Sea Dogs racing for playoff spot again

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The good news: it looks like the Saint John Sea Dogs will be playing some meaningful games down the stretch.

The bad news: making the playoffs is not a guarantee.

Saint John's recent slide (they're 3-7 in their last 10 games) has moved them into a logjam with the Quebec Remparts and Gatineau Olympiques for the QMJHL's final playoff spots.

With less than two months remaining in the QMJHL's regular season, here's how the bottom of the standings currently stand.

The top 16 teams in the overall standings will qualify for the post-season. It's still possible for the Val-d'Or Foreurs to make a run, but they are sliding out of it thanks to a 13-game losing streak.

Right now, it looks like Saint John, Gatineau and Quebec will be battling for the final spots. There's still time to catch the likes of Charlottetown and Shawinigan though — which could make for an even more interesting race.

Gatineau has been playing like a different team since the calendar flipped. The Olympiques are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 and a lot of their success is thanks to former Sea Dogs defenseman Mathis Gauthier, who has been putting up numbers since being traded.

Saint John will host the Olympiques on Feb. 17 and visit Quebec on Feb. 23.

The Sea Dogs were in a playoff race last year as well, grabbing the No. 15 seed with a 24-38-5-1 record for 54 points. 

The Remparts, meanwhile, haven't missed the playoffs since 1993 when they were the Beauport Harfangs. The Olympiques have not missed the playoffs since 1984.

There are a couple other interesting races developing. In the Western Conference, Drummondville (67 points), Rouyn-Noranda (65) and Victoriaville (61) are battling for top spot. In the Maritimes Division, Halifax (66) has pulled ahead of Moncton (58) but Cape Breton (54) is on their tail.

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar still sit fairly comfortably first overall in the QMJHL standings with 78 points.

Notebook: Cajkovic traded to Pens

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Maxim Cajkovic was involved in a minor NHL trade on Thursday.

The Minnesota Wild traded Cajkovic to the Pittsburg Penguins in exchange for defenseman Will Butcher.

The Penguins have acquired forward Maxim Cajkovic from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Will Butcher.

Cajkovic is signed through the 2023.24 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $925,000 at the NHL level.

Details: https://t.co/6OKKAyRBkW pic.twitter.com/dJSsBmkGmw

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 25, 2024

According to the Penguins, "Cajkovic is signed through the end of the 2023-24 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $925,000 at the NHL level." The 23-year-old has yet to appear in an NHL game and has split his pro career bouncing between the AHL and ECHL,

In 20 games with the ECHL's Iowa Heartlanders this season, Cajkovic has 12 goals and six assists. He's also recorded two goals and an assist in five games with the AHL's Iowa Wild.

Cajkovic spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with the Sea Dogs before playing his final year of junior with the Val-d'Or Foreurs.

REYNOLDS INJURED

Former Sea Dogs forward Peter Reynolds was injured in Friday's Halifax Mooseheads game.

Forward Peter Reynolds is officially out for the game with an upper body injury. #GoMooseGo

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) January 27, 2024

Reynolds left the ice with an apparent arm/shoulder injury and did not return. He did not dress for Sunday's game and the Mooseheads have him listed as "week-to-week" with a return possible in mid-February.

The overage forward has a goal and seven assists in 10 games with the Mooseheads.

Recap: Sea Dogs lose 7-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Gatineau 7

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

GATINEAU, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs wrapped up their three-in-three Quebec road trip with a 7-1 loss to the Gatineau Olympiques on Sunday.

The Sea Dogs had a decent start to the game, outshooting the Olympiques 5-1 at one point. But once Gatineau got going they didn't stop. The home side scored in the dying seconds of the first period and added four more in the second to take control of the match.

The Olympiques have now won seven of their past nine games as they try and grab one of the league's final playoff spots.

The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, have lost five of their past six games and head home with a 1-2-0-0 record on this three-game trip.

Nathan Levesque and Justin Boisselle each scored a pair of goals for Gatineau while singles came from Sander Wold, Jeremie Minville and William Labranche.  Zach Pelletier made 22 saves in the win.

