Pre-game notes: Sea Dogs look to even up first round series

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - Unsurprisingly, the Saint John Sea Dogs will be going with the same lineup as last night.

The Sea Dogs earned a hard fought 3-2 win over the Gatineau Olympiques on Tuesday night at TD Station, handing the CHL's top-ranked team their first loss in regulation since January. The Olympiques now lead the best-of-seven first round series 2-1 heading into tonight's Game 4 in Saint John.

Saint John will go with 12 forwards and six defenseman with Danny Akkouche, who has been used on the backend most of the season, remaining on the third line.

Burns - Reynolds - Reinhart

Matieko - Cournoyer - Beaulieu

Akkouche - Burbidge - Elie

Simek - Laforge - Drover

Tivey - DesRoches

Ianniello - Cosman

Bilodeau - Despont

Shingarov

Brideau

Ventsislav Shingarov will get the start after his first star, 44-save performance last night. He'll need to be at his best again tonight as the Olympiques will no doubt be testing him all game long.

Game time tonight at TD Station is 7 p.m.

A few other notes...

• Olympiques overage forward Cole Cormier picked up a match penalty for a slew foot on Peter Reynolds last night, meaning he'll miss tonight's game with an automatic one-game suspension. Cormier has a goal and an assist in the series.
• Sea Dogs goaltender Ventsislav Shingarov faced 52 shots in Game 1 and 46 in Game 3.
• Following Tuesday's historically small crowd at TD Station, the Sea Dogs are offering $7 tickets for Friday's Game 5.
• Every series plays Game 4 tonight. Quebec, Halifax, Rimouski and Sherbrooke can all complete sweeps.
• The Moncton Wildcats were fined $2,000 for "inappropriate publication in the media." The fine is presumably related to this tweet, which has since been deleted. That tweet was in relation to this hit that took place in last night's Game 3.
• In the OHL, Shane Wright and the Windsor Spitfires are now down 3-0 in their first round series against the Kitchener Rangers. The Spitfires finished first in the OHL's Western Conference and were third overall. Game 4 is Thursday in Kitchener.
• The Saskatoon Blades got back into their first round series with Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats, earning a 4-3 overtime win last night. Bedard had a goal and two assists. The Pats lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 tonight in Regina.
• On the latest episode of The Hockey News on the Q, Will MacLaren and I discuss the playoffs, some league news, Nashville Predators prospects and more.

.@willmacwriter and @station_nation discuss the first days of the #QMJHL playoffs, @PredsNHL players in and from the QMJHL, Daniil Bourash and more: https://t.co/TZuLHGvt1n

— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) April 5, 2023