Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Drummondville 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs once again hung around but once again came up short.

The Sea Dogs let a 2-1 second period lead slip away in a 6-2 loss to the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Saturday at the Marcel Dionne Centre. The Volts now lead the best-of-seven opening round playoff series 2-0 as things shift to Saint John.

Much like Game 1, the Sea Dogs hung around and were in this game through 40 minutes but couldn't keep pace in the third period. Drummondville entered the third up 3-2 but netted three in the final frame to secure the victory.

Peter Repcik, Noah Reinhart, Ethan Gauthier, Renaud Poulin, Mikael Diotte and Vsevolod Komarov all scored for Drummondville. Riley Mercer made 20 saves in the win.

Tyler Peddle and Brody Fournier scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 35 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Drummondville 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs hung around but ultimately fell 7-3 to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the first game of the best-of-seven opening round playoff series.

Saint John native Sam Oliver scored a pair of goals for the Volts in the third period to secure the win. Justin Cote also scored a pair of goals in the game while singles came from Luke Woodworth, Mikael Huchette and Ethan Gauthier. Riley Mercer made 24 saves in the win.

Nicolas Bilodeau, Drew Elliott and Pavel Simek all scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 33 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs managed to stay in this one until the third period, which has to be considered a small victory. The Sea Dogs are massive underdogs in this series and keeping the games as competitive as possible would be considered a win.

Game 2 goes Saturday in Drummondville.

Playoff Game Day 1 & 2: at Drummondville

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin post-season play tonight at the Marcel Dionne Centre.

The Sea Dogs are massive underdogs in this first round series against the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The Volts finished first in the Western Conference with 102 points while the Sea Dogs grabbed the 16th and final playoff spot with 49.

For the Sea Dogs, this series is going to be about getting their players gaining some playoff experience. It will also show them the level they need to reach to be a championship contender. If they can manage to stay in some games, that's great.

Games 1 and 2 take place Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. Atlantic in Drummondville.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs were 20-39-5-4 for 49 points (sixth Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Voltigeurs were 48-14-5-1 for 102 points (first Central/first Western/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. Brody Fournier scored a pair of goals for Saint John while Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott added singles. Patrick Leaver made 34 saves in the loss. The Voltigeurs are coming off a 4-2 win in Baie-Comeau on Saturday. Sam Oliver scored a pair of goals while Simon-Pier Brunet and Peter Repcik also connected. Louis-Felix Charrois made 33 stops in the win.

First round QMJHL playoff predictions

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's that time.

The QMJHL playoffs get rolling tonight with all eight matchups beginning. Here are my picks for the opening round.

Eastern Conference 

1. Baie-Comeau vs 8. Charlottetown — Drakkar in 4

It's never a great idea to bet against Jim Hulton when it comes to playoff style hockey. But the Islanders are deep into the early stages of a rebuild and just don't have a lot of depth. The Drakkar are on the opposite end of the rebuild cycle and are poised for a deep playoff run after a tremendous regular season. The Henry Leonard Centre is going to be electric.

2. Halifax vs 7. Bathurst — Mooseheads in 5

What are we going to get from the Mooseheads in the playoffs? This team, even when somewhat healthy, just hasn't clicked at 100% since the trade deadline. They've looked great in some games but haven't found that consistency. They'll be without captain Jake Furlong all playoffs but will welcome back Jordan Dumais in Game 2. They struggled against Bathurst in the regular season and I don't think it'll be smooth sailing in this series — but I do think the Moose will pull it together and win this series with some tight wins.

3. Moncton vs 6. Chicoutimi — Sagueneens in 6

I just don't know what to expect from Moncton. There's a lot of pressure on the Wildcats and their coaching staff to prove that, after some ups and downs in the second half, they can turn it on consistently when it matters most. The Sags, meanwhile, have been one of the hottest teams in the second half. Interesting matchup between Caleb Desnoyers and Emile Guite. Only five points separated the teams, so this should be a good series.

4. Cape Breton vs 5. Rimouski — Eagles in 5

The Eagles have been hot down the stretch and I think they'll stay hot in the opening round. The Oceanic have injury troubles in net, which is less than ideal. 

Sea Dogs slash ticket prices for playoffs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will offer the lowest playoff ticket prices in the CHL for their first round series against the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

The Sea Dogs announced Monday that single game playoff tickets for the general public will be just $10 while season ticket members can purchase $7 tickets, plus taxes and fees.

“We appreciate the support from our season ticket members and the region, and this is a small way for us to say thanks", said Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie in a release. “We want to make it easy for everyone to come and support and be part of Sea Dogs playoff hockey.”

The Sea Dogs begin the playoffs in Drummondville with Games 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday night. The series shifts to Saint John for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Saint John will be massive underdogs in this series — even more than last year when they went up against the Gatineau Olympiques, a series they did win one game in. The Sea Dogs haven't won a playoff series since 2017.

The Sea Dogs made tickets $7 for Game 5 against Gatineau last year, attracting 4,796 fans. Games 3 and 4 at TD Station featured crowds of 1,487 and 1,568, respectively.

The cheap tickets come after another rough season for the Sea Dogs at the box office. Saint John averaged 2,760 fans per game this season, which is down nearly 200 fans per game from last year. It's the lowest average the team has had in a season with no COVID restrictions.

Season	Total	Average
2005-06	156,694	4,477 (4th)
2006-07	134,354	3,839 (6th)
2007-08	139,214	3,978 (5th)
2008-09	133,613	3,930 (5th)
2009-10	140,779	4,141 (4th)
2010-11	152,237	4,478 (4th)
2011-12	155,060	4,561 (3rd)
2012-13	135,732	3,992 (4th)
2013-14	116,380	3,423 (5th)
2014-15	121,782	3,582 (5th)
2015-16	123,399	3,629 (4th)
2016-17	142,829	4,201 (3rd)
2017-18	144,723	4,257 (4th)
2018-19	116,511	3,427 (5th)
2019-20	107,042	3,345 (6th)*
2020-21	25,123	1,478 (3rd)**
2021-22	89,846	2,643 (5th)***
2022-23	100,536	2,957 (7th)
2023-24	93,850	2,760 (8th)

*Final two home games cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

**All 17 home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions

***Three home games played under COVID-19 capacity restrictions

The attendance numbers can't be good financially for the team and they certainly aren't fun for fans who sit in a building that is more than half empty most nights. Saint John is one of the few QMJHL teams that hasn't had the big bounce back from COVID.

