Friday News & Notes

A goal and an assist from Joe Veleno wasn’t enough as Canada Black fell 3-2 to Canada Red in quarterfinal action at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Thursday.

Veleno helped open the scoring in the first period and then tied the game at 2-2 in the third. But a goal from Josh Brooks – which was assisted by Antoine Morand and Maxime Comtois – with 2:03 to play gave Red the victory.

Sea Dogs goaltending prospect Alex D’Orio did not play in the game.

Canada Black will play a placement game against the Czech Republic today at 5:30 AST in Dawson Creek, BC.

Some other news and notes…

• Wayne Long, now the MP for the Saint John-Rothesay riding, has officially left his position as president of the Sea Dogs. If you’re interested in applying for the job, here is the job description.
• The Sea Dogs announced via social media yesterday that Kevin Gagne will join Mora IK in Sweden. Elite Prospects lists him on loan with the club. Gagne has spent the past two seasons with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals.
• Sportsnet is coming to town on Friday, Jan. 22. The Sea Dogs’ game against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles that night at Harbour Station will air nationally on Sportsnet as part of Friday Night Hockey. The start time for the game will presumably be moved up to 8 p.m.
• Only two QMJHL games are on Sportsnet’s released broadcast schedule, which goes until Jan. 28. The other game will be a Charlottetown-Cape Breton matchup at Centre 200 on Friday, Nov. 20.
• Mathieu Joseph has been named Saint John’s scholastic player of the month for October.
• The Sea Dogs’ Quebec road trip continues tonight in Drummondville and Saturday in Quebec City. Both are 8 p.m. starts. Friday’s game will air on TVA Sports 2.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 3-2 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Sherbrooke 2 (OT)

SHERBROOKE, Que. – They blew of a two-goal lead but the Saint John Sea Dogs were still able to earn two points.

Jakub Zboril’s overtime goal lifted the Sea Dogs to a 3-2 victory over the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Wednesday night. Despite blowing a two-goal lead, a win is a win, and this is a positive start to a three-game Quebec road trip.

Zboril, Daniel Del Paggio and Sam Povorozniouk all had goals for the Sea Dogs while Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 35 saves in the win. Julien Pelletier and Kevin Gilbert replied for the Phoenix while Evan Fitzpatrick made 23 stops in the loss.

Nathan Noel had a penalty shot 1:26 into the game but was stopped by the glove of Fitzpatrick. That proved to be the most eventful thing to happen in rather uneventful opening frame. Shots were just 8-5 in favour of Saint John.

After a shot from inside the line hit the glove of Thomas Gregoire in the slot, Del Paggio found it and deposited the puck past Fitzpatrick to open the scoring at 3:57. 29 seconds later, Jordan King was behind the net and fired the puck in front to Povorozniouk who scored to give Saint John a quick 2-0 advantage.

The Phoenix got on the board at 8:39 when Guillaume Gauthier sent a perfect pass to Pelletier who tipped the puck past Turcotte. Danny Flynn wasn’t happy about the goal, arguing that Fitzpatrick hadn’t gotten to the bench when the extra attacker touched the puck. The goal would was reviewed for a couple minutes but stood as a good goal.

The Phoenix tied things up at 4:58. Following a offensive zone faceoff win, Gilbert picked up the loose puck and jammed it past Turcotte. Near the final minute of the frame, Mathieu Joseph had a great chance but couldn’t connect, sending the game to overtime.

1:13 into overtime, Spencer Smallman centered the puck to a wide-open Zboril in the slot. The Czech d-man fired a hard wrist shot past Fitzpatrick to give Saint John a 3-2 victory.

Joseph Added To Team QMJHL Roster

SHERBROOKE – Sea Dogs forward Mathieu Joseph has been added to Team QMJHL’s roster for the upcoming 2015 CHL Canada Russia Series.

Joseph replaces Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Daniel Audette who is out with an injury. According to the Sherbrooke newspaper La Tribune, Audette is out four to eight weeks with a shoulder injury.

Joseph, a fourth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in this year’s NHL Draft, will join Sea Dogs defenseman Thomas Chabot on the QMJHL roster. The 18-year-old is off to a great start this season, recording seven goals and seven assists in 14 games.

