Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Bathurst 5

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs are entering 2025 on a five-game road losing streak.

The Sea Dogs dropped a fifth straight game away from home on Tuesday afternoon at the KC Irving Regional Centre, falling 5-2 to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. It was the final regular season meeting in history between the provincial rivals.

The Sea Dogs entered the third down 3-1 and got within one when Dylan Rozzi scored on a power play at 15:46. Momentum continued to shift in Saint John's favour when they headed back to the man advantage at 16:28. But the tides turned when Mathieu St-Onge beat Nicolas Bilodeau one-on-one and flicked the puck past Justin Robinson at 16:44, making it 4-2 Titan with the shorthanded marker.

Bathurst entered the game with a league leading 10 shorthanded goals.

Tyson Goguen secured the win with an empty net goal at 18:28.

Liam Arsenault, Louis-Francois Belanger and Alexandre Lallier also scored for Bathurst. Joshua Fleming made 31 stops in the win.

Olivier Groulx had Saint John's other goal. Robinson, making a second straight start with Charles-Edward Gravel still out of the lineup, made 31 saves in the loss.

The loss drops the Sea Dogs to 16-18-0-0 overall and 6-11-0-0 on the road.

Game Day 34: One last time at Bathurst

BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadie-Bathurst Titan first met on Aug. 19, 2005 in a pre-season game at TD Station. The Sea Dogs won that game – their first ever pre-season match – by a score of 7-2.

Today, Dec. 31, 2024, the two provincial rivals meet for potentially the last time. This afternoon's contest is the final meeting of the regular season between Saint John and Bathurst as it's been confirmed that the Titan will relocate to St. John's for 2025-26.

There is a chance the two could meet in the playoffs. But today's game will be the final guaranteed meeting.

Game time is 2 p.m. at the KC Irving Regional Centre for this New Year's Eve matinee.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 16-17-0-0 for 32 points (fourth Maritimes/seventh Eastern/12th QMJHL) while the Titan are 19-11-1-1 for 40 points (second Maritimes/fourth Eastern/seventh QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-2 loss in Moncton on Saturday. Dylan Rozzi and Nicolas Bilodeau both scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 41 stops in the loss. The Titan are coming off a 6-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. Alexandre Lallier scored twice for Bathurst while singles came from Noah Laberge, Mathieu St-Onge, Dawson Sharkey and Louis-Francois Belanger. Joshua Fleming made 32 stops in the win. 

Mateiko, Latvia secure quarterfinal spot

Embed from Getty Images 

Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko scored twice to help Latvia secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Mateiko netted two goals – including the overtime winner – in Latvia's 4-3 win over Germany on Monday at the Canadian Tire Centre. Latvia needed just a single point to secure a spot in the quarters, which take place Thursday. This is the first time Latvia has won two games at a world junior.

The Latvians trailed 2-0 in the second period until Mateiko got them on the board with his second goal of the tournament.

🚨Eriks Mateiko gets Latvia back within one! 🙌#GERLAT #WorldJuniors #IIHF @lhf_lv pic.twitter.com/XXU1CDRfFV

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 30, 2024

Latvia only needed to take the game to overtime to secure a spot in the quarters and send Germany to the relegation game. 3:23 into the extra frame, Mateiko netted the winner for good measure.

LATVIA WINS IT IN OVERTIME 🇱🇻

Who else but Eriks Mateiko, the OT hero! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/UnukGxpWaz

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 30, 2024

Mateiko played 19:09, finishing with four shots and a +2 rating.

Latvia will play their final game of the preliminary round on Tuesday against Finland at 3:30 p.m. Atlantic. They could still inch their way up the Pool A standings depending on other results.

Former Sea Dogs forward Pavel Simek and Czechia are also in action on Tuesday, facing Sweden at 6 p.m. Atlantic.

At the Spengler Cup on Monday, Gerard Gallant, Mike Kelly and Team Canada fell 4-2 to the Straubing Tigers in semifinal play. The Tigers will face HC Fribourg-Gottéron in Tuesday's final.

Sea Dogs sign Forlin; two reassigned

Ed McPherson / OJHL Images

It's been a busy 24 hours for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

After announcing defensemen Cruz Scanzano is no longer with the team, the Sea Dogs announced Tuesday the signing of 18-year-old forward Parker Forlin while forwards Florian Schenk and Coen Miller have both been reassigned.

Florin, a free agent from Ontario, leaves the Niagara Falls Canucks sitting third in OJHL scoring with 29 goals and 56 points in 32 games. He scored hat tricks in two of his final three games with the Canucks.

