GAMEDAY 63: vs Titan

GAMEDAY

Acadie-Bathurst Titan vs Saint John Sea Dogs

Tonight at 7pm

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

Harbour Station – Saint John, NB

PREVIEW

SAINT JOHN – They have six games remaining, but the Saint John Sea Dogs will wrap up their 2011-12 regular season home schedule tonight against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Game time for Fan Appreciation Day at Harbour Station is 7pm.

It has been another solid season for the Sea Dogs at the Station. Entering tonight’s finale, they have a record of 27-5-0-1 at home and have outscored opponents 159-78. They’ll finish the year with the most home wins in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Saint John enters play tonight with an overall record of 46-14-0-2 for 94 points. They sit first overall in the QMJHL, five points up on the Shawinigan Cataractes with six games to play.

The Sea Dogs are on an impressive 16-game winning streak and have not lost since January 12.

Bathurst enters tonight’s game with a record of 29-28-2-3. They sit third in the Maritimes Division and ninth overall in the league with 63 points. They are part of the log jam in the middle of the standings and could finish anywhere from ninth to 13^th overall.

The Titan are 10-18-1-1 on the road and have been outscored 122-97.

THE NUMBERS

	Bathurst	Saint John
Record	29-28-2-3 (3rd Maritimes)	46-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	27-5-0-1
Road Record	10-18-1-1	- - -
Streak	1-0-0-0	16-0-0-0
Last 10	4-6-0-0	10-0-0-0
Goals For	235	271
Goals Against	240	163
Overall PP	27.2% (1st)	22.8% (8th)
Home PP	- - -	23.4% (6th)
Road PP	21.8% (10th)	- - -
Overall PK	77.2% (11th)	80.3% (6th)
Home PK	- - -	84.9% (3rd)
Road PK	76.4% (9th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	16 (8th)	16.6 (4th)

LAST GAMES

The Sea Dogs are coming off an 8-1 win over the PEI Rocket last night at Harbour Station. Jonathan Huberdeau had four goals, Stephen MacAulay had two, and Zack Phillips and Stanislav Galiev each had one. Charlie Coyle recorded four assists while Danick Gauthier added three. Sebastien Auger faced only 15 shots in the win.

The Titan are coming off a 6-3 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Thursday night at the KC Irving Regional Centre. Ludovic Kabambi, Brent Turnbull, Robert Davis, Zach O’Brien, Sebastien Trudeau and Mario Kurali all had goals for the winners. Robert Steeves made 16 saves in the win.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Sea Dogs are 3-3-0-1 against the Titan this season while Bathurst is 4-3-0-0 against Saint John. It’s been quite a battle between these two this year.

Their last meeting was back on February 12 at Harbour Station when the Sea Dogs beat the Titan 7-2. Stanislav Galiev had two goals while Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, Spencer MacDonald, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Maxime Villemaire also scored. Etienne Salvail had both Bathurst goals. Sebastien Auger made 22 saves in the win while Jacob Brennan made 29 stops in the loss.

LEADING SCORERS

The Sea Dogs are led by Zack Phillips who has 77 points (29G, 48A) in 55 games this season. Danick Gauthier has a team high 41 goals while Phillips leads the team in assists with 48.

Zach O’Brien leads the Titan in scoring with 97 points (49G, 48A) in 57 games this year. O’Brien has scored a team high 49 goals while Sebastien Trudeau leads the team in assists with 64.

PROBABLE GOALTENDERS

Mathieu Corbeil (34-9-0-0, 2.30 GAA, 0.913 SV%) for Saint John and Robert Steeves (22-12-2-3, 3.33 GAA, 0.891 SV%) for Bathurst.

NOTES

• The Sea Dogs are averaging 4,502 fans per game this season, good for third in the league.
• Zach O’Brien is second in the league in points with 97.
• O’Brien has a league high 49 goals. Danick Gauthier is second with 41.
• Sebastien Trudeau is second in assists with 64. Zack Phillips is seventh with 48.
• O’Brien has a league leading 19 power play goals.
• Trudeau is second in power play assists with 29.
• Trudeau is eighth in shorthanded goals with three.
• Gauthier is third in game-winning goals with seven. Jonathan Huberdeau is fourth with six.
• O’Brien is third in first goals with eight.
• Tomas Jurco is second in insurance goals with five.
• Ian Saab is second in penalty minutes with 159.
• Huberdeau and Charles Roussel are a league best +48.
• Huberdeau has a league best five shorthanded assists.

OTHER GAMES

Blainville-Boisbriand at Chicoutimi - 4:00 PM EST

Val-d'Or at Rimouski - 4:00 PM EST

Moncton at Victoriaville - 4:00 PM EST

Gatineau at Drummondville - 7:00 PM EST

Halifax at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:00 PM EST

NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs hit the road and play the Sagueneens in Chicoutimi next Friday.