Thursday News & Notes

The race for second-place in the QMJHL is going to come down to the wire, it seems.

With Saint John’s loss last night in Moncton and Shawinigan’s victory over Rimouski, the Cataractes moved back into second-place in the overall standings, one point ahead of the Sea Dogs. The good news for Saint John is that they still have a game in hand.

Here’s a look at Saint John’s final five regular season games:

Friday, March 11 vs Charlottetown (31-26-5-2, 2-5-1-0 vs SJ)

Saturday, March 12 vs Moncton (35-19-9-1, 6-2-0-0 vs SJ)

Tuesday, March 15 at Bathurst (25-32-3-3, 2-5-0-1 vs SJ)

Friday, March 18 at Cape Breton (34-24-5-1, 1-5-0-1 vs SJ)

Saturday, March 19 at Cape Breton (34-24-5-1, 1-5-0-1 vs SJ)

And here’s a look at Shawinigan’s final four games:

Saturday, March 12 at Val-d’Or (47-13-3-1, 1-2-0-0 vs SHA)

Sunday, March 13 at Rouyn-Noranda (50-9-3-2, 2-0-1-0 vs SHA)

Friday, March 18 vs Sherbrooke (23-31-7-2, 1-1-1-1 vs SHA)

Saturday, March 19 vs Blainville-Boisbriand (23-31-7-2, 2-0-1-0 vs SHA)

While Saint John will have to play three games against two of the league’s better second half teams (Charlottetown and Cape Breton), Shawinigan’s road contests in northern Quebec this weekend will be no easy task.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who have 105 points, are likely to finish first overall. While Val-d’Or and Gatineau – who play with Rouyn-Noranda in the West Division – have better records than Saint John and Shawinigan, the division winners are seeded one through three, regardless of point total.

RECAP: Sea Dogs Lose 7-4

FINAL: Saint John 4, Moncton 7

By Kevin Chambers | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs still haven’t clinched the Maritimes Division title.

The Sea Dogs fell short again on Wednesday night, falling 7-4 to the Wildcats in Moncton. Saint John still sits comfortably in first-place, seven points ahead of second-place Moncton.

The Sea Dogs got off to a solid start on Wednesday and were able to score the game’s first goal just as a penalty had expired. Nathan Noel walked in and blasted a shot past Keven Bouchard at 11:44 to give the Sea Dogs a 1-0 advantage. That would be the only marker of the opening frame.

Things really opened up in the second period with the Wildcats scoring two quick goals. The first goal came off the stick of Kelly Klima who wristed a shot past Marc-Antoine Turcotte at 2:12. Just 56 seconds later it was Manuel Wiederer beating Turcotte - who came off his post just enough for the puck to get by him - giving the Wildcats their first lead of the game. The Sea Dogs were able to knot the game at 2-2 during a five-on-three power play chance when Daniel Del Paggio jumped on a juicy rebound and flipped the puck past Bouchard at 9:33. Moncton jumped right back in front though with two more quick markers with the first coming at 14:17 when Zack MacEwen was able to beat Turcotte. Then at 16:41, Turcotte kicked out a huge rebound right onto the stick of Will Smith who hit the yawning cage to give the ‘Cats a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame.

The third period got off to a wild start with Moncton capitalizing on a power play chance just seven seconds in, making it 5-2. Just 15 seconds later, Oliver Felixson picked up his second goal of the season with a seeing eye wrist shot from the blue line to cut the lead to 5-3. The goals continued to come fast and furious just 15 seconds after with Vaclav Karabacek beating Turcotte and restoring the three-goal advantage for the Wildcats. Wiederer completed his hat trick at 11:17, giving the Wildcats a 7-3 lead. Matthew Highmore would notch his 21st goal of the campaign to close the gap to 7-4 but that was as close as the Sea Dogs would get.

GAME DAY 63: at Moncton

After failing to clinch the QMJHL Maritimes Division title on Sunday in Charlottetown, the Saint John Sea Dogs (41-16-5-0, 87 points, 1^st Maritimes, 2^nd QMJHL) get another shot tonight when they face the Moncton Wildcats (34-19-9-1, 78 points, 2^nd Maritimes, 6^th QMJHL) at 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Charlottetown on Sunday. Matt Murphy, Daniel Del Paggio and Sam Povorozniouk scored for Saint John. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 40 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-2 loss in Charlottetown on Saturday night. Vaclav Karabacek and Manuel Wiederer scored for Moncton. Keven Bouchard made 22 stops in the loss.

