PRESIDENT'S CUP FINAL SCHEDULE

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has announced the schedule for the 2011 President’s Cup final. The Saint John Sea Dogs will play either the Gatineau Olympiques or the Quebec Remparts in this year’s league final.

The Remparts currently lead the Olympiques 3-2 in their semifinal series. Game Six is tomorrow night in Gatineau.

It’s a bit of an odd schedule compared to most series. Here are the dates for the best-of-seven final:

President Cup final schedule
Game 1 - Thursday, May 5 – Gatineau or Quebec at Saint John
Game 2 - Saturday, May 7 – Gatineau or Quebec at Saint John
Game 3 - Monday, May 9 – Saint John at Gatineau or Quebec
Game 4 - Wednesday, May 11 – Saint John at Gatineau or Quebec
Game 5 - Friday, May 13 – Gatineau or Quebec at Saint John
Game 6 - Sunday, May 15 – Saint John at Gatineau or Quebec
Game 7 - Monday, May 16 – Gatineau or Quebec at Saint John

Game One of the series will start at 7:00 pm according to the Harbour Station website. A league press release states “the times will be announced at a later date.”

Saint John, the No. 1 seed, has home ice advantage, of course. The Remparts are the No. 3 seed and the Olympiques No. 5.

Tickets to game One and Two are on sale now.

The winner of the series will advance to the MasterCard Memorial Cup which is being held in Mississauga, Ont. The QMJHL championship team will face the host Majors in the opening game of the tournament on Friday, May 20, at 8:00 pm.

TICKETS ON SALE TODAY

Tickets for the first two games of the 2011 President’s Cup final go on sale at noon today. Tickets can be purchased at the Harbour Station box office, online, or by phone.

Games One and Two will be hosted by the Saint John Sea Dogs who advanced to the final on Wednesday following a sweep of the Lewiston Maineiacs in the semifinals.

The Sea Dogs’ opponent has yet to be determined. The Quebec Remparts could have advanced with a victory last night but the Gatineau Olympiques won the match, 5-3, to force a Game Six on Sunday.

According to the Telegraph-Journal, “the President's Cup final will begin Wednesday in Saint John if the Remparts wrap up their semifinal Sunday. If a Game 7 is required Tuesday in Quebec City, the final will start Thursday in Saint John.”

Tickets to both games should sell quickly, but probably not as fast as last year’s insanity.

FINALS TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY

Tickets to Game One of the President’s Cup final will go on sale Saturday at noon at the Harbour Station box office, online, or by phone.

According to a Sea Dogs release, “Game 1 will be on Wednesday or Thursday at Harbour Station, pending the results of the other semifinal between the Gatineau Olympiques and Quebec Remparts.”

The Sea Dogs advanced to the final after completing a sweep of the Lewiston Maineiacs on Wednesday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. It is the second straight year that the team has made the league final.

"Hopefully it's going to be real good, and we'd like the result to be different this time," Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant said to the Lewiston Sun Journal after last night’s win. "We're going to have to work for it, and we're going to have to play a good team no matter who we play."

Saint John will play either the Remparts or the Olympiques. Entering Friday’s Game Five, Quebec leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.

If the Sea Dogs play Quebec, a bus trip to Game Six is being planned.

SEMI-FINAL SCHEDULE

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League released the official schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs – Lewiston Maineiacs semi-final playoff series this afternoon.

No surprises on the schedule. The series will be of the 2-2-1-1-1 variety.

Here is the full schedule for best-of-seven third round series (all times Atlantic):

GAME ONE – Friday, April 22: 7:30 p.m. @ Harbour Station
GAME TWO – Saturday, April 23: 7 p.m. @ Harbour Station
GAME THREE – Tuesday, April 26: 8 p.m. @ Androscoggin Bank Colisee
GAME FOUR – Wednesday, April 27: 8 p.m. @ Androscoggin Bank Colisee
*GAME FIVE – Friday, April 29: 7:30 p.m. @ Harbour Station
*GAME SIX – Sunday, May 1: 8 p.m. @ Androscoggin Bank Colisee
*GAME SEVEN – Tuesday, May 3: 7 p.m. @ Harbour Station
*If Necessary

Note that the start time for Game Six in Lewiston, a Sunday, is at 8:00 pm.