Saint John finished eighth in QMJHL average attendance, the lowest the team has ever placed. The Charlottetown Islanders are slowly creepy up on them (2,680) which would have been unfathomable a decade ago.

Some numbers from the season that was

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It was a tale of two teams for the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2023-24.

The rebuilding Sea Dogs entered the Christmas break — and the trade period — with a respectable 13-15-3-2 record. They went 7-24-2-2 the rest of the way, with three of those victories coming in the month of March to clinch the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot.

The situation is what it is. The Sea Dogs dealt many of their top, older players for assets that should help the team contend in a few years. It's short-term pain (in theory) for long-term gain (in theory) and it's the plan the franchise has executed — mostly with success — time and time again.

Saint John struggled at both ends of the ice this year. The team allowed a league worst 35.56 shots against per game which led to the second most goals against per game (4.26). They also recorded the fourth fewest shots per game (27.08) which led to the third fewest goals per game (2.69).

Here's a look at some other team stats from the season that was.

• Saint John finished the regular season with a 20-39-5-4 record for 49 points, which is four fewer wins and five fewer points than they had last season.
• The Sea Dogs went 11-17-3-3 at home and 9-22-2-1 on the road. Only the Val-d'Or Foreurs had fewer home wins.
• Saint John finished ninth in penalty minutes per game (9.85). The league leader? The first-place Baie-Comeau Drakkar (12.03).
• The Sea Dogs went 1-4 in shootouts.
• Saint John was 13-7-4-0 when scoring first.
• The Sea Dogs against each division:
• Maritimes:14-24-2-4
• East: 2-4-2-0
• Central: 2-6-0-0
• West: 2-5-1-0
• The Sea Dogs had winning records against Bathurst (5-3-0-1), Val-d'Or (2-0-0-0) and, weirdly, Victoriaville (2-0-0-0).
• Saint John had the third worst power play (17.1%) and the worst home power play (14.8%). They also had the fourth worst penalty kill (74%) and second worst road penalty kill (70.7%).
• The team scored five shorthanded goals and allowed eight.
• Saint John was outscored a combined 82-56 in first periods, 96-58 in second periods and 106-68 in third periods.
• The Sea Dogs when leading after one? 10-4-2-0. When trailing after one? 2-27-2-1.
• Saint John had the longest road losing streak at 13 games. Although it officially won't count, they carry that streak into the playoffs.
• Saint John recorded 11 shots on March 9, which is officially a league low for a single game this year. That record is misleading though as this was the game where head coach Travis Crickard collapsed, leading to the cancellation of most of the third period.
• The Sea Dogs had just four fights this season according to HockeyFights.com.

Notebook: Veterans finish hot

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Veteran players carried the Saint John Sea Dogs in the last five games of the regular season.

Overage forwards Brody Fournier and Drew Elliott each had strong offensive outputs to end the year while Tyler Peddle turned it on as well. Here's what all three produced in Saint John's final five games.

Tyler Peddle: six goals and three assists

Drew Elliott: four goals and one assist

Brody Fournier: six goals and three assists

Fournier enters the playoffs with goals in five straight games.

The Sea Dogs won three of their final six games and lost another in a shootout to clinch a playoff spot. 20-year-old goaltender Patrick Leaver played the entirety of those games.

It's worth noting that Coen Miller had quite an end to his regular season as well, posting a goal and seven assists in his past five games.

HOME RECORD

After much talk about Saint John's home woes all year, the Sea Dogs finish the regular season with an 11-17-3-3 record at TD Station.

It's the sixth fewest wins the Sea Dogs have had on home ice in one season in team history. The record low is eight which was set in 2017-18 and the COVID year of 2020-21.

Only the last-place Val-d'Or Foreurs had fewer home wins than Saint John this season. Val-d'Or had a 10-21-3-0 record on home ice.

PLAYOFF FOES

The Sea Dogs will face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the playoffs for the first time.

With Drummondville crossed off the list, the only teams the Sea Dogs haven't faced in post-season play are the Sherbrooke Phoenix and Quebec Remparts. It's worth noting that Saint John has never played the Charlottetown Islanders either but did play the PEI Rocket twice.

Sea Dogs, Voltigeurs series begins Friday

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

For the first time, the Saint John Sea Dogs will face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the playoffs.

The Sea Dogs locked up the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot on Saturday, meaning they will crossover into the Western Conference and play the No. 1 seeded Voltigeurs. The series, which will be a 2-3-2 scheduling format, begins Friday at the Marcel Dionne Centre.

The series will shift to Saint John for Game 3. Here's a look at the full schedule.

Game 1: Friday, March 29 at Drummondville

Game 2: Saturday, March 30 at Drummondville

Game 3: Tuesday, April 2 at Saint John

Game 4: Wednesday, April 3 at Saint John

Game 5: Friday, April 5 at Saint John*

Game 6: Monday, April 8 at Drummondville*

Game 7: Tuesday, April 9 at Drummondville*

*if necessary

All games in Drummondville begin at 8 p.m. Atlantic. The games in Saint John begin at 7 p.m.

The Sea Dogs will be massive underdogs in this series. The Voltigeurs finished 53 points ahead of the Sea Dogs in the standings and are serious contenders to lift the Gilles Courteau Trophy in May. This will be an even tougher challenge than what Saint John faced last year when they took on the Gatineau Olympiques in the opening round — where the Sea Dogs did manage to win one game.

At minimum, this will give Saint John's rookies and younger players some insights into the level they'll need to reach to become a championship caliber team down the road.

Drummondville won both games in the season series, defeating Saint John 6-1 on Dec. 6 and 9-2 on Feb. 24.