"We are really excited to announce the addition of Parker to our team," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. "Although he is known as a prolific scorer in other junior leagues, he comes with a high level of humility and hunger to get better everyday as a member of the Sea Dogs."

The Sea Dogs could certainly use an offensive boost, especially with captain Eriks Mateiko expected to be dealt before the QMJHL's trade deadline Jan. 6 deadline. Saint John is currently averaging 2.80 goals per game, the fifth fewest in the league.

Florin, listed at just 5'08" and 160 lbs, was a fourth-round pick of the Barrie Colts in 2022 but has never appeared in an OHL game. He played with Team East at this year's World Junior A Challenge where he recorded a goal and an assist in five games.

Named the OJHL Scholastic Player of the Year in April, it sounds like Forlin could be on the NCAA radar.

Florin is already listed on Saint John's roster wearing No. 90.

Big Latvia game Monday; Simek scores in debut

IIHF

After opening the IIHF World Junior Championship with a stunning upset win over Canada, Eriks Mateiko and Latvia were brought back down to reality on Saturday with a 5-1 loss to the United States.

The Latvians outshot the Americans 8-7 in the first period and trailed just 1-0 entering the second. But the underdogs could only contain the powerful United States offense for so long, allowing three goals in the middle frame and 34 shots against in the final 40 minutes.

Latvia is now 1-1 heading into their Monday showdown against Germany, which will be a pivotal game in determining who advances to the quarterfinals and who is forced into the relegation round. Game time is 4:30 p.m. Atlantic at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Mateiko, who scored in regulation time and the shootout on Friday against Canada, had one shot on goal and finished a -1 in 17:09 of ice time in the loss to the Americans.

The Saint John Sea Dogs captain is no longer the only player with a Sea Dog connection playing in this year's tournament. After being named to Czechia's preliminary roster but left off the team's submitted roster, former Sea Dogs forward Pavel Simek has officially been added to the lineup.

Simek, who is now a member of the Rimouski Oceanic, made his world junior debut on Sunday, scoring in the opening period of Czechia's 4-2 win over Slovakia.

Pavel Simek with a nifty move to give Czechia a 2-0 lead!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/J0Yov2lYpp

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 29, 2024

Simek played just 2:16 in Sunday's game. His goal was his only shot on net.

Czechia's next game is New Year's Eve against Sweden.

Scanzano no longer with Sea Dogs

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Rookie defenseman Cruz Scanzano is no longer on the Saint John Sea Dogs' active roster, the team announced late Sunday.

Scanzano "left the team to pursue other opportunities," the Sea Dogs posted on social media. It's expected he'll play the remainder of the season in the BCHL.

ROSTER UPDATE 🔁

Defenceman Cruz Scanzano has left the team to pursue other opportunities.#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/MEtygCjzwz

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) December 30, 2024

Scanzano was a second-round pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. He spent last season with the Lac St-Louis Lions where he was teammates with Dylan Rozzi and William Yared.

The Montreal native has appeared in just 13 games with the Sea Dogs, registering two assists. Foot speed – he's listed at 6'02" and 210 lbs – and discipline were issues as the big defenseman was listed as a healthy scratch for long stretches. The argument could have certainly been made that he needed more seasoning before making the jump to the QMJHL.

Scanzano appeared in five games with team in December (including Saturday's in Moncton) as injuries on the backend piled up. He showed signs of improvement and took just one minor penalty during that stretch.

The Sea Dogs have dropped two defensemen over the past couple weeks. Along with the Scanzano move, Giuliano Caputo was reassigned to the QJHL.

Saint John was without regular defensemen Matthew MacLean and Olivier Duhamel on Saturday due to injuries. Affiliates Julien Bonnet and Joshua Henry both slid into the lineup.

The QMJHL's holiday trade period ends Monday, Jan. 6.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Tuesday when they visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 2 p.m.

Notebook: Sea Dogs on NYE stage

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs will visit the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Tuesday. It will be the 14th time the Sea Dogs have played on New Year's Eve and the first (and only/last) time they've played this game at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

The Sea Dogs are 6-7-0-0 all-time on New Year's Eve.