Tickets for the first two games are already on-sale at the usual Harbour Station ticket buying outlets. If you are interested in making the trek to the USA for this series, the Maineiacs posted this ticket info on their website:

Tickets for the MAINEiacs' home games in round three will be on sale starting tomorrow morning at 9:00. Lewiston will play games three, four, and six on home ice in this round on Tuesday, April 26th, Wednesday, April 27th, and Sunday, May 1st. All three games are scheduled to start at 7:00.

Lewiston advanced to the semi-finals for just the second time in team history after dispatching the Montreal Juniors in six games. Saint John advanced to the third round for the second straight year and third time in franchise history following a five-game series win over the Victoriaville Tigres.

SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
The QMJHL released the official schedule for the Saint John Sea Dogs – Victoriaville Tigres quarter-final playoff series. It is the same schedule as the one reported on the Tigres’ Facebook page yesterday.

Here it is (all times local):

2011-04-08 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:30 pm
2011-04-09 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-12 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-13 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-15 SAINT JOHN VS. VICTORIAVILLE - 7:00 pm
2011-04-18 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm
2011-04-19 VICTORIAVILLE VS. SAINT JOHN - 7:00 pm

CUSTOM GOAL HORN
The goal horn at Harbour Station had a different tune to it in the final game of the regular season after Michael Kirkpatrick scored. A video labeled “Michael Kirkpatrick Custom Goal Horn" has popped up on YouTube.



Pretty good tune.

ON THE RISE
Central Scouting had some meetings this weekend to discuss their final rankings for upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Among the things discussed were about the top defensemen available for the draft. That list, of course, includes Sea Dog Nathan Beaulieu.

"Nathan is a fluid skater, hard worker and reads the play well," Central Scouting's Chris Bordeleau, who specializes in the QMJHL, told NHL.com, via Fox News. "We thought he should have had more points than he had (45 points in 65 games), but overall he has the NHL quickness already. That's what is really important at this stage."

Beaulieu was ranked ninth among North American players in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

- Thanks to Eric for the link.

THE BIG DEBATE
Also discussed at those same meetings yesterday (after a lunch break) was the debate of who is the better pick: Sean Couturier or Jonathan Huberdeau.

“Chris Bordeleau, who spends most of his time viewing players in the 'Q', opened discussions with a solid evaluation of centers Jonathan Huberdeau and Sean Couturier,” states NHL.com. “He spoke of Huberdeau's great hands around the net and Couturier's two-way acumen. Saint John defenseman Nathan Beaulieu has also been on the radar of every scout and his play was worthy of a lengthy discussion by those boys within the Conn Smythe Board Room.”

SEASON ENDING TALK
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Mario Durocher had a season ending question and answer session with the Cape Breton Post on Friday. His thoughts on the first round playoff sweep by the Sea Dogs:

"For a lot of guys, it was their first experience in the playoffs. I think that experience will be good. They played one of the best teams in Canada and we gave them goals. We know that we have to be in really top shape. If you have to play four games in five days and we have to play a short bench, they have to realize they have to be in good shape. They have to be bigger and stronger, so the summer will be a key thing for a lot of guys. Sometimes dumping the puck and avoiding turnovers make a difference and that’s what they did. Those were little things like that we learned from Saint John."

BUSY WEEK
It’s going to a busy week for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

On Wednesday, the annual QMJHL Awards Gala will be held in Montreal. On Thursday, the QMJHL and CHL will announce the host of the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup. Then on Friday and Saturday, Games One and Two of their quarter-final series against Victoriaville will take place.

Buckle up.

THE CASE FOR FULLERTON
A good piece from Bill Hunt of the Daily Gleaner on how little recognition former Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton gets for his winning ways with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.

"But it's another slap in the mask of Fullerton, who has quietly had a spectacular career at UNB: the first to be blamed when things go wrong, the last to be credited when they go right. Look at the season just completed: 31 goals against in 20 games in the regular season: a 1.60 goals against average. Five shutouts. Post season: nine appearances. Six wins. Two shutouts. And then solid and sometimes spectacular last weekend."

