles. Jakub Milota made 28 stops in the win.

QMJHL to hold Prospects Game in 2025

The QMJHL officially announced a new event on Thursday.

The QMJHL Prospects Game will be played next September, which will feature the league's 40 top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft.

From the league's news release:

This will be a first in League history. In the past, the QMJHL has presented a number of All-Star Games, and several players have taken part in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Top Prospects Game, which this year was transformed into the CHL vs USA Prospects Challenge.

This first edition of the QMJHL Prospects Game will take place on Saturday, September 13, at the Palais des sports Léopold-Drolet in Sherbrooke, and will bring together the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

With no CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game this season (or for the foreseeable future), the OHL will be holding its own prospects match next month in Brantford. It was recently reported that the QMJHL was seeking to hold a similar event next year.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the QMJHL's event? The timing. The game will take place before the regular season begins. The QMJHL regular season began on Sept. 20 this year.

"The Prospects Game will be the highlight of the opening week of the 2025-2026 QMJHL season, which will include a training day for general managers, coaches and therapists on Thursday, and an on-boarding day for first-year players on Friday," states the league's news release.

Sea Dogs unveil Christmas jerseys

The Saint John Sea Dogs will be looking festive this weekend.

The Sea Dogs unveiled their holiday themed jerseys for "Christmas at the Station," which will take place Friday and Saturday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Eagles on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday at 3 p.m. Friday's game will include the club's first toque and mitten toss while Saturday will feature the traditional teddy bear toss.

Fans can purchase a ticket for both games for $20 plus taxes and fees.

Saint John's festive jerseys include Christmas trees, snowflakes, reindeer and a Santa hat on the Sea Dogs logo.

It's the latest in a series of speciality jerseys the Sea Dogs have worn this season. The Sea Dogs have previously worn country themed jerseys for Stampede at the Station; pink jerseys for Pink in the Rink; and brought back the club's original jersey design for Throwback Night.

This weekend's games will be Saint John's last on home ice until Jan. 8.

Notebook: Trade period nearing

Eriks Mateiko/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's that time of year.

The QMJHL's holiday trading period begins on Monday and stretches until Jan. 6, the day after the gold medal game of the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Many are wondering, so here we go: the next trading period in the #QMJHL runs from Monday, December 16 to Monday, January 6, at noon.

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) December 9, 2024

It's an intriguing year for a few reasons. The Memorial Cup is being hosted within the league which always adds some drama (and some higher prices). Then you have the new NCAA rules which creates some roster possibilities and question marks across the league. Lastly, there simply aren't a lot of star players on rebuilding teams that are obvious trade candidates, so that adds some mystery to the intrigue.

FACTS AND STATS

A few random stats as the first half of the QMJHL season comes to a close this weekend for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

• The Sea Dogs find themselves two games below .500 after back-to-back losses. They've lost three straight games on two separate occasions this season.
• Saint John is 8-7-0-0 at TD Station but have been outscored 44-39.
• Saint John and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are the only teams that haven't lost in extra time.
• The Sea Dogs are tied for the fewest games in which they've scored first in with 11. They're 8-3-0-0 in those games.
• Saint John has allowed just one shorthanded goal this season.
• Saint John has struggled in third periods of late. They've been outscored 34-30 in third periods. 

MURPHY SIGNS

19-year-old forward Patrick Murphy, a first-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2022 QMJHL American Draft, officially signed with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens last Thursday.

Murphy had been playing in the BCHL where he posted eight goals and eight assists in 21 games with the Cranbrook Bucks this season.

Murphy made his QMJHL debut over the weekend but was held pointless in both games he appeared in.

Report: BOG to vote on Titan relocation

The QMJHL's return to Newfoundland and Labrador is likely to get the stamp of approval this week.

Jeff Marek reports that the league's board of governors is expected to approve the sale and relocation of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan to St. John's.

At the QMJHL BOG meeting this week expect a vote to pass on the sale and relocation of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan to a group in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) December 8, 2024

This has been rumoured for a few months but it's been quiet in recent weeks. But it's believed to have been quiet because it's been a done deal for a while. Officials in St. John's have been saying all the right things without really saying much of anything.

The QMJHL left St. John's in 2008 after three seasons of the Fog Devils. Ironically, 15 years ago, the Titan were nearly bought and relocated to St. John's. 15 year later it looks like that is actually going to happen.

The St. John's squad will face the same logistical and financial issues that the Fog Devils, AHL and ECHL teams all faced. But, this time around, there seems to be a recognition that this is it. Ownership, government, sponsors and fans know that it's either make the QMJHL work or have no high level hockey playing at Mary Brown's Centre.

This will, obviously, have an impact on the QMJHL's schedule. The Saint John Sea Dogs, for example, aren't going to be able to make a mid-week day trip to St. John's like they do to Bathurst currently. In the Fog Devils days, teams would fly over and play two or three games before returning home. The Fog Devils would typically play three to six road games during a trek to the mainland. 

