Notebook: Elie commits to Clarkson

Vincent Létourneau/Shawinigan Cataractes

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Vince Elie has committed to Clarkson University for next season.

The 20-year-old is in his fourth and final QMJHL season. In three games with the Shawinigan Cataractes, Elie has two goals.

Elie is in his third campaign with the Cataractes. He spent his first season-and-a-half in the QMJHL with the Sea Dogs, posting 26 goals and 37 assists in 102 games. He was traded to Shawinigan in the deal that brought Sea Dogs captain Olivier Groulx to Saint John.

Vince Elie (Shawinigan Cataractes) has committed to Clarkson University for 2026-27@ClarksonMHockey @ecachockey

— Hockey Commitments (@HockeyCommits) September 29, 2025

The Clarkson Golden Knights are a member of the NCAA's ECAC conference where they play against the Ivy League programs. Clarkson, located in the small town of Potsdam, New York, will be an interesting program to watch as they will likely get a number of QMJHL recruits. The campus is located two-and-a-half hours away from Montreal.

Current Sea Dogs defenseman Olivier Duhamel committed to Clarkson in August.

OCTOBER IS HERE (ALMOST)

October will see the Sea Dogs welcome some Quebec-based clubs and make their first trek to Newfoundland.

Four teams from Quebec – the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (Oct. 5), Rimouski Oceanic (Oct. 11), Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (Oct. 13) and Val-d'Or Foreurs (Oct. 18) – will make their only visits of the season to TD Station in October.

Note that the Monday, Oct. 13 game will be a 3 p.m. start due to it being Thanksgiving.

The Sea Dogs will travel to St. John's to face the Regiment for the first time Oct. 24-25. The Sea Dogs haven't played at Mary Brown's Centre since Jan. 6, 2008.

Peddle on the board as an Islander

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

Tyler Peddle seemed to enjoy the Charlottetown Islanders' first trip to Newfoundland.

The former Saint John Sea Dogs forward scored twice in Charlottetown's back-to-back games in St. John's over the weekend, helping the Islanders earn two road wins over the previously undefeated Regiment.

Peddle was held without a point in Charlottetown's first two games of the season. He's been picking things up game-by-game, registering a season high six shots on goal in Sunday's 4-1 win over Newfoundland.

Tyler Peddle with his 2nd of the season! Powerplay is red-hot 🚨🔥

CHA 3 // NFL 1 pic.twitter.com/4WeQ8rSunL

— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) September 28, 2025

The overage forward was traded by the Sea Dogs this summer, allowing him to play with his younger brother, Brady, who left the USHL to join the Islanders.

The Sea Dogs and Islanders will meet for the first time on Oct. 10 at Eastlink Centre.

There aren't a lot of former Sea Dogs playing elsewhere in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season. The only other two are Vince Elie of the Shawinigan Cataractes and Chad Bellemare of the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

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.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-2

FINAL: Saint John 5, Halifax 2

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

HALIFAX - A big night from Alexis Joseph pushed the Saint John Sea Dogs past the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday at Scotiabank Centre.

Joseph scored shorthanded, at even strength and into an empty net in a 5-2 Sea Dogs win. The shorthanded goal, which came at 6:04 of the opening frame, was the first QMJHL goal (and point) for the first overall pick in this year's Entry Draft.

Dylan Rozzi and William Yared added sold markers for Saint John. Rafaël Courchesne, in his first QMJHL start, made 28 saves in the win.

The victory came a night after the Sea Dogs fell 4-3 to the Mooseheads, a closely fought game that was decided on a third period goal by Halifax. Saturday's contest was another close battle and a series split seems fitting. 

Oleg Kulebyakin and Shawn Carrier scored for Halifax. Nicolas Gillham-Cirka made 22 saves in the loss.

The Mooseheads opened the scoring just 3:20 into the game when Kulebyakin converted on a power play. Quinn Kennedy fired a cross ice pass that found the Halifax import who beat Courchesne with a one-timer.

