Wildcats up 2-0 on Huskies; Oceanic win opener

MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats are two wins away from the Gilles Courteau Trophy final.

The Wildcats took a 2-0 series lead over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies with a 2-1 win on Friday night at Avenir Centre. Moncton won the first game, 5-3, on Thursday.

It was a fairly evenly played game on Friday and saw just one penalty called the entire night. The Huskies led 1-0 entering the third but goals from Natan Grenier and Preston Lounsbury less than a minute apart early in the third period pushed the Wildcats in front.

For Grenier, a first-round pick of Saint John in the 2021 QMJHL Entry Draft, that was his third goal in 11 playoff games after recording just two in 64 regular season games.

Wildcats score twice in the third to win 2-1 and take a 2-0 series lead. pic.twitter.com/y8I0QUhowY

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) April 26, 2025

Goaltender Rudy Guimond, who did not play in Thursday's Game 1, made 28 saves in the win. Guimond was good but didn't have to be as good as Mathis Rousseau the night before. Moncton was much better defensively in this game.

The series now shifts to Rouyn-Noranda for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. 

The other QMJHL semifinal playoff series got underway on Friday with the Rimouski Oceanic defeating the Shawinigan Cataractes 5-1. Former Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko remained out of the Oceanic lineup with an injury.

Former Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie scored Shawinigan's lone goal, which made it a 2-1 game late in the first period.

Vince Elie y va de tout un tir et déjoue Langevin avec 45 secondes à faire au premier 20. #SériesLHJMQ #RIMVSSHA pic.twitter.com/svBRb4vmJS

— Emile Clouet (@RadioClouet) April 25, 2025

Game 2 of this series takes place Sunday afternoon in Rimouski.

Wildcats take Game 1; U18 worlds underway

MONCTON - It was far from their best performance, but the Moncton Wildcats were good enough to take Game 1 of their third round playoff series.

Mathis Rousseau made 36 saves to lead the Wildcats to a 5-3 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Thursday at Avenir Centre. 

The Wildcats were outshot 39-24 by the Huskies, which included a rough opening period where Moncton was outshot 17-5 and trailed 1-0 heading into the second.

Moncton quickly recovered from their rough start. Captain Markus Vidicek scored 1:37 into the middle frame on a power play and then Caleb Desnoyers put Moncton up 2-1 at 2:15.

The Huskies had a good finish to the second with Ty Higgins tying it back up at 18:13.

Goals from Loke Johansson and Maxime Côté in the first half of the third period made it 4-2 Wildcats. Even though the Huskies got within one, it felt like the Wildcats remained in control until the buzzer sounded.

Game 2 is Friday night at Avenir Centre.

The QMJHL's other semifinal, which will feature Eriks Mateiko and the Rimouski Oceanic taking on Vince Elie and the Shawinigan Cataractes, begins Friday.

Alumdate: Former Sea Dogs playing in AHL, ECHL playoffs

Embed from Getty Images

The American Hockey League's Calder Cup Playoffs kicked off with a triple overtime game on Wednesday night.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds scored at 2:00 of the third overtime period to defeat the Calgary Wranglers 4-3 in Game 1 of their first round series. Former Saint John Sea Dogs defensemen Jeremie Poirier and Yan Kuznetsov were both in the Calgary lineup.

Poirier and Kuznetsov are two of a few former Sea Dogs who's teams have qualified for the AHL playoffs. Other ex-Dogs who could see playoff action are William Dufour (Colorado Eagles), Riley Bezeau (Charlotte Checkers), Spencer Smallman (Hershey Bears), Cedric Pare (Toronto Marlies), William Villeneuve (Toronto Marlies), Joshua Roy (Laval Rocket) and Raivis Ansons (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins).

Based on the regular season standings, there's a strong chance of a former Sea Dog lifting the Calder Cup this year. Roy's Rocket finished first overall followed by Smallman's Bears, Dufour's Eagles and Bezeau's Checkers. 

Smallman recently signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals organization. According to a Capitals news release, "Smallman’s contract will carry an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level and $380,000 in AHL."

Dufour, meanwhile, has appeared in 12 games with Colorado since being traded to the Avalanche organization, posting a goal and two assists.

Bezeau is more of a role player/fighter with the Checkers, appearing in just 24 games. It's hard to say how much playoff action he'll see. The same goes for Ansons, who is listed on Wilkes-Barre's playoff roster but hasn't played since December.

Here's what the AHL's extremely chaotic playoff bracket looks like.

brb, framing this #CalderCup Playoffs picture.

🖼️: https://t.co/OH5Bp0wpDB… pic.twitter.com/gP5g94l7re

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) April 20, 2025

Sea Dogs to pick first overall (yet again)

QMJHL

They've done it again.

The Saint John Sea Dogs won yet another draft lottery on Wednesday, meaning they now own the first overall pick in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft. The Sea Dogs, who finished second last in the regular season standings, had the second best odds of winning.

It's the seventh time the Sea Dogs have won the draft lottery, a remarkable number for a franchise that just completed its 20th season. Saint John last picked first overall in 2019 when they selected Joshua Roy. That draft, like this year's edition, took place in Quebec City.

Year	Odds of win	Result	Selection
2025	28% (2nd)	1st	TBD June 6
2024	5% (5th)	5th	William Yared
2020	10% (4th)	3rd	Leighton Carruthers
2019	5% (5th)	1st	Joshua Roy
2018	43% (1st)	2nd	William Villeneuve
2015*	50%	1st	Joe Veleno
2014*	50%	1st	Luke Green
2007*	50%	1st	Simon Despres
2006*	50%	1st	Yann Sauve
2005*	50%	1st	Alex Grant

*Lottery was only between the QMJHL's two last-place teams

“It is a great day for the Sea Dogs organization and the city of Saint John,” said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard in a news release. “We are very excited to have the first overall pick. It will provide a great deal of flexibility toward selecting a high-end player.”

Who will be picked first overall will be a fun debate over the next few weeks. Most of the hype has been around forwards Alexis Joseph and James Scantlebury.

