Notebook: Joseph joins rookie hat trick club

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

HALIFAX - Alexis Joseph became the first Saint John Sea Dogs rookie since Eriks Mateiko to record a hat trick on Saturday.

Joseph scored shorthanded, at even strength and into an empty net to lead the Sea Dogs to a 5-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads. His first period shorthanded marker was the first goal of his QMJHL career.

Here's a look at all three goals.

As the below shows, Sea Dogs rookies scoring hat tricks isn't as uncommon as you might think. Note though that many of the players listed below were not "true rookies" (i.e. 16-year-olds) when they netted their first hat tricks.

Joseph entered play Sunday tied with Rian Chudzinski of the Moncton Wildcats for the QMJHL rookie goal scoring lead.

COMING UP

After splitting their weekend series in Halifax, the Sea Dogs will travel to another challenging environment on Saturday when they visit the Moncton Wildcats for the first time this season.

Saturday's contest will be the Wildcats' home opener where they'll raise their QMJHL championship banner. Moncton played their first four games on the road, posting a 2-1-1-0 record while slowly getting players back from NHL camps.

It'll be a tough weekend for the Sea Dogs as they face two teams expected to challenge for top spot in the Eastern Conference. After Saturday's match in Moncton, Saint John returns home to host the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday at 3 p.m.

FRESH BUS LOOK

The Sea Dogs' bus has a fresh look for the 2025-26 season.

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NEW GOAL HORN

Here's a literal look at the Sea Dogs' new goal horn, which debuted during the team's home opening weekend.

NEW HOME FOR YOUNG

Former Sea Dogs goaltender Eric Young has a new home.

Young was traded from the BCHL's Coquitlam Express to the Okotoks Oilers last week in exchange for future considerations. 

“Watching him last year, and on his InStat, just his calm demeanour,” said Oilers goaltending coach Derek Purfield in a team release. “He’s very calm in the net and makes things look easy, but he also competes hard. Goaltending, you know, it’s never going to be perfect; there are going to be some plays that you need to compete on. So, he’s a bit of a mix, which is perfect. 

“He knows our league, knows the teams that we go up against and stuff like that. I always think that’s a big advantage of having a guy who is experienced.”

Young made his Okotoks debut on Saturday, making 32 saves in the Oilers' 5-2 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings. Okotoks' next game is this coming Saturday when they face Dylan Krayer, Parker Forlin and the West Kelowna Warriors.

Young, who will turn 20 on Dec. 30, played 15 games with the Sea Dogs in the second half last season. 

MACPHERSON IN KENSINGTON

The Eastern Graphic has a story on Sea Dogs goaltending prospect Jase MacPherson, who has joined the Kensington Wild for another season.

“It was a lot faster whenever I played the preseason game and just the skill was crazy,” MacPherson said of his time at Sea Dogs training camp. 

“Everybody’s so smart and the plays are a lot quicker and faster.”

MacPherson is 2-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .949 save percentage with the Wild this season. He's also appeared in one Maritime Junior Hockey League game with the Summerside Western Capitals, stopping all 19 shots he faced in a relief appearance on Sept. 21. 

OTHER STUFF

• The Sea Dogs have scored 14 goals and allowed 14 goals through four games this season. The per period breakdown is fairly even.
• 1st Period: 5 GF/5 GA
• 2nd Period: 4 GF/5 GA
• 3rd Period: 5 GF/4 GA
• Nolann Héroux, the 16-year-old forward the Sea Dogs selected with the 10th overall pick in June's QMJHL Entry Draft, now has a goal and five assists in seven games with the Saint-Eustache Vikings of the Quebec under-18 league this season.
• Former Sea Dogs goaltender Alex Bishop has signed with the Fredericton Express of the Beausejour Senior Hockey League. Bishop spent the 2015-16 season and part of the 2016-17 campaign with the Sea Dogs. He most recently spent a couple seasons with the Charlotte County Irishmen of the now defunct Southern Senior Hockey League.
• Former Sea Dogs athletic therapist JP Laciak has left the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs to become an assistant athletic therapist with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Laciak spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs from 2013 to 2015.
• A couple former Sea Dogs continue to have strong starts in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. Coen Miller of the Summerside Western Capitals has five goals and nine assists in six games while Ben Cross of the Chaleur Lightning has eight goals and five assists in seven games.
• The Charlottetown Islanders kicked off the longest road trip in franchise history on the weekend, visiting the Newfoundland Regiment (and earning two wins). They'll now play four games in Quebec – Shawinigan, Gatineau, Blainville-Boisbriand and Drummondville – before returning home to host the Sea Dogs on Oct. 10.
• The Armada improved to 4-0 with an 8-4 win over the Victoriaville Tigres on Saturday. They're the only undefeated team remaining. They've also outscored opponents 25-10.
• The CHL is turning 50.