GAME DAY 47: at Rimouski

After sweeping the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on home ice last weekend, the Saint John Sea Dogs (29-13-4-0, 62 points, 2^nd Maritimes, 6^th QMJHL) hit the road to take on the Rimouski Oceanic (27-16-3-1, 58 points, 2^nd East, 7^th QMJHL) tonight at 8:30 p.m.

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

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-5 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Saturday at Harbour Station. Spencer Smallman scored twice while singles came from Daniel Del Paggio, Nathan Noel, Sam Povorozniouk, Matthew Highmore and Mathieu Joseph. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 26 saves in the win. The Oceanic are coming off a 2-0 victory in Chicoutimi on Saturday. Dylan Montcalm and Samuel Laberge scored for Rimouski while Louis-Philip Guindon made 26 saves in the win.

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

Last meeting: Jan. 10 at Harbour Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Oceanic 5-4. Matthew Highmore had a hat trick while Nathan Noel and Sam Povorozniouk added singles. Rimouski had a pair of goals from Nicolas Werbik and singles from Deven St-Hilaire and Dominic Cormier. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 33 saves in the win. Louis-Philip Guindon made 27 in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Oceanic: None

Player to watch: Sam Povorozniouk has goals in seven straight games. The longest goal-scoring streak in the league this season is eight games.

Three Things to Know:

1. Louis-Philip Guindon is a good goaltender. The Rimouski netminder has the second most wins (23), fourth best save percentage (.907) and seventh best GAA (2.89).

2. Rimouski is solid on special teams. They own the fifth best power play (23.4%) and penalty kill (81.1%) in the QMJHL.

3. The Sea Dogs have scored 12 shorthanded goals, the second most in the league. Meanwhile, the Oceanic have allowed only three shorthanded goals, which ties them for the league low.

Notes: Matt Murphy is seventh in defensemen scoring with six goals and 35 points in 46 games this season… Simon Bourque is 10^th in d-men scoring with nine goals and 33 points in 45 games… the Sea Dogs are 14-6-2-0 on the road this season… the Oceanic are 16-5-2-0 at home… the Dogs are 4-2-1-0 against the East Division this season… the Oceanic are 4-3-1-1 against the Maritimes Division… Matthew Highmore has assists in five straight games… Nathan Noel has points in 12 straight… Noel and Adam Marsh both have goals in four straight road games… Saint John has points in 12 straight games overall and five straight road games.

Out of town:

Halifax at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:00 PM AST
Cape Breton at Charlottetown - 7:00 PM AST
Blainville-Boisbriand at Gatineau - 7:00 PM EST
Sherbrooke at Québec - 7:00 PM EST
Chicoutimi at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EST
Baie-Comeau at Val-d'Or - 7:30 PM EST

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