The Sea Dogs once again confirmed that they'll have two additional first-round picks on draft day, including the 10th overall selection. 

The 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft takes place June 6-7 at Videotron Centre.

The Victoriaville Tigres, who had the best odds of winning the lottery, will pick second followed by the Halifax Mooseheads, Quebec Remparts and Newfoundland Regiment.

Will Saint John's lottery luck return?

QMJHL

There have been two dynasties in Saint John Sea Dogs history.

There was the run from 2009 to 2012 that saw the team win three regular season titles, appear in three league finals, win two QMJHL championships and a Memorial Cup title.

There was also the team's run of QMJHL Draft Lottery luck, which saw the Sea Dogs go a perfect 5/5 in winning the right to select first overall from 2005 to 2015.

The Sea Dogs will look for that luck to return Wednesday when the QMJHL holds its 2025 Draft Lottery. Saint John has the second best odds (28%) of winning.

The Sea Dogs haven't been as successful at winning the lottery since the league moved from the two team format to the five team setup, which was introduced in 2017.

The Sea Dogs were 5/5 in the two-team era but are just 1/4 so far under the five-team format. Ironically,  the club's lone win under the current setup came in 2019 when they had the worst odds.

Year	Odds of win	Result	Selection
2025	28% (2nd)	TBD	TBD June 6
2024	5% (5th)	5th	William Yared
2020	10% (4th)	3rd	Leighton Carruthers
2019	5% (5th)	1st	Joshua Roy
2018	43% (1st)	2nd	William Villeneuve
2015*	50%	1st	Joe Veleno
2014*	50%	1st	Luke Green
2007*	50%	1st	Simon Despres
2006*	50%	1st	Yann Sauve
2005*	50%	1st	Alex Grant

*Lottery was only between the QMJHL's two last-place teams

It's worth noting that the pick the Sea Dogs had a year ago was acquired from the Gatineau Olympiques. Saint John's own pick was used by the Cape Breton Eagles – who actually won last year's lottery, moving up from third to first. The Eagles went on to trade the pick to the Quebec Remparts.

Saint John is expected to have three first-round picks in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft, which will take place June 6-7 in Quebec City.

QMJHL Draft Lottery set for Wednesday

The Saint John Sea Dogs will learn Wednesday night where their top pick will be in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft.

The league confirmed Tuesday that this year's draft lottery will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The lottery will be broadcast in French on RDS, a broadcast that has typically been picked up by CHL TV.

After finishing with the second worst overall record in the regular season, the Sea Dogs will have the second best odds of winning this year's lottery. The Victoriaville Tigres have the best.

• 18th position: Victoriaville - 9 balls - 43% 
• 17th position: Saint John - 6 balls - 28% 
• 16th position: Halifax - 3 balls - 14% 
• 15th position: Newfoundland (from Gatineau) - 2 balls - 10% 
• 14th position: Québec - 1 ball - 5%

This pick is one of three the Sea Dogs are expected to have in this year's first round. The 2025 QMJHL Entry Draft will take place June 6-7 in Quebec City.

For years the 2025 draft has been dubbed the Alexis Joseph draft – but who will go first overall isn't as certain now. Many now consider James Scantlebury to be the best player available – but it's close, and a good problem to have for teams that will be making the first couple picks.

The QMJHL Draft Lottery has had some drama over the years. Last year, the Cape Breton Eagles won the lottery even though they had the third best odds of winning. That pick was ultimately traded to the Quebec Remparts who selected Maddox Dagenais.

This will be the 10th time the Sea Dogs have been entered into the lottery and the fourth time they'll participate in the five-team format, which began in 2017.

Saint John selected first overall in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2019.

QMJHL semifinals set; ECHL playoffs update

Rimouski Oceanic

The QMJHL semifinals are set.

The Rimouski Oceanic defeated the Chicoutimi Sagueneens 4-1 on Sunday to win the second round series in six games. They won the contest despite still being without some key regulars in Mathieu Cataford, Eriks Mateiko, Luke Coughlin and Spencer Gill.

Mateiko, the former Saint John Sea Dogs captain, hasn't played since Game 2 of the series due to an injury. He's appeared in six playoff games for the Oceanic and scored three goals and added two assists.

The Memorial Cup hosts move on to play the Shawinigan Cataractes in the third round. Shawinigan swept the Sherbrooke Phoenix in the second round and needed just five games to elininate the Val-d'Or Foreurs in the first round.

The Cataractes, who were 3-1-0-0 against the Oceanic in the regular season, feature former Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie who has three goals and three assists in nine playoff games.

The Oceanic/Cataractes series begins Friday in Rimouski.

The other semifinal, which has been locked in since Friday, will see the top-seeded Moncton Wildcats take on the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. That series begins Thursday at Avenir Centre.

Alumdate: Stanley Cup Playoffs underway for ex-Sea Dogs

Embed from Getty Images

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway and a few former Saint John Sea Dogs are in contention this year.

Mathieu Joseph (St. Louis Blues), Charlie Coyle (Colorado Avalanche), Matthew Highmore (Ottawa Senators) and Thomas Chabot (Ottawa Senators) have all qualified for this year's post-season. Coyle and Joseph were both in action on Saturday while the Senators will play Sunday.

Joseph will be looking to win his third Stanley Cup – but the Blues will be in tough against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets. Coyle, meanwhile, played in his 120th NHL playoff game on Saturday. He has made the playoffs every season of his NHL career.

There will be plenty of eyes on Chabot, Highmore and the Senators as this group has finally made the post-season after some trying years. They'll face the Toronto Maple Leafs in what should be a fun series on and off the ice.

Wildcats advance; Elliott nets first pro goal

CHL TV

It turned out not to be easy, but the Moncton Wildcats have secured a spot in the QMJHL's final four.

The Wildcats blew a 4-0 third period lead on Friday night but ultimately came away with a 5-4 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, taking the second round series in five games.

Preston Lounsbury scored what proved to be the game-winner at 13:35 of the third period, a goal that came 19 seconds after the Drakkar had tied things at 4-4.