2015-16 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 2-4-1-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 5-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 3 at the Moncton Coliseum where the Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats 4-1. Daniel Del Paggio scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Nathan Noel and Sam Povorozniouk. Kelly Klima scored Moncton’s lone goal. Marc-Antoine Turcotte allowed one goal on 17 shots before leaving the game with an injury. Alex Bishop made 11 saves in relief. Blade Mann-Dixon made 32 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Wildcats: Goaltender Blade Mann-Dixon and forward Joey Richard.

Player to watch: Conor Garland, who leads the league in scoring with 119 points, has five goals and six assists in six games against Saint John last season.

Three Things to Know

1. This is the first meeting between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats since Will Smith’s collision with Marc-Antoine Turcotte and Daniel Del Paggio’s big hit on Conor Garland. Both Del Paggio and Smith were suspended.

2. Luke Green has been impressive against the Wildcats this season, recording two goals and three assists in seven games.

3. In the race for second-place, the Shawinigan Cataractes host the Rimouski Oceanic tonight. The Sea Dogs are a point ahead of the Cataractes with a game in hand.

Georgie Speaks To Young Minds

TORONTO – Sea Dogs president Trevor Georgie was a panelist at the 2016 Sports Industry Conference at the University of Toronto on Friday.

The event, hosted by UofT’s Sports and Business Association, featured a day full of panels and key note speakers from around the sports world. Georgie was on the day’s first panel on mentorship and development with the MLS’ Rachel Bonnetta, Tyler Currie of the NHLPA and Vijay Setlur from York University.

Wearing a Sea Dogs lapel pin, Georgie spoke about how his previous internships and work experience led to his new role with the Sea Dogs. He also spoke about the importance of having mentors, noting the impact Richard Peddie has had on him.

Georgie, only 28, was asked a number of questions from the students in attendance – especially after he mentioned that the Sea Dogs were open to bringing in interns to work with the team.

Sea Dogs CEO and majority owner Scott McCain was also in attendance to see Georgie speak.

In other news…

• Speaking of Georgie, he is liking Saint John, reports Country 94.
• CTV Atlantic has a story on the Sea Dogs’ return to the top of the league standings.
• According to Sea Dogs equipment manager David Kelly, the Sea Dogs will host another alumni weekend this Aug. 12-13 at Harbour Station.
• With one goal and six assists in four games, Thomas Chabot has been named the QMJHL’s third star of the week.
• Former Sea Dogs forward Zack Phillips, who has been with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, has been assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Phillips had four shots in Chicago’s 1-0 overtime loss to Milwaukee last night.
• Julien Tessier, who the Sea Dogs traded to Chicoutimi during the holiday trading period, has returned to action. He appeared in his first game with the Sagueneens on Feb. 26 and has played in four games total. Tessier played in just 14 games with Saint John during the first half due to health reasons.
• The AUS final begins tonight in Fredericton with Mike Thomas, Stephen Anderson and the UNB Varsity Reds taking on the StFX X-Men. The series is a best-of-three.
• In the OUA, Sebastien Auger and the UQTR Patriotes will take on the Western Mustangs in the Queen’s Cup on Saturday. Auger is 6-0 this post-season with a 1.56 GAA and .949 SV%.
• This was not called a penalty shot on Saturday:

Not a penalty shot. #QMJHL pic.twitter.com/AvNyM2bavf

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) March 6, 2016

RECAP: Sea Dogs Lose 4-3 (OT)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Charlottetown 4 (OT)

CHARLOTTETOWN – The Saint John Sea Dogs will have to wait to celebrate a Maritimes Division championship.

The Sea Dogs are one point short of clinching the title following a 4-3 overtime loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday afternoon at Eastlink Centre. Saint John did, however, move into sole possession of second overall in the QMJHL (with one game in hand), jumping over the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Just getting the game to overtime was an impressive accomplishment by Saint John. Down 3-1 in the third, the Dogs scored two power play goals in the final minutes to tie things at 3-3. Unfortunately for the visitors, a power play goal by the Islanders in overtime was the deciding marker.