There are a couple familiar names on the Voltigeurs. Noah Reinhart will make his return to TD Station while Sam Oliver will face his hometown team. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, feature former Voltigeurs Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott.

First round playoff matchups confirmed

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

With the regular season completed, the matchups for the first round of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs have been locked in.

Here's who will be facing who in the opening round.

Eastern Conference

1. Baie-Comeau vs 8. Charlottetown

2. Halifax vs 7. Bathurst

3. Moncton vs 6. Chicoutimi

4. Cape Breton vs 5. Rimouski

Western Conference

1. Drummondville vs 8. Saint John

2. Rouyn-Noranda vs 7. Gatineau

3. Victoriaville vs 6. Shawinigan

4. Sherbrooke vs 5. Blainville-Boisbriand

All eight series get rolling on Friday.

The first round of the QMJHL playoffs is often full of blowouts and sweeps — but there are at least a few series to keep an eye on. There's lots of intrigue around how Halifax and Moncton will perform in these playoffs given their hot-and-cold second halves. The Mooseheads really struggled against the Titan down the stretch while the Wildcats will be facing one of the league's hottest teams over the past couple months.

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar, with a 53-12-2-1 record for 109 points, were the regular season champions and will be the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs.

The only teams to miss the playoffs were the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Quebec Remparts. This is the first time the Remparts franchise has missed the playoffs since 1992-93 when they were the Beauport Harfangs.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-4

FINAL: Halifax 7, Saint John 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are heading to the playoffs.

The Sea Dogs secured the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot thanks to the Quebec Remparts falling 7-3 to the Rimouski Oceanic on Saturday. Saint John could have clinched the spot about an hour earlier but were unable to get a point in a 6-3 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads at TD Station.

Saint John will face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the opening round of the playoffs. That series will likely start on Friday in Drummondville. 

Markus Vidicek scored twice for Halifax while singles came from Mathieu Cataford, Dylan MacKinnon, Jan Sprynar, Jack Martin and Logan Crosby. Mathis Rousseau made 32 saves in the win. The Mooseheads once again sat out several regulars. 

Things were looking promising for Saint John in this one but the wheels fell off in a third period that saw the Mooseheads score five times. Brody Fournier scored twice for the Sea Dogs while Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott also converted. Patrick Leaver made 34 saves in the loss. 

The Mooseheads led 2-1 after the opening period thanks to a late goal from MacKinnon. Just 21 seconds into the second, Elliott got Saint John within one and then, at 1:24, Fournier scored to quickly put the Sea Dogs up 3-2.

It looked like the Mooseheads had tied the game on a point shot from MacKinnon that beat Leaver with 5:57 remaining. But after review, the goal was called off due to goaltender interference. Not long after that, it looked like Pavel Simek had scored on a power play to make it 4-2 Saint John. But after a lengthy offside review, that goal was called back as well.

Just 25 seconds into the third period and the Moose on a power play, Sprynar wired a shot from the circle past Leaver to tie things up at 3-3. Then at 5:35, Martin scored on a point shot to put Halifax back in front, 4-3.

With 5:27 remaining, Vidicek scored following a faceoff win. Just 16 seconds later, Crosby redirected a Martin point shot to quickly put Halifax up 6-3.

With Leaver pulled, Fournier scored his second of the game to make it 6-4 at 17:20. Vidicek secured the win with an empty netter at 18:38.

Final playoff spot will be locked in today

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will know later today if they've qualified for the QMJHL playoffs.

The Sea Dogs and Quebec Remparts remain in a fight for the 16th and final spot. Saint John has 49 points while Quebec has 48.

The Sea Dogs will host the Halifax Mooseheads at 4 p.m. at TD Station. Last night, Saint John scored four times in the first period en route to a 5-2 victory. The Remparts will host the Rimouski Oceanic at 5 p.m. at Videotron Centre. Last night in Rimouski, the Remparts, despite being outshot 54-14, almost pulled off an upset but lost 4-3 in overtime.

So what does this all mean for Saint John making the playoffs today? Here are the scenarios:

If Saint John wins (in regulation or extra time): the Remparts would not be able to catch the Sea Dogs, so Saint John would get in.

If Saint John loses in overtime or shootout: the Remparts would only be able to match the Sea Dogs in points. Saint John owns the tiebreaker (regulation wins plus overtime wins), so Saint John would get in.

If Saint John loses in regulation: the Sea Dogs will have to hope the Remparts lose (in either regulation or extra time — it doesn't matter) in order to make the playoffs.

In short: this should be a fun final day of the regular season.

The Mooseheads had several regulars out of their lineup last night due to injuries and also started backup goaltender Jack Milner. Saturday's game doesn't mean much for Halifax.

The Oceanic remain in a fight in the middle of the Eastern Conference for playoff positioning, so today's game does have some meaning.

It's also been confirmed that whoever grabs the final playoff spot — Saint John or Quebec — will face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the first round. The Voltigeurs clinched the top spot in the Western Conference on Friday, meaning they will take on the west's No. 8 seed in the opening round — which will be either the Sea Dogs or Remparts due to the crossover.

The Volts will be an extremely difficult first round opponent but the matchup does save some significant travel compared to playing the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-2

FINAL: Halifax 2, Saint John 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - It's going to come down to the final day of the regular season to determine who gets the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot.

The Saint John Sea Dogs picked up a huge 5-2 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday night at TD Station, pushing them to 49 points. The Quebec Remparts blew a lead and fell 4-3 in overtime to the Rimouski Oceanic, giving them 48 points.

The Remparts would have to pass the Sea Dogs in points in order to get the final playoff spot. If the two teams end tied in points, Saint John has the tiebreaker and gets in.

The Sea Dogs will face the Mooseheads on home ice on Saturday while the Remparts will host the Oceanic.

It was a bit of a wild game for the Sea Dogs on Friday, who went up against a Mooseheads a team that was without a number of players due to injuries, had two affiliate players to their lineup and started backup goaltender Jack Milner.

