NOTEBOOK: Dogs Back In Action

After defeating two of the league’s hottest teams last weekend, the Saint John Sea Dogs return to action tomorrow (Friday) night when they face the Islanders in Charlottetown at 7 p.m.

The Islanders, 5-3-0-1 on the season, are coming off a Quebec road trip last weekend where they won just one game. Charlottetown got off to a 4-0 start this year but were handed their first loss of the season by the Sea Dogs on Sept. 25 at Eastlink Centre.

Charlottetown remains without one of their best forwards in Daniel Sprong, who made the Pittsburgh Penguins’ season opening roster.

On Saturday, the Sea Dogs will host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH

Last weekend, goaltender Marc-Antoine Turcotte was named Saint John’s Irving Oil Player of the Month.

According to a team release, Turcotte “finished the month with three wins, a 2.49 goals-against average and a stellar .932 save percentage in six games played.”

Meanwhile, forward Joe Veleno, a St. Malachy's High School student, was named the Swagelok Student of the Month.

3/4 #we'vegotgoals 6 players with Annie Somers at Samuel-de-Champlain French CEGEP - and 4 plys at St. Malachy's High School with J. Craft.

— boots (@paulb_a) October 6, 2015

THOMAS BACK AT UNB

The Brunswickan has an article on former Sea Dogs captain Mike Thomas returning to UNB.

“I missed the game,” he told The Bruns about taking last year off from hockey. “I realized I missed the competitive spirit that playing for UNB had to offer, but I’m happy to be back and focused on winning a championship with a great group of guys.”

Thomas, who played with the V-Reds in 2013-14, will join the team after Christmas upon completing academic requirements.

The V-Reds, who finished second at the University Cup last season, open the regular season on Saturday at home against the UPEI Panthers.

Russia Wins Super Series

By Lorne Webster and Jamie Tozer

RIMOUSKI – Team Russia won the 2014 edition of the Subway Super Series on Thursday night at Colisee de Rimouski.

Russian defeated the QMJHL 3-2 to complete the series win. Russia won the annual six-game event four games to two, beating the WHL twice and the OHL and QMJHL once.

In Thursday’s game, Russia led 3-0 after two periods of play. In the second period, Russia outshot the QMJHL 8-1. In the third, the ‘Q’ was able to make a game of it with goals from Nicolas Meloche and Anthony Deluca, making it 3-2. But that would be as close as the Canadian squad would get.

Rimouski goaltender Philippe Desrosiers made 18 saves in the loss. Igor Shestyorkin made 25 stops in the win.

Olivier LeBlanc, the only Sea Dog participating in the series, finished the game with no points and a -1 rating.

Some notes from the match…

• LeBlanc (SNB) and Ryan Graves (QUE) continued to be Team QMJHL’s primary penalty killers on defence. They played very well again. Unfortunately, they were on the ice when a clearing pass deflected off Frederik Gauthier (RIM) and Team Russia was able to get the puck past Philippe Desrosiers (RIM) for the first goal of the game.
• A pair of odd goals early in the second were costly for the 'Q' as a deflection by Laurent Dauphin (CHI) and then a bad bounce off Jacob Sweeney (MON) eluded Desrosiers.
• LeBlanc was clipped by a high stick late in the second period but he was not cut or injured. The 'Q' was unable to score on the resulting power play.
• During the second intermission, Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino only listed four players from the QMJHL as "locks" to be invited to the final Team Canada selection camp in December. They were Halifax goalie Zach Fucale, Rimouski goalie Philippe Desrosiers, Rimouski defenceman Samuel Morin and Rimouski centre Frederik Gauthier.

RECAP: Team QMJHL Wins 3-1

Things are getting chippy in Bathurst. #subwaysuperseries pic.twitter.com/XD5DU06VDk
— Darcey McLaughlin (@darceymcl) November 19, 2014

By Lorne Webster and Jamie Tozer

BATHURST – Team QMJHL edged Team Russia 3-1 in Game 5 of the 2014 Subway Super Series on Tuesday night at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

Francis Perron, Daniel Audette and Anthony Richard scored for Team QMJHL. Zach Fucale made 40 saves in the victory – including 22 in the third period alone. The 'Q' only registered 18 shots in the game with just one being registered in the third.

