GAMEDAY 56: at PEI

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs PEI Rocket

Tonight at 7pm

Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: None | Live Blog: SN

Charlottetown Civic Centre

PREVIEW

CHARLOTTETOWN – For the second time in five days, the Saint John Sea Dogs will travel to Charlottetown to take on the Prince Edward Island Rocket. Game time this evening at Civic Centre is 7pm.

The Sea Dogs and Rocket battled at the CCC this past Saturday on Hockey Day in Canada. Jonathan Huberdeau had a hat trick in Saint John’s 5-0 win.

The Dogs enter play today with a record of 39-14-0-2 and sit in a tie with the Shawinigan Cataractes for first-place in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Saint John is the hottest team in the league having won nine straight contests.

On the road this year, the Dogs are 17-9-0-1 and have outscored opponents 99-82.

The Rocket enter play today with a record of 17-33-2-2 for 38 points. They are currently two points out of the final spot but have played one less game than Rouyn-Noranda. They have lost back-to-back games and are 4-6-0-0 in their last 10.

PEI is 11-14-2-1 at the Civic Centre this season and have been outscored 109-95.

Unless they meet in the playoffs, which is possibility, this is the Sea Dogs’ final trip to the island this season.

THE NUMBERS

	Saint John	PEI
Record	39-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)	17-33-2-2 (6th Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	11-14-2-1
Road Record	17-9-0-1	- - -
Streak	9-0-0-0	0-2-0-0
Last 10	9-1-0-0	4-6-0-0
Goals For	225	169
Goals Against	151	242
Overall PP	21.8% (9th)	20.6% (12th)
Home PP	- - -	25.2% (5th)
Road PP	20.7% (10th)	- - -
Overall PK	78.7% (6th)	72.8% (16th)
Home PK	- - -	75% (14th)
Road PK	73.7% (13th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	16 (7th)	17.5 (1st)

LAST GAMES

The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-2 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station. Stanislav Galiev had a pair of goals while singles came from Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, Spencer MacDonald, Jonathan Huberdeau and Maxime Villemaire. Sebastien Auger made 22 saves in goal for the win.

PEI’ s last game was that 5-0 loss to Saint John on Saturday. Maxime Lagace allowed five goals on 32 shots in the loss.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Saint John is 5-0-0-1 against PEI this season while the Rocket are 1-5-0-0 against the Sea Dogs.

Their last meeting was on Saturday at the Civic Centre when Saint John won 5-0. Jonathan Huberdeau had a hat trick while Charlie Coyle and Danick Gauthier added the other goals. Tomas Jurco recorded four assists. Mathieu Corbeil faced 22 shots for the shutout win while Maxime Lagace allowed five goals on 32 shots in the loss.

The Sea Dogs and Rocket will meet once more this season in a March contest at Harbour Station.

LEADING SCORERS

The Sea Dogs are led by Zack Phillips who has 70 points (27G, 43A) in 48 games this season. Danick Gauthier leads the club in goals with 38 while Phillips has a team high 43 assists.

Ben Duffy leads the Rocket in scoring with 73 points (31G, 42A) in 54 games this year. Duffy’s 31 goals and his 42 assists are both team highs.

PROBABLE GOALTENDERS

Mathieu Corbeil (30-9-0-0, 2.36 GAA, 0.912 SV%) for Saint John and Maxime Lagace (11-28-2-1, 4.32 GAA, 0.876 SV%) for PEI.

ROUND 3?

After two epic fights already this season, could we see a round three between Alex Gallant and Grant West? Here’s what happened on Saturday.

NOTES

• The Rocket are averaging 1,600 fans per game at the Charlottetown Civic Centre this season. It is the second lowest average in the league.
• Ian Saab is suspended for today’s game after taking an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of Sunday’s contest against Bathurst.
• Danick Gauthier is second in the league in goals with 38. Ben Duffy is eighth with 31.
• Zack Phillips is seventh in assists with 43. Duffy is 11^th with 42.
• Duffy is 10^th in power play goals with 11.
• Josh Currie is second in shorthanded goals with four.
• Guathier is third in game-winning goals with seven.
• Tomas Jurco is fourth in insurance goals with four.
• Saab is second in penalty minute with 150. Jimmy Oligny is fifth with 125.
• Phillips is a league best +40.
• Matej Beran is fourth in rookie scoring with 56 points in 54 games.
• Jonathan Huberdeau has a league high four shorthanded assists.

OTHER GAMES

Victoriaville at Cape Breton - 7:00 PM AST

Baie-Comeau at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EST

NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs return home to host the Quebec Remparts in a nationally televised contest from Harbour Station on Friday at 8pm. There are roughly 1,000 tickets remaining for the game.