Saint John went to the penalty kill again at 4:24 when the Sea Dogs were called for too many men. While shorthanded, Joseph kept the puck on a two-on-one with Zachary Morin and beat Gillham-Cirka with a hard wrist shot to make it 1-1.

Saint John's penalty troubles continued in the second when Alexander Donovan headed off for a trip. Just 12 seconds into the man advantage, Carrier scored to put Halifax back in front, 2-1.

The Sea Dogs tied things up again at 11:41 when Joseph cut through the crease and slid the puck past Gillham-Cirka. Less than a minute later at 12:35, Rozzi connected to put the Sea Dogs in front for the first time.

After some rough stuff 3:43 into the third, Saint John was awarded a power play. With six seconds remaining on the man advantage, an Olivier Duhamel shot got through the pads of Gillham-Cirka and Yared poked the puck across the line to make it 4-2 Saint John.

The Mooseheads pulled Gillham-Cirka with a couple minutes remaining. Halifax was pressuring but couldn't get many chances before Joseph iced the game with an empty netter with 0.7 seconds remaining, completing his hat trick.

Video: Joseph scores first QMJHL goal

HALIFAX - The first goal is in the books for the first overall pick.

Saint John Sea Dogs rookie forward Alexis Joseph, playing in his fourth Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League game, netted his first goal on Saturday night at Scotiabank Centre.

Joseph kept the puck on a shorthanded two-on-one and beat Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Nicolas Gillham-Cirka with a hard wrist shot, tying the game at 1-1 in the first period.

First goal for the first-overall pick.

🚨: Alexis Joseph (1)
🍎: Unassisted#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/YtTMggLaNV

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) September 27, 2025

The goal was also Joseph's first career QMJHL point.

Joseph, who was selected first overall in June's QMJHL Entry Draft, recorded two goals and an assist in three pre-season games with the Sea Dogs.

Murnieks off to hot start

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - Olivers Murnieks has been as advertised for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Murnieks recorded another two assists in the Sea Dogs' 4-3 loss to Halifax Mooseheads on Friday, giving him an impressive five helpers over his first three QMJHL games. He enters play Saturday as the league's top producing rookie.

The 17-year-old was selected sixth overall by Saint John in this year's CHL Import Draft. He recorded 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers last season.

Murnieks was used on Saint John's top power play unit in Friday's game, skating with Olivier Groulx, Dylan Rozzi, William Yared and Everett Baldwin. The new unit went 1/2.

The Latvian is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and his hot start is no doubt getting some attention.

Murnieks and the Sea Dogs will look to get some revenge on the Mooseheads on Saturday when they meet for a second straight game. Game time at Scotiabank Centre is 7 p.m.

A few other news and notes...

• Alexander Donovan netted his first QMJHL goal on Friday – a goal that was assisted by fellow Americans Matthew Krayer and Oskar Drabczynski. Donovan is the first newcomer to score a goal for the Sea Dogs this season. All of the team's other goals have come from returning players.

  Donny's first in the Q.
  
  🚨: Alex Donovan (1)
  🍎: Matthew Krayer
  🍏: Oskar Drabczynski#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/aEQLETqIMG

  — Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) September 27, 2025

• With another goal on Friday, Zachary Morin now has two goals and an assist in three games. He finished last season with four points in his final 12 games. If he can keep this pace up all season, it would be huge for Saint John.
• Everett Baldwin was a -1 with one shot on goal in his QMJHL debut on Friday. He made a few nice defensive plays.

  Solo lap for Everett Baldwin ahead of his QMJHL debut. pic.twitter.com/Pe0bavDf44

  — Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) September 26, 2025

• Quinn Kennedy in his career against Saint John:
• 2025-26: 1 GP, 1 G
• 2024-25: 6 GP, 4 G, 4 A
• 2023-24: 1 GP, 1 A
• 2022-23: 2 GP, 0 PTS
• Bit of rough stuff at the end of Friday's game, including Eddy Doyle and Alexis Joseph going at it.