While it's a happy time for hockey fans in Newfoundland, it's s sad moment for fans in northern New Brunswick. Unfortunately, this move has felt inevitable for awhile. The Titan have been for sale for nearly a year, and nobody can say the QMJHL hasn't given the market a chance over the last decade.

Bathurst is currently averaging a league low 1,550 fans per game.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Moncton 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Despite a strong performance against one of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League's top teams, it wasn't enough on Sunday at TD Station.

The Saint John Sea Dogs' third period woes continued, allowing two goals in the final frame in a 3-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats. Saint John's recent losses have all seen the team struggle in third periods.

The Sea Dogs – who were missing five regulars from their lineup due to injuries – led 2-1 after two periods. Markus Vidicek tied the game at 11:29 of the third and then Gabe Smith redirected a Yoan Loshing pass at 17:00 to give Moncton a 3-2 advantage.

Juraj Pekarcik scored Moncton's other goal. 19-year-old Rudy Guimond made 37 stops to earn his first QMJHL win in his first start.

Zachary Morin scored both of Saint John's goals. Justin Robinson made 36 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs, especially given that they were missing some key players, deserved at least a point in this game – but it wasn't meant to be. Saint John continues to give Moncton troubles this season.

Saint John is now two games below .500 (14-16-0-0) with two games remaining before the holiday break.

Game Day 30: vs Wildcats

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs welcome the Eastern Conference leading Moncton Wildcats to town this afternoon.

The Wildcats are coming off just their fifth loss of the season, falling 4-1 on home ice to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies yesterday afternoon. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, are coming off a 5-0 loss in Cape Breton on Friday that saw them once again struggle to produce offensively.

The Sea Dogs have had some success against the Wildcats this season, posting a 2-2-0-0 record against Gardiner MacDougall's squad.

Game time this afternoon at TD Station is 3 p.m.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 14-15-0-0 for 28 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 21-5-2-0 for 44 points (first Maritimes/first Eastern/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-0 loss in Cape Breton on Friday. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 stops in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies yesterday afternoon. Yoan Loshing scored Moncton's lone goal. Jacob Steinman made 35 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-0

FINAL: Saint John 0, Cape Breton 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS - Third periods have been interesting for the Saint John Sea Dogs of late.

On Saturday in Halifax, the Sea Dogs blew a 2-1 third period lead in a 3-2 loss to the Mooseheads. Then on Wednesday against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, the Sea Dogs scored three times in the final frame in a 4-1 victory.

The third period woes returned on Friday at Centre 200 where the Sea Dogs allowed four third period goals in a 5-0 loss to the Cape Breton Eagles.

The Sea Dogs entered the third down 1-0 despite being outshot 20-9 through 40 minutes of play. Saint John was once again without veteran forwards Eriks Mateiko and Tyler Peddle, who are key contributors to the team's offense.

The Sea Dogs recorded just 19 shots in the loss with only seven of those shots being classified as dangerous. 

Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the loss.

Jacob Newcombe scored a pair of goals for Cape Breton while singles came from Will Murphy, Lucas Romeo and Cole Burbidge. Jakub Milota earned the shutout victory.

Game Day 29: at Cape Breton

SYDNEY, NS - It's hard to believe, but the Saint John Sea Dogs will play their final road game of the first half tonight at Centre 200.

The Sea Dogs will face the Cape Breton Eagles this evening at 7 p.m. Saint John will play their three remaining games of the first half on home ice.

While most would consider the Sea Dogs to be a pleasant surprise this season, the opposite can be said for the Eagles. Cape Breton is just 11-13-2-1 in a season they were expected to be amongst the best in the Eastern Conference. The Eagles will be one of the most intriguing teams to watch during the QMJHL's trade period.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 14-14-0-0 for 28 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Eagles are 11-13-2-1 for 25 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-1 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Wednesday. Matteo Mann, William Yared, Reid Calder and Zachary Morin all scored for Saint John. Charles-Edward Gravel made 29 saves in the win. The Eagles are coming off a 5-2 loss in Moncton on Sunday. Joseph Henneberry and Emile Ricard had Cape Breton goals. Jakub Milota made 34 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 4-1

FINAL: Bathurst 1, Saint John 4

Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - After blowing a third period lead in a loss on Saturday, the Saint John Sea Dogs made up for their mistakes on Wednesday.

The Sea Dogs scored three times in the third in a 4-1 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, breaking a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes.

Matteo Mann, William Yared, Reid Calder and Zachary Morin all scored for Saint John while Olivier Groulx recorded two assists. Charles-Edward Gravel made 29 saves in a first star performance.

While the final score may not indicate it, this was another close contest between these two. Yared gave the Sea Dogs a 2-1 lead at 11:46 of the third period, getting a piece of the puck after it bounced in the air off of Titan netminder Joshua Fleming.

Saint John added to their lead at 17:43 when Calder put in the rebound of a Nate Tivey shot. Morin secured the win with a long empty net goal at 18:53.