The QMJHL portion of the Canada Russia Series will be held on Nov. 17 in Rouyn-Noranda and Nov. 19 in Halifax. All games will air on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Some other news and notes…

• At the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in BC, Canada Black struggled in a 6-1 loss to the United States yesterday. Joe Veleno was held pointless and Alex D’Orio did not play. Canada Black plays Canada Red in a quarterfinal game tomorrow in Fort St. John.
• Mike Hoffman made his return to the Ottawa Senators’ lineup last night and assisted on the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
• Wayne Long was not given a cabinet position by Justin Trudeau today.
• The Sea Dogs begin a Quebec road trip tonight at 8 p.m. in Sherbrooke.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

GAME DAY 19: at Sherbrooke

A preview of tonight’s game between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Sherbrooke Phoenix…

When and where: Tonight at 8 p.m., Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are second in the Maritimes Division and ninth overall in the QMJHL with a record of 10-7-1-0 for 21 points. The Phoenix are sixth in the West Division and 14^th overall with a 7-9-1-2 record for 17 points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 win over the Val-d’Or Foreurs on Saturday night at Harbour Station. Adam Marsh, Thomas Chabot, Daniel Del Paggio, Matthew Highmore and Jakub Zboril all scored for Saint John while Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 29 saves in the win. The Phoenix are coming off a 2-1 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada one week ago. Guillaume Gauthier and Skylar Strumas scored for Sherbrooke while Evan Fitzpatrick made 29 saves in the victory.

2014-15 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-0-0-1 against the Phoenix last season while Sherbrooke went 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 6 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Phoenix 5-2. Mathieu Joseph had two goals for Saint John while singles came from Justice Dundas, Samuel Dove-McFalls and Adam Bateman. Raphael Lafontaine and Chase Harwell scored for Sherbrooke. Sebastien Auger made 30 saves in the win while Evan Fitzpatrick made 28 in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Phoenix: None

Random stat/fact: Mathieu Joseph had three goals and five assists in just two games against the Phoenix last season.

D'Orio Makes 29 Stops In Canada Win

Alex D’Orio made 29 saves to backstop Canada Black to a come-from-behind 4-3 shootout victory over the Czech Republic yesterday at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Canada Black was outshot 13-2 in the first period and 32-18 overall. They were down 2-0 midway through the first thanks to Czech goals that came 19 seconds apart. Canada tied the game in the second and again in the third.

Sea Dogs forward Joe Veleno finished the game with an assist – his second in as many games. He was the second Canadian in the shootout but did not score.

The Hockey House has a great recap of the game and D’Orio’s performance in net.

Canada Black returns to action tonight when they face the United States at 10 p.m. AST in Dawson Creek, BC.

Some other news and notes…

• The Hockey Canada website has an article on the three first overall CHL picks playing in this tournament, which of course includes Joe Veleno. 
• CSN Philadelphia has an update on Flyers prospects, which unfortunately includes the news of Samuel Dove-McFalls’ knee surgery. 
• Former Sea Dogs forward Mike Hoffman is set to return from injury. The Ottawa Senators are in Montreal tonight. 
• The Sea Dogs are in Sherbrooke to take on the Phoenix tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

Veleno Picks Up Assist In Loss

Joe Veleno and Canada Black opened up the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with a 5-3 loss to Canada White on Sunday.

Veleno recorded an assist and four penalties in the loss.

Joseph Veleno playing on a line with Arnaud Durandeau and Stefano Mattheos

— Kevin Chambers (@SN_Canucklehead) November 1, 2015

And now Black scores again after injury replacement Arnaud Durandeau gets it. Brady Gilmour and Joseph Veleno with the assists. #WorldU17

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisNHL) November 1, 2015

Sea Dogs goaltending prospect Alex D’Orio, also on Canada Black, did not appear in this game. He allowed three goals on 12 shots in just over 31 minutes of action in a pre-tournament loss to Sweden on Friday.

Canada Black takes on the Czech Republic on Monday at 10 p.m. AST in Dawson Creek, BC.

Some other news and notes…

• Sportsnet.ca has a preview of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, who writes that “Veleno is joined up front by David Levin, the Israeli-born winger who went first overall in the 2015 OHL Draft and who should challenge Veleno for one of the top spots when NHL teams pick in 2018.”
• The Hockey House has a list of five prospects to watch at the U-17 event. Veleno topped the list.
• Hockey’s Future has an article on the Boston Bruins prospects system and mentions Jakub Zboril.
• HockeyProspect.com released their 2016 NHL Draft rankings for October last week. Sea Dogs defenseman Luke Green is ranked 36^th. The top 30 rankings can be viewed for free.
• Willy Palov of the Chronicle Herald looked at the QMJHL’s top 2016 NHL Draft prospects in his column this week. Green was ranked fourth.
• The Western Star has an article on Jordan King, which discusses his time with the Sea Dogs this season.
• The Sea Dogs begin a three-in-three road trip through Quebec on Wednesday in Sherbrooke. They’ll be in Drummondville on Friday and Quebec City Saturday.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation