Notebook: Dwyer sticks with Regiment

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Former Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Gordie Dwyer will be moving to Newfoundland with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan organization.

The Newfoundland Regiment officially named Dwyer the club's head coach and general manager on Tuesday. The Dalhousie, NB native has been the head coach and GM of the Titan for the past three seasons following his firing from the Sea Dogs at the end of the 2022 playoffs.

Former Sea Dogs equipment manager Tyler Jay is also moving with the Titan to Newfoundland, as is director of hockey operations and video coach Matthew Smith.

“I’m honoured to lead the Newfoundland Regiment alongside Tyler and Matthew, building on the foundation we established in Bathurst,” said Dwyer in a news release. “The appetite for hockey in Newfoundland is electric. We are committed to building a team that is driven and competes in a way that honours the tremendous history of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.”

The Regiment will play their first regular season game on Thursday, Sept. 18, hosting the Moncton Wildcats.

DRAFT SOON

When exactly is this weekend's QMJHL Entry Draft?

The Remparts shared some event details on social media earlier this week. The first-round will begin at 8 p.m. Atlantic on Friday night. The Sea Dogs currently own three picks in the opening round – including the first overall selection.

The remaining 11 rounds will begin on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Atlantic. 

Quebec City's Videotron Centre also hosted the draft back in 2019 when the Sea Dogs selected Joshua Roy with the first overall pick.

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.

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.

Notebook: Difficult January ends

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs are likely quite happy to see January come to an end.

It was a rough start to 2025 for the Sea Dogs, posting a 3-9-0-0 record during the month. Two of their three wins came in overtime while their one regulation win – a 4-1 win in Halifax on Jan. 26 – was the team's first victory that didn't come in overtime or shootout since Dec. 4.

The recent struggles have slid the Sea Dogs down the standings. They now sit last in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference and 16th overall in the league. Saint John has, however, played one less game than the Halifax Mooseheads, who are just one point up on the Sea Dogs.

The top 16 teams in the QMJHL make the playoffs. The Sea Dogs are still in decent position, sitting five points ahead of the 17th-place Gatineau Olympiques and 10 points ahead of the last-place Victoriaville Tigres.

If the playoffs started today, the Sea Dogs would cross over to the Western Conference and face the Drummondville Voltigeurs for a second straight season.

BACK HOME

After four straight games on the road, the Sea Dogs will play their next five games on home ice.

The Sea Dogs host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Wednesday at TD Station, exactly one week after the two met in the Montreal suburbs. The Armada won that game 4-3.

Saint John will have their hands full on Friday night when they host Gardiner MacDougall and the first-place Moncton Wildcats. Then on Saturday, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar make their lone visit of the season to Saint John.

The Sea Dogs also play at home on Saturday, Feb. 15, hosting the Shawinigan Cataractes in a 3 p.m. contest. They will close out this stretch of home games on Monday, Feb. 17, taking on Cape Breton Eagles in a Family Day matinee.

Saint John is 11-12-0-0 at home this season. It's hard to believe, but the Sea Dogs will have just four home games remaining after that Feb. 17 contest.

Newfoundland Regiment are here

The Newfoundland Regiment hockey club was officially born on Thursday afternoon in St. John's.

The QMJHL, team ownership and government officials unveiled the name and logo of the league's newest team at a press conference held inside a military building in St. John's.

According to the team's press release, "the name, inspired by the storied history of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, one of Canada's oldest, is intended to reflect a deep connection to the province's past and a commitment to honouring the valour and bravery of those who served with distinction as well as those who continue to serve with the modern-day Royal Newfoundland Regiment."

The name and logo were announced by Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey and this video.

The team's name and logo were leaked earlier this week after months of speculation. 

SportsLogos.net has a great breakdown of the logo and colours.

According to the news release, "the team’s new logo prominently features a Woodland Caribou, the symbol for which the Regiment is known and a nod to the Regiment's past and current cap badge. This symbol, along with the regimental crest and the crown icon in the logo, captures the spirit of excellence and dedication exemplified by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. Team colors include puttee blue, legacy maroon and heritage tan."

The origins of our logo. 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/mj2pnD97v0

— Newfoundland Regiment (@nlregiment) January 23, 2025

No jerseys were unveiled on Thursday. Long-time St. John's hockey mascot Buddy the Puffin was in attendance, though.

The Regiment will begin play next season when the Acadie-Bathurst Titan relocate to St. John's. It's the second time the city will be home to a QMJHL franchise following the St. John's Fog Devils from 2005 to 2008.

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. 

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. 

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.″

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%.

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.

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 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.