Shots were 44-30 in favour of Saint John, who were once again missing their top two forwards in Eriks Mateiko and Tyler Peddle.

The win pushes Saint John back to the .500 mark with a 14-14-0-0 record.

For Bathurst, Maddex Marmulak scored the club's lone goal on a breakaway in the first period. Fleming made 40 stops in the loss.

Game Day 28: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to get back to the .500 mark tonight against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in Halifax on Saturday that saw them blow a 2-1 lead in the third period. Saint John was without Eriks Mateiko, Tyler Peddle and Olivier Duhamel due to injuries and had a few players get banged up during the game.

Saint John will try and get back on track against a Titan team they've battled hard with this season. Three of the five previous meetings were decided by a goal.

Game time tonight at TD Station is 7 p.m.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-14-0-0 for 26 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Titan are 16-10-0-0 for 32 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in Halifax on Saturday. Jacob Beaulieu and William Yared scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 21 stops in the loss. The Titan are coming off a 4-2 home loss to the Cape Breton Eagles on Saturday. Dawson Sharkey and Tyson Goguen scored for Bathurst. Joshua Fleming made 35 stops in the loss.

Tuesday night news and notes

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs have just five games remaining before the Christmas break.

The Sea Dogs will play five contests between Dec. 4 and Dec. 14. The team won't return to action until Dec. 28.

Saint John begins this final stretch on Wednesday night when they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 7 p.m. The Titan sit six points ahead of Saint John in the standings and are 3-2 against the Sea Dogs this year.

On Friday the Sea Dogs will travel to Cape Breton for a single matchup with the Eagles. They'll return home to host the Eastern Conference leading Moncton Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Saint John will close out the "first half" next weekend when they host the Eagles on Friday night and the Titan on Saturday afternoon. Note the 3 p.m. start time for the Dec. 14 contest.

Simek gets Czechia invite; Canada camp roster unveiled

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Pavel Simek has been named to Czechia's preliminary roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

Simek has posted six goals and seven assists in 27 games with the Rimouski Oceanic this season. He spent the two previous seasons with the Sea Dogs.

The 19-year-old has played with Czechia a number of times on the international stage.

Cape Breton Eagles goaltender Jakub Milota was also included on Czechia's roster.

Czech U20 nomination for WJC in Ottawa.

Adam Jiricek is only among the substitutes, due to injury . A question mark hangs over Šalé's participation. It will be decided before the WJC. If Šalé goes, one of the forwards won't be joining in.

6 players won 🥉 at last year's… pic.twitter.com/B2YzViw5Sk

— Honza Zoufal (@HZoufal) December 2, 2024

Czechia will play their first game of the world juniors on Boxing Day against Switzerland.

Team Canada, meanwhile, unveiled its selection camp roster on Monday. Only two players from the QMJHL were included: Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Ethan Gauthier and Oceanic forward Mathieu Cataford.

Bradly Nadeau of Saint-François-de-Madawaska, who has been playing with the AHL's Chicago Wolves, was also named to the camp. Nadeau turned pro this season after playing with the University of Maine.

Canada's selection camp begins Dec. 10 in Ottawa.

Eriks Mateiko is likely to be the lone Sea Dog taking part in this year's world juniors. The 19-year-old recorded one goal in five games with Latvia at last year's tournament.

Latvia opens the tournament on Dec. 27 against Canada.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Halifax 3

HALIFAX - Two third period goals by the Halifax Mooseheads were the difference in a 3-2 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday at Scotiabank Centre.

The Mooseheads entered the third period trailing 2-1 – but they quickly flipped the script. Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil scored on a shorthanded penalty shot at 1:33 and then Lou Levesque sniped what would prove to be the game-winner at 6:20.

Jan Sprynar also scored for Halifax. Mathis Rousseau made 35 saves in the win – Halifax's second against Saint John this season.

The Sea Dogs let this one slip away as they had a slight edge in play a lot of the night. Shots ended 37-24 in favour of Saint John but their struggling power play – which went 0/5 – was a factor in the defeat. The loss pushes the club back below the .500 mark with a 13-14-0-0 record.

Jacob Beaulieu and William Yared had Saint John goals. Justin Robinson made 21 saves in the loss.

The Mooseheads opened the scoring at 8:47 of the first when Sprynar's shot hit Robinson in the mask and produced a rebound. Sprynar put in his own rebound to make it 1-0.

Saint John tied the game at 15:26. After the Sea Dogs successfully killed a penalty, Beaulieu, fresh out of the box, beat Rousseau upstairs on a breakaway.

Yared gave Saint John a 2-1 advantage 5:36 into the second period when, after the puck bobbled around a bit, the rookie forward had an open net to score his seventh of the season.

In the third and with Saint John on a power play, Kilfoil was hooked up/interfered with and was awarded a penalty shot. On his free attempt at 1:33, he made no mistake beating Robinson to make it a 2-2 game.

Not long after at 6:20, the puck came to Levesque in the circle and he ripped a perfect shot over the shoulder of Robinson to make it 3-2 for the Mooseheads.

