Game DaySaint John Sea Dogs vs Val-d’Or Foreurs
Friday, February 26, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Air Creebec Centre
Visiting Team: Saint John Sea Dogs
Record: 49-10-1-0 (1st in Atlantic Division)
Last Game: 7-5 win at Gatineau on Wednesday
Leading Scorer: Mike Hoffman: 49 GP-39 G-36 A-75 Pts
NHL Draft Picks: Yann Sauve (Vancouver), Marco Cousineau (Anaheim), Simon Despres (Pittsburgh), Steven Anthony (Vancouver), Mike Hoffman (Ottawa), and Nicholas Petersen (Pittsburgh).
Notes: Saint John is first on the Atlantic, first overall in the QMJHL, and are ranked second in the country this week after five straight weeks at number one… coming off a rough outing Wednesday in Gatineau despite winning 7-5. The Sea Dogs almost blew a 6-1 lead entering the third period but hung on for the victory. Zach Phillips had two goals and three assists in the win… a win tonight would give Saint John their 50th victory of the season. It would be the Sea Dogs’ first ever 50 win season and would be the first (and possibly only) team in the QMJHL to reach the mark this season… the Sea Dogs only need a single point to get their 100th point this year… 8-2-0-0 in their last 10 games and are coming off two wins – 7-5 in Gatineau and 3-2 against Rimouski on Sunday… 24-4-1-0 on the road this season. They are 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 raid matches and have won five straight. Their 49 road points is eight more than second place Moncton… have scored the most goals of any team this year with 135 goals for on the road. They are tied with Cape Breton for the second fewest goals against with 87 on the road… Stanislav Galiev is a point back of Petr Straka for the league lead in rookie scoring. He has 15 goals and 41 assists for 56 points in 59 games this year… Jonathan Huberdeau scored a hat trick the last time he took on the Foreurs. He has a team high four goals and three assists for seven points against Val-d’Or this year… Simon Despres has the most assists against Val-d’Or amongst Sea Dog players with four… despite the Sea Dogs scoring 17 goals in two games against Foreurs this year, Steven Anthony is a -2… Anthony has been scratched the last two games with what is believed to be a groin injury.
RECORDS READY TO BE SMASHED
SAINTJOHNSEADOGS.COM
Nick Petersen is tied with Drummondville’s Sean Couturier for the league lead in plus/minus at +42. The team record for best +/- total in a single season is +26, set by Scott Howes in 2007-08.
Howes’ single-season goals record of 42 is also in jeopardy, with Mike Hoffman (39) and Petersen (35) both within striking distance of the impressive mark with eight games remaining on the 09-10 campaign.
MORIN IS BACK
Christian Morin was traded by the Foreurs to Saint John at the holiday trading period. This will be his first visit back to his former home building.
Home Team: Val-d’Or Foreurs
Record: 22-31-5-2 (4th in Telus Western Division)
Last Game: Played in Rouyn-Noranda last night
Leading Scorer: Samuel Morneau: 54 GP-30 G-32 A-62 Pts
NHL Draft Picks: Marco Scandella (Minnesota), Samuel Morneau (Carolina), and Maxime Sauve (Boston)
Notes: Val-d’Or has struggled this season after The Hockey News ranked them to finish fourth overall in the league at the start of the 2009-10 campaign. They currently sit in 14th… 4-4-1-1 in their last 10 games are have lost two straight… are tied with Rimouski for the most overtime loses this year with five… Val-d’Or really isn’t good at anything by looking at the stats. In almost every category, they sit fourth or fifth last in the league. That includes goals for, goals against, points, power play percentage, and penalty killing percentage… 13-12-4-0 at home this season. They are 4-5-1-0 on the road this season and have lost two straight… Alexandre Touchette is on an epic four game point scoring streak. In that span he has two goals and three assists… Vincent Couture, who was acquired from Bathurst at the deadline, has a team worst -22 rating this season and is a -9 since joining the club… Marco Scandella, who is suspended for this game, has a team high +11 rating. He is a beast… Scandella and Couture both have two points against the Dogs this year. Couture’s are all with Bathurst while Scandella’s are both assists… no player has a plus rating against Saint John in two games.
