Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Playoff Game Days 3 & 4: vs Olympiques

SAINT JOHN - It's essentially a must-win game for the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight.

The Sea Dogs return home down 2-0 in their best-of-seven first series playoff series against the heavily favoured Gatineau Olympiques. Saint John dropped the first two games in Gatineau over the weekend by a combined score of 16-1.

Saint John will need to try and stifle Gatineau's deep offense while also taking advantage of any scoring chances they get. Goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov was excellent in Game 1, keeping the Sea Dogs in it through 40 minutes. The Olympiques' loaded lineup proved to be too much in Game 2, scoring twice in the opening minute.

Game time for tonight's Game 3 is 7 p.m. at TD Station. Game 4 takes place Wednesday night.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/93 CFBC/CHL TV

Series status: Gatineau leads the first round best-of-seven series 2-0.

Last game: The Olympiques defeated the Sea Dogs 9-0 on Saturday at Slush Puppie Centre. Alexis Gendron had a hat trick while singles came from Antonin Verreault, Cole Cormier, Zach Dean, Cam MacDonald, Riley Kidney and Olivier Nadeau. Francesco Lapenna made 25 saves in the shutout win. Ventsislav Shingarov was pulled after allowing six goals on 27 shots in the first two periods. Olivier Brideau allowed three goals on nine shots in the third.

2022-23 regular season records: The Sea Dogs finished with a 24-38-5-1 record for 54 points (fifth Maritimes/ninth Eastern/15th QMJHL) while the Olympiques were 49-12-5-2 for 105 points (first West/second Western/fourth QMJHL).

2022-23 regular season head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 1-1-0-0 against the Olympiques this season while Gatineau went 1-1-0-0 against Saint John.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Olympiques: Forward Cam MacDonald.

Olympiques to watch: Zach Dean and Riley Kidney each have a league high seven points so far this post-season.

Random stat: Stretching back to the regular season, the Olympiques have not lost in regulation time in 26 games (25-0-1-0).

Notes: Brady Burns led Saint John in points (71), goals (33) and assists (38) during the regular season... Riley Kidney led the Olympiques in points during the regular season with 110 and assists with 82... Alexis Gendron had a team high 55 goals... Jared Cosman has scored Saint John's only goal of this series... Kidney and Zach Dean each have a Gatineau high seven points this post-season... Dean and Gendron each have a team high four goals... Kidney leads the club in assists with six... Saint John was 13-21-0-0 at home... Gatineau was 21-9-2-2 on the road.

Out of town:
Halifax at Cape Breton - 7:00 PM ADT
Québec at Charlottetown - 7:00 PM ADT 
Moncton at Baie-Comeau - 7:00 PM EDT 
Sherbrooke at Blainville-Boisbriand - 7:00 PM EDT 
Victoriaville at Drummondville - 7:00 PM EDT 
Chicoutimi at Rimouski - 7:00 PM EDT 
Rouyn-Noranda at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EDT

Next games: Following these two games, a Game 5, if needed, will be played on Friday night at TD Station.

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