Fullerton has now won two national championships with the V-Reds.

PEACE OUT AMYOT
Former Sea Dogs defenseman Pascal Amyot finished his junior career last week as the Halifax Mooseheads were swept away by the Montreal Juniors.

"Everything goes so fast," Amyot said through tears to the Chronicle Herald. "It feels like just yesterday I was a rookie in the league and now it’s over.

"After being in this league for five years, I came to realize that you don’t know the luck you’ve had until it’s gone."

Amyot, who has to be considered one of the smartest players in junior hockey, will continue studying engineering at Dalhousie next year and will play for the Tigers in the AUS ranks.

Photo Credits: HockeyDB, Marc Henwood/Station Nation, David Connell Web Album

REPORTED QUARTER-FINAL SCHEDULE

The Victoriaville Tigres Facebook page has posted the entire schedule for their quarter-final series against the Saint John Sea Dogs. The reported schedule is under the 2-3-2 format.

The schedule is as follows:

Game One - Friday, April 8 at 7:30 pm at Harbour Station
Game Two - Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station
Game Three - Tuesday, April 12, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
Game Four - Wednesday, April 13, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
*Game Five - Friday, April 15, at 8:00 pm at Colisee Desjardins
*Game Six – Monday, April 18 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station
*Game Seven – Tuesday, April 19 at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station

*if necessary

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has yet to officially announce any schedules for the four quarter-final series.

QUARTER-FINAL TICKETS NOW ON-SALE

SAINT JOHN – Tickets to the second round of the Saint John Sea Dogs’ playoff run went on-sale this morning at Harbour Station. Tickets can now be obtained at the facilities box office, by phone, or online.

The Sea Dogs advanced to the quarter-finals for the third time in four seasons after sweeping the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the opening round.

Saint John will open the second round next Friday, April 8 at Harbour Station at 7:30 pm. Game Two will be hosted at the Station on Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 pm. The rest of the schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Sea Dogs’ opponent for the series has yet to be determined.

Their opposition for the quarter-finals could be determined tonight, though. A Gatineau Olympiques win will eliminate the Rimouski Oceanic – the lowest seeded team remaining. If Rimouski’s season ends this evening, Saint John will play the Victoriaville Tigres, the Cinderella team of this year’s playoffs after pulling off a shocking four-game sweep of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Only three series have not been decided yet and they could all end tonight. Shawinigan is in Prince Edward Island with a 3-1 series lead, Rimouski in Gatineau down 3-1, and Moncton is in Lewiston facing a 3-1 deficit.

ROUND ONE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League released the full schedule today for the upcoming Saint John Sea Dogs - Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Round One playoff matchup.

The Sea Dogs unveiled awhile ago that the first two games would be held on Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26 at Harbour Station. Tickets for both games went on-sale this past Saturday.

Games three and four will shift Sydney and will played on Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30. Both games start at 7:00 pm at Centre 200.

There are no surprises in this schedule as it is the typical format for a playoff series against a divisional opponent. If necessary, Game Five would be held in Saint John, Game Six in Cape Breton, and Game Seven back at Harbour Station.

Here is the full schedule for the Sea Dogs – Screaming Eagles series:

GAME ONE – Friday, March 25: 7:30 p.m. @ Harbour Station
GAME TWO – Saturday, March 26: 7 p.m. @ Harbour Station
GAME THREE – Tuesday, March 29: 7 p.m. @ Centre 200
GAME FOUR – Wednesday, March 30: 7 p.m. @ Centre 200
*GAME FIVE – Friday, April 1: 7:30 p.m. @ Harbour Station
*GAME SIX – Sunday, April 3: 4 p.m. @ Centre 200
*GAME SEVEN – Tuesday, April 5: 7 p.m. @ Harbour Station
*If Necessary

With the Sea Dogs winning the regular season for the second straight season, each series will start on home ice, and, if needed, all Game Sevens would be played at Harbour Station as well.

