Game Day 1: vs Mooseheads

SAINT JOHN - A new era of Saint John Sea Dogs hockey begins tonight at Harbour Station.

With a new young core of players in place, this season marks year one of a rebuild (if you look at last season as year zero). This will, if history repeats itself, be the beginning of a climb back to a league championship in a couple years.

The Sea Dogs will be tested right away, opening the 2018-19 season with a home date against the Memorial Cup hosting Halifax Mooseheads. Even with some regulars still missing, the Moose will dress a much more experienced lineup. Game time tonight is 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.

TV/Radio/Webcast: RogersTV/Sea Dogs Radio/QMJHL Live

Records: This is the first game of the season for both clubs. Last season, Saint John finished last overall in the QMJHL standings with a 14-43-9-2 record for 39 points while Halifax finished fourth overall with a record of 43-18-6-1 for 93 points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-3 loss to the Moncton Wildcats in Bouctouche this past Sunday. Maxim Cajkovic scored all three of Saint John's goals. Stewart Bagnell made 32 saves in the loss. The Mooseheads are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at the Halifax Forum. Raphael Lavoie scored the Mooseheads' lone goal. Cole McLaren made 47 stops in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 2-5-1-0 against the Mooseheads last season while Halifax went 6-2-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 14 at Scotiabank Centre where the Mooseheads defeated the Sea Dogs 7-3. Benoit Olivier-Groulx scored twice for Halifax while singles came from Jared McIsaac, Brett Crossley, Ben Higgins Barrett Dachyshyn and Joel Bishop. Saint John goals came from Cedric Pare, Aiden MacIntosh and Ben Reid. Alexis Gravel made 28 saves in the win. Tommy DaSilva allowed six goals on 31 shots in 40 minutes of play while Stewart Bagnell allowed one in the third period.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Mooseheads: None.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 7-3

FINAL: Saint John 3, Moncton 7

BOUCTOUCHE – The Saint John Sea Dogs' defensive struggles continued on Sunday afternoon.

For a third straight pre-season game, the Sea Dogs had a difficult time keeping the puck out of their own net, falling 7-3 to the Moncton Wildcats at Bouctouche's JK Irving Centre.

The loss comes after a 7-0 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders last weekend and a 7-6 shootout loss on home ice to the Wildcats on Thursday. Saint John ends the pre-season on a three-game losing skid.

The Dogs are still missing their best defender - goaltender Alex D'Orio - due to Pittsburgh Penguins rookie camp. He'll be a difference maker this season - and he'll have to be at many times.

Stewart Bagnell allowed seven goals on 39 shots in the loss. Maxim Cajkovic scored all three of Saint John's goals - and could have easily had two more if not for some fine saves by the Wildcats netminder.

Moncton had a pair of goals from both Elliot Desnoyers and Nicolas Kingsbury-Fournier. Solo markers came from Brady Pataki, Dylan Seitz and Jeremy McKenna. Francis Leclerc made 25 saves in the win.

Pre-Season Game Day 7: at Moncton

BOUCTOUCHE, NB - The Saint John Sea Dogs play their final game of the 2018 pre-season today in Bouctouche against the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs had a smooth start to the exhibition season, winning their first four games. The team has had a rough go lately though, allowing seven goals in a loss to the Charlottetown Islanders last weekend and giving up six this past Thursday against the Wildcats.

