Game Day 34: at Moncton

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs return to action tonight.

The Sea Dogs will play their final road game of the first half this evening in Moncton against the Wildcats. Game time is 7 p.m.

Saint John will likely be without captain Joe Veleno again. He is expected to be traded on Monday.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Records: The Sea Dogs are 8-19-4-2 for 22 points (6th Maritimes, 17th QMJHL) while the Wildcats are 14-16-2-1 for 31 points (5th Maritimes, 14th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Gatineau Olympiques on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station. Anthony Boucher and William Poirier scored for Saint John. Alex D'Orio made 21 saves in the loss. The Wildcats are coming off a 7-1 loss in Rouyn-Noranda on Sunday afternoon. Nicholas Welsh scored Moncton's lone goal. Matthew Waite made 37 saves in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-2-1-0 against the Wildcats this season while Moncton is 3-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 26 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Wildcats 2-1. Radim Salda and Daniel Hardie scored for Saint John. Riley MacRae scored Moncton's lone goal. Matthew Williams made 36 saves in the win. Mark Grametbauer made 36 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Wildcats: Forward Julien Tessier

Random stat: Moncton is tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals with eight.

Wildcat to watch: Jakob Pelletier is fourth in QMJHL rookie scoring with eight goals and 28 points.

Notes: Ostap Safin leads Saint John in scoring with 32 points... Safin leads the team in goals with 13... Joe Veleno has a team high 25 assists... the Sea Dogs are expected to be without imports Ostap Safin and Radim Salda who are both away at the Czech Republic world junior selection camp... Jeremy McKenna leads Moncton in scoring with 35 points... McKenna leads the team in goals with 16... Nicholas Welsh has a team high 25 assists... Moncton is 10-5-0-1 at home... Saint John is 5-10-2-0 on the road... Saint John is averaging a league low 2.60 goals per game... the Sea Dogs have lost three straight.

Out of town:
Cape Breton at Charlottetown - 7:00 PM AST
Acadie-Bathurst at Halifax - 7:00 PM AST
Shawinigan at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EST
Rimouski at Baie-Comeau - 7:30 PM EST
Blainville-Boisbriand at Drummondville - 7:30 PM EST
Chicoutimi at Gatineau - 7:30 PM EST
Québec at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:30 PM EST

Next game: The Sea Dogs host the Charlottetown Islanders tomorrow at 7 p.m.