McCallum, MacDougall win national awards ahead of University Cup start

James West/UNB Reds

Former Saint John Sea Dog Kale McCallum has been named the U Sports men's hockey defenseman of the year.

McCallum was announced as this year's award winner on Wednesday morning in Toronto. McCallum and the UNB Reds begin the University Cup national championship tournament on Thursday afternoon.

“It’s an honour, but it’s a team award,” said McCallum, via the Reds website. “We’re the number one team in the country for a reason. There’s a lot of people behind us, trying to help us get there, so it’s a team award.”

McCallum, 22 and in his second season with the Reds, had quite the year on the backend, posting an impressive 11 goals and 31 assists in 30 regular season Atlantic University Sport games. He added two goals and two assists in five playoff matches, helping UNB win yet another AUS title.

McCallum spent two seasons with the Sea Dogs before joining the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall, meanwhile, was named the U Sports men's hockey coach of the year for a third time in his career. After a 30-0 regular season and perfect playoff run, there was really no other option but to award MacDougall with the honour.

MacDougall guided the Sea Dogs to the 2022 Memorial Cup on home ice.

The No. 1 seeded Reds begin the University Cup at 2 p.m. on Thursday when they face the No. 8 seeded Brock Badgers. 

Mateiko named Sea Dogs' MVP

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Eriks Mateiko was the big winner at the 2024 Saint John Sea Dogs Awards Banquet, which was held Tuesday evening.

Mateiko was, unsurprisingly, named the team's most valuable player along with picking up the awards for top scorer, team player and top defensive award.

Overage goaltender Patrick Leaver, meanwhile, won two awards, taking home the three stars and players choice trophies.

Here's the full list of winners:

Top Scorer: Eriks Mateiko

Rookie of the Year: Justin Robinson

Community Service: Nico Laforge

Three Stars: Patrick Leaver

Players Choice: Patrick Leaver

Academic Award: Jacob Beaulieu

Team Player: Eriks Mateiko

Fan Choice Award: Drew Elliott

Top Defensive Forward: Eriks Mateiko

Most Improved Player: Benjamin Amyot

Top Defenseman: Nate Tivey

Most Valuable Player: Eriks Mateiko

Mateiko only took home one award at last year's event: most improved player. Mateiko and Nico Laforge are the only winners from last year's awards still with the team.

The Sea Dogs are back in action on Thursday when they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 7 p.m.

Remparts pull ahead in playoff race

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

With six games remaining, the Saint John Sea Dogs' playoff hopes are starting to fade.

The Sea Dogs sit 17th overall in the QMJHL standings and are four points behind the Quebec Remparts, who posted back-to-back shootout wins over the Gatineau Olympiques on the weekend. The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, dropped back-to-back games in Cape Breton.

The top 16 teams in the QMJHL's regular season standings qualify for the post-season. The 16th spot is the only playoff spot remaining.

The Sea Dogs currently own the first tiebreaker over the Remparts. Erasing a four-point deficit isn't impossible. But the Sea Dogs, to put it simply, need to win some games. And they'll also need the Remparts to go cold(er) over the next couple weeks.

Here's a look at the remaining schedules for both teams:

Saint John: vs Bathurst, at Charlottetown, vs Charlottetown, vs Moncton, vs Halifax, vs Halifax

Quebec: at Baie-Comeau, at Chicoutimi, vs Baie-Comeau, vs Blainville-Boisbriand, at Rimouski, vs Rimouski

Neither team has the easiest of schedules down the stretch here. One wildcard scenario is the possibility of opposing teams not dressing their top players in season finales.

The Sea Dogs have lost eight straight games. They also own the QMJHL's worst home record (8-16-3-2) — and will play five of their six remaining games at TD Station.

The Val-d'Or Foreurs, who have lost nine straight games, are technically still alive, but sit seven points back of Saint John.