Saint John pulled Robinson in the final minute and had some offensive zone pressure but could not generate any great chances.

Game Day 27: at Halifax

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to make it three straight wins tonight at Scotiabank Centre.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Charlottetown Islanders 2-0 last Saturday and followed that up with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Gatineau Olympiques last night. Saint John will try and keep this run going tonight when they visit the Halifax Mooseheads at 7 p.m.

The Mooseheads, a bit like the Sea Dogs, have cooled down after a good start. Halifax is just 2-7-1-0 in their last 10 games and sit eighth in the 10-team Eastern Conference.

TV/Radio/Stream: Eastlink TV/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 13-13-0-0 for 26 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 9-12-3-0 for 21 points (fourth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/13th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Gatineau Olympiques last night at TD Station. Matteo Mann, William Yared and Zachary Morin all scored for Saint John. Charles-Edward Gravel made 33 stops in the win. The Mooseheads are coming off a 7-3 loss last Saturday in Cape Breton. Antoine Fontaine, Logan Crosby and Liam Kilfoil all scored for Halifax. Mathis Rousseau and Jack Milner split the loss in net.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 3-2 (OT)

FINAL: Gatineau 2, Saint John 3 (OT)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs stayed perfect in extra time on Friday.

The Sea Dogs improved to 6-0 in games that needed overtime or shootout with a 3-2 overtime win over the Gatineau Olympiques at TD Station. Saint John never led in the game until Zachary Morin netted the game-winner at 3:46 of extra time while on a power play.

Morin, Matteo Mann and William Yared scored in the victory. Charles-Edward Gravel made 33 saves in the win.

Saint John rebounded from a rough first period that saw Gatineau outshoot the Sea Dogs 16-3. The Dogs flipped the script in the second though, outshooting the Olympiques 16-9.

The Sea Dogs' power play, which has struggled mightily this season, went a solid 2/3 in this game.

Julien Paille scored both Gatineau goals as the Olympiques continue to search for their second road win of the season. Nathan St-Pierre made 31 stops in the loss.

Game Day 26: vs Olympiques

SAINT JOHN - The Gatineau Olympiques make their lone trip of the season to TD Station tonight.

The Olympiques sit last overall in the QMJHL standings with a 4-17-3-1 record. They've won just one game away from home this season and begin a three-in-three road trip tonight.

The Sea Dogs are coming off a weird weekend. They had one of their ugliest performances of the year last Friday against the Charlottetown Islanders but followed that up with a solid rebound win over those same Isles. We'll see what Sea Dogs team shows up tonight.

Game time for Throwback Night is 7 p.m.

Throwin' it back against the Olympiques tonight. $9 tickets, plus taxes and fees.

⏰ 7:00 p.m.
🏒 @OlympiquesGAT
📍 TD Station
🎟️ https://t.co/rrmPZhzyao#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/TciRlLlHd9

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) November 29, 2024

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 12-13-0-0 for 24 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Olympiques are 4-17-3-1 for 12 points (fourth West/eighth Western/18th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-0 win over the Charlottetown Islanders last Saturday at TD Station. Olivier Duhamel scored both Saint John goals while Charles-Edward Gravel made 29 saves in the win. The Olympiques are coming off a 5-3 home loss to the Val-d'Or Foreurs last Friday. Justin Boisselle, Jeremie Minville and Jacob Kaine all scored for Gatineau. Kain Hodgins and Zach Pelletier split the loss in net.

Notebook: Sea Dogs release new video series

The Saint John Sea Dogs have released a new behind-the-scenes video series.

The Sea Dogs released the debut episode of "Closer To The Game presented by TD" on Monday. The episode goes behind the scenes of Saint John's regular season opener in September.

Last year, the Sea Dogs released a four-part series called "Rising Tide."

MORIN MENTION

Sea Dogs forward Zachary Morin is starting to get more NHL Draft attention.

Morin was ranked 29th in Craig Button's latest 2025 NHL Draft rankings over at TSN. Button has an intriguing list with Brampton Steelheads forward Porter Martone ranked first ahead of American James Hagens.

Morin has been averaging nearly a point-per-game since leaving the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms for the Sea Dogs. In 18 QMJHL games, the 17-year-old has four goals and 12 assists.

THROWBACK NIGHT

The Sea Dogs will be holding a Throwback Night on Friday when they host the Gatineau Olympiques. The team will be sporting the same jersey design as the one they wore for their first four seasons in the city.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 2-0

FINAL: Charlottetown 0, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Olivier Duhamel scored both goals in the Saint John Sea Dogs' 2-0 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders on Saturday at TD Station.

It was a solid rebound performance from the Sea Dogs after an ugly 6-2 loss to the Islanders the night before. Charles-Edward Gravel was pulled in the second period of that game after allowing a third goal. He stopped all 29 shots he faced on Saturday to earn his third shutout of the year.

