QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Preview: Three Game Home Stand as Dogs Eye Playoff Spot

Published on February 26, 2020 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


The Saint John Sea Dogs will kick off a three game home stand tonight when they host the Halifax Mooseheads at 7pm in a game previously scheduled for early February that was rescheduled due to weather. Halifax is currently on the outside looking in in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference playoff race while the Sea Dogs are in sixth, just six points back of the fifth place Charlottetown Islanders.

Saint John has 10 games remaining this regular season, including six at home while Halifax has 12 games still to play. The 'magic' clinch number for Saint John is 67 points which will guarantee their first playoff berth in three seasons, they currently sit at 57 points. Of course that magic number relies on Halifax winning out the rest of the season, with each Halifax loss down the stretch the magic number will lower. The Mooseheads are 1-8-1-0 in their last 10 games and have tough competition coming up in games against top ranked Cape Breton, Rimouski, and Moncton. Having said that, the most direct path to the playoffs for the Sea Dogs, will be to win.

This is the eighth and final meeting between the Sea Dogs and Mooseheads this season. The season series has been all Sea Dogs as they've won six of the seven games, including the last five in a row. Halifax is led by former Sea Dog Kevin Gursoy who leads the team in all offensive categories. The Herd will see a boost offensively down the stretch as it was announced on Monday that projected first round NHL draft pick Justin Barron would be returning to the lineup on Wednesday after missing almost three months following a blood clot diagnosis. Barron has four goals and 17 assists in 26 games this season.

vs. Cape Breton Eagles | Saturday, February 29th @ 7pm

Saturday night features a potential preview of a first round playoff match-up for Saint John. The Cape Breton Eagles are in fourth in the Eastern Conference, only one point back of the Rimouski Océanic with two games in hand. The Sea Dogs have had their struggles with the Eagles this season, their lone win of the season series coming in overtime back in November. Saint John will need to turn things around against Cape Breton as the two teams are set to play each other three more time before the end of the season, including Saturday.

The most recent game between the two saw the Sea Dogs jump out to an early 2-0 lead, before the Eagles clawed back to take the game 5-4. Anderson MacDonald had two goals in the game.

Cape Breton is led by QMJHL leading goal scorer Egor Sokolov. Sokolov has 43 goals this season and has been on an absolute tear since returning from the World Juniors back in early January. Also dominant for the Eagles has been the goaltending of Kevin Mandolese. The Quebec born netminder has a league's best 0.922 save percentage and a top three GAA of 2.39.

The Eagles will lockup with the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night before heading to Saint John on Saturday.

vs. Charlottetown Islanders | Sunday, March 1st @ 3pm

Sunday's matinee with the Islanders will be the start of a mini playoff series as the two teams will play each other three straight times over the next week. Saint John will visit the Island for back-to-back away games next Thursday and Friday. Only six points separate the Sea Dogs and Isles so those three games should have major final standings implications. Saint John is 1-4-1-0 against Charlottetown this season.

The Islanders are led by Russian forward, Nikita Alexandrov. Alexandrov has 44 points in 37 games this season after being drafted to the St. Louis Blues in the second round of last year's NHL Draft. Of course you can't talk about the Islanders without mentioning overage goaltender, Matthew Welsh. Welsh is in his fifth season with the Islanders and while a few percentage points off his career bests, he's posted a .937 save percentage against Saint John in five appearances this season.

Charlottetown will host the Eagles on Friday night in their only other game this week.

Player Notes

Nicholas Deakin-Poot will return to the lineup on Wednesday night after missing nine games with an upper body injury. The overager left the ice late in the game against Chicoutimi back on January 31st. The Sea Dogs will benefit from Deakin-Poot's defensive play, as he holds the team's second highest +/- with a plus seven.

Defenceman Joona Lehmus is day-to-day with a lower body injury. Lehmus has missed the last four games but is hopeful to return soon.

Joshua Roy has had an explosive second half of the season to date. The first overall draft pick in last year's QMJHL Entry Draft has goals in four straight games to bring his season total to 13. His 38 points put him ahead of Jonathan Huberdeau's 16-year-old rookie season mark of 35. Roy will look to pass Joe Veleno's 16-year-old team record of 40 points set back in 2016-17.

Check out the Saint John Sea Dogs Statistics

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2020


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