Cats retake the lead on the break! https://t.co/frTNmZncUq pic.twitter.com/m1CRngemFQ

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 19, 2025

Baie-Comeau was outshot 27-7 in the first two periods and then outshot Moncton 16-9 in the final frame.

The Wildcats advance to the semifinals where they'll play the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Huskies swept the Halifax Moosheads in the second round.

This is Moncton's first trip to the semifinals since the 2015-16 season. Moncton also played Rouyn-Noranda that year.

The schedule for this series is likely to be a bit unusual with Moncton's Avenir Centre booked with a musical next weekend. 

McCallum to NCAA; Peddle released from ATO

James West/UNB Reds

Just a couple weeks after being named UNB Reds male athlete of the year, it appears defenseman Kale McCallum is heading south of the border to play next season.

The former Saint John Sea Dog has committed to the NCAA's Providence Friars for the 2025-26 season. It's believed the 23-year-old has two years of college hockey eligibility remaining.

Kale McCallum (University of New Brunswick) has committed to Providence College for 2025-26@FriarsHockey @hockey_east @UNBMHockey @AUS_SUA

— Hockey Commitments (@HockeyCommits) April 16, 2025

McCallum has been one of the top offensive defensemen in U Sports over the past couple seasons. He posted 13 goals and 26 assists in 27 regular season games with UNB this year and added another goal and five assists in five playoff contests.

McCallum played two seasons with the Sea Dogs before being traded to the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

It will be interesting to see if more U Sports players make the move south. It will also be interesting to see how players like McCallum perform in the NCAA – especially in a tough conference like Hockey East.

A few other signing news and notes...

• Sea Dogs forward Tyler Peddle has been released from his amateur tryout contract with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters. Peddle did not appear in any games for the Monsters.

  🚨 ROSTER UPDATE 🚨
  
  We have released forward Tyler Peddle from his ATO

  — Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) April 13, 2025

• Former Sea Dogs forward Drew Elliott – who played with McCallum at UNB this past season – was released from his ATO with the AHL's San Diego Gulls after appearing in one game with the club. He has since signed with the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers where he posted three assists in his debut on April 9. Elliott has been added to Tulsa's playoff roster. The Oilers will play the Western Conference champion Kansas City Mavericks in the opening round.
• University of Maine forward Lynden Breen recently signed with the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays, recording two goals and two assists in five regular season games. Breen, a Grand Bay-Westfield native and a 2017 draft pick of the Sea Dogs, has been included on South Carolina's playoff roster. The Stingrays had the ECHL's best record in the regular season.
• Former Maine forward Bradly Nadeau of St-François-de-Madawaska got called up to the Carolina Hurricanes this week where he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a Tyson Jost goal in a 4-2 'Canes loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

  "Wow, that was my first NHL Point"
  Hanna Yates discussed her interview with Bradley Nadeau, as he had gotten his name on the scoresheet for the first time in the NHL in yesterday's game against the Montreal Canadiens on Tyson Jost's goal, who was his teammate with the Chicago… pic.twitter.com/dDcwosJx43

  — Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) April 17, 2025

• Nadeau was recently named to the AHL's all-rookie team after recording 30 goals and 26 assists in 63 games with the Chicago Wolves. According to the AHL, he is "the fifth player in AHL history to have a 30-goal season before the age of 20." Also named to the all-rookie team was Texas Stars forward Justin Hryckowian who, like Breen, was a 2017 draft pick of Saint John who went on to play college hockey.

A night of overtime in the QMJHL

What a night of playoff hockey.

Three of Wednesday's four QMJHL playoff games needed overtime. Two teams were also able to complete sweeps and secure spots in the semifinals.

Here's a quick recap.

• Juraj Pekarcik scored at 4:56 of double overtime to give the Moncton Wildcats a 4-3 victory and a 3-1 series lead over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Wildcats led 3-2 entering the third period but Jules Boilard scored at 11:01 of the final frame to send the match into overtime. Rudy Guimond got the start for Moncton and made 29 saves in the win.

  Here's your winner! 📯📯
  Desnoyers blocks the point shot ▶️ Pekarcik 🚨 https://t.co/QnCvAtkeo6 pic.twitter.com/6YoIV7SD6V

  — Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 17, 2025

• The Chicoutimi Sagueneens have tied up their series with the Memorial Cup host Rimouski Oceanic, posting a 3-2 OT win on home ice. Loic Usereau scored the winner at 5:19 of the extra frame. Former Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko was listed on the Oceanic's original lineup sheet but was a late scratch, missing a second straight game with an injury. Oceanic defenseman Luke Coughlin, meanwhile, left the game on a stretcher after a dangerous hit by Alonso Gosselin. With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 goes down on Friday in Rimouski.

  🔥USEREAU JOUE LES HÉROS pic.twitter.com/aiBt4rtEQb

  — Saguenéens (@SagueneensLHJMQ) April 17, 2025

• Felix Lacerte scored at 14:38 of overtime to give the Shawinigan Cataractes a 3-2 victory and a 4-0 series win over the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Former Sea Dogs forward Chad Bellemare scored his third goal of the playoffs for the Phoenix.

  LE BUT EN OR !🪙
  "THE GOLDEN GOAL!"🪙 pic.twitter.com/uwz8otF1Nl

  — Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) April 17, 2025

• The Halifax Mooseheads' magical run came to an end on Wednesday, falling 5-1 to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Mooseheads were swept by the Huskies after pulling off a stunning seven-game series win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the first round. The Moose were without defenseman Carlos Handel, who was injured in Tuesday's game. Goaltender Jacob Steinman, in his final junior hockey game, was named first star. 

A reminder that teams are reseeded based on the overall standings for the next round. So even though Shawinigan and Rouyn-Noranda are the lone Western Conference teams remaining, they are not automatically placed against each other.

Reports: Changes coming to import setup

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It looks like changes are indeed coming to the CHL's import situation.

According to reports from both Stephane Leroux and Mikael Lalancette, the CHL will allow teams to carry three import players beginning next season, an increase from the current limit of two.