On Friday, QMJHL Commissioner Gilles Courteau will be in house to present some hardware to the team once again this season. From the Sea Dogs website:

Friday night’s match will feature a special pre-game ceremony in which QMJHL Commissioner Gilles Courteau will present the Sea Dogs with the Jean Rougeau Trophy as regular season champions, the Luc Robitaille Trophy as the highest scoring team in the league and the Robert LeBel Trophy for the best goals-against average.

If/when the Dogs advance to the Second Round, it will probably start on Friday, April 8 at Harbour Station.

Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation

PLAYOFF TICKETS ON-SALE; TOMORROW'S GAME SOLD-OUT

SAINT JOHN – Tickets to the Saint John Sea Dogs’ first two playoff games are now on-sale. Tickets went on-sale today at noon and can be purchased at the Harbour Station box office, by phone, or online.

The Sea Dogs will take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the first round of the 2011 President’s Cup playoffs. The first game is Friday, March 25 at 7:30 pm at Harbour Station while Game Two will be Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 pm.

Saint John enters the post-season as the No. 1 seeded team and will have home ice advantage throughout the entire QMJHL playoffs.

Against Cape Breton this season, the Sea Dogs are 7-1-0-0 which includes an 8-1 blowout win last night at Harbour Station. In their last two games in Saint John, the Eagles have allowed eight goals in each.

The rest of the schedule for the series has not been announced yet. Games Three and Four will both be played at Centre 200, likely on March 29 and March 30.

On other ticket related news, tomorrow’s game against the Prince Edward Island Rocket is sold-out. Standing room tickets are still available according to the Harbour Station website.

The game will be the final match of the 2010-11 regular season for both clubs. The game could also be historic as Saint John is just a win away from tying the all-time QMJHL single season wins record. A win would also make the Sea Dogs the first team in Quebec league history to go an entire season without losing in regulation on home ice.

PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE MARCH 19

Tickets to the Saint John Sea Dogs’ first set of playoff home games go on sale to the general public Saturday, March 19 at the Harbour Station box office, online, and by phone.

The dates for the first two home matches have already been determined. Game One will be on Friday, March 25 at 7:30 pm and Game Two will be held on Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 pm. Games three and four of the best-of-seven-series will be on the road.

Who Saint John will play in the opening round of the post-season has yet to be determined. The Sea Dogs clinched home ice throughout the playoffs last weekend and will face the No. 16 seed in the first round. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles currently hold that slot but are only two points back of the Halifax Mooseheads for the 15th position. The Baie-Comeau Drakkar can mathematically catch the Eagles but it is highly unlikely that they will.

According to a Sea Dogs press release, the full playoff series schedule will be released soon after the opponent is determined.

Game One will also feature Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Commissioner Gilles Courteau presenting the Jean Rougeau Trophy to the regular season champion Sea Dogs for the second straight year.

Saint John played Cape Breton in the opening round of the 2008 QMJHL playoffs and were swept by the Eagles. Last season, the Sea Dogs took on the Prince Edward Island Rocket in round one won and advanced to the quarter-finals after a five game series.

All-time in first round games, the Sea Dogs are 8-5 overall and have won two-of-three series.

RATS RESCHEDULE

SAINT JOHN – Any playoff date issues for the opening round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League post-season at Harbour Station appear to be gone.

The Premier Basketball League’s Saint John Mill Rats announced today that their Saturday, March 26th game against the Halifax Rainmen has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 29th. Game time remains the same.

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.

Photo Credit: Facebook

SEA DOGS LAUNCH IPHONE APP

SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Sea Dogs have joined the magical world of mobile ‘apps.’

The team officially announced today the launch of their free app which is available to Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users. The app can be downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes store.

“Connecting with fans is a priority for our hockey club. Whether it’s through a thrilling live game at Harbour Station, or simply making the latest Sea Dogs news and information available, we’re always looking for ways to improve the fan experience,” said Sea Dogs president Wayne Long in a release. “We’re proud to be launching this app, which puts the Sea Dogs literally in the palm of our fans’ hands.”

Along with team news, the app features the Sea Dogs’ schedule, standings, and roster information. It also features a link to purchase game tickets.