Saint John's veteran players came to play in this one — especially in the first period. Tyler Peddle scored twice while Eriks Mateiko, Brody Fournier and Drew Elliott also converted. Coen Miller had two assists. Patrick Leaver made 29 saves in the win.

Milner allowed four goals on 11 shots in the first period. Mathis Rousseau played the final two frames, allowing a goal on 15 shots.

Peddle scored on Saint John's first shot of the game just 36 seconds in and then Mateiko scored on the team's second shot 10 seconds later, quickly making it 2-0. Fournier made it 3-0 at 13:15 and then Peddle netted his second of the period in the final minute to give Saint John a commanding 4-0 advantage.

Liam Kilfoil got the Mooseheads on the board at 3:30 of the second, ripping his ninth of the season up high on Leaver while on a power play. Soon after Rousseau made a huge save on a penalty kill, Markus Vidicek scored at 12:22 on a breakaway to get Halifax within two.

The Mooseheads continued to press at times in the third period but it certainly wasn't an overwhelming push. With 2:57 remaining, a fumble by Rousseau and the Mooseheads defense in front of the crease allowed Elliott to poke home his 17th of the season, giving Saint John a 5-2 advantage.

Game Day 67 & 68: vs Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - The final weekend of the QMJHL's regular season begins tonight.

The Saint John Sea Dogs enter the weekend in a tie with the Quebec Remparts for the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot. Both teams have 47 points with two games remaining. Saint John does hold the tiebreaker and — if both teams end the weekend tied in points — would get the final playoff spot.

Saint John will host the Halifax Mooseheads tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. The Remparts, meanwhile, play a home-and-home with the Rimouski Oceanic.

The Mooseheads, despite surpassing the 40-win mark and winning the Maritimes Division title, have had an underwhelming second half. While this weekend set doesn't mean a whole lot for the Moose, they'd no doubt like to go into the playoffs on a strong note.

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

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-38-5-4 for 47 points (sixth Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Mooseheads are 41-17-7-1 for 90 points (first Maritimes/second Eastern/fourth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Moncton Wildcats last night. Coen Miller and Brody Fournier scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 43 saves in the loss. The Mooseheads are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats last Saturday. Jake Todd and Markus Vidicek scored for Halifax. Mathis Rousseau made 32 saves in the loss.

The final weekend is here

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - It all comes down to this.

After a wild Wednesday night, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Quebec Remparts still sit in a tie for the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot with two games to play. Saint John owns the tiebreaker (regulation wins plus overtime wins) so Quebec must earn more points in order to pass.

Both teams will play Friday and Saturday. The Sea Dogs will face the Halifax Mooseheads in back-to-back home games while the Remparts will take on the Rimouski Oceanic in a home-and-home.

The Sea Dogs are 2-3-1-0 against the Mooseheads this season while the Remparts are 0-5-1-0 against the Oceanic.

As has been brought up previously, the wildcard in this whole situation is what the Mooseheads and Oceanic do. Will either team decide to sit out some regulars — especially on Saturday? That seems unlikely for the Oceanic given that they are in a battle for seeding, but we'll see how things play out.

Whoever grabs the the final playoff spot will have a major challenge in the first round. That team will crossover to the Western Conference and become the No. 8 seed where they'll face either the Drummondville Voltigeurs or Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Some other stuff...

• This weekend, former Sea Dogs forward Peter Reynolds, one of the few players from Saint John's 2022 Memorial Cup championship team still playing in the QMJHL, will visit TD Station for the first time since being traded to the Mooseheads.
• Sportsnet's Jeff Marek reports that Gardiner MacDougall may be Team Canada's head coach at the upcoming IIHF Under-18 World Championship, which begins in late April in Finland.
• Joshua Roy was injured in Tuesday's Montreal Canadiens game and is out indefinitely. The former Sea Dogs forward has four goals and five assists in 23 NHL games this season.
• Former Gatineau Olympiques forward Zach Dean made his NHL debut on Thursday night for the St. Louis Blues.
• Mentioned Justin Hryckowian, an 11th-round pick of Saint John in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, the other day. The Northeastern University captain has signed an entry-level deal with the Dallas Stars.

We have signed Justin Hryckowian to a two-year entry-level contract beginning in the 2024-25 season.

Welcome to #TexasHockey, Justin! 🤠

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 20, 2024

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2 (SO)

FINAL: Moncton 3, Saint John 2 (SO)

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - After a wild Wednesday night, the Saint John Sea Dogs remain ahead of the Quebec Remparts in the race for the QMJHL's final playoff spot — but by the slimmest of margins.

Both the Sea Dogs and Remparts lost in shootouts on Wednesday, meaning both teams have 47 points with two games remaining. The Sea Dogs hold the first tiebreaker. The only way for Quebec to pass Saint John is by having more points.

The Sea Dogs were oh so close to a regulation time win before falling in a six-round shootout to the Moncton Wildcats at TD Station. Shawn Carrier scored the winner in the sixth round to give Moncton a 3-2 victory.

Miles Mueller tied the game with 14.6 seconds remaining in regulation time to send the match into overtime. The goal came on a big scramble in the crease where Patrick Leaver was unable to freeze the puck, allowing it to be poked loose.

Miles forces overtime.
🚨 Miles Müller
🍎 Lounsbury, Morin
19:45, Prd 3

MON 2 // SNB 2#DefendTheDen https://t.co/EuO7h3PjEv pic.twitter.com/mYAHlCoF37

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) March 21, 2024

Mueller's game-tying goal came not long after Brody Fournier gave the Sea Dogs a 2-1 lead at 18:07, a goal that came just after Saint John killed off a third penalty against the QMJHL's top power play unit.

The Sea Dogs played a fairly solid game against the Wildcats and were certainly worthy of a point — and perhaps more. The Wildcats, despite outshooting the Sea Dogs 45-29, were no doubt hoping for a better performance following a 3-1 home loss to the Cape Breton Eagles on Sunday.

Coen Miller also scored for Saint John, which came on the team's first shot on goal just 1:22 in. Leaver had another strong performance in net and made 43 saves in the loss.
 