It was a low event hockey game with shots just 29-22 in favour of the Islanders. Neither team was able to generate many great scoring chances.

Duhamel opened the scoring at 12:02 of the second period, speeding past the Charlottetown defense, cutting through the top of the crease and beating Nicolas Ruccia in close.

The Sea Dogs defenseman scored his second of the game with 44 seconds remaining, firing a puck from the neutral zone into an empty Islanders net.

Ruccia made 19 saves in the loss. 

The win puts the Sea Dogs back within a game of the .500 mark with a 12-13-0-0 record.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-2

FINAL: Charlottetown 6, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs got roughed up in their return home on Friday.

The Charlottetown Islanders scored the game's first four goals in a 6-2 win over the Sea Dogs at TD Station. Saint John struggled to get much of anything going, once again struggling to create quality scoring chances and faltering on special teams. The Sea Dogs went 1/7 on the power play while allowing the Islanders to go 2/3.

Dylan Rozzi and Eriks Mateiko scored for Saint John. Charles-Edward Gravel was pulled early in the second period after allowing three goals on 10 shots. Justin Robinson allowed three goals on 21 shots in relief.

Ross Campbell scored a pair of goals for Charlottetown while Egor Goriunov, Mathis Valente, William Shields and Jude Herron added singles. Goriunov and Matthew Butler each had three assists. Donald Hickey made 26 saves in the win.

The Islanders entered the game 16th overall in the QMJHL and were last in goals per game. This was Charlottetown's first win over Saint John this season after dropping the previous two meetings.

In the opening frame and just as a Saint John power play came to an end, Zachary Morin ripped a bouncing puck that went off Hickey's glove. Rozzi bunted the rebounded through the crease where William Yared was able to get the puck across the line, giving the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead at 9:54 - or so they thought. After a review, the play was deemed offside and 14 seconds were added back on the clock.

Less than a minute after Saint John thought they had scored, Campbell muscled his way through Saint John's defense and beat Gravel to make it 1-0 Charlottetown at 10:57. Then on a power play at 12:03, Goriunov was at the top of the crease and scored an easy tap-in goal to quickly give Charlottetown a 2-0 advantage.

Saint John went 0/3 on the power play in the opening frame and were outshot 9-6.

Just 1:42 into the second, Valente beat Gravel clean with a low shot the went past his outstretched pad, giving the Islanders a commanding 3-0 lead. That would end Gravel's night as Robinson replaced him.

At 5:25 – and not long after another unsuccessful Saint John man advantage – a Goriunov shot was blockered away by Robinson but Shields was in perfect position to give Charlottetown a 4-0 advantage. 

Saint John went to a full two-minute five-on-three at 16:57. On the ensuing man advantage, a cross crease feed from Egan Beveridge found Rozzi who scored to make it 4-1 at 18:16.

Charlottetown scored early into a period again in the third when Herron beat Robinson from a sharp angle at 3:40. But Saint John quickly got that goal back when Mateiko netted his 14th of the season at 3:54, making it 5-2.

The Islanders took a 6-2 lead at 10:09 when Campbell scored on the power play, finishing off a nice passing play.

Labbé traded to Phoenix

Jeremy Fraser

SAINT JOHN - It didn't take long for the Saint John Sea Dogs to find Kyan Labbé a home.

It was reported this past week that Labbé, a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft who has been playing in the BCHL, had requested a trade. On Friday the team announced that the goaltender has been traded to his hometown Sherbrooke Phoenix in exchange for a third-round pick in 2026.

“With two very solid goaltenders in Charles-Edward Gravel and Justin Robinson currently on our roster, Kyan and his family requested to be moved to another organization in an attempt to play in the league immediately,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “With our team lacking early round picks for the next two drafts we felt it was necessary to add this pick.”

Labbé's father, Jean-Francois Labbé, played part of the 1992-93 QMJHL season with the Sherbrooke Faucons.

Labbé is committed to the NCAA's Union College for the 2026-27 season. The 17-year-old has been playing with the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers this season where he's posted a 2-1 record to go along with a 4.33 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.

Last season, Labbé helped the Magog Cantonniers win the Telus Cup. He was named the tournament's best goaltender after being named the Quebec under-18 league's playoff MVP and top defensive player.

Labbé is the latest in a growing list of players who have left the BCHL for the CHL following the NCAA rule change.

The Sea Dogs and Phoenix have already met twice this season. The only chance of the two meeting again is in the playoffs, which is unlikely.

Game Day 24 & 25: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs return home this weekend to host the Charlottetown Islanders Friday and Saturday night.

The Sea Dogs haven't played at TD Station since Nov. 3. The team has slipped below the .500 mark with an 11-12-0-0 record but are 5-5-0-0 on home ice this season.

Saint John will play a Charlottetown team that has really been feeling the effects of their rebuild so far this season. The Islanders sit 16th overall in the QMJHL standings, meaning they would grab the final playoff spot if the post-season began today.