Une nouvelle sera confirmée bientôt : La #LCH va permettre de grimper de 2 à 3 le nombre de joueurs européens au sein de ses équipes dès la saison 25-26

Sans doute pas étranger au fait que des joueurs des 3 ligues vont maintenant quitter pour la #NCAA à 19 et surtout à 20 ans

— Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) April 16, 2025

Lalancette reports that teams will also be able to trade import picks again, something that hasn't been permitted for quite some time.

Revirement de situation, selon mon collègue. Il y a quelques jours à peine, on pensait que ce serait seulement pour 2026-27.

J'ai un détail très important à ajouter : les transactions de choix seront maintenant permises! Comme à l'époque, c'est majeur. https://t.co/OwMdtPh6W8

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) April 16, 2025

Edmonton radio personality Jason Gregor reported the potential changes to the CHL's import roster limit last month.

The move could be for a couple reasons. For one, this could help teams that are losing a player early to the NCAA fill out that roster spot with, potentially, an impact import. This move could also be due to increased interest in the CHL from Europeans now that the NCAA route is an option down the road.

The Saint John Sea Dogs will likely be busy during this year's Import Draft given that they played the entire second half with no imports on their roster.

The Sea Dogs will have at least one high pick in this year's draft. The draft order and date for this year's virtual event has not been released by the CHL.

Frozen Four thoughts + QMJHL playoff update

The Western Michigan Broncos won their first NCAA Frozen Four title on Saturday.

The Broncos needed double overtime just to earn a spot in the final, edging the defending champion University of Denver 3-2 on Thursday. They met Boston University in the final and were by far the better team, skating to a 6-2 win at St. Louis' Enterprise Center.

It was a dominant season for Western Michigan, a program not well known outside of college hockey circles. The Broncos went an impressive 34-7-1 this season, winning their first conference championship en route to a national title.

Broncos. National champions. pic.twitter.com/InFHIk2YbL

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) April 13, 2025

From a recruiting standpoint, the Broncos could be a program to watch moving forward. Winning a national championship obviously helps, but the team also plays in a powerhouse conference (the NCHC), is just a few hours from the Canadian border and will be getting a new arena in the coming years.

Morin, Groulx make NHL Central Scouting's final rankings

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Two Saint John Sea Dogs cracked NHL Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters.

Forward Zachary Morin was ranked 103rd overall while forward Olivier Groulx was listed at 186th.

Morin had a strong start to his first QMJHL season but struggled with consistency in the second half, finishing his rookie year with 16 goals and 20 assists in 50 games. He also appeared in four games with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms to start the year.

Groulx, meanwhile, became Saint John's top centre following the trade of captain Eriks Mateiko. Playing in his first full QMJHL season, Groulx posted 17 goals and 24 assists while suiting up for all 64 of Saint John's games.

#SJSeaDogs forwards Zach Morin, Olivier Groulx and prospect Sammy Doyon-Cataquiz are listed on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2025 NHL Draft!#GoDogsGo | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/3ZrB3MuYyq

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) April 15, 2025

Matthew Schaefer of the OHL's Erie Otters was the top-ranked North American skater followed by Michael Misa of the Saginaw Spirit and Boston College's James Hagens.

The top-ranked QMJHL skater was Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats, who was ranked seventh.

The 2025 NHL Draft will take place June 27-28 in Los Angeles.

Sea Dogs prospect Samuel Doyon-Cataquiz, meanwhile, was ranked 32nd amongst North American goaltenders. Doyon-Cataquiz was selected by the Sea Dogs in the 14th round of the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The 17-year-old appeared in 43 games with the Bishop Kearney Selects under-18 squad this past season, posting a 28-14-0 record to go along with a 2.29 goals against average and a .913 save percentage.

It's unclear if Doyon-Cataquiz – who appeared in one BCHL game this season – will report to Saint John next season. The American is committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2026-27 season, which is quickly turning into a popular spot for QMJHL players. Sea Dogs captain Nate Tivey will play for the Bobcats next season.

Sea Dogs returning to St. Stephen

It appears the Saint John Sea Dogs are returning to St. Stephen this summer.

According to a Facebook event created by the Municipal District of St. Stephen and the Garcelon Civic Center, the Sea Dogs will play a pre-season game in the town on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.

No opponent or further details were included. 

The Sea Dogs began pre-season play in St. Stephen on Aug. 20 last year, defeating the Charlottetown Islanders 4-1 in front of 1,239 fans – which was either a sell out or very close to it.

Last year's trip to St. Stephen was the Sea Dogs' first since the 2019 pre-season.

Saint John's full pre-season and regular season schedule will presumably be announced over the next month or two.

The Sea Dogs played six pre-season games last year with three being classified as home games and three as away. Saint John played home games in St. Stephen, Fredericton's Aitken Centre and TD Station.

Crickard named to U18 staff; Chartrand gets camp invite

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Travis Crickard will be representing Team Canada once again.

Hockey Canada announced Saturday that Crickard will be an associate coach for the upcoming 2025 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship. The event takes place April 23 to May 3 in Texas.

From Hockey Canada's news release:

Crickard recently completed his third season as head coach of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs following one season as an assistant. He also spent time with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s (2013-14) and Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets (2014-19). Most recently, he won a silver medal as head coach of Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Challenge. He also won a gold medal as an assistant with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and as video coach at the same tournament in 2021. Crickard was an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, finishing fourth, and was video coach (2016) and assistant coach (2017) with Canada Black at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a silver medal in 2016.

Cory Stillman of the OHL's Guelph Storm has been named head coach. He'll work alongside Crickard, assistant coach Mathieu Turcotte of the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and goaltending consultant Dan De Palma of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers.

Hockey Canada will hold a pre-tournament camp in Oakville from April 12-15. The first 18 players to earn camp invites were announced Saturday, a list that includes future Sea Dogs defenseman Cameron Chartrand.

Chartrand, a 2027 Boston College commit, recorded six goals and 46 assists in 54 games with the Bishop Kearney Selects under-16 squad this past season. It was announced on March 12 that Chartrand will join the Sea Dogs for the 2025-26 season.

