Ever since the Mill Rats scheduled was announced the fourth weekend of March looked like trouble for the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Originally, the Mill Rats had games scheduled for March 26 (a Thursday), March 28 (Saturday), and March 27 (Sunday). The first round of the QMJHL playoffs traditionally begins on the following Friday after the regular season ends (the season ends Sunday, March 20). Hosting Game One was never a problem, but the big question was when Game Two would be held with Saturday and Sunday unavailable. Playing the game on Monday would probably be costly as well as push the entire series schedule back.
But now, Friday and Saturday look like they are good to go and we will witness playoff hockey.
Who the Sea Dogs will play in the first round has still not been determined as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Halifax Mooseheads are in an epic battle in the basement of the QMJHL. Both teams have seven games left with the Mooseheads currently up two points on the Screaming Eagles.
Of note, the Sea Dogs and Eagles play each three times this month - two in Saint John and one in Sydney.
ST. LAURENT OFF TO SOLID START Former Sea Dogs netminder Karel St. Laurent is off to a solid start with the British Columbia Junior ‘A’ Hockey League’s Surrey Eagles.
St. Laurent made his debut on November 4th in Langley, an 8-4 Eagles win. Saint John’s backup goaltender in 2008-09 and 2009-10 made 37 saves in the victory. He then backstopped Surrey to a 5-4 overtime win over Langley the next night.
"He hadn't played for two or three weeks and he admits in the first game there were one or two goals he would like back," Eagles head coach Matt Erhart told Surrey Now last Tuesday. "He was better the next two nights; he made some big saves for us, especially in the third period and overtime Friday. He's been really solid for us."
"He played major junior hockey for the past three years," the coach said. "He's been on a really good team for the past two years as one of the two goalies playing for them. When he became available we thought he would be a good addition to the team."
THE POUTINE SN reader Paul Leger has been telling us about his dream of having poutine sold at Harbour Station for quite awhile.
So, Paul has created a online petition to help support the movement. Apparently, Harbour Station doesn’t currently have the proper equipment to make the cheese and gravy goodness. We encourage everyone to sign, mainly because Harbour Station menu options are few and far between.
We still don’t know how you can have a QUEBEC Major Junior Hockey League team and not sell poutine.
MILL RAT PEOPLE The Saint John Mill Rats will have a familiar face running their game day operations.
“Selma Kilisli, who was a game day hostess and community assistant for the Sea Dogs, has joined the Mill Rats staff as game day operations manager,” reported the Telegraph-Journal on October 30th. “Among her duties will be the familiar role of roving master-of-ceremonies during Mill Rats home games.”
PHILLIPS INTERVIEW Our friend Randy Corey of Freddy Puck Radio interviewed Zach Phillips Friday on the weekly Fredericton based hockey program. They discuss just about everything.
LOTS OF MONEY Pink in the Rink was quite successful this year in the QMJHL.
"The QMJHL and each of its eighteen franchises worked very hard to develop pink prototype jerseys in collaboration with our official supplier, Reebok/CCM, and its partner in this project, SP Apparel," said Commissioner Gilles Courteau in a release. "More than 400 pink jerseys worn by the players were sold with the proceeds being distributed to local, regional or national organizations dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. Furthermore, the QMJHL’s major partner, TELUS, came on board, contributing $100 for every goal scored during the 18 fight against breast cancer games. In total, 125 goals were scored, bringing TELUS’ contribution to $12,500. Today, I am proud to announce that over $115,000 have been generated as a result of our clubs’ efforts. Congratulations to all of our teams for their valued contribution. Also, thank you to our great fans for their lending their support behind this important endeavour."
On Nathan Beaulieu: “He did have a goal and an assist with 5 shots but didn’t look like his normal noticeable self. He didn’t stand out as much as he normally does.”
On Stanislav Galiev: “Looked like one of the strongest Russians out there. It must have been weird for him to be the enemy in his home barn.”
BEAULIEU SENIOR IN HOUSE According to last Wednesday’s London Free Press, former Sea Dogs head coach Jacques Beaulieu was in the house for the Super Series and watched his son Nathan skate for Team QMJHL.
“The Russians said it’s their best team they’ve sent over since 1990,” Beaulieu said. “When the game’s in London, it will be a big one for (London Knights goaltender) Igor (Bobkov). He’s trying to show the Russians something. He’s trying to show us. He’s fighting for minutes, fighting to get into games.”
Beaulieu, now an assistant coach with the Knights, was reported to be in Rouyn-Noranda during Saint John’s recent road trip.
LADS AND LOBSTERS This is something different:
PIPELINE SHOW Sea Dogs play-by-play man Tim Roszell went on The Pipeline Show on Saturday to talk Sea Dogs. Among other things, Roszell discusses the five Sea Dogs players on the draft radar.
You can check out the interview HERE by selecting the November 13 show.
COOL IN SCHOOL As announced before Saturday’s home game, defenseman Kevin Gagne is the Sea Dogs’ scholastic player of the month. The QMJHL made it official on Monday.
Gagne is currently enrolled at the University of New Brunswick Saint John campus.
