GAME DAY 28: vs Phoenix

A preview of tonight’s game between the Sherbrooke Phoenix and Saint John Sea Dogs…

When and where: Tonight at 7:30 p.m., Harbour Station

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

Records: The Phoenix are fifth in the West Division and 12^th overall in the QMJHL with an 11-11-3-2 record for 27 points. The Sea Dogs are second in the Maritimes Division and seventh overall with a 15-10-2-0 record for 32 points.

Last games: The Phoenix are coming off a 3-2 loss in Charlottetown last night. Julien Pelletier scored both Sherbrooke goals while Evan Fitzpatrick made 28 saves in the loss. The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss on home ice to the Quebec Remparts last night. Joe Veleno, Mathieu Joseph and Adam Marsh all scored for Saint John while Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 27 stops in the loss.

2015-16 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs are 1-0-0-0 against the Phoenix this season while Sherbrooke is 0-0-1-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Nov. 4 in Sherbrooke where the Sea Dogs defeated the Phoenix 3-2 in overtime. Jakub Zboril scored the overtime winner while Daniel Del Paggio and Sam Povorozniouk scored in regulation time for Saint John. Sherbrooke goals came from Julien Pelletier and Kevin Gilbert. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 35 saves in the win while Evan Fitzpatrick made 23 in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Phoenix: None

Random fact/stat: Sherbrooke is only 6-6-1-1 when scoring first this season, giving them the third worst winning percentage in the league when netting the opening goal.

SHE notes: Guillaume Gauthier leads the Phoenix and is third in league scoring with 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points in 27 games. Gauthier is also second in the league in goals… Gauthier’s 23 assists leads the team… Gauthier also leads the league in power play goals with 13… Gauthier is second in the league in shots… Evan Fitzpatrick is second in the league in losses with nine… Carl Neill and Jeremy Roy are fourth and fifth in defensemen scoring with 24 and 23 points each, respectively… 5-7-1-0 on the road this season… 2-1-1-0 against Maritimes Division teams… Sherbrooke’s 28% power play rating is second best in the league… Gauthier has picked up an assist in six straight road games… the Phoenix have lost three straight overall and two straight on the road.

SJ notes: Matthew Highmore leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points in 27 games… Sam Povorozniouk leads the team in goals with 12 while Adam Marsh is beginning to catch up with 11… Highmore’s 16 assists leads the team… Thomas Chabot is fifth in defensemen goal scoring with seven… 6-5-1-0 on home ice this season… 13-3-0-0 when scoring first… 5-3-0-0 against West Division teams… Saint John’s power play rating of 13.4% is the worst in the league… their 85.3% penalty kill rating is second best in the league.

Out of town:

Chicoutimi at Gatineau - 7:00 PM EST
Moncton at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EST
Baie-Comeau at Rimouski - 7:30 PM EST
Acadie-Bathurst at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:30 PM EST
Blainville-Boisbriand at Shawinigan - 7:30 PM EST
Drummondville at Val-d'Or - 7:30 PM EST

Next game: The Sea Dogs travel to Bathurst on Wednesday to battle the Titan at 7 p.m.