Pre-game notes: it's playoff time

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

HALIFAX - The Saint John Sea Dogs will begin the playoffs with some tweaks to their forward lines.

Cole Burbidge moves up to the top line, joining Brady Burns and Noah Reinhart, while Peter Reynolds moves to the second line to centre Eriks Mateiko and Vince Elie.

As they've done for most of the second half, the Sea Dogs will go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Vincent Despont is the extra man on the backend.

Burns - Burbidge - Reinhart

Mateiko - Reynolds - Elie

Simek - Cournoyer - Drover

Beaulieu - Benoit

Tivey - DesRoches

Ianniello - Cosman

Bilodeau - Akkouche

Despont

Shingarov

Brideau

Ventsislav Shingarov will start in net. Olivier Brideau has not made an appearance since Feb. 26.

Game 1 of the first round QMJHL playoff series between the Sea Dogs and Olympiques begins tonight at 8 p.m. Atlantic in Gatineau.

A few other notes...

• Former Sea Dogs forward Cam MacDonald will be on Gatineau's top line with Zach Dean and Samuel Savoie.
• Tonight's game at the Slush Puppie Centre is sold out. The building has a capacity of 5,000. The Sea Dogs are 0-2-0-0 all-time in this arena.
• Last night at the Slush Puppie Centre, the Ottawa 67's began the OHL playoffs with a big 7-0 win over the Oshawa Generals. The 67's outshot the Generals 20-0 in the first period and 56-16 overall. The 67's are playing their first round playoff games in Gatineau due to arena availability in Ottawa.
• There's a Game 7 in the Maritime Hockey League tonight. The Summerside Western Capitals will host the Campbellton Tigers at 7 p.m. with the winner moving on to play the Edmundston Blizzard in the next round.
• I went on The Pipeline Show to preview the QMJHL playoffs.

🚨 CHL Playoff Preview Now Available🚨

✅ @bradcoccimiglio on the @OHLHockey
✅ @station_nation on the @QMJHL
✅ @AndrewPeard on @TheWHL

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— Guy Flaming (@TPS_Guy) March 31, 2023