**All stats are as of yesterday afternoon**
SHAWIN MORTON-BOUTIN SUSPENDED
PRESS RELEASE
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Disciplinary Prefect today announced that Shawn Morton-Boutin of the Val D'Or Foreurs has been suspended three games following a hit to the head of a Chicoutimi Saguenéens' player which occurred during last Saturday’s game.
The decision was rendered after reviewing the videotape of the incident and after consulting all concerned parties.
MARCO SCANDELLA SUSPENDED-FEB. 4
THE CANADIAN PRESS
BOUCHERVILLE, Que. — The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has suspended Val-d'Or Foreurs defenceman Marco Scandella indefinitely for hitting an opponent in the head.
The incident occurred in a game Wednesday against the Rimouski Oceanic.
"This afternoon, (QMJHL disciplinarian) Raymond Bolduc informed me of his decision to suspend Marco Scandella indefinitely," league commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a statement. "After seeing the hit, I believe it is the right decision while the disciplinary process runs its course.
"Our position is clear: We have a responsibility to protect our players. Their safety is our No. 1 priority."
Scandella was considered to be one of Canada's top defencemen at this year's world junior hockey championship.
Bolduc will gather testimonies from on-ice officials as well as players and members of both organizations, then analyse the facts and review his findings with a committee before deciding what action to take.
No timetable regarding when a decision will be reached has been set.
Last month, the QMJHL suspended Patrice Cormier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for the rest of the season for elbowing a Quebec Remparts player in the head during a game.
Cormier was the captain of Canada's world junior team.
Saint John vs Val-d’Or:
This Season (GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS):
2-2-0-0-0-4
Home: 2-2-0-0-0-4
Road: 0-0-0-0-0-0
Goals For: 17
Goals Against: 3
Last Season (GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS):
2-2-0-0-0-4
Home: 1-1-0-0-0-2
Road: 1-1-0-0-0-2
Goals For: 10
Goals Against: 3
All-Time- Not Including This Season (GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS):
8-4-3-0-1-9
Home: 4-2-1-0-1-5
Road: 4-2-2-0-0-4
Goals For: 27
Goals Against: 26
STATION NATION FACTS:
AROUND THE TOWN
WIKIPEDIA
Gold was discovered in the area in 1923. The name of the town is French for "Valley of Gold." While gold is still mined in the area today, base metals, such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) have become increasingly important resources. The ore is usually found in volcanic rocks that were deposited on the seafloor over 2.7 billion years ago. They are referred to as volcanic-hosted (or volcanogenic) massive sulphide deposits (VMS).
The city is known for its vast parks, cycle tracks, and forests. Some other attractions include the City of Gold and the mining village of Bourlamaque, which were officially proclaimed historic sites in 1979.
The city hosted the Quebec Games in 1987. The local hockey team, the Val-d'Or Foreurs, have played in the QMJHL since 1993, winning the league championship in 1998 and 2001 to claim a spot in the Memorial Cup. They play at Centre Air Creebec. The Foreurs' mascot is called Dynamit, named after dynamite which was extensively used by the mining industry of Val-d'Or.
Val-d'Or was once home to CFS Val-d'Or, a Canadian Forces Station.
THE RINK
Venue: Air Creebec Centre
Capacity: 2,398
Average Attendance: 1,744
Arena Guide Info: http://www.qmjhlarenaguide.com/foreurs.htm
Note: Rink dimensions are 190 X 85
MEDIA
Saint John Media: Radio- News 88.9 FM (www.news889.com)
Live Video Streaming: www.qmjhl.mytelus.com
Post-Game Coverage: www.stationnation.blogspot.com
TWITTER
Follow Station Nation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/station_nation for in game updates from tonight’s game.
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