The 17-year-old defenseman previously played with Team Canada at both the U17 World Challenge and Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Armada defenseman Xavier Villeneuve is the only other QMJHL player to earn an invite so far. More players will be added as teams are eliminated from the CHL playoffs.

2025 QMJHL playoffs second round predictions

Embed from Getty Images

 

The second round of the QMJHL playoffs have arrived which means it's time for another round of predictions.

It was a tough first round for me. I had Moncton, Rimouski and Chicoutimi correctly advancing in the Eastern Conference. My one error was picking the Cape Breton Eagles over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in six games. That series made it to six games, at least.

In the Western Conference I correctly picked Rouyn-Noranda and Shawinigan to move on. Like everyone, I had Drummondville beating Halifax easily, which of course did not happen. I also had Blainville-Boisbriand beating Sherbrooke, which ended up being wrong.

In short, I am 5/8 so far, which isn't great. Let's see if I can improve this round.

Eastern Conference

1. Moncton vs 4. Baie-Comeau - Moncton in 5

I'm not really sure what to make of Moncton's first round series with Quebec. I'm not sure if underwhelming is the right word, but it didn't feel like the dominant Wildcats we saw in the final few weeks of the regular season. On the Baie-Comeau side, they looked a bit better than expected even with some injury issues. I like Moncton in this series but I expect Baie-Comeau to push them at times – especially in Quebec.

2. Rimouski vs 3. Chicoutimi - Rimouski in 5

Rimouski really put the pedal to the floor after Game 1 of their first round series with Charlottetown. I expect Chicoutimi to be more of a challenge, but I think they'll be fine. The wild card in this is, of course, the fact that you just never know with Memorial Cup host teams in these early rounds.

Mooseheads complete stunning upset

Drummondville Voltigeurs

The Halifax Mooseheads have done it.

The Mooseheads completed a massive upset of the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Tuesday night, winning Game 7 by a score of 2-0 to advance to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs.

It's a stunning upset by the Mooseheads, who grabbed one of the final playoff spots on the final few days of the regular season. Drummondville finished third overall in the regular season standings and won the Western Conference. They finished with 86 points – 38 more than the Mooseheads.

It's a tough pill to swallow for the Voltigeurs, who opted to hang on to their veteran players from last season's Gilles Courteau Trophy run and hoped to take advantage of a wide open Western Conference. Now their season is over two weeks into the playoffs.

It seemed like the Voltigeurs could never fully recover from losing goaltender Riley Mercer, who was injured in Game 1. The Mooseheads won the first two games of the series and took a 3-2 series lead back to Drummondville on Monday. The Volts posted a commanding 6-0 win in Game 6 only to drop a tight Game 7 just 24 hours later.

Three of Halifax's wins in this series came on the road. 

The star of this series was overage goaltender Jacob Steinman, who made 38 saves in Tuesday's shutout win. He posted a 2.43 goals against average and a .936 save percentage in the series.

The Mooseheads will now play the Western Conference's No. 2 seed – the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – in the second round.

Here's what the second round will look like.

Eastern Conference

1. Moncton vs 4. Baie-Comeau

2. Rimouski vs 3. Chicoutimi

Western Conference

2. Rouyn-Noranda vs 8. Halifax

3. Shawinigan vs 5. Sherbrooke

All four series begin Friday.

Tivey commits to Quinnipiac

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Nate Tivey will be playing south of the border next season.

The Saint John Sea Dogs announced Monday that Tivey has committed to the NCAA's Quinnipiac Bobcats for the 2025-26 season. The defensemen just completed his overage season with the Sea Dogs.

This is the first time the Sea Dogs have formally announced an NCAA commitment since the rule change in the fall.

“I am super excited to be able to play hockey at Quinnipiac University," Tivey said in a team news release. "Playing Division 1 hockey in the United States has been a goal of mine for a very long time. To be able to play hockey at such a high level while getting an education from a great school is very special and I couldn’t be more honoured.”

Quinnipiac is regularly one of the top programs in college hockey. The team, which plays in the ECAC conference with schools like Harvard and Cornell, has been to three Frozen Fours since 2013 and won the national championship in 2023.

The Bobcats have already secured commitments from Halifax Mooseheads defenseman Brady Schultz and Moncton Wildcats forward Markus Vidicek. Tivey, Schultz and Vidicek are/were all captains this season.

Tivey captained the Sea Dogs in the second half following the Eriks Mateiko trade. The 21-year-old posted five goals and 35 assists in 63 regular season games.

Tivey played in 192 career games with the Sea Dogs over three seasons, recording 11 goals and 81 assists.

Titan play final game; Eagles defeat Drakkar in 5th OT

TULSA, OK - Greetings from Oklahoma, where the Tulsa Oilers picked up a key 3-1 win over the Wichita Thunder in ECHL action on Friday night.

Anyways, here's what went down on an eventful night in the QMJHL playoffs.

• Quispamsis native Angelo Fullerton scored at 1:42 of the fifth overtime period as the Cape Breton Eagles defeated the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 3-2 in the second longest game in QMJHL history. It was a wild, wild night with two Drakkar goals and an Eagles goal both being overturned in extra time. Cape Breton goaltender Jakub Milota made 84 saves in the victory. The series now shifts back to Baie-Comeau with the Drakkar leading 3-2.
• The Halifax Mooseheads did it again. Jacob Steinman made 29 saves in a 4-2 Halifax victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The Moose now lead the series 3-2 as it shifts back to Drummondville for the final two games – if both games are needed. Halifax won both of the first two games at Marcel Dionne Centre.
• The Acadie-Bathurst Titan are no more. The Titan allowed four goals in the first period in a 5-1 loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the KC Irving Regional Centre. The Sags take the series 4-1 and advance to the second round. This was the final QMJHL game to be played in Bathurst with the Titan moving to St. John's this summer.

