Game Day 50: at Chicoutimi

CHICOUTIMI, Que. - It hasn't been an easy road trip so far for the Saint John Sea Dogs - and things won't be getting any easier.

The Sea Dogs face one of the league's heavyweights, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, tonight at 8:30 p.m. The Sags sit second in the overall standings and are widely considered to be one of the favourites to win the President Cup this season.

Saint John has dropped the first two games of this road trip, falling in Rimouski on Tuesday and Quebec City on Wednesday.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-26-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Sagueneens are 33-9-4-0 for 70 points (first East, first Eastern, second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-1 loss in Quebec City on Wednesday. Dawson Stairs scored Saint John's only goal. Noah Patenaude made 38 stops in the loss. The Sagueneens are coming off a 6-1 loss to the league leading Sherbrooke Phoenix on Sunday. Felix-Antoine Drolet scored Chicoutimi's only goal. Alexis Shank made 42 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Sagueneens this season while Chicoutimi is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 22 at TD Station where the Sags defeated the Dogs 5-4. Félix-Antoine Marcotty, Justin Ducharme, Félix-Antoine Drolet, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Ethan Crossman scored for Chicoutimi. Saint John goals came from Charlie DesRoches, Brady Burns, Ben Badalamenti and Maxim Cajkovic. Daniel Moody made 33 stops in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 37 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 4-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Quebec 4

QUEBEC CITY, Que. - The Quebec Remparts are enjoying the Maritimes this season.

The Remparts improved to 6-0-0-0 against Maritimes Division clubs on Wednesday night at Videotron Centre, defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs 4-1. It was the second time this season that Quebec bested Saint John.

Much like Tuesday night in Rimouski, play was pretty even through a lot of the game but the Sea Dogs' penalty troubles proved costly. The Remparts scored their first two goals on the man advantage and finished the night 2/6 when up a man.

It's been a frustrating week for the Sea Dogs, who have been playing decent but haven't been able to pick up a win. They have now dropped three straight games and have one of the league's best teams, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, on deck.

Anthony Gagnon, Pierrick Dube, Jacob Melanson and Nathan Gaucher scored for Quebec. Tristan Côté-Cazenave made 29 saves in the win.

Dawson Stairs scored Saint John's only goal. Noah Patenaude made 36 stops in the loss.

Game Day 49: at Quebec

QUEBEC CITY, Que. - The road trip continues for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

After a close loss to the Rimouski Oceanic last night, the Sea Dogs continue their tour around the East Division with a stop at the Videotron Centre. Saint John will faceoff against Patrick Roy and the Quebec Remparts tonight at 8 p.m.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-25-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Remparts are 19-26-2-1 for 41 points (fourth East, eighth Eastern, 15th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 3-2 loss in Rimouski last night. Maxim Cajkovic and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John. Zachary Bouthillier made 41 stops in the loss. The Remparts are coming off a 4-2 loss in Rimouski on Sunday. Anthony Gagnon and Nathan Gaucher scored for Quebec. Emerik Despatie made 30 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Remparts this season while Quebec is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Oct. 6 at TD Station where the Remparts defeated the Sea Dogs 7-5. Darien Kielb had a hat trick for Quebec while singles came from Colton O'Brien, Nathan Gaucher, James Malatesta and Felix Bibeau. Nicholas Deakin-Poot scored twice for Saint John with singles coming from Nicolas Guay, Jeremie Poirier and Brady Burns. Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo made 36 saves in the win. Noah Patenaude made 31 stops in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 2, Rimouski 3

RIMOUSKI, Que. - A third period goal by Adam Raska proved to be the difference on Tuesday night at Sun Life Financial Colisee.

Raska's third period goal ended up being the game-winner in a 3-2 Rimouski Oceanic victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. Saint John applied some great pressure in the final 30 seconds of regulation to try and net the equalizer, but it wasn't to be on this night.

The ice was heavily tilted in favour of the Oceanic in the opening frame thanks to three power play opportunities. Zachary Bouthillier was busy, stopping all 16 shots he faced. Saint John recorded just two shots in the frame.

Saint John turned things around in the second when Maxim Cajkovic opened the scoring at 3:59. The Oceanic scored two in the period to grab a 2-1 edge through 40 minutes.

Jeremie Poirier finished off a nice passing play with William Villeneuve and Joshua Roy early in the third to tie the game at 2-2. Raska would put the Oceanic in front for good at 10:30.

Zachary Massicotte and Nathan Ouellet also scored for Rimouski. Creed Jones made 23 stops in the win.

Bouthillier made 41 saves in the loss.

While the Oceanic were no doubt the favourites heading into the match, this will go down as a missed opportunity for the Sea Dogs. The Oceanic were without two of their top forwards - Alexis Lafreniere and Nicolas Guay - and started their backup goaltender. Saint John came close to a win, but it just wasn't quite enough.

Saint John's four-game Quebec road trip continues tomorrow night in Quebec City.

Lafreniere suspended for match with Dogs

Embed from Getty Images
RIMOUSKI, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs will avoid the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's leading scorer tonight.

The QMJHL announced on Tuesday that Alexis Lafreniere has been suspended three games for a check to the head in Sunday's Oceanic win over the Quebec Remparts.

Alexis Lafrenière has been suspended for 3 games by the QMJHL for delivering a head shot.

(🎥: RDS) pic.twitter.com/el6uRatVnr

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 28, 2020

Lafreniere will begin serving the three-game suspension tonight when the Sea Dogs take on the Oceanic at 8:30 p.m.

This is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the two clubs. On Halloween night, Lafreniere recorded four assists in the Oceanic's 6-1 win over the Sea Dogs at TD Station.

Nicolas Guay, meanwhile, is questionable for tonight's game due to injury, reports le Journal de Quebec. Guay, the former Sea Dogs captain, missed Sunday's game.

Game Day 48: at Rimouski

RIMOUSKI, Que. - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin their final Quebec road trip of the regular season tonight.

The Sea Dogs play the first of four straight road games this evening against Nicolas Guay, Cedric Pare and the Rimouski Oceanic. Following tonight's matchup they'll make stops in Quebec City, Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau.

Game time tonight is 8:30 p.m.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 22-24-1-0 for 45 points (fourth Maritimes, seventh Eastern, 12th QMJHL) while the Oceanic are 27-14-3-4 for 61 points (second East, third Eastern, fourth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday at TD Station. Anderson MacDonald scored Saint John's lone goal. Zachary Bouthillier made 27 saves in the loss. The Oceanic are coming off a 4-2 home win over the Quebec Remparts on Sunday. Maxime Collin, Adam Raska, Justin Bergeron and Zachary Bolduc scored for Rimouski. Colten Ellis made 24 saves in the win.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 0-1-0-0 against the Oceanic this season while Rimouski is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Halloween night at TD Station where the Oceanic defeated the Sea Dogs 6-1. Cedric Pare had a hat trick while Rimouski singles came from Isaac Belliveau, Dmitry Zavgorodniy and Adam Raska. Joona Lehmus scored Saint John's only goal. Raphael Audet made 15 saves in the win. Zachary Bouthillier made 50 stops in the loss.