Eriks Mateiko scored Saint John's lone goal, which came in the third period. Patrick Leaver, who less than 24 hours ago made 47 saves in Saint John's 7-4 win in Victoriaville, made 20 stops in the first two periods. Justin Robinson played the third and made five saves.

Game Day 47: at Gatineau

GATINEAU, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs will try and complete a winning road trip this afternoon at Slush Puppie Centre.

The Sea Dogs began their three-in-three Quebec road trip on Friday night with a 5-3 loss in Shawinigan but followed that up with a big 7-4 upset win in Victoriaville last night. Patrick Leaver was the star of last night's contest, making 47 stops in the victory.

An interesting matchup awaits the Sea Dogs today. On paper, this is the "easiest" game of this road trip. But this will be the club's third game in less than 72 hours and they'll be facing a Gatineau squad that is an impressive 6-3-1-0 in their last 10 games.

Game time today is 4 p.m. Atlantic.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 16-24-3-3 for 38 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Olympiques are 15-26-3-2 for 35 points (third West/seventh Western/16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 win in Victoriaville last night. Pavel Simek and Tyler Peddle scored twice while singles came from Egan Beveridge, Drew Elliott and Brody Fournier. Patrick Leaver made 47 saves in the win. The Olympiques are coming off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Friday. Justin Boisselle, Sander Wold, William Labranche and Nathan Lévesque scored for Gatineau. Zach Pelletier made 25 saves in the loss.

Recap: Sea Dogs win 7-4

FINAL: Saint John 7, Victoriaville 4

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

VICTORIAVILLE, QC - For the second time this month, the Saint John Sea Dogs pulled off an upset win over the Victoriaville Tigres.

The Sea Dogs grabbed a 5-0 second period lead and went on to defeat the Tigres — one of the QMJHL's top teams — by a final score of 7-4 on Saturday night at Colisee Desjardins. Saint John previously defeated Victoriaville 2-1 on Jan. 13 at TD Station.

While the final score was lopsided in favour of the Sea Dogs, shots were not. Patrick Leaver faced 51 shots in the win and was named the game's first star. Victoriaville had 21 shots in the second period and 20 in the third.

The Sea Dogs were opportunistic with their chances, scoring four times on 14 shots in the opening frame. Overall, Gabriel D'Aigle allowed six goals on 24 shots in the loss. D'Aigle may have been pulled if Nathan Darveau was dressed — but he was listed as a healthy scratch due to a "school suspension."

Pavel Simek and Tyler Peddle each had a pair of goals for Saint John while Egan Beveridge, Drew Elliott and Brody Fournier added solo markers. Eriks Mateiko, Nate Tivey and Joseph Ianniello all had three assists each. 

Maxime Pellerin scored twice for Victoriaville while Mathis Aguilar and Justin Larose added singles.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak for Saint John. Victoriaville, meanwhile, has dropped back-to-back games as they try and chase down a higher playoff seed.

Game Day 46: at Victoriaville

VICTORIAVILLE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs will face a major challenge tonight as they play the second game of a three-game Quebec road trip.

The Victoriaville Tigres are one of the top teams in the QMJHL this season and sit just six points back of second-place Drummondville. They are also an impressive 17-3-1-0 at home this season.

The Sea Dogs, meanwhile, lost their fourth straight game on Friday. They remain just 2-7-0-1 in their last 10 games.

Game time at Colisee Desjardins is 7 p.m. Atlantic.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs are 15-24-3-3 for 36 points (sixth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Tigres are 29-12-3-0 for 61 points (second Central/third Western/fifth QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-3 loss in Shawinigan last night. Eriks Mateiko, Coen Miller and Drew Elliott scored for Saint John. Justin Robinson made 32 stops in the loss. The Tigres are coming off a 5-4 loss in Boisbriand last night. Justin Larose and Maxime Pellerin both scored twice. Nathan Darveau made 35 stops in the loss.