Caleb Desnoyers scored Moncton's other goal which came just 46 seconds in (and was Moncton's first shot). Jacob Steinman made 27 stops in the win.

Game Day 66: vs Wildcats

SAINT JOHN - And then there were three for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs will conclude the regular season with three straight home games, a stretch that begins tonight against the Moncton Wildcats. Game time is 7 p.m. at TD Station.

Saint John is coming off one of their biggest wins of the season on Sunday, posting an 8-4 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders. The win pushed the Sea Dogs back into the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot.

The Sea Dogs will also be doing some scoreboard watching tonight. Both Saint John and the Quebec Remparts have 46 points but the Dogs own the tiebreaker. The Remparts host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada tonight at 8 p.m. Atlantic.

Stakes 📈
Ticket price 📉

Take advantage of $15 adult tickets and BOGO hot dogs for Wednesday's game as we continue the playoff push against the Wildcats!

Purchase online at https://t.co/LvsBJIcMkg or visit the TD Station box office.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/tFMiphtg7x

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) March 19, 2024

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

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 19-38-5-3 for 46 points (sixth Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 36-22-4-3 for 79 points (second Maritimes/third Eastern/sixth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-4 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday. Drew Elliott and Tyler Peddle each scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Nico Laforge, Brody Fournier, Jacob Beaulieu and Matteo Mann. Patrick Leaver made 41 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Cape Breton Eagles on Sunday. Etienne Morin scored Moncton's lone goal. Keegan Warren made 32 stops in the loss.

Notebook: What a weekend for NB hockey

Maine Black Bears

It was quite the weekend for New Brunswick hockey.

Not only did the UNB Reds win a 10th University Cup title, but the Maine Black Bears — who have been led by three New Brunswickers all season long — have advanced to the Hockey East semifinals this Friday at Boston's TD Garden.

On the strength of two goals each from brothers Bradly and Josh Nadeau of Saint-François de Madawaska, the Black Bears shutout the rival UNH Wildcats 5-0 in quarterfinal play on Saturday.

Bradly, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, has posted 19 goals and 26 assists in 35 games to lead the Blacks Bears in scoring while Josh has 18 goals and 27 assists to place second. Lynden Breen of Grand Bay-Westfield, a draft pick of Saint John in 2017, is third in team scoring with eight goals and 21 assists.

Maine, ranked No. 7 nationally, will face No. 2 Boston University in the semifinals with the winner playing in Saturday's Hockey East championship against Boston College or UMass. No matter the result this weekend, Maine is a lock to advance to NCAA hockey's version of the sweet 16, which will determine who makes the Frozen Four.

CRICKARD COULD RETURN

Kevin Barrett of Postmedia reports that Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard could be back behind the bench on Wednesday at TD Station.

Travis Crickard head coach of the @SJSeaDogs is hoping to return behind the bench Wed against @monctonwildcats. He was cleared to return to work after collapsing during March 9 game in Sydney vs @CBEHockey. Will visit doctors again Wed for final confirmation before the game.

— Kevin Barrett (@KevinBarrettNB) March 19, 2024

Crickard hasn't been coaching since he suffered a medical emergency in the third period of Saint John's game on March 9 in Sydney. Jeff Hansen has acted as the team's head coach in the games since.

The QMJHL has confirmed that the third period of the March 9 game will not be played. The game is officially official, going down as a 6-0 Cape Breton Eagles win.

Three games to go in playoff race

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It's shaping up to be quite a finish for the QMJHL's final playoff spot.

With three regular season games remaining, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Quebec Remparts are in a race for the 16th and final playoff position. Both teams have 46 points but Saint John owns the tiebreaker, meaning if the regular season ended right now, the Sea Dogs would get in.

Here's the upcoming schedule for both clubs and their record this season against each opponent.

Saint John: Wednesday vs Moncton (1-7-0-0), Friday vs Halifax (2-3-1-0), Saturday vs Halifax (2-3-1-0)

Quebec: Wednesday vs Blainville-Boisbriand (1-2-0-0), Friday at Rimouski (0-5-1-0), Saturday vs Rimouski (0-5-1-0)

Again, both teams have 46 points and Quebec can't catch Saint John in the tiebreaker (regulation wins plus overtime wins, which are 18-14 in favour of the Sea Dogs). So Saint John just needs to match Quebec in points to get in.

How will this all shake down? Quebec's game on Wednesday feels like the Remparts' best chance to earn a point a two. They're winless against the Oceanic this season and Rimouski is still fighting for playoff positioning in the middle of the Eastern Conference. Both weekend games could have meaning for Rimouski.

The biggest wildcard for Saint John is what the Halifax Mooseheads opt to do on the weekend. The Moose already know their first playoff opponent (Bathurst) and the weekend games could mean very little to nothing for them. Will they opt to rest some regulars? That could open the door for Saint John if they're in need of a point or two.

UNB completes undefeated season with University Cup title

CBC Sports

The UNB Reds completed a dominant, undefeated season with a national championship on Sunday.

UNB defeated the UQTR Patriotes 4-0 in the championship game of the 2024 University Cup at Toronto's Mattamy Athletic Centre. It's the second straight national title for the Reds and the 10th in school history.

There's no question that this year's UNB team will go down as one of the greatest university teams of all-time. The Reds went 30-0 in regular season play, swept their way through the Atlantic University Sport playoffs and then went 3-0 at nationals. To add to the dominance, they didn't allow a single goal at the University Cup, outscoring opponents 15-0 over three games.

UNB COMPLETES THEIR PERFECT SEASON WITH A NATIONAL TITLE 🇨🇦🏆@UNBMHockey defeats @PatriotesUQTR 4-0 to win the @USPORTSca men's hockey national championship @USPORTS_Hockey 🏒 pic.twitter.com/pwmTCZVB5q

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) March 17, 2024

UNB has not lost a game — exhibition, regular season or playoff — in over a calendar year.

The Reds include former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum, forward Nick Blagden and, of course, head coach Gardiner MacDougall, who once again proved to be the master of the short tournament.