Game time for both contests at TD Station is 7 p.m. It's Pink in the Rink Weekend where the Sea Dogs will sport pink jerseys that will be auctioned off.

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

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 11-12-0-0 for 22 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 7-13-1-1 for 16 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 loss in Bathurst on Saturday. Tyler Peddle scored Saint John's only goal. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the loss. The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes on Wednesday morning on home ice. Zackary Plamondon, Mathis Valente and Nathan Leek all scored for Charlottetown. Donald Hickey made 27 stops in the win.

Sea Dogs return home to begin key stretch of schedule

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs begin what could prove to be their most important stretch of the season this weekend at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs begin a stretch of games against opponents that are either beneath or close to them in the overall standings. Saint John enters play this weekend with an 11-12-0-0 record for 22 points, placing them 11th overall in the QMJHL standings.

Now, we're not even at the halfway point of the season, so there's plenty of time to make up points. But with less than a month to go until the QMJHL trade period opens, this stretch of games could play a big role in determining what this team looks like come January.

It's been tough to get a real read on this Sea Dogs team that has struggled with consistency in recent weeks – which comes as no surprise for a team at this stage of a rebuild. But if the Sea Dogs can show during this stretch that they are capable of playing strong hockey against teams they should be able to beat, that will help in seeing just where this team is at.

Here's where Saint John's upcoming opponents sit in the overall standings.

Nov. 22 vs Charlottetown (16th overall)

Nov. 23 vs Charlottetown (16th overall)

Nov. 29 vs Gatineau (18th overall)

Nov. 30 at Halifax (13th overall)

Dec. 4 vs Bathurst (7th overall)

Dec. 6 at Cape Breton (12th overall)

The Sea Dogs then host the league leading Moncton Wildcats on Dec. 8, a team they've upset twice recently.

Fridays' game will be Saint John's first at TD Station since Nov. 3. They are 5-5-0-0 on home ice.

Some Wednesday notes

The Saint John Sea Dogs have unveiled the pink jerseys they'll wear this weekend at TD Station.

According to the team, "Pink in the Rink Weekend is set for Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23 against the Charlottetown Islanders. Sea Dogs players will once again be wearing special, limited-edition pink jerseys during the game which will be available for purchase through in-arena raffles and online auction."

Fans can purchase discounted tickets for Pink in the Rink Weekend using the promo code “PINK” and $5 from every purchase will be donated directly to Breasts Ahoy. The promo code can be used online or at the TD Station Box Office.

Some other Wednesday notes...

• The Sherbrooke newspaper La Tribune has more on the news of Kyan Labbé asking for a trade from the Sea Dogs. The story confirms that Labbé's trade ask is due to the fact that Saint John already has two QMJHL suitable goaltenders on their roster.
• As mentioned during draft weekend, the QMJHL has created a Veterans Club. "Veterans will attend a few of their former team’s games each year, where they will be invited to meet fans, take photos with them and sign autographs," reads a QMJHL news release. Mike Thomas will be Saint John's representative. 
• Mikael Lalancette tweets that QMJHL attendance is up 3.2% compared to last year. Saint John is averaging 2,362 fans per game after 10 home games. Last year they averaged 2,698 after 10 home games. The Sea Dogs continue to head in the opposite direction of most teams.
• A lot going on in the BCHL as the player exodus continues following the NCAA rule change.

  This meeting is taking place today. It’s been scheduled for a week or more. Sounds like there will be some idea sharing on what BCHL brass want their league to be and best way to adapt. Sources I’m talking to are looking forward to their discussion. https://t.co/c8bJP1P9Vi

  — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 20, 2024

• And similar issues for the USHL, although likely not as severe.

  Junior Hockey - There was a meeting today in Plymouth involving USA Hockey, the USHL and the NAHL. Few details available but I imagine the 'changing landscape' was discussed.

  — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) November 20, 2024

• Feels like there hasn't been a lot of talk about it, but the CHL USA Prospects Challenge takes place next week in London and Oshawa.
• Mentioned this last week. On Friday TSN picked up the Midco Sports broadcast of Denver/North Dakota, two of the top teams in NCAA hockey. Two of the top teams in the CHL (and two of the biggest markets), London and Kitchener, met on Tuesday with no national fanfare. Don't know what the solution is – or if TV even matters anymore – but something is off here.
• The Gatineau Olympiques are just 3-16-3-1 this season.
• The Charlottetown Islanders hosted the Shawinigan Cataractes in a school day game this morning at 11 a.m.
• The AHL's Utica Comets are 0-10-1-2 to start the season. Jeremie Poirier, Yan Kuznetsov and the Calgary Wranglers sit first with a 12-3-1-0 record.

Report: Labbé wants to play in QMJHL

Nanaimo Clippers

Goaltender Kyan Labbé is reportedly heading to the QMJHL – but it doesn't look like it will be with the Saint John Sea Dogs.

According to Sherbrooke radio station 107.7 Estrie, Labbé and his agent have reportedly requested a trade from the Sea Dogs. The 17-year-old was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft.