Dmitry Yudin scored Russia’s only goal. Igor Shestyorkin made 15 saves in the loss.

Russia has now lost back-to-back games after opening the series with three straight wins.

Some notes from the game…

• Olivier LeBlanc was paired with Ryan Graves (Que). They received a regular shift and were the primary pair on the penalty kill, which kept Russia 0-for-9 on the PP. LeBlanc had two to three big shot blocks and was also on the second power play unit in the second period.
• LeBlanc looked a bit nervous and struggled with the puck during his first couple of shifts. In his second shift, he turned the puck over at the blue line... the Russians appeared to score off that play but Zach Fucale had been bumped and the goal was waved off immediately. After that, he settled in and played well.
• Sportsnet’s RJ Broadhead spoke about the overhaul of the Sea Dogs' roster by "Darrell Kelly" (later he corrected himself saying he got Darrell Young mixed up with David Kelly). Broadhead said that LeBlanc, as captain, is a huge part of the turn around in Saint John. Also, LeBlanc was drafted in the seventh round by Columbus, put on about 14 pounds over the summer and has a bright future. He is plus-18 so far this season. Broadhead also indicated that LeBlanc has been asked to take on more of a defensive role to lead a young defence in Saint John.
• LeBlanc took a cross checking penalty on a penalty kill late in the second period. He was also called for charging (more of a check from behind – but it seemed like a weak call) about six minutes into the third. Russia did not score with LeBlanc in the box. 
• Team QMJHL is small and fast. Frederic Gauthier and Nicolas Roy are the only forwards over 6'0". 
• The next and final game of the series is on Thursday in Rimouski.

Super Series Hits Bathurst Tuesday

The Subway Super Series enters QMJHL territory on Tuesday.

Team Russia will face Team QMJHL in game five of the series on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the KC Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst. The game can be seen on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Russia swept the WHL and won their first game against the OHL before falling 5-1 last night in Kingston.

Defenseman Olivier LeBlanc will be the only Sea Dog playing in the event.

The final game of the series, also against the QMJHL, takes place on Thursday in Rimouski.

A few other notes:

• LeBlanc is definitely a long shot to make Team Canada’s world junior team. Although he didn’t make Brendan Ross’ projected roster, LeBlanc was among the “other top candidates” listed.
• Mike Hoffman has been a beast for the Ottawa Senators of late. TSN’s Darren Dreger had an article on that on Friday.
• The Sea Dogs and Wildcats now each have 31 points and are atop the Maritimes Division. However, Saint John has played two fewer games.
• Defenseman Jakub Zboril was ranked 28^th in Future Considerations' November rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft.
• The Mooseheads will be without captain Ryan Falkenham for six to eight weeks with a lower body injury. Moose Country has seen better days.

LeBlanc Named To Team QMJHL

Sea Dogs captain Olivier LeBlanc has been named to the QMJHL’s roster for the 2014 Subway Super Series.

LeBlanc was the only Sea Dogs player named to this year’s roster. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect has two goals and six assists in 11 games with Saint John this season.

The full roster is below:

GOALTENDERS
Desrosiers, Philippe, RIM
Fucale, Zachary, HAL

DEFENSEMEN
Leblanc, Olivier, SNB
Carrier, Alexandre, GAT
Graves, Ryan, QUE
Meloche, Nicolas, BAC
Brisebois, Guillaume, BAT
Labbé, Dylan, SHA
Morin, Samuel, RIM
Roy, Jérémy, SHE

Team QMJHL Sweeps Series

For the first time since 2009, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has swept Russia.

Team QMJHL defeated Russia 4-3 tonight in Sherbrooke, completing their Subway Super Series sweep. The Q won the first game of the series on Monday, 3-2.