Game time this afternoon is 4 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/None/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 4-1-0-1 in pre-season play while the Wildcats are 4-5-1-0. Last season, Saint John finished last overall in the QMJHL standings with a 14-43-9-2 record for 39 points while Moncton finished 14th overall with a 27-33-5-3 record for 62 points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-6 shootout loss to the Wildcats on Thursday at Harbour Station. Saint John had two goals from Maxim Cajkovic and solo markers from Anthony Boucher, Robbie Burt, Brady Burns and Kevin Mason. Tommy DaSilva gave up five goals on 26 shots while Stewart Bagnell allowed one on nine shots in the loss. Moncton is coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Halifax Mooseheads last night at the Halifax Forum. Jeremy McKenna and Nicolas Kinsbury-Fournier scored for Moncton. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 16 saves in the win.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 3-4-2-0 against the Wildcats last season while Moncton went 6-1-1-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: That 7-6 Wildcats shootout win on Thursday. Adam Capannelli scored twice for Moncton while singles came from Kyle Foreman, Tristan DeJong, Dylan Seitz and Brady Pataki. Francis Leclerc allowed five goals on 17 shots while Charles-Antoine Lavallee allowed one on 10 shots in the win.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Wildcats: Radio voice Tim Roszell.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 7-6 (SO)

FINAL: Moncton 7, Saint John 6 (SO)

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs lost a wild pre-season game on Thursday night at Harbour Station, falling 7-6 in a shootout to the Moncton Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs were down 2-0 early in the first period but tied it just after the midway mark of the opening frame. Then, Saint John went up 6-3 heading into the third period only to blow that lead - which led to an eight round shootout.

Maxim Cajkovic scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Anthony Boucher, Brady Burns, Robbie Burt and Kevin Mason.

Tommy DaSilva allowed five goals on 26 shots in just under 44 minutes of action. Stewart Bagnell allowed one goal on nine shots.

The Sea Dogs website has a more detailed recap.

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 7-0

FINAL: Charlottetown 7, Saint John 0

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs' perfect pre-season record came crashing to an end on Saturday afternoon at Harbour Station.

Nothing went right for the Sea Dogs in their first exhibition contest in nearly two weeks, getting crushed 7-0 by the Charlottetown Islanders.

Charlottetown scored three goals in both the first and second periods. Saint John was very sloppy defensively and got into a lot of penalty trouble. The team failed to generate much offensive flow at any point.

Six different players scored for Charlottetown: Drew Johnston (two), Cole Edwards, Liam Peyton, Daniel Hardie, Brett Budgell and Lukas Cormier. Goaltender Dakota Lund-Cornish wasn't tested too much, making 27 saves in the shutout victory.

Tommy DaSilva allowed all seven of Saint John's goals. He struggled at times - but the defense in front of him did as well.

After a smooth ride so far this pre-season, this was a big reality check. This team is going to have more nights like this throughout the year - but that's just the way it goes. Patience will be required - and hopefully this young squad can learn from games like these throughout the year.

Pre-Season Game Day 5: vs Islanders

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs return to pre-season action this afternoon at Harbour Station.

The Sea Dogs, who are a perfect 4-0 in pre-season play, host the Charlottetown Islanders in a very rare Saturday afternoon home game. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Both teams are down to their final few cuts, so today's match - and the remainder of exhibition games - should feature fairly "normal" rosters.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio/None

Records: The Sea Dogs are 4-0-0-0 this pre-season while the Islanders are 2-1-1-0. Last season, Saint John finished last overall in the QMJHL standings with a 14-43-9-2 record for 39 points while Charlottetown went 37-24-7-0 for 81 points, placing them third in the Maritimes Division and ninth overall in the league.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Moncton Wildcats in St. Stephen on Aug. 26. Josh Lawrence scored all three Saint John goals while Alex D'Orio made 30 stops in the victory. The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in Cornwall, PEI on Aug. 26. Daniel Hardie, Sullivan Sparkes and Derek Gentile scored for the Isles. Matthew Welsh made 31 stops in the win.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 3-5-1-0 against the Islanders last season while Charlottetown went 6-2-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 7 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Islanders 5-3. Ostap Safin scored a pair of goals while singles came from Luke Wilson, Alexis Girard and Aiden MacIntosh. Charlottetown goals came from Nikita Alexandrov, Taylor Egan and Derek Gentile. Alex D'Orio made 42 stops in the win. Matthew Welsh made 19 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Islanders: Forwards Daniel Hardie and Kevin Gursoy.