LHJMQ: le gardien Sherbrookois Kyan Labbé est de retour à la maison après un passage dans la BCHL. Il aurait demandé une transaction aux @StJohnSeadogs #LHJMQ

— Marc Bryson (@MbrysonCogeco) November 19, 2024

Labbé is committed to the NCAA's Union College for the 2026-27 season. The netminder has been playing with the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers this season where he's posted a 2-1 record to go along with a 4.33 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.

Labbé is no longer listed on the Clippers website and he appears to be the latest player to jump from the BCHL to the CHL following the NCAA rule change. The BCHL has long been a league where NCAA recruits played before heading south of the border.

Last season, Labbé helped the Magog Cantonniers win the Telus Cup. He was named the tournament's best goaltender after being named the Quebec under-18 league's playoff MVP and top defensive player.

The biggest knock against Labbé is his size. Elite Prospects lists him at 5'9" and 161 lbs.

Requesting a trade from the Sea Dogs, if true, doesn't come as a huge surprise given Saint John's current goaltending situation. Charles-Edward Gravel has likely been Saint John's MVP so far this season and, given that he is an overager, dealing him to a contender at Christmas would be tricky. Then there's Justin Robinson who the team likely wants to hold onto – and get into some games – for future seasons.

The QMJHL's trading period opens next month.

Alumdate: Leaver, X-Men upset Reds again

ANTIGONISH, NS - Patrick Leaver has accomplished something very few goaltenders can say they've done in recent years: defeat the UNB Reds twice in one season.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs netminder stopped all 34 shots he faced on Saturday night as the StFX X-Men scored in the final minute to upset the top-ranked Reds 1-0 in Antigonish. According to the X-Men's game story, it was "the first regulation loss for UNB since February 4, 2023, and the first time UNB has been shutout since October, 2022."

UNB's year-long winning streak came to an end a couple weeks ago against the X-Men when Leaver made 51 saves in a 4-3 overtime victory at the Aitken Centre.

Classic UNB/StFX game. 35-save shutout for Patrick Leaver in 1-0 win. pic.twitter.com/P7WKsZTK5B

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) November 17, 2024

StFX upsetting UNB is nothing new. The Reds haven't lost a lot over the past 20 years, but many of the most painful blows have come against the X-Men, who's shot blocking and strong goaltending have made life difficult for UNB on many occasions.

The X-Men are now 7-6-0-1 on the season, placing them fourth in the AUS standings but just three points back of second. Leaver, who is still sporting his Sea Dogs mask from last season, has appeared in seven games, going 3-4 with a 4.22 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.

The losses to StFX have been the only blemishes on another great start to the year for UNB, who are 12-1-1-0. A lot of that success has been generated by former Sea Dogs captain Peter Reynolds, who is tied for the AUS scoring lead with 25 points and has posted a conference high 13 goals in 14 games.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 2-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Bathurst 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

BATHURST - Tyler Peddle scored the Saint John Sea Dogs' lone goal in a 2-1 loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Saturday at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

Tyler Wood and Louis-Francois Belanger scored for the Titan in the victory. Joshua Fleming made 28 stops.

Wood gave the Titan a 1-0 lead in the first period. It looked as though Eriks Mateiko had tied it in the second period but the captain's goal was called back due to an offside.

Peddle scored on a power play just 2:28 into the third to make it 1-1. It was his first goal since Oct. 25.

Belanger netted the winner at 15:11 of the third.

Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the loss.

The loss drops the Sea Dogs back below the .500 mark with an 11-12-0-0 record.

Game Day 23: at Bathurst

BATHURST - After ending a three-game losing streak on Thursday, the Saint John Sea Dogs will look to make it back-to-back wins tonight.

The Sea Dogs pulled off a major upset on Thursday, defeating the top-ranked Moncton Wildcats 6-2 at Avenir Centre. They'll play their fifth straight road game tonight, visiting the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 7 p.m.

The Titan remain second in the Maritimes Division with a 13-7-0-0 record. This will already be the fifth meeting of the season between Bathurst and Saint John with the two splitting the series so far.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 11-11-0-0 for 22 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/10th QMJHL) while the Titan are 13-7-0-0 for 26 points (second Maritimes/fifth Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-2 win in Moncton on Thursday. Eriks Mateiko scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Dylan Rozzi, Egan Beveridge, Olivier Duhamel and Elliot Dubé. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the win. The Titan are coming off a 2-1 win in Charlottetown last night. Tyson Goguen and Dawson Sharkey scored for Bathurst. Mathis Langevin made 28 stops in the win.

Notebook: Crickard takes silver at U17

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard is back with the team after helping Team Canada Red win silver at the U17 World Challenge in Sarnia.

Canada Red won both of their preliminary round games and earned a bye to the semifinals where they defeated the United States 7-3. In the gold medal game, Red fell 3-1 to Team Canada White.