Phoenix forward Daniel Audette had a goal, an assist, and was named player of the game for Team QMJHL. Anthony Mantha, Christopher Clapperton, and Anthony Duclair also scored for the Canadian squad.

In net, Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger made 22 saves in the win, including a few beauties in the third period when the game was on the line.

Also, there was an ugly collision in the second period of this game. Ugh.

The Super Series continues tomorrow night in Oshawa when Team OHL hosts Russia.

Elsewhere tonight…

• In Fredericton, former Sea Dogs Spencer MacDonald, Jordan Moore, Alexandre Leduc, and the STU Tommies men’s hockey team ended a 36-game losing streak against UNB, defeating the Varsity Reds 3-2 at the Aitken Centre. It was a forgettable game for Mike Thomas who picked up two minor penalties and a 10-minute misconduct.

Congrats to @TommiesSTU on their first win at the AUC since Feb. '03 (10+ years) + fist win in 36 games going back to Oct. '06.
— Drummer's Beat (@VRedsHckyStats) November 21, 2013

Auger Starting Tonight For Team QMJHL

If you haven’t heard, Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger is expected to get the start in goal tonight for Team QMJHL in Game 2 of the Subway Super Series. This according to multiple media people on the Twitter machine and this lovely pre-game video on the CHL website.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Zach Fucale started Monday’s game, a game that saw Team QMJHL defeat Russia 3-2.

Tonight in Sherbrooke, Auger will get the start. He has the Q’s best save percentage (0.919), leads the league in saves (684), and is third in minutes played.

This is a big opportunity for Auger who will be playing in front of the Hockey Canada staff, NHL scouts, and a national television audience.

Tonight’s game begins at 8pm Atlantic and can be seen live on Sportsnet.

Team QMJHL Wins Game 1

Anthony Mantha scored with less than five minutes left in Game 1 of the 2013 Subway Super Series to give Team QMJHL a 3-2 victory over Russia.

Charles Hudon added two goals for the Q, playing in Gatineau. Jonathan Drouin was Jonathan Drouin and setup all three goals. Zach Fucale picked up the win in net.

Russian goals came from Moncton Wildcats forward Ivan Barbashev and Vladimir Tkachev. Ivan Nalimov was in net.

The only Sea Dog taking part in the series in goaltender Sebastien Auger. He was backup in this game but will presumably appear in Wednesday’s Game 2 in Sherbrooke. Game time is 8pm and it can be seen on Sportsnet.

Auger Named To Super Series Roster

SAINT JOHN – Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger has been named to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s roster for the upcoming Subway Super Series.

Auger was, not surprisingly, the only Sea Dog invited to the event. He’ll join Halifax’s Zach Fucule as the team’s goaltending tandem for the series which will feature the QMJHL’s best Canadians who are eligible for the world junior team taking on a Russian squad.

The full QMJHL roster can be found here.

Auger, 19, is 3-9-0-2 this season with a 2.63 goals against average and a 0.926 save percentage. His GAA ranks fourth in the league, his save percentage is second, and leads the league in saves with 465. He is also fourth in minutes played having started 14 of Saint John’s 17 games.

This is Auger’s third season in the QMJHL. He was a fifth-round pick of Saint John in 2010. This will be his first Super Series.

The QMJHL portion of the Super Series takes place on Monday, November 18^th in Gatineau and Wednesday, November 20^th in Sherbrooke. The games will be broadcast on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

Sea Dogs Notebook

VITO’S

Vito’s posted this photo on their Facebook page last week. Click to enlarge.

MOVEMBER

Movember is winding down but there is still plenty of time to donate to the Sea Dogs team.

The team announced last week that Scott McCain “will personally match donations to the Saint John Sea Dogs team, up to a maximum of $3,000.”

“Movember is a special reminder to all of us that we need to collectively do all that we can to fight this terrible disease,” the Sea Dogs CEO said in a release. “I'm happy to support such an important cause and I wish good luck to the Sea Dogs in their fund-raising attempts.”

Fans can follow the progress of the Sea Dogs team and make donations HERE.