2005-06: No game

2006-07: No game

2007-08: No game

2008-09: 3-2 loss vs Moncton

2009-10: 4-3 shootout win at Moncton

2010-11: 4-0 win vs Moncton

2011-12: 5-2 loss at Moncton

2012-13: 3-1 win vs Moncton

2013-14: No game

2014-15: 6-3 win vs Cape Breton

2015-16: 3-2 win vs Charlottetown

2016-17: 7-5 loss vs Bathurst

2017-18: 5-1 loss at Moncton

2018-19: 4-1 loss vs Charlottetown

2019-20: 6-4 win at Halifax

2020-21: No game

2021-22: No game

2022-23: 4-1 loss vs Moncton

2023-24: 4-2 loss vs Bathurst

The Sea Dogs have played the Wildcats seven times on New Year's Eve; Bathurst twice; Charlottetown twice; Cape Breton once; and Halifax once.

ON THE ROAD

The Sea Dogs will play their first four games of the second half on the road.

Saint John resumed play on Saturday, visiting the Moncton Wildcats. They'll travel to Bathurst on Tuesday before visiting the Charlottetown Islanders for back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday.

The Sea Dogs will play their first home game since Dec. 14 on Jan. 8 when they host the Drummondville Voltigeurs. It will be Drummondville's only visit to Saint John this season. The Volts currently sit comfortably in first place in the Western Conference. 

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Moncton 7

MONCTON - The second half of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League season is off to a rough start for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs allowed four goals on 26 shots in the first period in a 7-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at Avenir Centre.

Despite the lopsided score, it was another... interesting game between the two. The Sea Dogs were in it, opening the scoring just 6:09 in. Then they were out of it, allowing four goals. Then they started to get back into it, with Nicolas Bilodeau scoring at the buzzer which was followed by the Dogs getting quite a bit of power play time in the second period to try and cut the deficit even more.

But Saint John's power play struggles continued, going 1/5 and not allowing the Dogs to get any closer. Moncton added a fifth goal in the second and two more in the third.

Caleb Desnoyers scored a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Markus Vidicek, Riley Sampson, Etienne Morin, Adam Fortier-Gendron and Mitchell Wagner. Jacob Steinman made 29 saves in the win.

Bilodeau and Dylan Rozzi scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 41 stops in the loss.

The loss pushes the Sea Dogs below .500 with a 16-17-0-0 record. They've now dropped four straight road games.

Game Day 33: at Moncton

MONCTON - The break is over and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League restarts today.

The Saint John Sea Dogs begin the second half on the road this afternoon, taking on the Moncton Wildcats at 4 p.m. at Avenir Centre.

The Sea Dogs entered the break with a 16-16-0-0 record, placing them 11th overall in the QMJHL, while the Wildcats sit first with a 24-5-2-0 record. Despite the the Wildcats having a significant points edge, the Sea Dogs have given them fits this season. Saint John is 2-3-0-0 against the Wildcats this season with all five games being a bit of an adventure for both sides.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2024-25 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 16-16-0-0 for 32 points (third Maritimes/sixth Eastern/11th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 24-5-2-0 for 50 points (first Maritimes/first Eastern/first QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-4 shootout win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Dec. 14 at TD Station. William Yared, Ben Cross, Nate Tivey and Zachary Morin all scored for Saint John. Charles-Edward Gravel made 35 saves in the win. The Wildcats are coming off a 7-2 win over the Cape Breton Eagles on Dec. 14 at Avenir Centre. Markus Vidicek scored a pair of goals for Moncton while singles came from Etienne Morin, Caleb Desnoyers, Juraj Pekarcik, Alex Mercier and Vincent Collard. Jacob Steinman made 32 stops in the win. 

Mateiko, Latvia pull off stunning upset win

Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko scored the lone shootout goal in Latvia's stunning victory over Team Canada on Friday night at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Mateiko played a starring role in the 3-2 Latvian shootout victory in Ottawa. In 20:59 of ice time, the Washington Capitals prospect had a third period power play goal and six shots on net. His most memorable moment came in the shootout though, scoring the only goal of the breakaway contest in the eighth round.

LATVIA BEATS CANADA IN THE SHOOTOUT 😱

Eriks Mateiko scores the game winner!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/oIVP2ddA89

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 28, 2024

It was quite a night for the QMJHL. Along with Mateiko's heroics, Peteris Bulans of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens also scored while Sherbrooke Phoenix goaltender Linards Feldbergs made 55 saves in the win.

In what was only their third-ever victory in round-robin play at the @WorldJuniors, @lhf_lv earned their historic win against Canada thanks to three @QMJHL & @CHLHockey players.@SJSeaDogs forward & Latvian alternate captain Eriks Mateiko scored Latvia's first goal and the…

— Christopher Séguin (@chrisseguin_) December 28, 2024

This was Latvia's third-ever win at the world junior tournament and first over Canada. 