Along with Crickard, Red's roster included Sea Dogs draft pick Cameron Chartrand, who posted two assists in four games. The 16-year-old defenseman is committed to Boston College, but the recent NCAA rule change has certainly increased hope that he may report to Saint John. Chartrand is currently playing US prep school hockey with the Bishop Kearney Selects.

Eastern Canadian players stat lines at the U17 World Hockey Challenge:

Tynan Lawrence 5GP- 3G 3A
Chad Lygitsakos 4GP- 3G
Cameron Chartrand 4GP- 2A
Benjamin Cossette-Ayotte 5GP- 2A
Maddox Dagenais 4GP- 1A
Romain L’Italien 5GP-
Jayden Plouffe 5GP-

— Austin Robson (@ARobScouting) November 10, 2024

HENRY SIGNS
Sea Dogs draft pick Joshua Henry has committed to Lindenwood University for the 2027-28 season.

Lindenwood is one of the lesser known NCAA Division I schools, playing as an independent in the St. Louis suburbs. 

It's not often a player from the Maritime Hockey League commits to a Division I program. He has three assists in 12 games with the Fredericton Red Wings this season.

Henry, a 16-year-old defenseman, was a sixth-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He played at Rothesay Netherwood last year.

DRAPEAU TO BCHL

While more and more players are departing the BCHL for the CHL, former Sea Dogs defenseman Nathan Drapeau is heading the other way.

The defenseman – who will turn 20 on Dec. 28 – has signed with the West Kelowna Warriors after appearing in 11 games with the Val-d'Or Foreurs this year.

"Nathan brings experience and poise to our back end," said Warriors head coach and general manager Simon Ferguson in a news release. "He’s a Memorial Cup champion who can quarterback our power play and play in all situations. He’s a highly-coveted player and we expect him to play a big role for us.”

Drapeau spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs, helping the club win the Memorial Cup in 2022.

He has spent the past two seasons in Val-d'Or. He did not play when the Foreurs visited Saint John a couple weeks ago.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-2

FINAL: Saint John 6, Moncton 2

MONCTON - What a way to end a losing streak.

The Saint John Sea Dogs snapped a three-game losing skid by defeating the Moncton Wildcats – the Canadian Hockey League's top-ranked team – 6-2 on Thursday night at Avenir Centre. It's the second time in two weeks that Saint John beat Moncton after handing the Wildcats a 3-2 overtime loss on Halloween.

After a rough first period, the Sea Dogs rebounded in the second to take a 2-1 lead into the third. The Sea Dogs kept the momentum going in the final frame, delivering a strong road performance against a good team – but also a team that hasn't brought its best the last two times out against Saint John. Props to the Sea Dogs for taking advantage of that.

Eriks Mateiko scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Dylan Rozzi, Egan Beveridge, Olivier Duhamel and Elliot Dubé. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 stops in the win.

Riley Sampson and Preston Lounsbury scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 22 saves in the loss.

The Wildcats outshot the Sea Dogs 18-3 in the opening frame but only led 1-0. Sampson opened the scoring with his fourth of the year at 16:19, beating Gravel top corner with a quick wrist shot.

The Sea Dogs tied the game 1-1 just 1:47 into the second period when a low Mateiko shot fooled Steinman. Then at 9:27, just after a power play ended, Mateiko redirected a Tyler Peddle shot to suddenly give the Sea Dogs a 2-1 advantage.

Sampson was given a five minute major and game misconduct for a check to the head on Reid Calder at 10:30. Then at 11:11, Loke Johansson was called for cross checking to send the Sea Dogs to a full two-minute five-on-three advantage. Saint John was able to produce some strong offensive zone pressure but could not convert on the man advantage.

Shots ended 14-6 in favour of Saint John in the middle frame.

Just 2:47 into the third, Rozzi spun and fired from the slot, beating Steinman low to give Saint John a 3-1 lead. 

Moncton got within one at 13:15 when Juraj Pekarcik found a wide open Lounsbury. But the Wildcats wouldn't get any closer.

With 1:47 remaining, an odd man rush led to an Olivier Groulx shot being stopped but Beveridge was there to put in the rebound, making it 4-2. Duhamel scored into an empty net at 19:37 and then Dubé made it a 6-2 final by scoring at 19:57.

Game Day 22: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will look to snap a three-game losing streak tonight – but it won't be easy.

The Sea Dogs will face a Moncton Wildcats team that has won seven of their past eight games and are once again ranked No. 1 in the CHL top 10 rankings. Game time at Avenir Centre is 7 p.m.

Moncton's one loss in their last eight came against the Sea Dogs – a 3-2 overtime loss on Halloween at TD Station. Saint John will need to bring their best if they want to pull off a repeat of that result.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 10-11-0-0 for 32 points (first Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 15-2-2-0 for 23 points (first East/first Eastern/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 loss in Rimouski on Saturday. Eriks Mateiko, Olivier Groulx and Ben Cross all scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 32 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 2-1 home win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday. Gabe Smith and Juraj Pekarcik scored for Moncton. Jacob Steinman made 13 stops in the win.