A few teams now have apps available to fans. The Halifax Mooseheads seemed to start the trend a few weeks ago when they launched one of their own.

It is good to see the Sea Dogs as well other Quebec Major Junior Hockey League teams launch apps and staying up-to-date in terms of technology. Anytime you can connect with fans through a free service it has to be viewed as a positive.

BIG STORM ROLLING IN

For the second time in less than a week, weather appears to be putting a Saint John Sea Dogs game in jeopardy.

The Sea Dogs are scheduled to host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan tomorrow night at Harbour Station but there is expected to be 10-15 cm of snow following in the afternoon and carrying into the evening.

Saint John had their contest in Moncton against the Wildcats last Thursday pushed back a day due to inclement weather. If Wednesday’s match is postponed, it could be a bit more challenging to reschedule with the Saint John Mill Rats invading Harbour Station Thursday and the Sea Dogs hitting the road Friday and Saturday.

Weather has been a quite a story this season as this could potentially be the fourth postponement for the Dogs this season. It would be the first home match to fall victim to weather.

But, nothing is official as of yet and probably won’t be until tomorrow afternoon. The Sea Dogs posted this on their Twitter page earlier today:

Also taking place tomorrow evening is the 2012 Memorial Cup Bidding Rally which is scheduled to take place at the Centre Court at Brunswick Square at 5:30pm. The rally is being filmed and will later be shown to the Memorial Cup selection committee.

A Sea Dogs press release states that “in the case of extreme weather conditions forcing Brunswick Square to close, the rally would be postponed to a later date.”

Of course, if you choose the fourth option in the Sea Dogs’ online poll, getting to Brunswick Square tomorrow shouldn’t be an issue.

DOGS - 'CATS GAME POSTPONED; WILL BE PLAYED TOMORROW

Tonight’s Saint John Sea Dogs road contest in Moncton has been postponed due to inclement weather conditions around the southern New Brunswick area. The game has been moved to tomorrow night at the Moncton Coliseum. Game time is 7:00 pm.

The Saint John and Moncton areas are both expected to be hit with roughly 10 cm of snow today. Schools in the Saint John and Moncton region were all closed due to the impending storm.

This is the third Sea Dogs road game to be postponed this season. Treks to Bathurst and Prince Edward Island have both been called off previously.

The reschedule creates a second consecutive three-in-three weekend for the Sea Dogs. Saint John played in Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi, and Quebec City last weekend. Now, they travel to Moncton tomorrow and host the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday and Sunday at Harbour Station.

As for the Wildcats, they host the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday.

The move should also give the ‘Cats a boost in attendance, earning them some extra points in the all-important Brunswick News Rivalry Cup Challenge. Saint John currently leads the challenge 16-5.

SEA DOGS - ROCKET GAME POSTPONED

Tonight’s Saint John Sea Dogs road game in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island has been postponed “due to hazardous weather conditions and the accumulation of snow in eastern New Brunswick,” states a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League release.

The game will be made up on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:00 pm at the Charlottetown Civic Centre.

The cancellation isn’t much of a surprise as the Wildcats – Titan game scheduled to take place tonight at the Moncton Coliseum was postponed yesterday due to Snowmageddon 2010 hitting New Brunswick.

The Confederation Bridge is also experiencing some delays. From their website:

For user safety, the Confederation Bridge has restricted certain classes of vehicles from crossing until the current high wind situation changes. Restricted classes include automobiles towing trailers, motorcycles, highsided vehicles including trucks, tractor trailers, recreational vehicles, and buses.

Tickets for tonight’s game can be used for the rescheduled game on the 16th of March.

Both teams are missing some of their best players tonight as Saint John’s Tomas Jurco and Simon Despres and PEI’s Andrej Nestrasil are currently participating in the World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo, New York. Despres’ Canadians and Nestrasil’s Czechs meet each other tonight.

The rescheduled game creates a busy March for the Sea Dogs as they now play eight games in 17-days.

The Sea Dogs’ next game is Thursday at the KC Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst.

BEDBUGS CANCEL POPULAR PROMOTION

An annual tradition will not happen this year at Harbour Station.