MacDougall has been behind the bench for nine of UNB's 10 national championships. Former Sea Dogs head coach Mike Kelly led UNB to their first national title in 1998.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 8-4

FINAL: Charlottetown 4, Saint John 8

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs moved back into a playoff spot on Sunday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs made the most of their scoring chances in an 8-4 win over the Charlottetown Islanders. The victory gives Saint John 46 points on the season and moves them into a tie with the Quebec Remparts for the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot — but Saint John owns the first tiebreaker.

Shots in the game were 45-24 and the Sea Dogs weathered a few storms from the Islanders in the win. Patrick Leaver, who also started Saturday night's game in Charlottetown, once again made some key stops in the victory.

Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott each scored a pair of goals for Saint John while singles came from Nico Laforge, Brody Fournier, Jacob Beaulieu and Matteo Mann. The Sea Dogs, who were without Eriks Mateiko again, finally got their secondary scoring rolling.

Simon Hughes, Ross Campbell and Kyle Powers scored for Charlottetown. Carter Bickle was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on 11 shots. Aksels Ozols allowed three goals on 12 shots in relief.

The Sea Dogs led 2-0 after one despite getting outshot 17-7. Laforge scored a weird goal from the corner that fooled Bickle and then, with 32 seconds remaining, Fournier scored on an odd man rush while shorthanded.

Saint John continued to make the most of their opportunities in the second period. Beaulieu made it 3-0 at 10:37 and then, just 11 seconds later, Elliott scored following a turnover behind the Charlottetown net to chase Bickle from the game.

Ozols, who played in Saturday's Islanders win over the Sea Dogs, didn't fare much better in net. At 14:55, Peddle entered the zone, kept the puck and slid a backhand shot under the Charlottetown netminder to make it 5-0 Saint John.

Hughes got the Islanders on the board at 16:28 of the second and then the Islanders scored two quick goals in the third to make it a 5-3 game. At 5:08 of the third, Peddle ripped a shot over the shoulder of Ozols to stop some of the Charlottetown momentum and give Saint John a three-goal lead again.

After exchanging power play goals to make it 7-4, the Islanders pulled their netminder with over six minutes remaining. Elliott finally found the empty net at 16:23, making it an 8-4 final.

Game Day 65: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs will once again try and sneak back into a playoff spot today.

The Quebec Remparts, who currently own the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot, lost 5-0 to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar yesterday. A win by the Sea Dogs this afternoon would push them into a tie with the Remparts with 46 points. Saint John currently holds the tiebreaker, which would push them into 16th.

Following today's action, both the Sea Dogs and Remparts will have three regular season games remaining.

Saint John will face the Charlottetown Islanders today at 3 p.m. at TD Station. The two met last night at Eastlink Centre in a game that the Isles controlled for the most part — but there were some glimpses from Saint John. We'll see what they can do in this one.

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

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 18-38-5-3 for 44 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 25-32-5-2 for 57 points (fifth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs and Islanders met last night in Charlottetown where the Isles won 6-2. Cole Huckins, William Shields, Ross Campbell, Simon Hughes, Matthew Butler and Alexis Michaud all scored for Charlottetown. Tyler Peddle and Brody Fournier scored for Saint John. Aksels Ozols made 23 saves in the win. Patrick Leaver made 38 stops in the loss.

UNB, UQTR advance to gold medal game

Curtis Martin/TMU Bold Athletics

It'll be a classic gold medal matchup between university hockey powerhouses at the 2024 University Cup.

The No.1 seeded UNB Reds and the No. 2 seeded UQTR Patriotes will meet at 6 p.m. Atlantic in the national championship game in Toronto. UNB won last year's University Cup title while UQTR won in 2022.

The Reds will be looking for their 10th national championship while the Patriotes will be looking for their sixth.

The game can be streamed on CBC Gem.

NEW: UNB has been great before, but they're setting a new standard in 2024.

After today's 7-0 win v TMU, they're just a game away from perfection.

With 100 practices and lessons learned, they might just be the best-ever U SPORTS MHKY team.

My latest:https://t.co/zDH8qJ4hZI

— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) March 16, 2024

After going 30-0 in regular season play and sweeping their way through the Atlantic University Sport playoffs, it's been a smooth ride at nationals for the Reds. UNB beat Brock 4-0 in Thursday's quarterfinal and then hammered the host TMU Bold 7-0 in Saturday afternoon's semifinal.

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum had a goal in UNB's win over TMU. The Reds also feature former Sea Dogs forward Nick Blagden and head coach Gardiner MacDougall.

MHKY: @UNBMHockey goes up 2-0 on @tmubold on a goal by Kale McCallum at 6:58 of the opening period.#goredsgo
pic.twitter.com/67g4QLju6U

— UNB Reds (@UNBAthletics) March 16, 2024

A win by UNB on Sunday — which would complete the perfect season — would certainly put this year's team in the conversation (if they're not there already) for the best in U Sports history.

UQTR, this year's OUA champions, beat UdeM 5-1 in the quarterfinals and then edged McGill 5-4 in a close semifinal contest. 

Sunday morning/afternoon's bronze medal game will feature former Sea Dogs William Poirier and McGill taking on Kevin Gursoy and TMU.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Charlottetown 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up short in their final road game of the regular season.

The Charlottetown Islanders had points from 10 different players in a 6-2 victory over the Sea Dogs on Saturday at Eastlink Centre. The loss was Saint John's 13th straight defeat away from TD Station.

The story was similar to a lot of road games for Saint John: they got behind early and couldn't generate enough quality scoring chances to get back in it. The Sea Dogs got within two goals late in the second period but that would be as close as they would come.

Cole Huckins, William Shields, Ross Campbell, Simon Hughes, Matthew Butler and Alexis Michaud all scored for Charlottetown. Aksels Ozols made 23 saves in the win.

Tyler Peddle and Brody Fournier scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 38 stops in the loss.

Like in many of their recent road matches, the Sea Dogs had a rough first period, trailing 3-0 and getting outshot 14-9. 

Saint John got on the board at 5:54 of the second period when Peddle scored. But the momentum was short lived with Hughes converting just 18 seconds later. The Sea Dogs did have some offensive pressure applied late in the period and were rewarded with a Fournier goal with 38 seconds remaining.