An update on Travis Crickard

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS — The Saint John Sea Dogs have provided an update on head coach Travis Crickard, who collapsed on the team's bench early in the third period on Saturday in Cape Breton.

From the team:

In the third period of last night’s game in Sydney, Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard experienced a medical emergency and was transported to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital for further evaluation.

Travis was released from hospital this morning and is on his way home to his family in Saint John. What happened last night was scary and the outpouring of support and concern for Travis has meant a lot to him and the team.

He and the team would like to thank those at Centre 200 who responded so quickly, and the emergency medical professionals, led by Dr. RJ Mackenzie, who tended to him.

Play was halted 54 seconds into the third period due to the medical emergency. Both teams were sent to their dressing rooms soon after and, with the Eagles leading 6-0, the game was declared a final and will not be continued at a later time.

Crickard was stretchered out and was reportedly awake and conscious en route to hospital. He was released from hospital early Sunday morning.

Crickard, 37, is in his second season as head coach of the Sea Dogs.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 6-0

FINAL: Saint John 0, Cape Breton 6

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SYDNEY, NS - Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs game ended abruptly in the third period due to a medical emergency on the team's bench.

54 seconds into the third period at Centre 200 and the Cape Breton Eagles leading 6-0, play was halted and the Sea Dogs bench cleared out. The situation involved Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard, who reportedly collapsed on the team's bench.

Both teams were sent to the dressing room as medical staff attended to Crickard, who was eventually taken out on a stretcher and sent to hospital. According to reports, Crickard was conscious and in stable condition.

This post will be updated with further info as it comes in.

The medical emergency rightfully took precedence over what was another rough outing on the ice for the Sea Dogs. Cape Breton scored twice in the opening 10 minutes and outshot Saint John 15-4 in the opening frame. The Eagles followed that up by scoring four times in the middle frame.

Cam Squires netted a pair of goals for the Eagles while singles came from Olivier Houde, Jacob Newcombe, Cam MacDonald and Luke Patterson. Nicolas Ruccia made 11 saves in the win.

Patrick Leaver made 22 stops in the loss. The Sea Dogs, who registered just six dangerous shots through two periods, were without leading scorer Eriks Mateiko due to injury.

This weekend's back-to-back losses were significant for Saint John. The Quebec Remparts picked up four points by defeating the Gatineau Olympiques in back-to-back shootouts. With six games remaining for both clubs, the Remparts now own the 16th and final playoff spot and have a four-point lead on the Sea Dogs.

Sea Dogs game ends due to medical emergency

CHLTV

SYDNEY, NS — Saturday's Saint John Sea Dogs game was halted in the third period due to a medical emergency on the team's bench.

The situation happened 54 seconds into the third period with the Cape Breton Eagles leading 6-0. Play was whistled and Sea Dogs players immediately left the bench to make room for trainers and doctors.

⚠️ Due to a medical emergency, tonight’s game between the @SJSeaDogs and @CBEHockey has been suspended. More details to follow. #QMJHL

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) March 10, 2024

Both teams were sent to their dressing rooms soon after.

Medical staff were working on the team's bench for quite awhile. There has not been official confirmation by the team or league, but reports from Sydney are that the situation involved Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard.

Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard was conscious and en route to hospital after collapsing behind the bench in tonight's QMJHL game in Cape Breton. The game was called a final with 19:06 remaining in the 3rd period with Cape Breton leading 6-0.

— Kevin Barrett (@KevinBarrettNB) March 10, 2024

Being told the individual from the Sea Dogs has been taken to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and is in stable condition. #qmjhl #lhjmq

— Jeremy Fraser (@CBPost_Jeremy) March 10, 2024

An announcement was made in the building that the game was called. The score is final and the third period will not be played at a later time.

UPDATE: The Cape Breton Post reports that Crickard has been released from hospital.

Some good news this morning, Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard has been released from hospital.

— Jeremy Fraser (@CBPost_Jeremy) March 10, 2024

We'll update this post as more information comes in...