SCHOLASTICS

Aidan Kelly was named Saint John’s scholastic player of the month for October. He is a business student at UNBSJ.

“The Scholastic Players of the Month UL Mutual are a great initiative by the QMJHL,” said UL Mutual CEO Jacques Desbiens  in a release. “We are very proud of having been invited to contribute and to add the name of UL Mutual, your mutual for life.”

GALIEV

Stanislav Galiev was sent back down to the East Coast Hockey League’s Reading Royals on Wednesday. The Washington Capitals even made a press release this time around.

Galiev played for Reading on Wednesday and was a +1 in a 5-4 shootout win over the South Carolina Stingrays. The former Sea Dogs forward was given a shooting opportunity in the shootout but did not score. Galiev has now played in two ECHL games but has yet to record a point.

In nine games with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears, Galiev had an assist.

PHILLIPS

Rant Sports is analyzing some of the Minnesota Wild’s first round draft picks from the past few years. That includes Zack Phillips.

“So far this season, that success has not translated into the AHL, where he has just five points through 14 games,” writes Bob Spencer. “At just 20 years old, Phillips has a lot of development left, but what he has shown so far certainly has Wild fans buzzing. It’s still too early to really grade this pick so I have to default and take the middle ground.”

They gave Phillips a ‘B’ rating.

Sea Dogs Notebook

UP NEXT

The Sea Dogs travel to Quebec this weekend for a three-in-three. The adventure begins tomorrow as the club travels to Sherbrooke to take on the expansion Phoenix for the first time. Game time is 8pm.

The Phoenix are currently in last place with a record of 3-14-1-1. But as we learned on Sunday, the Sea Dogs are not guaranteed wins this season.

From there, Saint John will travel to Drummondville to battle the Voltigeurs on Saturday at 8pm. The road trip ends on Sunday with a 5pm contest against the Armada in Blainville-Boisbriand.

LAST NIGHT

Here’s Nathan MacKinnon setting up Jonathan Huberdeau in last night’s Subway Super Series game in Val-d’Or.

Huberdeau finished the game with two goals and an assist. The Team QMJHL captain had a combined two goals and three assists in this year’s two Super Series games.

JURCO

MIHockeyNow.com had an article on Tomas Jurco on Tuesday. Jurco said playing on a stacked team over the past three years has helped him.

“It helped me because I was always fighting for ice time,” Jurco said about his time in Saint John. “There were a lot of good players and high draft picks. It taught me that you have to be really good every game to play first line or on the power play.”

Jurco has a goal and an assist in 11 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins this year.

SPORTSNET

Mike Kelly’s post-game skate following Sunday’s contest made Sam Cosentino’s column on Sportsnet.ca.

“Old school: After Saint John's 3-2 loss to Shawinigan Sunday, head coach Mike Kelly bag-skated his team with some fans still on their way out of the building,” wrote Cosentino.

Unleash The Young Guns

By Andrew McGilligan

SN Staff

I hope Jonathan Drouin, Zachary Fucale, Aaron Ekblad, Max Domi and Connor McDavid are all part of Team Canada when it heads to Ufa, Russia for the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship.

It’s highly unlikely any of these players will be in the lineup when Canada faces off in the annual holiday tournament given Hockey Canada’s preference to skew older in the under-20 tournament, usually sending a contingent of 18 and 19-year-old players. Droiun, Fucale and Domi are 17 years old and NHL draft eligible while Ekblad is 16 and McDavid will be a couple weeks shy of his 16th birthday when the tournament begins.

However, after three-straight years without a gold medal, a change in philosophy might be what’s needed and the 2013 tournament could be the perfect setting. If the NHL lockout continues into the holiday season, it will free up several players to suit up for their country who might otherwise be playing in the NHL including Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifele and Ryan Murphy, among others. 

This would give Team Canada a great group of core players, loaded with talent who have been through the world junior pressure cooker and several other “big” situations. By having these veteran players lead the way and take on the roles of being the top scorers and shut down defencemen, it would free up space to bring some younger players to the squad, let them gain valuable world junior experience and take on roles (penalty killers, energy line, grind line) that will help them develop into better all-around hockey players. 