The Sea Dogs struggled to generate great chances in the third period, getting outshot 16-5 in the final frame. Butler added some insurance at 9:22 to make it 5-2 and Michaud secured the win with an empty net goal in the final minute.

Game Day 64: at Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs could move back into a playoff spot with a win tonight.

The Sea Dogs, coming off a 2-1 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Thursday, are two points back of the Quebec Remparts for the 16th and final playoff spot. The Remparts lost last night in Chicoutimi and play today against the league-leading Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

If the Remparts lose today and the Sea Dogs win, Saint John would move back into 16th as they hold the tie-breaker.

Saint John ended an eight-game losing streak on Thursday thanks to two third period goals and a strong goaltending performance from Patrick Leaver.

Game time tonight at Eastlink Centre is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 18-37-5-3 for 44 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Islanders are 24-32-5-2 for 55 points (fifth Maritimes/eighth Eastern/15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Thursday. Pavel Simek and Drew Elliott scored for Saint John. Patrick Leaver made 31 saves in the win. The Islanders are coming off a 4-2 loss in Halifax on Thursday. Will Allen and Cole Huckins had Charlottetown goals. Carter Bickle made 29 saves in the loss.

Reds advance to University Cup semis

Toronto Metropolitan University Athletics

HALIFAX - The UNB Reds will face the host TMU Bold on semifinal Saturday at the 2024 University Cup in Toronto.

The top seeded Reds were dominant in a 4-0 win over the No. 8 seeded Brock Badgers on Thursday afternoon. Benjamin Corbeil led the way with two goals and an assist while Samuel Richard earned the shutout. Shots were 38-9 in favour of UNB.

The Reds feature former Sea Dogs defenseman Kale McCallum, forward Nick Blagden and coach Gardiner MacDougall.

The Badgers roster included former Sea Dogs defenseman Olivier Desroches. 

The Bold, who feature former Sea Dogs forward Kevin Gursoy, needed double overtime to defeat the Calgary Dinos 2-1 in their quarterfinal on Thursday.

UNB and TMU will meet at 2 p.m. Atlantic on Saturday.

Saturday night's semifinal will feature the UQTR Patriotes taking on the McGill Redbirds. UQTR advanced by beating Jeremie Jacob and the UdeM Aigles Bleus 5-1 in the quarterfinals while William Poirier and McGill upset the UBC Thunderbirds 3-2.

The bronze and gold medal games take place Sunday.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 2-1

FINAL: Bathurst 1, Saint John 2

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs picked up a huge win on Thursday night at TD Station, ending an eight-game losing streak in the process.

Pavel Simek scored just 16 seconds into the third period to help the Sea Dogs to a 2-1 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The win pushes the Sea Dogs to within two points of the Quebec Remparts who currently own the QMJHL's 16th and final playoff spot.

It was a fairly uneventful game until the third period with neither generating many quality scoring chances. Simek opened the scoring early in the frame and the Sea Dogs had several other good chances to add to their lead.

Drew Elliott scored what looked like an empty netter insurance goal with 1:13 remaining. But the Titan got some life when Matthew McRae scored with 35 seconds remaining. The Titan pressed in the final seconds but could not beat Patrick Leaver.

Leaver made 31 stops and came oh so close to earning a shutout win.

Joshua Fleming made 23 stops in the loss.

Game Day 63: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are back on home ice tonight.

For the first time since March 1, the Sea Dogs will take to the ice at TD Station as they face Gordie Dwyer and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for the final time this season.

Saint John has six regular season games remaining and five will be at home — which may or may not be a good thing. The Sea Dogs have the league's worst record at 8-16-3-2.

The Sea Dogs, losers of eight straight, enter play four points back of the Quebec Remparts for the 16th and final playoff spot. The Remparts played last night (losing in Baie-Comeau) so the Sea Dogs have one game in-hand.

Game time tonight is 7 p.m.

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

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 17-37-5-3 for 42 points (sixth Maritimes/10th Eastern/17th QMJHL) while the Titan are 29-27-3-4 for 65 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/11th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-0 loss in Cape Breton on Saturday, a game that ended early in the third period after head coach Travis Crickard collapsed on the bench. Patrick Leaver made 22 saves in the loss. The Titan are coming off a 5-2 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday. Dylan Andrews scored a pair of goals for Bathurst while singles came from Matthew McRae, Bobby Orr and Milo Roelens. Antoine Keller made 16 saves in the win.

McCallum, MacDougall win national awards ahead of University Cup start

James West/UNB Reds

Former Saint John Sea Dog Kale McCallum has been named the U Sports men's hockey defenseman of the year.

McCallum was announced as this year's award winner on Wednesday morning in Toronto. McCallum and the UNB Reds begin the University Cup national championship tournament on Thursday afternoon.

“It’s an honour, but it’s a team award,” said McCallum, via the Reds website. “We’re the number one team in the country for a reason. There’s a lot of people behind us, trying to help us get there, so it’s a team award.”

McCallum, 22 and in his second season with the Reds, had quite the year on the backend, posting an impressive 11 goals and 31 assists in 30 regular season Atlantic University Sport games. He added two goals and two assists in five playoff matches, helping UNB win yet another AUS title.

McCallum spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs before joining the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall, meanwhile, was named the U Sports men's hockey coach of the year for a third time in his career. After a 30-0 regular season and perfect playoff run, there was really no other option but to award MacDougall with the honour.

MacDougall guided the Sea Dogs to the 2022 Memorial Cup on home ice.

The No. 1 seeded Reds begin the University Cup at 2 p.m. on Thursday when they face the No. 8 seeded Brock Badgers. 

Mateiko named Sea Dogs' MVP

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Eriks Mateiko was the big winner at the 2024 Saint John Sea Dogs Awards Banquet, which was held Tuesday evening.

Mateiko was, unsurprisingly, named the team's most valuable player along with picking up the awards for top scorer, team player and top defensive award.

Overage goaltender Patrick Leaver, meanwhile, won two awards, taking home the three stars and players choice trophies.