  Alexandre Lallier has been credited with the final goal in @ABTitan history 😢 pic.twitter.com/v0Mqa0eSci

  — QMJHL (@QMJHL) April 5, 2025

• The Sherbrooke Phoenix secured a spot in the second round with a 2-1 overtime win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, winning the series 4-1. Hugo Primeau scored the winner at 6:42 of the extra frame. 
• The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have advanced to the second round following an 8-4 win over the Gatineau Olympiques, winning the series 4-1.
• The Shawinigan Cataractes also secured a spot in the second round thanks to a 5-2 victory over the Val-d'Or Foreurs, winning the series in five games. Former Sea Dogs forward Noah Reinhart scored and added an assist in the loss, his final game of junior hockey. Vince Elie had an assist for Shawinigan. 

Chicoutimi, Sherbrooke, Rouyn-Noranda and Shawinigan join the Moncton Wildcats and Rimouski Oceanic as teams who have secured second round spots.

Oceanic, Wildcats complete sweeps

Mike Bernard/Charlottetown Islanders

The Memorial Cup hosts are moving on to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs.

The Rimouski Oceanic completed a sweep of the Charlottetown Islanders on Wednesday with a 4-1 victory at Eastlink Centre. The Oceanic outscored the Islanders 24-3 in the four-game series.

The first round of the QMJHL playoffs hasn't been an easy ride for Memorial Cup hosts of late. 

• 2022: The Saint John Sea Dogs were eliminated in the best-of-five opening round by the Oceanic. 
• 2019: The Halifax Mooseheads needed seven games to advance past the Quebec Remparts. The Mooseheads went on to lose in the league final.
• 2015: The Remparts needed seven games to get past the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The Remparts went on to lose in the league final.
• 2012: The Shawinigan Cataractes were the lost QMJHL host team to sweep their first round series, beating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Cataractes went on to lose in the next round.

The Oceanic weren't the only team to complete a sweep on Wednesday. The Moncton Wildcats are moving on after a 4-3 victory over the Remparts at Videotron Centre. The series was surprisingly close with three of the four games being decided by a goal.

Wildcats need OT again; Voltigeurs are back in series

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

It's officially time to bring out the "brink" terminology in this year's QMJHL playoffs.

The Moncton Wildcats, Rimouski Oceanic, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies all took 3-0 series leads thanks to wins on Tuesday night. All four teams will look to book trips to the second round with wins on Wednesday.

The Wildcats once again had their hands full with the Quebec Remparts, needing overtime for a second time in this season. St. Andrews native Gabe Smith netted the winner at 8:34 of the extra frame.

Gabe lugs it in and the puck finds him again.
GAME OVER. https://t.co/JsTx3vLWTy pic.twitter.com/XiHIOLVUOg

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) April 2, 2025

The Oceanic went 3/6 on the power play in a 4-0 win over the Charlottetown Islanders. Eriks Mateiko had five shots in that game. Rimouski has shutout Charlottetown in back-to-back games.

The final game in Acadie-Bathurst Titan history could be played Wednesday night at the KC Irving Regional Centre. Kassim Gaudet scored at 3:39 of overtime to give the Sagueneens a 4-3 win and a 3-0 series lead. Chicoutimi went 2/6 on the man advantage.

Lastly, the Huskies edged the Gatineau Olympiques 2-1 to take a stranglehold on that series.

Peddle signs ATO with AHL's Monsters

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

It looks like Tyler Peddle will be making his professional hockey debut at some point over the next couple weeks.

The AHL's Cleveland Monsters announced Monday that the Saint John Sea Dogs forward has been signed to an amateur tryout contract. The Monsters, who sit eighth in the AHL's Eastern Conference, have eight regular season games remaining.

Peddle was a seventh-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Draft. Even if he does appear in some AHL games, he is still eligible to return to the QMJHL for an overage season in the fall.

Like for much of his junior career, consistency was the problem for Peddle during the 2024-25 season, looking good for some stretches then sliding down the lineup for others. He finished with 15 goals and 14 assists in 54 games. He missed the club's final regular season game with an injury.

In the same news release, the Monsters signed Providence Friars defenseman Guillaume Richard to an ATO as well. Richard, who's season (and college career) came to an end this past weekend, was a fourth-round pick of Saint John in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Monsters are back in action on Friday when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Mooseheads stun Voltigeurs again

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The Halifax Mooseheads have done it again.

After pulling off a 3-2 upset win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Game 1 on Friday, Quispamsis native Liam Kilfoil scored the overtime winner to give Halifax another 3-2 win and a 2-0 series lead on Saturday at the Marcel Dionne Centre.

Soak it in Moose Country. OT winner Liam Kilfoil. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/Qb5vzXadKF

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) March 30, 2025

The series now shifts to Halifax for the next three games – if that Game 5 is even needed.

Drummondville had the third best record during the QMJHL's regular season while Halifax finished 16th. The start of this series has been nothing short of stunning.

Halifax took a 2-1 lead on a Braeden MacPhee goal just 54 seconds into the third period and carried that into the final minute. With the goaltender pulled, Saint John native Sam Oliver – the QMJHL's leading goal scorer in the regular season – beat Jacob Steinman upstairs to tie it at 2-2. But that goal underwent a long review before eventually being overturned for goaltender interference.

Then, with 38 seconds remaining, Oliver scored again – this time on a legal play – to send things into overtime.

Kilfoil's winner came at 16:40 of overtime on a power play. Simon-Pier Brunet was called for delay of game at 15:22.

Steinman was named the game's first star with 45 saves. Louis-Felix Charrois – who got the start with Riley Mercer injured in Game 1 – made 24 saves in the loss.

Game 3 is Tuesday night at Scotiabank Centre.

Wildcats survive wild Friday night in QMJHL

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The Moncton Wildcats survived a scare on Friday night.

The CHL's No. 1 ranked team needed overtime to defeat the Quebec Remparts in Game 1 of their first round playoff series. Julius Sumpf netted the winner just 1:38 into the extra frame.

Julius Sumpf scores the Game 1 OT winner for the @monctonwildcats! 😤 #QPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/e0gQ09lzs1

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 29, 2025

Moncton led 2-1 heading into the third where Quebec scored twice in less than two minutes halfway through the frame to take a 3-2 lead. Gabe Smith tied it back up at 16:10 to send the game into overtime.

Shots were 43-25 in favour of Moncton. The Wildcats went with the experienced Mathis Rousseau in net even after riding Rudy Guimond much of the last couple months.

