Game Day 55: at Val-d'Or

VAL-D'OR, Que. - If the Saint John Sea Dogs want to make the post-season, winning tonight's match is a near necessity.

The Sea Dogs sit five points back of the Val-d'Or Foreurs, who own the league's final playoff spot. The two meet tonight at Val-d'Or's Air Creebec Centre tonight at 8:30 p.m.

A loss tonight would put Saint John seven points back with 13 games remaining in the regular season - a massive hill to climb for a team that has struggled to string wins together.

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

Records: The Sea Dogs are 13-32-7-2 for 35 points (6th Maritimes, 18th QMJHL) while the Foreurs are 18-32-2-2 for 40 points (6th West, 16th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-1 loss in Sherbrooke on Wednesday night. Ostap Safin scored Saint John's lone goal while Alex D'Orio made 41 stops in the loss. The Foreurs are coming off an 8-0 loss in Rouyn-Noranda on Wednesday. Jonathan Lemieux made 34 saves in the loss.

2017-18 head-to-head: Oct. 28 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs fell 4-2 to the Foreurs. Mathieu Nadeau had two goals for Val-d'Or while singles came from David Noel and Alexandre Couture. Cole Reginato and Kevin Gursoy scored for Saint John. Etienne Montpetit made 31 saves in the win. Alex D'Orio made 28 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Foreurs: Forward Julien Tessier.

Random stat: The Foreurs have lost eight straight games overall while the Sea Dogs have lost nine straight road games.

Foreur to watch: Former Sea Dogs forward Julien Tessier, who started the season with the Moncton Wildcats, has two goals and two assists in seven games against Saint John this season.

Notes: Ostap Safin leads Saint John in points (48), goals (21) and assists (27)... Julien Tessier leads Val-d'Or in scoring with 42 points... Nicolas Ouellet has a team high 18 goals... Tessier leads the team in assists with 26... Saint John is 6-18-3-0 on the road this year... Val-d'Or is 13-12-1-2 at home... Saint John is 1-9-0-0 against West Division clubs this year... the Foreurs have the league's third worst power play with a rating of 16.7%... Val-d'Or has the second worst penalty kill with a rating of 77%... Safin has goals in three straight games.

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

Next game: The Sea Dogs complete this three-game Quebec road trip tomorrow night in Rouyn-Noranda.