GAMEDAY 64: at Chicoutimi

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Tonight at 8:30pm

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

Georges Vezina Centre – Chicoutimi, Que.

PREVIEW

CHICOUTIMI, Que. – The Saint John Sea Dogs put their 17-game winning streak on the line tonight when they take on the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Game time is 8:30pm at the Georges Vezina Centre.

The Sea Dogs sit first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a record of 47-14-0-2. They sit three points up in the Shawinigan Cataractes in the race for the first place. Saint John has five games remaining on their schedule while Shawinigan has four.

Saint John is 19-9-0-1 on the road this season and have outscored opponents 112-85. All of the Sea Dogs’ remaining five games will be played on the road, including tonight’s match and Sunday’s contest against the Cataractes.

Chicoutimi enters play tonight with a record of 33-21-3-6 for 75 points. They sit eighth overall in the league and fifth in the insanely tough Telus East Division. The Sags would sit third if they played in the Maritimes Division and second in the Telus West Division.

Chicoutimi has been struggling of late, going just 5-5 in their last 10 games.

At home this season, the Sagueneens are 17-9-2-4 and have outscored opponents 110-98.

THE NUMBERS

	Saint John	Chicoutimi
Record	47-14-0-2 (1st Maritimes)	33-21-3-6 (5th East)
Home Record	- - -	17-9-2-4
Road Record	19-9-0-1	- - -
Streak	17-0-0-0	1-0-0-0
Last 10	10-0-0-0	5-5-0-0
Goals For	276	219
Goals Against	165	215
Overall PP	22.8% (7th)	17.1% (16th)
Home PP	- - -	17% (17th)
Road PP	22.1% (5th)	- - -
Overall PK	80.2% (6th)	77.7% (10th)
Home PK	- - -	78% (11th)
Road PK	75.9% (11th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	16.5 (7th)	15.1 (13th)

LAST GAMES

The Sea Dogs are coming off a 5-2 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last Saturday at Harbour Station. Nathan Beaulieu, Stephen MacAulay, Tomas Jurco, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Danick Gauthier all had goals in the victory. Gauthier and Maxime Villemaire each had two assists. Mathieu Corbeil made 27 saves for the win.

The Sagueneens are coming off a 5-3 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic on Wednesday. Guillaume Asselin had two goals while singles came from Guillaume Cloutier, Christian Ouellet, and Jeremy Gregoire. Christopher Gibson made 17 saves for the win.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

It’s been a strange season series between these two teams. The Sea Dogs are 1-1-0-0 against the Sagueneens while Chicoutimi is 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

On October 29 at Harbour Station, Zack Phillips scored twice in a 6-0 Saint John win. Jonathan Huberdeau, Tomas Jurco, Ryan Tesink and Grant West also had goals. Mathieu Corbeil faced just 14 shots in the win. Christopher Gibson allowed five goals on 26 shots while Francis Desrosiers allowed one on seven shots.

Then on December 4 at Harbour Station, the Sea Dogs suffered one of their worst losses of the season in an 8-3 loss to Chicoutimi. Etienne Brodeur had a hat trick, Charles Hudon had two, and Andrew O’Brien, Lukas Sedlak, and Dominic Poulin had solo markers. Tomas Jurco scored two goals while Charles Roussel added a single. Christopher Gibson made 26 saves for the win. Mathieu Corbeil and Sebastien Auger each allowed four goals.

LEADING SCORERS

Danick Gauthier now leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with 78 points (42G, 36A) in 61 games played this season. Gauthier’s 42 goals are a team high while Zack Phillips leads Saint John in assists with 48.

Chicoutimi is led by Guillaume Asselin who has 69 points (30G, 39A) in 63 games this year. Jean-Gabriel Pageau leads the Sags in goals with 32 while Mathieu Gagnon has a team high 46 assists.

PROBABLE GOALTENDERS

It’ll be interesting to see who starts in goal for Saint John tonight. If the rotation continues, Sebastien Auger (13-2-0-2, 2.77 GAA, 0.890 SV%) will start. If he doesn’t, Mathieu Corbeil (35-9-0-0, 2.29 GAA, 0.914 SV%) will get the call. Christopher Gibson (25-15-2-2, 2.90 GAA, 0.893 SV%) should start for Chicoutimi.

EX-DOGS

Three former Sea Dogs should be suiting up for Chicoutimi tonight. Guillaume Cloutier, Gabriel Bourret, and Alexandre Beauregard have all played with Saint John at some point over the past two seasons.

Cloutier, who was traded mid-season last year in the Eric Gelinas deal, has four goals and five assists in 58 games this season.

Bourret, who was traded at the draft, has five goals and 28 assists in 63 games with the Sags this season. He is the second highest scoring defenseman on the team.

Beauregard, who was traded earlier this season to make room for Charles Roussel, has six goals and nine assists in 29 games this year.

NOTES

• Chicoutimi is averaging 2,826 fans per game this season.
• Danick Gauthier is second in the league in goals with 42. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is 12^th with 32.
• Zack Phillips is ninth in assists with 48. Mathieu Gagnon is 14^th with 46.
• Guillaume Asselin has a league high nine game-winning goals. Gauthier is fourth with seven.
• Ian Saab is second in penalty minutes with 159.
• Huberdeau and Charles Roussel are both a league high +49.
• Huberdeau has a league high five shorthanded assists.
• Gauthier is second in dangerous shots with 149.

OTHER GAMES

P.E.I. at Cape Breton - 7:00 PM AST

Moncton at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:30 PM AST

Quebec at Drummondville - 7:00 PM EST

Rimouski at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EST

Baie-Comeau at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EST

Rouyn-Noranda at Blainville-Boisbriand - 7:30 PM EST

Gatineau at Val-d'Or - 7:30 PM EST

NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs are in Shawinigan to take on the Cataractes on Sunday at 5pm. Buckle up.