The series is a major mismatch on paper. Moncton finished with 55 more points than rebuilding Quebec.

The Wildcats have now won 16 straight games. Game 2 is Saturday night in Moncton.

Notebook: Sea Dogs thank fans

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Saint John Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie shared a thank you message to fans earlier this week.

The letter was shared on the team's social media channels and via email (click to enlarge).

The letter comes after another challenging year for the Sea Dogs. The team has been in the league's basement for three consecutive seasons and this year missed the playoffs for the first tine since 2018-19.

As Georgie notes, there are reasons to be optimistic about the club's future. It's also noted that the team has three first-round picks in June's QMJHL Entry Draft and will have two import players next year. Saint John played the entire second half with no imports.

ELLIOTT SIGNS ATO

Former Sea Dogs forward Drew Elliott has signed an amateur tryout with the AHL's San Diego Gulls, the club announced Wednesday.

The 21-year-old appeared in 26 regular season games with the UNB Reds this season, recording 14 goals and eight assists. He added an assist in five playoff games.

Elliott, a Saint John native, split his overage season between the Sea Dogs and Drummondville Voltigeurs. In 32 second half games with Saint John, Elliott recorded 10 goals and seven assists. 

The Gulls are back in action on Friday when they host the Tucson Roadrunners. 

2025 QMJHL playoffs first round predictions

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It's that time.

Here are my predictions for the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs. Keeping with tradition, I've subtracted a game (where possible) from my initial picks because the first round is too often underwhelming entertainment wise. We'll see what happens this year.

Eastern Conference

1. Moncton vs 8. Quebec - Wildcats in 4

The Wildcats carry a 15-game winning streak into the playoffs and I don't see them having many problems with the Remparts. If Quebec can keep any of these games close, I'd consider that a success for them.

2. Rimouski vs 7. Charlottetown - Oceanic in 4

The Oceanic have built a roster worthy of being Memorial Cup hosts. But as we've seen many times, that pressure can do funny things come playoff time. They're playing a Charlottetown team that really turned things around in the second half, but even a team that always plays a playoff style game is going to have a hard time with Rimouski.

3. Chicoutimi vs 6. Acadie-Bathurst - Sagueneens in 6

I think we'd all like to see a magical playoff run by the Titan here (except Chicoutimi, probably) and honestly I could see them finding a way to sneak out a series win here. Hope this is a good series, because the potential is there.

4. Baie-Comeau vs 5. Cape Breton - Eagles in 6

A rematch of a great series from a year ago – but both teams have taken a step back this year. The Drakkar enter the playoffs banged up, and that could be the difference. Expecting this to be a close series again with some great atmospheres. 

WHL to add two expansion teams

Jack Murray/Penticton Vees

After much talk about OHL and QMJHL expansion over the past few months, the WHL will be the only league to secure an additional team for next season.

The WHL announced Monday that the Penticton Vees, one of the BCHL's flagship franchises, will be joining the league for the 2025-26 season. At the same time, the WHL announced "the initiation of a franchise application process for the City of Chilliwack, to begin play in the 2026-27 WHL season."

The news of Penticton joining the WHL has been floating around for a couple months now. The Vees are one of the BCHL's most successful franchises on and off the ice and they play in a major junior ready building.

An ownership group for the Penticton franchise has already been set up. The group includes existing Vees majority owner Graham Fraser, Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele, former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter and prominent local businessmen.

Welcome to the Western League, @PentictonVees! pic.twitter.com/uScbQTmzaK

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 24, 2025

Multiple media reports indicate that the Vees expansion fee was somewhere in the ballpark of $15 million, which included a payment to the Kelowna Rockets who held the territorial rights. The two cities are less than an hour apart.

Chilliwack, meanwhile, was home to the WHL's Bruins from 2006 to 2011 before they were relocated to Victoria. No ownership group has been setup for the franchise yet.

According to the WHL, "the City of Chilliwack is set to invest $3.7 million in upgrades to the Chilliwack Coliseum prior to the arrival of a WHL franchise in 2026-27, including enhancements to the scoreboard, lighting system, NHL-standard boards, and more."

Start the countdown!

The 2026-27 WHL Season can't come soon enough🤩 pic.twitter.com/Noy7caFuzs

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 25, 2025

These additions will give the WHL 24 teams in two years time.

Wildcats were regular season's best

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The Moncton Wildcats have already won some hardware this season.

The Wildcats clinched the QMJHL's regular season title a few weeks ago, meaning they will be presented with the Jean Rougeau Trophy. It's just the second time the team has won the trophy with the other being in 2005-06 when they hosted the Memorial Cup.

Moncton finished the regular season with a 53-9-2-0 record for 108 points and a .844 winning percentage. For comparison, the 2010-11 Saint John Sea Dogs went 58-7-1-2 for 119 points (playing four more games) and a .875 winning percentage. 

The Wildcats also won the Robert Lebel Trophy (team with the best goals against average) and Luc Robitaille Trophy (team with the best goals for average).

The Sea Dogs won all three of those trophies when they won the Memorial Cup in 2011 as did the Halifax Mooseheads in 2013.

Moncton enters the playoffs having won 15 straight games. They'll play the Quebec Remparts in the opening round.

A few other Monday notes... 

• 17-year-old goaltender William Lacelle of the Rimouski Oceanic won the Jacques Plante Trophy for the QMJHL's best goals against average. From the league: "in his rookie season, Lacelle wins the Jacques Plante Trophy thanks to his 2.38 goals against average, a slight edge ahead of 20-year-old veteran Jacob Steinman (2.41) of the Halifax Mooseheads. Rimouski’s netminder completes his first season with a 27-5-1-2 record, a .909% save percentage and three shutouts."
• For the first time in program history, the Ottawa Gee-Gees are University Cup champions. The Gee-Gees defeated the Concordia Stingers 3-2 in Sunday's championship game at TD Place in Ottawa. Former Sea Dogs goaltender Nikolas Hurtubise allowed three goals on 14 shots in the loss.
• Ottawa entered the tournament as the eighth seed, having not played a game since Feb. 28. The hosts upset UNB on Thursday, TMU on Saturday and then ended things by holding off Concordia Sunday night. While it's become common for a host team to win the Memorial Cup after a long break, this is quite uncommon at the University Cup tournament.
• Along with Hurtubise, the Stingers included former Sea Dogs Nicholas Girouard, Christopher Inniss, Charles Savoie and Isiah Campbell.
• In Sunday afternoon's bronze medal game, Kevin Gursoy, Joseph Ianniello and the TMU Bold fell 4-1 to the Saskatchewan Huskies. Gursoy scored in the loss with Ianniello picking up an assist.
• Former QMJHL goaltender Francesco Lapenna of the Gee-Gees was named tournament MVP.

