Game Day 3: vs Screaming Eagles

After back-to-back road games to start the season, the Saint John Sea Dogs (0-2-0-0) will play their home opener tonight against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (1-2-0-0). Game time is 7 p.m.

TV/Radio/Webcast: Rogers TV/96.1 NewSong FM/QMJHL Live

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 4-3 loss in Halifax on Saturday. John Warren, Gabriel Bettez and Matthew Highmore scored for Saint John. Alex Bishop made 23 stops in the loss. The Screaming Eagles are coming off an 8-3 win in Charlottetown last night. Jordan Ty Fournier had a hat trick while singles came from Yannick Bertrand, Tobie Paquette-Bisson, Joseph Mizzi, Dillon Boucher and Vasily Glotov. Kyle Jessiman made 35 saves in the win.

2015-16 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 6-3-0-0 against the Screaming Eagles last season while Cape Breton went 3-5-0-1 against Saint John.

2016 pre-season head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-1-0-0 against the Screaming Eagles in pre-season play while Cape Breton went 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Last game: Sept. 19 in North Sydney where the Screaming Eagles defeated the Sea Dogs 7-2. Peyton Hoyt and Drake Batherson each scored twice for Cape Breton while Massimo Carozza, Logan O’Neil and Tyler Hylland added singles. Saint John goals came from Matt Green and Olivier Mathieu. Kevin Mandolese got the win while Alex Bishop and Alex D’Orio each got some time in net for Saint John.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Screaming Eagles: Defenceman Olivier LeBlanc

Random stat: Olivier LeBlanc, who was named captain of the Screaming Eagles yesterday, had four assists in seven regular season games against Saint John last year. He added three assists in the seven-game playoff series between the two.

Three Things to Know

1. This is Saint John’s home opener. The Sea Dogs went an impressive 23-9-2-0 at Harbour Station last season, which was one of the best home records in the league.

2. The Sea Dogs should have some more regulars in the lineup tonight. Bokondji Imama, Mathieu Joseph, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Spencer Smallman and Nathan Noel were all reassigned to Saint John by their respective NHL clubs this week.

3. Saint John is still without defencemen Luke Green, Jakub Zboril and Thomas Chabot due to NHL camps.

Notes: The Screaming Eagles are 1-0-0-0 on the road this season… neither Cape Breton nor Saint John has scored first in a game this season. That will change tonight… Jordan Ty Fourier leads Cape Breton in points with four goals… Declan Smith, who was traded to the Eagles by Saint John in the Olivier LeBlanc deal, has three assists… Daniel Del Paggio leads the Sea Dogs in scoring with three assists… Matthew Highmore has scored in both of Saint John’s games this year.

Out of town:

Charlottetown at Acadie-Bathurst - 7:00 PM ADT
Rouyn-Noranda at Sherbrooke - 7:00 PM EDT
Québec at Victoriaville - 7:00 PM EDT
Gatineau at Blainville-Boisbriand - 7:30 PM EDT
Baie-Comeau at Chicoutimi - 7:30 PM EDT
Val-d'Or at Drummondville - 7:30 PM EDT
Shawinigan at Rimouski - 7:30 PM EDT

Next game: The Sea Dogs host the Moncton Wildcats tomorrow night at 7 p.m.