Matt Murphy, Daniel Del Paggio and Sam Povorozniouk scored for Saint John. Thomas Chabot and Matthew Highmore each had two assists. Marc-Antoine Turcotte had a strong game, making 40 saves in the loss.

Kameron Kielly scored twice for Charlottetown while Bradley Kennedy and Samuel Blais added singles. Matthew Welsh, filling in for Mason McDonald, made 32 stops in the win.

It was a fairly back-and-forth first period with both goaltenders making a few quality stops. With 1:14 left in the frame, Nicolas Leblond fed Kennedy who ripped a wrist shot upstairs on Turcotte to give Charlottetown a 1-0 advantage. Shots were 9-8 in favour of Charlottetown through 20 minutes of action.

Charlottetown had a few great chances in the first half of the second but Turcotte stood tall in net, keeping it a one-goal game.

Decent scoring chance here pic.twitter.com/cexSydXhDw

— Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) March 6, 2016

Saint John started to fire up the offensive engines in the final minutes of the period but could not but Welsh. Shots were 13-11 in favour of the Islanders in the second.

Just 22 seconds into the third period, Del Paggio fed Murphy who was streaking into the crease area. The overager defenseman beat Welsh in close to make it a 1-1 game.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph headed off for hooking at 10:21, sending Saint John to the power play. But after the Dogs turned the puck over at the blue line, Blais picked it up, went in alone and beat Turcotte with a deke to his backhand to give Charlottetown a 2-1 lead. Then at 14:02, just as a Samuel Dove-McFalls penalty was expiring, Kielly jammed the puck past Turcotte to make it 3-1 for the home side.

Del Paggio got the Sea Dogs back within one on a power play at 16:26. Chabot fired a shot from the point and that produced a rebound. Del Paggio was on the doorstop and made a move to his backhand to make it 3-2. Then on a five-on-three advantage at 17:55, Chabot fed Povorozniouk in the circle who beat Welsh to tie things up at 3-3.

The Islanders were awarded a power play at 2:26 of overtime. At 3:54, Kielly scored from in close to give Charlottetown the extra point.

GAME DAY 62: at Charlottetown

The Saint John Sea Dogs (41-16-4-0, 86 points, 1^st Maritimes, 3^rd QMJHL) can clinch their fourth Maritimes/Atlantic Division title this afternoon with a victory over the Charlottetown Islanders (30-26-5-2, 67 points, 4^th Maritimes, 10^th QMJHL). Game time is 3 p.m. at Eastlink Centre.

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

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last night at Harbour Station. Bokondji Imama, Spencer Smallman, Joe Veleno, Daniel Del Paggio, Sam Povorozniouk, Mathieu Joseph and Samuel Dove-McFalls all scored in the win. Marc-Antoine Turcotte allowed four goals on 15 shots before getting the hook. Alex Bishop made 14 saves in relief. The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats last night at Eastlink Centre. Filip Chlapik, Keith Getson and Filip Rydstrom scored in the victory while Matthew Welsh made 22 saves.

2015-16 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 6-0-1-0 against the Islanders this season while Charlottetown is 1-5-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 10 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 7-2. Adam Marsh scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Sam Povorozniouk, Joe Veleno, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Mathieu Joseph and Nathan Noel. Bradley Kennedy scored both Charlottetown goals. Alex Bishop made 27 saves in the win. Mason McDonald allowed four goals on 26 shots and Matthew Welsh allowed three on 16.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Islanders: Defenseman Will Thompson and forward Oliver Cooper

Player to watch: Joe Veleno has four goals and an assist in his past five games. The exceptional rookie now sits 11^th in league rookie scoring with 13 goals and 38 points in 55 games.

Three Things to Know

1. The Sea Dogs, with 41 wins currently, are one victory away from producing the fourth most regular season wins in team history. The club also posted 41 wins in 2007-08.

2. Nathan Noel, who had a 20-game point streak end on Feb. 17, has been held pointless in his past four games.

3. Filip Rydstrom has a Charlottetown high eight points (two goals and six assists) in seven games against Saint John this season.