  🏒MHKY: Franky Lapenna of Ottawa is the Tournament MVP of the 2025 BioSteel U SPORTS University Cup!
  
  🏒HCKM: Franky Lapenna, d’Ottawa, est le Joueur par excellence du tournoi de la Coupe Universitaire U SPORTS BioSteel 2025 ! pic.twitter.com/oAFe06mcHv

  — U SPORTS Hockey (@USPORTS_Hockey) March 23, 2025

• The Gee-Gees are the first Ontario based team to win the University Cup since the Western Mustangs in 2002.
• In the MHL playoffs, the Pictou County Weeks Crushers completed the upset of the Summerside Western Capitals, winning the first round series in five games. The Western Capitals were the second best team in the regular season behind the Edmundston Blizzard.
• Heading into Monday's action, Amherst/Truro along with West Kent/Campbellton were both tied 2-2. Edmundston leads Miramichi 3-1.

Notebook: CHL TV but without the WHL?

WHL

The future of CHL TV is very much in question following an announcement by the Western Hockey League this week.

The WHL announced Thursday that all of its playoff games and the full 2025-26 regular season will be streamed for free on Victory+. The streaming service has been making some noise of late, broadcasting Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks and Texas Rangers games.

From the WHL:

The WHL Playoffs will be available on Victory+ without geo-restrictions, giving fans the opportunity to follow their favorite teams and players on the road to the championship. With Victory+ offering a free, ad-supported streaming service, this ensures that the game is accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or what devices they use, including Samsung and Vizio smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android and web browser.

Making all games available for free is a big move – and one that you have to wonder if the OHL and QMJHL may follow. Following junior hockey isn't easy in this era of dwindling media coverage. It's even harder to follow at a cheap price.

All three leagues have been streamed on the subscription based CHL TV since 2021.

LOTTERY TALK

The Saint John Sea Dogs finished 17th in the 18-team QMJHL, giving them the second best odds of winning the league's draft lottery.

The QMJHL's bottom five teams will all be entered into the lottery.

18. Victoriaville - 9 balls

17. Saint John - 6 balls

16. Halifax - 3 balls

15. Newfoundland - 2 balls

14. Quebec - 1 ball

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan/Newfoundland Regiment own the Gatineau Olympiques' pick.

The Sea Dogs also currently own Cape Breton's first-round pick, which will be 10th overall. We'll see what picks Saint John ends up with on draft day, which will be June 6-7 in Quebec City.

The playoffs are set

Embed from Getty Images

 

The first round of the QMJHL playoffs are locked in.

Saturday was the final day of regular season play. With all games completed, we now know who will be playing who in the opening round of the Gilles Courteau Trophy Playoffs.

Here's a rundown:

Eastern Conference

1) Moncton vs 8) Quebec

2) Rimouski vs 7) Charlottetown

3) Chicoutimi vs 6) Bathurst

4) Baie-Comeau vs 5) Cape Breton

Western Conference

1) Drummondville vs 8) Halifax

2) Rouyn-Noranda vs 7) Gatineau

3) Shawinigan vs 6) Val-d'Or

4) Blainville-Boisbriand vs 5) Sherbrooke

The Halifax Mooseheads crossed over to the Western Conference.

The only series that will be 2-2-1-1-1 formats will be Rouyn-Noranda/Gatineau and Blainville-Boisbriand/Sherbrooke. The others will be 2-3-2.

The Moncton Wildcats, with an impressive 53-9-2-0 record and riding a 15-game winning streak, will be the No. 1 seed through the playoffs.

The Saint John Sea Dogs and Victoriaville Tigres were the lone teams to miss the playoffs.

The playoffs officially begin Thursday with the Sherbrooke Phoenix visiting the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The rest of the series begin Friday.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-3

FINAL: Cape Breton 5, Saint John 3

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs ended their season on a losing note on Saturday at TD Station.

The Sea Dogs got off to a great start, grabbing a 2-0 first period lead over the Cape Breton Eagles. But the Eagles quickly took momentum, scoring four times in the second period en route to 5-3 win.

Cam Squires scored a hat trick for Cape Breton while Tomas Lavoie and Cole Burbidge added singles. Jakub Milota made 34 stops in the win.

Olivier Groulx scored twice for Saint John while William Yared added a solo marker. Eric Young made 41 saves in the loss.

This was Saint John's final game of the season after being eliminated from post-season contention on Friday night. The Eagles, meanwhile, have a first round playoff date with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.

It was all Saint John in the opening half of the first period on Saturday. Groulx opened the scoring at 6:36 and then, just over two minutes later, Yared connected to make it 2-0 in favour of the Sea Dogs.

Shots were 16-4 Saint John at one point but Cape Breton really turned it around late in the frame, pressuring in the final few minutes and keeping Young busy. Shots ended 18-15 in favour of the Dogs.

The Eagles carried that momentum into the second period. Squires got Cape Breton on the board at 5:34 and then, just 38 seconds later, a low Lavoie point shot went through some traffic and past Young to make it a 2-2 game.

Cape Breton took their first lead at 11:01 when Burbidge scored shorthanded. Then, at 15:50, Squires netted his second to make it 4-2 after two. Shots in the middle frame were 20-7 in favour of the Eagles.

Squires completed his hat trick at 11:17 of the third period to make it 5-2. Groulx rounded out the scoring with 3:51 remaining.