Many point to the under-18 tournament as the place for younger players to gain international experience. A good point, but those tournaments cannot compare with the World Juniors which have become a holiday tradition in this country on par with eating too much food over a three-day span and making resolutions you will never keep.

The five players mentioned above will hardly form the nucleus of Team Canada at this year’s tournament, but will likely be the ones relied upon for the 2014 and, in the case of McDavid and Ekblad, 2015. If the NHL is locked out, why not rely heavily on guys who have proven they can play in big moments while giving some younger players a chance to see, up close, what it takes to compete on the world stage.

Some may have noticed Nathan MacKinnon has not yet been mentioned as he would fall, age wise, in with the five players at the top of the column. I excluded him because it would be a gross oversight if he didn’t get the chance to play for Team Canada in Ufa.  

Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

RECAP: The Streak Ends. QMJHL Wins 5-2.

FINAL: QMJHL 5, Russia 2

VAL-D’OR, Que. – The streak is finally over.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ended their five-game Subway Super Series losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Team Russia on Wednesday night in Val-d’Or. Russia won the opening game of the series by score of 5-2 on Monday.

It was a big night for Team QMJHL’s marque stars: Jonathan Huberdeau, Jonathan Drouin, and Nathan MacKinnon. The trio combined to score four goals and seven assists for 11 points.

Huberdeau, Team QMJHL’s captain for the event, recorded two goals and an assist. He was also a +2 after finishing Monday’s game a -4. MacKinnon and Drouin each had a goal and three assists.

Francis Beauvillier scored the other goal for the ‘Q.’ Zach Fucale started the game and made nine saves. Francois Brassard took over halfway through the contest and made 14 stops.

Huberdeau was the only Sea Dog playing in Wednesday’s game as Ryan Tesink was scratched.

Andrei Sigarev and Vladimir Tkachev scored for Russia. Nail Yakupov had an assist while Mikhail Grigorenko was held pointless. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevski made 27 saves in the loss.

Solid showing by Team QMJHL in this game. The series now shifts to the Ontario Hockey League.

SUPER SERIES GAMEDAY - Game 2

GAMEDAY

2012 Subway Super Series - Game Two – Team QMJHL vs Team Russia

Tonight, November 7, 2012 at 8pm

TV: Sportsnet/TVA Sports/ NHL Network (US)

Air Creebec Centre – Val-d’Or, Que.

PREVIEW

VAL-D’OR, Que. – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will once again try to snap their losing streak tonight.

Monday’s 6-2 loss to Team Russia in the first game of the 2012 Subway Super Series was Team QMJHL’s fifth straight loss at the event. They have beaten Russia since 2009.

The 'Q' will look to end their streak this evening in Game 2 of the series. Game time in Val-d'Or is 8pm.

Team QMJHL never really clicked on Monday in Blainville-Boisbriand. Line combinations were all over the place in the third period but nothing really happened. The ‘Q’ should get an offensive boost tonight as Jonathan Drouin, who didn’t play in Game 1 due to a minor injury, will play.

RDS’s Stephane Leroux tweets that Drouin will play wing with his Halifax Mooseheads teammate Nathan MacKinnon at centre and Cape Breton’s William Carrier on the opposite wing on the team’s “third line.”

Saint John Sea Dogs forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who is the Team QMJHL captain, will play with Phillip Danault and Charles Hudon. Huberdeau started last night’s game on a line with MacKinnon and Jean-Sebastien Dea. Despite recording two assists, the captain finished a -4.

So yeah… hopefully the QMJHL can pull off a victory tonight.

Sportsnet.ca has a full game preview.

RECAP: Welp. Russia Wins 6-2.

FINAL: Team Russia 6, Team QMJHL 2

BOISBRIAND, Que. – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Subway Super Series woes continued on Monday night in Blainville-Boisbriand.