Here's the full list of winners:

Top Scorer: Eriks Mateiko

Rookie of the Year: Justin Robinson

Community Service: Nico Laforge

Three Stars: Patrick Leaver

Players Choice: Patrick Leaver

Academic Award: Jacob Beaulieu

Team Player: Eriks Mateiko

Fan Choice Award: Drew Elliott

Top Defensive Forward: Eriks Mateiko

Most Improved Player: Benjamin Amyot

Top Defenseman: Nate Tivey

Most Valuable Player: Eriks Mateiko

Mateiko only took home one award at last year's event: most improved player. Mateiko and Nico Laforge are the only winners from last year's awards still with the team.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Thursday when they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 7 p.m.

Remparts pull ahead in playoff race

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

With six games remaining, the Saint John Sea Dogs' playoff hopes are starting to fade.

The Sea Dogs sit 17th overall in the QMJHL standings and are four points behind the Quebec Remparts, who posted back-to-back shootout wins over the Gatineau Olympiques on the weekend. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, dropped back-to-back games in Cape Breton.

The top 16 teams in the QMJHL's regular season standings qualify for the post-season. The 16th spot is the only playoff spot remaining.

The Sea Dogs currently own the first tiebreaker over the Remparts. Erasing a four-point deficit isn't impossible. But the Sea Dogs, to put it simply, need to win some games. And they'll also need the Remparts to go cold(er) over the next couple weeks.

Here's a look at the remaining schedules for both teams:

Saint John: vs Bathurst, at Charlottetown, vs Charlottetown, vs Moncton, vs Halifax, vs Halifax

Quebec: at Baie-Comeau, at Chicoutimi, vs Baie-Comeau, vs Blainville-Boisbriand, at Rimouski, vs Rimouski

Neither team has the easiest of schedules down the stretch here. One wildcard scenario is the possibility of opposing teams not dressing their top players in season finales.

The Sea Dogs have lost eight straight games. They also own the QMJHL's worst home record (8-16-3-2) — and will play five of their six remaining games at TD Station.

The Val-d'Or Foreurs, who have lost nine straight games, are technically still alive, but sit seven points back of Saint John.

An update on Travis Crickard

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS — The Saint John Sea Dogs have provided an update on head coach Travis Crickard, who collapsed on the team's bench early in the third period on Saturday in Cape Breton.

From the team:

In the third period of last night’s game in Sydney, Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard experienced a medical emergency and was transported to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital for further evaluation.

Travis was released from hospital this morning and is on his way home to his family in Saint John. What happened last night was scary and the outpouring of support and concern for Travis has meant a lot to him and the team.

He and the team would like to thank those at Centre 200 who responded so quickly, and the emergency medical professionals, led by Dr. RJ Mackenzie, who tended to him.

Play was halted 54 seconds into the third period due to the medical emergency. Both teams were sent to their dressing rooms soon after and, with the Eagles leading 6-0, the game was declared a final and will not be continued at a later time.

Crickard was stretchered out and was reportedly awake and conscious en route to hospital. He was released from hospital early Sunday morning.

Crickard, 37, is in his second season as head coach of the Sea Dogs.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-0

FINAL: Saint John 0, Cape Breton 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS - Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs game ended abruptly in the third period due to a medical emergency on the team's bench.

54 seconds into the third period at Centre 200 and the Cape Breton Eagles leading 6-0, play was halted and the Sea Dogs bench cleared out. The situation involved Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard, who reportedly collapsed on the team's bench.

Both teams were sent to the dressing room as medical staff attended to Crickard, who was eventually taken out on a stretcher and sent to hospital. According to reports, Crickard was conscious and in stable condition.

This post will be updated with further info as it comes in.

The medical emergency rightfully took precedence over what was another rough outing on the ice for the Sea Dogs. Cape Breton scored twice in the opening 10 minutes and outshot Saint John 15-4 in the opening frame. The Eagles followed that up by scoring four times in the middle frame.

Cam Squires netted a pair of goals for the Eagles while singles came from Olivier Houde, Jacob Newcombe, Cam MacDonald and Luke Patterson. Nicolas Ruccia made 11 saves in the win.

Patrick Leaver made 22 stops in the loss. The Sea Dogs, who registered just six dangerous shots through two periods, were without leading scorer Eriks Mateiko due to injury.

This weekend's back-to-back losses were significant for Saint John. The Quebec Remparts picked up four points by defeating the Gatineau Olympiques in back-to-back shootouts. With six games remaining for both clubs, the Remparts now own the 16th and final playoff spot and have a four-point lead on the Sea Dogs.

Sea Dogs game ends due to medical emergency

CHLTV

SYDNEY, NS — Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs game was halted in the third period due to a medical emergency on the team's bench.

The situation happened 54 seconds into the third period with the Cape Breton Eagles leading 6-0. Play was whistled and Sea Dogs players immediately left the bench to make room for trainers and doctors.

⚠️ Due to a medical emergency, tonight’s game between the @SJSeaDogs and @CBEHockey has been suspended. More details to follow. #QMJHL

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 10, 2024

Both teams were sent to their dressing rooms soon after.

Medical staff were working on the team's bench for quite awhile. There has not been official confirmation by the team or league, but reports from Sydney are that the situation involved Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard.

Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard was conscious and en route to hospital after collapsing behind the bench in tonight's QMJHL game in Cape Breton. The game was called a final with 19:06 remaining in the 3rd period with Cape Breton leading 6-0.

— Kevin Barrett (@KevinBarrettNB) March 10, 2024

Being told the individual from the Sea Dogs has been taken to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and is in stable condition. #qmjhl #lhjmq

— Jeremy Fraser (@CBPost_Jeremy) March 10, 2024

An announcement was made in the building that the game was called. The score is final and the third period will not be played at a later time.

UPDATE: The Cape Breton Post reports that Crickard has been released from hospital.

Some good news this morning, Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard has been released from hospital.

— Jeremy Fraser (@CBPost_Jeremy) March 10, 2024

We'll update this post as more information comes in...