This is the second appearance for Mateiko at the event after playing in last year's.

The Latvians won't have a lot of time to celebrate their win. They face the United States on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Atlantic.

Mateiko to wear an 'A' for Team Latvia

Eriks Mateiko will have a letter on his jersey when Latvia begins play at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship on Friday.

The Saint John Sea Dogs forward was, unsurprisingly, named an assistant captain for Team Latvia on Wednesday. The 19-year-old, who will be playing in his second world junior tournament, previously captained Latvia's under-18 squad.

Latvia will be in tough when they open the tournament on Friday, facing Canada at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic. They'll then face the United States on Saturday before taking on Germany and Finland on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. All of Latvia's preliminary round games will be played at Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre.

Latvijas 🇱🇻 izlases kapteinis Pasaules čempionātā būs Pēteris Bulāns, bet viņam asistēs Ēriks Mateiko un Viktors Kurbaka pic.twitter.com/5rTY0HjYk7

— LV Hokeja federācija (@lhf_lv) December 25, 2024

The Latvians are expected to be in a fight with Germany to see who gets the final quarterfinal spot from Group A and who is forced to play in the relegation round.

The Latvians played a pair of pre-tournament games in Ontario over the past week, falling 5-1 to both Czechia and Switzerland. Mateiko scored in last Friday's game contest against Czechia.

Latvia announced its official roster for the 2025 @WorldJuniors earlier today. In it, there are four current @CHLHockey players, plus one alumnus:

(G) Linards Feldbergs (@PhoenixSherbroo / @QMJHL)
(G) Aksels Ozols (@QMJHL alumnus / @IslandersHKY)
(D) Peteris Bulans… https://t.co/97dPfVRZA8

— Christopher Séguin (@chrisseguin_) December 26, 2024

Mateiko had one goal in five games at last year's tournament.

The Washington Capitals prospect has 14 goals and five assists in 23 games with Saint John this season. He is expected to be traded prior to the QMJHL trade deadline on Jan. 6.

Some numbers from the first half

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The first half of the season has to be considered a successful one for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs enter the holiday break with a 16-16-0-0 record, placing them sixth in the Eastern Conference and 11th overall in the QMJHL. Last year at Christmas, the Sea Dogs were 13-15-3-2, placing them seventh in the conference and 12th overall.

One noticeable improvement in terms of wins/losses: this year's Sea Dogs team has been much better on home ice. Saint John is 10-7-0-0 at TD Station after going 6-9-2-1 at home in the first half last year.

Here are a few other team related stats from the first half.

• Saint John is 10-7-0-0 at home and 6-9-0-0 on the road.
• Saint John is the only team in the QMJHL without an overtime or shootout loss. They are 5-0 in overtime and 3-0 in shootouts.
• The Sea Dogs are 10-3-0-0 when scoring first.
• Saint John's records against divisions:
• Maritimes: 11-10-0-0
• East: 0-2-0-0
• West: 3-1-0-0
• Central: 2-3-0-0
• The Sea Dogs have four wins against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. They've defeated the Charlottetown Islanders three times.
• Special teams have been a story. Saint John has the third worst power play with a rating of 15.3% but the fourth best penalty kill with a rating of 82.9%.
• Saint John's home penalty kill is operating at 85.5%, the second best in the QMJHL.
• The Sea Dogs have scored just one shorthanded goal, which ties them for the league low. They've allowed just two shorties though, which ties them for the second fewest. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have yet to allow a shorthanded goal.
• Saint John is averaging 2.83 goals per game, the fifth fewest in the league. They're allowing 3.40 goals against per game, the eighth fewest in the league.
• The Sea Dogs are averaging 32.68 shots against per game, the fourth most in the league. The eye test says, however, they are giving up fewer quality chances than they were a year ago.
• Saint John is 7-2-0-0 in games when leading after two but 5-12-0-0 in games when trailing after two.
• The Sea Dogs have outshot opponents in just nine games this season. They're 4-5-0-0 in those games.
• Saint John allowed 24 shots in the third period against Charlottetown on Sept. 27, the most by any team in any third period this season.
• Saint John recorded just one shot on goal in the first period on Nov. 2 against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, tying them for the fewest shots in the opening period of any game this season.

Titan officially moving to St. John's

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan are officially relocating to St. John's at the end of this season.

The Titan and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League made the announcement in a virtual press conference Friday morning. The move has been rumoured and reported for a few months now. The sale was finalized Thursday night.