Team Russia defeated Team QMJHL 6-2 in Game 1 of the 2012 Subway Super Series. It was Russia’s fifth straight win against the ‘Q’ at the event, a streak that began at Harbour Station in 2010. Team QMJHL hasn’t beaten the visitors since 2009.

Russia grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the first and took the momentum. Even though Team QMJHL made it one-goal game early in the second, Russia would score three straight to basically ice the game.

Mikhail Grigorenko, Nail Yakupov, Maxim Shalunov, Mikhail Naumenkov, Alexandre Khokhlachev, and Valentin Zykov all scored for Russia. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevski was solid in the Russian net, making 31 saves for the win..

Xavier Ouellet and Jean-Sebastien Dea scored the lone goals for Team QMJHL. Jonathan Huberdeau recorded two assists. Etienne Marcoux made 21 saves in the loss.

Huberdeau and Nathan MacKinnon both finished the game with a -4 rating. Ouch.

SUPER SERIES GAMEDAY - Game 1

GAMEDAY

2012 Subway Super Series - Game One - Team Russia vs Team QMJHL

Tonight, November 5, 2012 at 8pm

TV: Sportsnet/TVA Sports/ NHL Network (US)

Le Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau – Boisbriand, Que.

PREVIEW

BOISBRIAND, Que. – The Subway Super Series was not kind to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last year.

Team Russia won both of their games against Team QMJHL in last year’s event, winning 2-0 in Game 1 and 5-4 in a shootout in Game 2. It wasn’t just last year that the 'Q' struggled against the Russians. They also went winless in the 2010 event and haven’t won a game since 2009.

Team QMJHL will look to get things back on track tonight in Game 1 of the 2012 Subway Super Series. Game time in Boisbriand is 8pm Atlantic. The game can be watched live on Sportsnet.

Forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Tesink will represent the Saint John Sea Dogs at this year’s event. Huberdeau, who was named team captain this morning, will play on a very talented line with Halifax’s Nathan MacKinnon and Rouyn-Noranda’s Jean-Sebastien Dea.

The Russian roster will also feature some familiar names. QMJHLers Mikhail Grigorenko, Anton Zlobin, and Valentin Zykov will suit up for the visitors.

Some links previewing the series:

Sportsnet.ca – QMJHL Looks to Break Slump vs Russia

Buzzing The Net - Subway Super Series starts Monday, here is what to expect

Super Series website - QMJHL set to stop Russian streak

Huberdeau Named Team QMJHL Captain

No surprise here.

Congrats to #FLAPanthers prospect @jonnyhuby11 of @seadogshockey named Team #QMJHL Captain for the #SubwaySeries
— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) November 5, 2012

Huberdeau has captained the Saint John Sea Dogs for over a year, has world junior experience, and wore the ‘C’ a few times this summer in the Canada-Russia Challenge, so it’s not a surprise to see him awarded this honour.

The Florida Panthers prospect could not participate in last year’s Subway Super Series because of a broken foot. He currently leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with 11 goals and 12 assists in 18 games.

According to another Canadian Hockey League tweet, Xavier Ouellet, Phillip Danault, and Charles Hudon will be alternate captains.

Game 1 of the Subway Super Series between Team QMJHL and Team Russia is tonight at 8pm in Blainville-Boisbriand. Watch it on Sportsnet.

Two Sea Dogs Named To QMJHL Team

Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Tesink have both been named to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League roster for the 2012 Subway Super Series. The league announced the full roster and coaching staff this afternoon.

Huberdeau was a lock to make the team since he is basically a lock to make the Canadian world junior team (unless the NHL lockout ends). The Sea Dogs captain, who leads the team in scoring with eight goals and seven assists in 10 games this season, missed last year’s Super Series because of a broken foot.

Tesink is second in Sea Dogs scoring with four goals and seven assists in 10 contests. A sixth round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2011, Tesink is considered a long shot to make the Canadian world junior team this year.

