Notebook: Regular season nearing an end

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

Just five regular season games remain for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Sea Dogs will play their final home games this weekend, hosting the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday and Saturday. Note that the Saturday game has a 4 p.m. start.

After that, the Sea Dogs will play their final three games of the regular season all on the road. They visit the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday and then travel to Cape Breton for games March 20-21.

Saint John has respectable records against all three opponents remaining on their schedule:

vs Halifax: 3-2-1-0

vs Charlottetown: 3-2-2-0

vs Cape Breton: 3-3-0-0

The Sea Dogs have qualified for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League playoffs, so they'll play at least four more games after the regular season ends. Saint John will play whichever team finishes first in the Eastern Conference – either the Chicoutimi Sagueneens or Moncton Wildcats.

SPLITS VS MONCTON
Check out these home/away splits for the Sea Dogs when facing the Moncton Wildcats over the past five seasons.

Sea Dogs vs Wildcats at Moncton: 10-10-1-1

Sea Dogs vs Wildcats at Saint John: 3-17-0-1

Sunday was the final regular season meeting between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats. Saint John went 1-7-0-0 against Moncton this year with their lone win coming at Avenir Centre.

TD STATION WALKING

TD Station now offers a walking track, which is presumably the concourse.

REDS FORCE GAME 3

The UNB Reds have forced a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Atlantic University Sport men's hockey final.

Cole Huckins scored as the buzzer sounded to end the first overtime period in Tuesday's Game 2, giving UNB a 4-3 victory over the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus. Moncton scored twice in the third period to force overtime.

UdeM took Game 1 on Sunday, 4-3, thanks to a late third period goal from David Doucet.

Game 3 will take place Thursday night at the Aitken Centre. UNB will try to win an eighth straight AUS playoff title while UdeM is trying to win their first since 2007.

The Reds feature former Sea Dogs Nick Blagden, Peter Reynolds and Leighton Carruthers. Reynolds has not played since Jan. 9 and has been seen with his arm in a sling.

The Aigles Bleus, meanwhile, feature former Sea Dogs Justin Gendron and Jeremie Jacob. Gendron did not play in Tuesday's game.

Both teams have already qualified for the University Cup, which will take place at Scotiabank Centre next week. Saint Mary's is this year's host.

HEARTLANDERS PAUSING

The Iowa Heartlanders have announced that they'll be undergoing "a voluntary suspension of operations for the 2026–27 ECHL season."

According to the news release, "during the suspension period, the organization will evaluate strategic alternatives aimed at ensuring a sustainable long-term future for professional hockey in the Corridor, including potential investment or ownership partnerships that support the continued success of the franchise."

The Heartlanders play just outside Iowa City but have struggled with attendance since they entered the league. Playing in their fifth season, Iowa is averaging a league worst 1,516 fans per game.

The Heartlanders have been home to a few former Sea Dogs over the years, most notably Nico Blachman, Matt Murphy and Nathan Noel.

OTHER THINGS

• The Sea Dogs enter this weekend with an 11-17-2-0 record at home. They were 12-20-0-0 at home last season.
• Some deals for this weekend's for Fan Appreciation.

  Dogs, drinks, and popcorn... what more do you need? 🌭🍿🍺
  
  Save on snacks at the TD Station concession stands all weekend long with these Fan Appreciation Specials!
  
  🎟️ » https://t.co/69DboWmTO4#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/MH5TkGoyCh

  — Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) March 11, 2026

• In the Hockey East playoffs on Wednesday, former Sea Dogs forward Cam MacDonald had a goal and an assist in UNH's 7-3 loss to Northeastern, ending their season.

  Cam MacDonald bringing the heat🔥@ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/NPpRmBCUjg #BeTheRoar pic.twitter.com/gx6fN80Efy

  — UNH Men's Hockey (@UNHMHOCKEY) March 12, 2026

• Former Sea Dogs forward Drew Elliott has been called up to the AHL's San Diego Gulls, it was announced Tuesday. Elliott has 14 goals and 14 assists in 37 games with the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers this season.
• Wednesday's lone QMJHL game – Rouyn-Noranda at Rimouski – was postponed by weather. Normally this wouldn't be big news, but all eyes are on the Oceanic, who have lost 21 straight games. Even with the losing streak, they remain five points head of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the standings.
• Speaking of losing streaks, the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Campbellton Tigers ended the season on a 23-game losing streak.