SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
The QMJHL released the official schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs – Victoriaville Tigres quarter-final playoff series. It is the same schedule as the one reported on the Tigres’ Facebook page yesterday.

Here it is (all times local):

2011-04-08 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:30 pm
2011-04-09 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-12 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-13 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-15 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-18 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-19 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm

CUSTOM GOAL HORN
The goal horn at Harbour Station had a different tune to it in the final game of the regular season after Michael Kirkpatrick scored. A video labeled “Michael Kirkpatrick Custom Goal Horn" has popped up on YouTube.



Pretty good tune.

ON THE RISE
Central Scouting had some meetings this weekend to discuss their final rankings for upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Among the things discussed were about the top defensemen available for the draft. That list, of course, includes Sea Dog Nathan Beaulieu.

"Nathan is a fluid skater, hard worker and reads the play well," Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, who specializes in the QMJHL, told NHL.com, via Fox News. "We thought he should have had more points than he had (45 points in 65 games), but overall he has the NHL quickness already. That's what is really important at this stage."

Beaulieu was ranked ninth among North American players in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

- Thanks to Eric for the link.

SAUVE RECALLED AGAIN

The Vancouver Canucks just can’t catch a break on the blue line this season. But bad news on the injury front for the Canucks continues to be good news for former Saint John Sea Dogs defender Yann Sauve.

The Canucks recalled Sauve again yesterday and is listed on the team's line-up for tonight's game. The National Hockey League’s regular season champions face the Edmonton Oilers this evening at Rogers Arena.

“It’s always bad for a team to get an injury, but it’s a chance for me to be here and play some games,” said Sauve to the Vancouver Province. “It’s a boost of confidence every time you come here and get to play with those guys. You learn a lot from it.”

“My parents would be watching anyway, but I think it’s good for my little town of Rigaud (near Montreal) to see a guy from there playing on Hockey Night in Canada.”

Vancouver was forced to recall the 21-year old when Chris Tanev was hurt in Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

The injuries continue to pile up for the Canucks as the playoffs get closer. From the team’s website:

Vancouver has also been hurting, with forwards Mikael Samuelsson (thigh) and Tanner Glass (ribs/abdominal) and defenseman Christopher Tanev (upper body) day-to-day. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis is out indefinitely with a concussion. Defensemen Alexander Edler (back), Lee Sweatt (foot) and Andrew Alberts (wrist) are on injured reserve. Forward Manny Malhotra had left eye surgery and is out for the season.

Sauve has played in three NHL games this season but did not pick up any points.

In 37 games with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, the first overall pick in the 2006 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft has three goals and nine assists.



Photo Credit: Winnipeg Free Press

REPORTED QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE

The Victoriaville Tigres Facebook page has posted the entire schedule for their quarter-final series against the Saint John Sea Dogs. The reported schedule is under the 2-3-2 format.

The schedule is as follows:

Game One - Friday, April 8 at 7:30 pm at Harbour Station
Game Two - Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station
Game Three - Tuesday, April 12, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
Game Four - Wednesday, April 13, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
*Game Five - Friday, April 15, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
*Game Six – Monday, April 18 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station
*Game Seven – Tuesday, April 19 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station

*if necessary

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has yet to officially announce any schedules for the four quarter-final series.

DOGS MEET TIGRES IN QUARTER-FINALS

SAINT JOHN – Cinderella will meet Goliath in the second round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.

With a 4-3 overtime win on Friday night, the Gatineau Olympiques defeated the Rimouski Oceanic and eliminated them from President’s Cup playoff contention. The 12th seeded Oceanic were the lowest ranked team remaining in the post-season.

With Rimouski done, the Victoriaville Tigres are now the lowest seeded team remaining in the hunt for the 2011 QMJHL title. The Tigres now face a tough task as they must face the top-ranked Saint John Sea Dogs in the quarter-finals.

Game One of the second round series is Friday, April 8, at 7:30 pm and Game Two is Saturday, April 9, at 7:00 pm. Both games are at Harbour Station. The full schedule for the best-of-seven series will be released shortly.

The Tigres pulled off a somewhat large upset in the first round by taking out the sixth-seeded Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The fact that the Tigres won the series isn’t the most surprising thing – it is the way they took out the Titan that came as a shock. Victoriaville won four straight games to sweep the series.

Victoriaville had a record of 35-29-1-3 in the regular season and finished 11th overall in the standings. They finished 17 points back of Bathurst.

But now, the Tigers’ Cinderella run must go through the monster that is the QMJHL’s top-ranked Sea Dogs. Saint John finished 45 points ahead of Victoriaville in the standings and steamrolled the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the opening round of the playoffs.

But, the Tigres will be a confident bunch heading into the quarter-final series. Along with carrying the momentum of their first round series win, the team has the rare distinction of being one of the clubs to give Saint John a loss in regulation time. On February 26, the Tigres beat the Sea Dogs 2-1 at Colisee Desjardins.

These two teams faced each other in the semi-finals last year with the Sea Dogs winning the series 4-2.

If anything, this series will provide more entertainment than Saint John’s first round matchup against Cape Breton.

QUARTER-FINAL TICKETS NOW ON-SALE

SAINT JOHN – Tickets to the second round of the Saint John Sea Dogs’ playoff run went on-sale this morning at Harbour Station. Tickets can now be obtained at the facilities box office, by phone, or online.

The Sea Dogs advanced to the quarter-finals for the third time in four seasons after sweeping the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the opening round.

Saint John will open the second round next Friday, April 8 at Harbour Station at 7:30 pm. Game Two will be hosted at the Station on Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 pm. The rest of the schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Sea Dogs’ opponent for the series has yet to be determined.

Their opposition for the quarter-finals could be determined tonight, though. A Gatineau Olympiques win will eliminate the Rimouski Oceanic – the lowest seeded team remaining. If Rimouski’s season ends this evening, Saint John will play the Victoriaville Tigres, the Cinderella team of this year’s playoffs after pulling off a shocking four-game sweep of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Only three series have not been decided yet and they could all end tonight. Shawinigan is in Prince Edward Island with a 3-1 series lead, Rimouski in Gatineau down 3-1, and Moncton is in Lewiston facing a 3-1 deficit.

VIDEO: Millman's fight flip

In Game Three of the Saint John Sea Dogs’ first round playoff series against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Mike Thomas and Blake Millman squared off in a round of fisticuffs at 18:31 of the third period. Saint John won the match 5-1.

It wasn’t an epic fight by any means between the two tough customers, but the tilt did feature one of the more bizarre endings. With Thomas bent over, Millman somehow did a complete flip and nearly took out both officials with his skates.



Really weird stuff.

- Video via HockeyFights.com