The Titan, who have been at or near the bottom of the QMJHL's attendance figures for 15 years or so now, have officially been for sale since January. During the press conference it was revealed that three buyers came forward to purchase the team – but none had intentions of leaving the franchise in northern New Brunswick.

″I said it last January when the sale process began: the objective of the QMJHL and the Titan owners has always been to find local investors to keep the team in Bathurst," said commissioner Mario Cecchini in a news release. "However, none of the interested groups had any intention of operating the team in Bathurst in the medium term. My heart goes out to the Titan fans. I sympathize and understand their pain and frustration."

In what was a very transparent news conference, it was said that the Titan have been losing around $1 million per season.  

″It’s a sad day," said Titan president Serge Thériault, one of the 11 Titan shareholders. "The Titan has been an integral part of the Bathurst community for 27 years. The team gave us great moments and rallied the population. Unfortunately, we were playing in the smallest major junior market in Canada, and attendance dropped over the years. This made it impossible for us, the owners, to continue. I’d like to thank the Titan fans and corporate partners for their support since 1998.″

Sea Dogs reassign Caputo to QJHL

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs have yet to make a transaction since the holiday trade period opened – but they have made a roster move.

On Thursday night, the team announced that defenseman Giuliano Caputo has been reassigned to the Terrebonne Cobras of the Quebec Junior Hockey League.

The 18-year-old spent all of last season with the Cobras where he registered five assists and 52 penalty minutes in 47 games.

Caputo appeared in just 16 games with the Sea Dogs in the first half. He was held pointless with 23 penalty minutes and a -5 rating.

A 13th-round pick of Saint John in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft, Caputo, who is listed at 5'11" and 232 lbs, impressed at training camp with his energy and physical presence. During the regular season, he was never able to solidify a regular spot on a crowded blue line.

Five of the 16 games Caputo appeared in came this month with the Sea Dogs missing several regulars due to injuries.

Saint John now has seven defensemen on their active roster.

The Sea Dogs are expected to make a few roster moves in the coming weeks. The QMJHL's holiday trade period ends Monday, Jan. 6. 

QMJHL, Titan to hold press conference

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The future of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan could become clearer on Friday.

Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League commissioner Mario Cecchini and two of the Titan's current shareholders – Marc Guignard and Serge Thériault – will hold a virtual press conference on Friday at 11 a.m. The subject of the press conference wasn't included in the invite, but it's almost certainly about the club's future in Bathurst.

Rumours and speculation about the franchise being sold and relocated to St. John's have been circulating all season. In recent weeks, those rumours have turned more into facts and, at this point, it would be a surprise to not see the team move to Newfoundland in time for next season.

The league is in a tough spot here and it will be interesting how they choose to handle this sale. On the one hand, you'd like to get the news out soon to help generate some excitement in Newfoundland. On the other hand, it's generally not a good idea to create a "lame duck" team that knows its days in the city are numbered, which we recently saw with the Oakland Athletics baseball team.

RDS reported this week that the Titan were sold to a group from Newfoundland for more than $5.5 million. RDS also reported that draft schedules are already in the works for next season, which includes travel to St. John's.

The Titan have been publicly up for sale since January. The franchise has been at or near the bottom of league attendance for the last 15 years.

Notebook: Gallant, Kelly to lead Canada

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant has gotten the call to coach Canada at the international level once again.

Gallant has been named the head coach of Team Canada for this year's Spengler Cup tournament, which will begin on Boxing Day in Switzerland. Gallant will, as usual, be joined by Mike Kelly, who will be one of three assistant coaches.

The duo had success at the international level just a few years ago. From Hockey Canada's news release:

Gallant returns behind the bench for the first time since winning a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. As an assistant coach he won gold and silver at Men’s Worlds in 2007 and 2017. He also served as an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Canada's first game will be against host HC Davos on Dec. 26. All games will air on TSN.

GRAVEL IN SO

Charles-Edward Gravel remains lights out in shootouts this season.

Gravel stopped all three shots he faced in Saturday's shootout, helping the Sea Dogs earn a 5-4 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The 20-year-old goaltender has allowed just one goal on 23 shootout attempts this season and leads the league in shootout victories with three.

The franchise record for shootout attempts faced in a single season is 31, set by Travis Fullerton in 2007-08. Gravel and Fullerton are now tied for the most shootout saves in a single season with 22.

Gravel has a career .792 save percentage in shootouts. This season he is running at .957%.

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.