PRE-GAME NOTES: Oceanic vs Sea Dogs

GAME DAY
What: QMJHL Regular Season Game #103
Who: Rimouski Oceanic vs Saint John Sea Dogs
When: 7:00 pm
Where: Harbour Station

GAME OF THE WEEK
Rogers Sportsnet has named tonight’s game the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game of the week.

“The Océanic begin their swing through the Maritimes with a tough tilt against the Sea Dogs who boast a perfect 4-0 home record this season,” writes CHL reporter Patrick King. “These two teams possess two of the most potent offences in the league and this contest has the makings of a potential wide-open, high-offensive game. This matchup could also provide slumping Russian sniper Stanislav Galiev an opportunity to awake from his slow start.”

It will, however, not be on Rogers Sportsnet. Sportsnet would probably make a separate channel for the game if it was.

IN NET
Sea Dogs director of hockey operations and associate coach Mike Kelly says newly acquired goaltender Jacob De Serres will not get the start in net tonight.

“Kelly said De Serres won't get the start tonight when the Sea Dogs host the Rimouski Oceanic at 7 p.m. but will likely see action on the weekend when Saint John is home to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Saturday at 7 p.m. and the Victoriaville Tigres on Sunday at 4 p.m.,” writes columnist Peter McGuire in the Telegraph-Journal.

Although De Serres appears on the Sea Dogs roster, Karel St. Laurent has not been taken off. The two join Frederic Piche as Saint John’s three goaltenders. There has been no official announcement made on the goaltending situation, but it is expected that St. Laurent will be the odd man out and Piche will back-up De Serres.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE OCEAN
There is something about the Rimouski Oceanic that Steven Anthony seems to like. In seven career games against the Oceanic, the Vancouver Canucks prospect has four goals and three assists for seven points.

Here are his game-by-game numbers:

October 12, 2007 at Rimouski: 1G-1A-2Pts, +2
October 21, 2007 vs Rimouski: 0G-0A-0Pts, +2
November 30, 2008 at Rimouski: 2G-0A-2Pts, -3
January 30, 2009 at Rimouski: 0G-0A-0Pts, -1
February 6, 2009 vs Rimouski: 0G-1A-1Pts, -3
November 1, 2009 at Rimouski: 1G-1A-2Pts, +1
February 21, 2010 vs Rimouski: 0G-0A-0Pts, 0

Sportsnet added in their weekly 'Who's Hot, Who's Not' column that Anthony is off to a strong start.

"If his start is any indication, Anthony could be on the verge of realizing his offensive potential this season," wrote Patrick King. "Anthony had a goal and two assists in two games last week and is seventh on the Sea Dogs in scoring with seven points in six games."

The Halifax native scored his first career goal in Rimouski exactly three years ago today. Only video we could find of the goal is at 0:50 of this: