GAME DAY 48: at Shawinigan

A preview of tonight’s game between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Shawinigan Cataractes…

When and where: Tonight at 8 p.m., Centre Gervais Auto

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are second in the Maritimes Division and seventh overall in the QMJHL with a record of 25-15-1-6 for 57 points. The Cataractes are fourth in the East Division and eighth overall with a 26-18-1-2 record for 55 points.

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Sunday. Spencer Smallman scored Saint John’s lone goal while Alex Bishop made 25 saves in the loss. The Cataractes are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Quebec Remparts in an outdoor game played on Saturday. Dennis Yan and Anthony Beauvillier scored while Marvin Cupper made 33 saves.

2014-15 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Cataractes this season while Shawinigan is 1-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 21 at Harbour Station when the Sea Dogs defeated the Cats 4-2. Samuel Dove-McFalls had two goals while singles came from Justice Dundas and Matthew Highmore. Giovanni Fiore and Alexis D’Aoust had Shawinigan goals. Sebastien Auger made 32 saves in the win while Marvin Cupper made 31 in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Cataractes: None

Random stat: The Sea Dogs and Cataractes are both averaging 3.15 goals against per game, the second fewest in the league.

SJ notes: Nathan Noel leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with 17 goals and 43 points in 47 games this season… Adam Marsh leads the team in goals with 19… Noel has a team high 26 assists… 9-11-0-3 on the road this season… 3-5-0-2 in their last 10 games… Sebastien Auger has a league best 2.67 GAA and SV% of .913… Marsh is eighth in rookie scoring with 35 points… Jason Bell is fourth in defensemen goals with 11… 15-7-0-1 when scoring first… 4-2-0-2 against East Division teams… the Sea Dogs have the second worst power play in the league with a rating of 16.5… Saint John has a league best penalty kill rating of 85.0… Saint John has lost four straight road games.

SHA notes: Anthony Beauvillier leads the Cataractes in scoring with 33 goals and 72 points in 47 games this season. He is fourth in league scoring… Beauvillier has a team best 33 goals and leads the squad in assists with 39… 16-6-1-1 at home this season… 7-2-0-1 in their past 10 games… Beauvillier is fourth in shorthanded goals with three… Beauvillier is third in power play points with 34… Marvin Cupper is third in the league in wins with 25… Dennis Yan is fifth in rookie scoring with 43 points… Yan is second in rookie goals with 21… Dylan Labbe is ninth in defensemen scoring with 33 points… Labbe is third in d-men goals with 11… 19-6-0-2 when scoring first… 2-4-1-0 against Maritimes Division teams… Beauvillier has goals in four straight games… Beauvillier has assists in seven straight games.

Out of town:

Baie-Comeau at Charlottetown - 7:00 PM AST
Moncton at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:30 PM AST
Gatineau at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:00 PM EST

Next game: The Sea Dogs take on the Voltigeurs in Drummondville tomorrow at 8 p.m.