Saint John Sea Dogs President Wayne Long today announced ttoday hat the teams annual ‘Teddy Bear Toss’ promotion has been cancelled for this season. The popular promotion was scheduled to take place this Sunday against the Halifax Mooseheads on what the team has dubbed ‘Holiday Fun Day.’

A team press release states that it has been cancelled because of “concerns regarding an infestation of hematophagous parasites (bedbugs) that has proliferated throughout south western New Brunswick in recent months.”

“After meeting with several external parties and discussing the matter internally at length, we have decided that we won’t be able to hold the Teddy Bear Toss this season,” said Long in the release. “We contacted several charitable organizations throughout the region, across Canada, and even abroad, and none were willing to accept a donation of stuffed toys from south western New Brunswick due to the bedbug outbreak. It’s unfortunate that this great promotion won’t take place at Harbour Station this year, but we hope that our fans will understand the reason behind the decision.”

Of course, many people are upset over the cancellation of the charitable endeavor. Each year, the bears are donated to local charities across the area in time for the Christmas season. But, as seen at St. Joseph's Hospital, bedbugs have been a serious problem in Saint John over the past few months.

“Charities in Saint John, N.B., are turning away some second-hand donations this Christmas due to fears of a bedbug outbreak,” reports the CBC.

Tossing Teddy Bears is a popular promotion across the Canadian Hockey League this time of year and has traditionally been one of the more popular events in Saint John.

Photo Credit: David Connell Web Album

DOGS-TITAN MATCH RESCHEDULED

A new date for last Saturday’s postponed Saint John Sea Dogs – Acadie-Bathurst Titan match has been announced.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today announced via a press release that Game #234 between the two will be played on Wednesday, December 1 at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre in Bathurst at 7:30 pm.

The game was originally set to be played last Saturday at the KC Irving Regional Centre but was forced to be postponed due to poor weather conditions. The Sea Dogs team bus was unable to get to the match on time because of highway issues.
A Wednesday night game that was not originally scheduled in Bathurst sounds like an attendance nightmare.

Saint John plays the Titan on Friday at Harbour Station as well. The Dogs then host the Halifax Mooseheads Sunday before travelling to Bathurst Wednesday. The Sea Dogs play two more games the following the weekend – both at home.

After this Friday's game in Saint John, the Titan travel to Cape Breton to play the Screaming Eagles on Sunday.

SEA DOGS - TITAN GAME POSTPONED

Tonight’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League matchup between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Acadie-Bathurst Titan has been postponed due to inclement weather conditions in the northern New Brunswick area.

The game was scheduled to be played this evening at 7:00 pm at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

According to a QMJHL press release, “an announcement will be made in the next few days regarding a new date for the game.”

According to several reports, it’s been snowing steadily all day in the Bathurst region, causing some slick road conditions and all that good stuff.

QMJHL referee Jeff Hopkins, who was on his way to work a maritime junior ‘A’ game in Miramichi, tweeted earlier that “the guys going to Bathurst are supposedly at a standstill on highway.”

The Environment Canada forecast for Bathurst this evening:

Flurries ending near midnight then cloudy periods with 30 percent chance of flurries. Amount 2 cm. Wind becoming northwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 this evening. Low minus 7.

Last season, two Sea Dogs home games were postponed on the same weekend because of a large dumping of white stuff. Before those two games, a Sea Dogs game in PEI was delayed 45 minutes because the Confederation Bridge was closed to high sided vehicles.

In 2008-09, a game in Halifax was postponed because of trying road conditions in the southern New Brunswick area. Then back during the 2007-08 season, the Sea Dogs – Drakkar game in Baie-Comeau was postponed after two periods due to a power outage inside the Henry Leonard Centre.

Luckily for the Sea Dogs, a postponed game in Bathurst won’t cause as much trouble as a postponed game in northern Quebec.

The Sea Dogs play in Moncton tomorrow afternoon and then don’t play again until Friday night when they host the Titan at Harbour Station. This was scheduled to be Saint John’s only weekend on the road this month.

Puck drop tomorrow at the Moncton Coliseum is 4:00 pm.