GAMEDAY 67: at Cape Breton

GAMEDAY

Saint John Sea Dogs vs Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Tonight at 7pm

 Radio: News 88.9 | Webcast: Telus | TV: Eastlink | Live Blog: SN

Centre 200 – Sydney, NS

PREVIEW

SYDNEY, NS – They’ve clinched the regular season crown, but the regular season isn’t over just yet.

The Saint John Sea Dogs still have two remaining games on their schedule with both of them being against the Cape Screaming Eagles. The Sea Dogs and Eagles clash tonight at 7pm and tomorrow at the same time. Both contests take place at Centre 200.

The Sea Dogs enter play tonight with a record of 48-15-0-3 and will finish first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for a third straight year. They are 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games and are coming off a win Wednesday night in Halifax.

Saint John is 20-10-0-2 on the road this season and have outscored opponents 123-96.

The Sea Dogs are just one-point away from their third straight 100-point campaign. They are two wins away from a third straight 50-win season.

Cape Breton sits fifth in the Maritimes Division and 16^th overall in the league with a record of 23-40-1-2 for 49 points. The Eagles will make the playoffs and will likely finish 16^th overall, meaning tonight’s game against Saint John could be a first round playoff preview.

The Eagles are 17-14-0-1 at home this year and have been outscored 133-123.

Take us away, Anthony B.

THE NUMBERS

	Saint John	Cape Breton
Record	48-15-0-3 (1st Maritimes)	23-40-1-2 (5th Maritimes)
Home Record	- - -	17-14-0-1
Road Record	20-10-0-2	- - -
Streak	1-0-0-0	0-1-0-0
Last 10	8-1-0-1	2-8-0-0
Goals For	287	215
Goals Against	176	295
Overall PP	22.9% (7th)	22.5% (8th)
Home PP	- - -	26.4% (4th)
Road PP	22.4% (5th)	- - -
Overall PK	81% (5th)	71.4% (17th)
Home PK	- - -	73% (17th)
Road PK	77.9% (7th)	- - -
PIM/GAME	16.7 (6th)	15.2 (13th)

LAST GAMES

The Sea Dogs are coming off a 6-1 win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Wednesday night. Ryan Tesink scored twice while singles came from Jonathan Huberdeau, Danivk Gauthier, Charlie Coyle and Grant West. Huberdeau and Gauthier each had two assists. Mathieu Corbeil made 17 saves for the win.

The Eagles are coming off a 3-2 loss in Moncton on Wednesday night. Jonathan Brunelle and Mikael Langlois each scored for Cape Breton. Philippe Trudeau made 34 saves in the loss.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Sea Dogs are 5-1-0-0 against the Screaming Eagles this season while Cape Breton is 1-5-0-0 against Saint John.

Their last meeting came on February 26 at Harbour Station when the Sea Dogs stomped the Eagles by score of 9-1. Jonathan Huberdeau and Maxime Villemaire each scored twice while solo markers came from Charlie Coyle, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier, Ryan Tesink, and Nathan Beaulieu. Jonathan Brunelle scored Cape Breton’s lone goal. Sebastien Auger made 15 saves for the win while William Racicot made 35 in the loss.

LEADING SCORERS

Danick Gauthier leads Saint John in scoring with 83 points (45G, 38A) in 64 games this season. Gauthier’s 45 goals are a team high while Zack Phillips leads the team in assists with 49.

Jonathan Brunelle leads Cape Breton in scoring with 84 points (30G, 54A) in 66 games this year. Brunelle leads the team in goals with 30 and assists with 54.

GOALTENDERS

Ni idea who will start in goal tonight. Either Mathieu Corbeil (36-10-0-1, 2.35 GAA, 0.912 SV%) or Sebastien Auger (13-2-0-2, 2.78 GAA, 0.891 SV%) for Saint John and probably Philippe Trudeau (16-25-1-2, 3.97 GAA, 0.879 SV%) for Cape Breton.

GETTING CLOSER

With two games left in the season, Danick Gauthier is just two goals away from breaking Mike Hoffman’s team record for goals in a single season. Gauthier currently sits at 45 while Mike Hoffman had 46 in 2009-10.

EAGLES STUFF

From the Cape Breton Post:

Screaming Eagles defenceman Sébastien Payette (upper body) and forward Kyle Campbell (lower body) are listed as day-to-day. Connor Rogers (upper body) is also day-to-day, but will serve the last game of his 10-game suspension tonight. He’ll be eligible to return on Saturday.

NOTES

• The Eagles are averaging 2,592 fans per game this season at Centre 200 entering the final two games of their season.
• Defenseman Ian Saab will serve the second game of his eight-game suspension tonight.
• Gauthier’s 45 goals place him second in the league.
• Jonathan Brunelle is fifth in assists with 54. Zack Phillips is 11^th in assists with 49.
• Gauthier is 14^th in power play goals with 12.
• Brunelle is fifth in power play assists with 25.
• Ryan Tesink is seventh in shorthanded goals with three.
• Gauthier is fourth in game winning goals with seven.
• Saab is third in penalty minutes with 164.
• Jonathan Huberdeau is a league best +51.
• Huberdeau leads the league in shorthanded assists with five.
• Brunelle has recorded a goal in three straight games.
• William Carrier has registered an assist in six straight games.
• Charlie Coyle is on a nine-game point streak.
• Coyle has also recorded a point in nine straight road games.

OTHER GAMES

P.E.I. at Moncton - 7:00 PM ADT

Halifax at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:30 PM ADT

Blainville-Boisbriand at Quebec - 7:00 PM EDT

Shawinigan at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EDT

Val-d'Or at Baie-Comeau - 7:30 PM EDT

Chicoutimi at Rimouski - 7:30 PM EDT

Gatineau at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:30 PM EDT

NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs close out their seventh regular season tomorrow night at 7pm in Cape Breton.