PLAYOFF GAME DAY 1: vs Titan

It’s playoff time. The Saint John Sea Dogs (42-20-6-0, 90 points, 1^st Maritimes, 3^rd QMJHL) host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan (27-35-3-3, 60 points, 5^th Maritimes, 14^th QMJHL) in game one of their first round playoff series tonight at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.

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

Series status: This is the first game of the best-of-seven first round series.

Last games: The Titan are coming off a 5-4 shootout win in Moncton last Saturday. Vladimir Kuznetsov, Samuel L’Italien, Jeffrey Truchon-Viel and Cole Rafuse scored for Bathurst. Reilly Pickard made 47 saves in the win. The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 loss in Sydney on Saturday. Matt Murphy scored twice while Daniel Del Paggio added a solo marker. Alex Bishop made 40 saves in the victory.

2015-16 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 6-1-2-0 against the Titan in the regular season while Bathurst went 3-5-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: March 15 at the KC Irving Regional Centre where the Titan edged the Sea Dogs 2-1 in overtime. Christophe Boivin and Jeffrey Truchon-Viel scored for Bathurst while Thomas Chabot netted Saint John’s goal. Reilly Pickard made 34 saves in the win. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 29 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Titan: Defenseman Jason Bell and forward Dawson Theede

Player to watch: Matt Murphy will play in his 60^th career QMJHL playoff game tonight – which is a lot (Stephen MacAulay played in 75). According to the Q site, Murphy leads all active players in post-season games played. He has recorded nine goals and 15 assists with Val-d’Or, Halifax and Quebec.

Three Things to Know

1. This is the second all-time meeting between the Sea Dogs and Titan in the playoffs. Saint John defeated Bathurst in six games in the second round of the 2008 post-season.

2. According to the QMJHL website, this will be the 10^th playoff series for Sea Dogs head coach Danny Flynn. He is 5-4 all-time.

3. The Titan are returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence. They have not made it past the first round since 2008.

Notes: The Sea Dogs were 23-9-2-0 at Harbour Station during the regular season… the Titan were 11-19-2-2 on the road… Matthew Highmore led the Sea Dogs in scoring with 22 goals and 75 points in 65 games… Sam Povorozniouk had a team high 39 goals… Christophe Boivin led the Titan in scoring with 31 goals and 67 points in 60 games… Jeffrey Truchon-Viel had a Bathurst high 33 goals.

Out of town
Chicoutimi at Cape Breton - 7:00 PM ADT
Victoriaville at Moncton - 7:00 PM ADT
Acadie-Bathurst at Saint John - 7:00 PM ADT
Sherbrooke at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EDT
Québec at Gatineau - 7:30 PM EDT
Charlottetown at Rimouski - 7:30 PM EDT
Drummondville at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:30 PM EDT
Blainville-Boisbriand at Val-d'Or - 7:30 PM EDT

Next game: Game two of this best-of-seven series takes place tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station.