According to the league's release, “each of the three CHL member leagues assembled a selection committee, working closely with Hockey Canada’s Chief Scout, Kevin Prendergast, to select the players for this year’s series.  The QMJHL selection committee included QMJHL’s Executive vice-president, Marcel Patenaude, Director of Hockey Operations, Pierre Leduc, QMJHL's special delegate to Hockey Canada, Charles Henry, General Manager and Head Coach of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, André Tourigny, President and General Manager of the Armada, Joël Bouchard and Head Coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Mario Duhamel.  A total of twenty-five players will participate in the event this year.  The rosters for each individual game will be announced at a later date.”

The first game of the annual series is Monday, November 5 at Blainville-Boisbriand. The second game is on November 7 in Val-d’Or. The series then shifts to the Ontario Hockey League for two games and then heads to the Western Hockey League.

The QMJHL has struggled against the Russians over the past few seasons, which included losing both games last year. They’ll be looking for some redemption this season.

Every game of the series will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet. 

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

Sea Dogs Notebook

Via Facebook, "the Saint John Sea Dogs are throwing their support behind the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation's 'The Give' fundraiser."

TONIGHT

Tonight at 8pm in Quebec City, the Halifax Mooseheads will look to force a Game 7 with a victory over the Remparts. If a Game 7 is required, it would be played tomorrow night at Pepsi Colisee.

The Moose have won two straight entering tonight’s Game 6. According to Metro Halifax, only three times in the history of the QMJHL has a team come back from a 3-0 series deficit and won.

Chicoutimi/Shawinigan and Rimouski/Blainville-Boisbriand will play their Game 7s tomorrow night. The lowest seed that moves on will play Saint John in the next round.

PENS AWARDS

Two former Sea Dogs were among the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins team award winners on Saturday night.

Simon Despes was named the team’s Rookie of the Year. Despres recorded five goals and 10 assists in 44 American Hockey League games this season. He also registered a goal and three assists in 18 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Former Sea Dogs captain Alex Grant was named the Most Improved Player. Grant registered 10 goals and 27 assists in 61 games in his first full AHL season. Grant spent most of last year in the East Coast Hockey League.

Grant and Despres could probably help Pittsburgh’s defense right now. Brutal.

Team QMJHL Falls In Shootout

FINAL (SO): Team QMJHL 4, Team Russia 5

QUEBEC CITY, Que. – For a second straight year, Team Russia swept Team QMJHL to open up the Subway Super Series.

Russia needed a shootout on Wednesday night to defeat the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League all-stars 5-4 at Pepsi Colisee. Russia won Game One of the 2011 coast-to-coast series 2-0 on Monday in Victoriaville.

On Wednesday, Team QMJHL was finally able to score some goals. Acadie-Bathurst Titan forward Matthew Bissonnette was in beast mode, scoring three goals and earning player of the game honours. Chicoutimi’s Charles Hudon had the other goal in the loss.

Goaltender Louis Domingue had his ups-and-downs in the loss. He allowed four goals on 35 shots - including a couple of weak ones.

Nikita Gusev, Nikita Kucherov, Mikhail Grigorenko and Emil Galimov each had goals for Russia. Netminder Pavel Suchkov made 37 stops in the win.

Russia opened the scoring and led 1-0 after one. The QMJHL took the lead in the second period and led 2-1 after 40 minutes. Russia stormed back in the third period and took a 4-3 lead into the final minute of play. With 15 seconds left and Domingue on the bench, Bissonnette scored following a scramble in the crease to make it 4-4 and send the match into extra time.

In the shootout, Nathan Beaulieu scored a beauty in the fifth round. But his marker would not be enough as Daniil Apalkov scored the winner in round-six.

Team QMJHL outshot Russia 41-36.

The Canadians went 0-for-4 on the man advantage while Russia didn’t have any power play opportunities.

Zack Phillips was held scoreless again and was stopped in the shootout. He registered three shots and was a +1. Beaulieu had an assist, two shots and was a +1 while Pierre Durepos was a -1 and had two shots.

Dating back to last year, Team QMJHL has now lost four straight games against the Russians.