Friday, March 29, 2024

Playoff Game Day 1 & 2: at Drummondville

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs begin post-season play tonight at the Marcel Dionne Centre.

The Sea Dogs are massive underdogs in this first round series against the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The Volts finished first in the Western Conference with 102 points while the Sea Dogs grabbed the 16th and final playoff spot with 49.

For the Sea Dogs, this series is going to be about getting their players gaining some playoff experience. It will also show them the level they need to reach to be a championship contender. If they can manage to stay in some games, that's great.

Games 1 and 2 take place Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. Atlantic in Drummondville.

TV/Radio/Stream: None/None/CHL TV

2023-24 regular season records: The Sea Dogs were 20-39-5-4 for 49 points (sixth Maritimes/9th Eastern/16th QMJHL) while the Voltigeurs were 48-14-5-1 for 102 points (first Central/first Western/second QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs are coming off a 7-4 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. Brody Fournier scored a pair of goals for Saint John while Tyler Peddle and Drew Elliott added singles. Patrick Leaver made 34 saves in the loss. The Voltigeurs are coming off a 4-2 win in Baie-Comeau on Saturday. Sam Oliver scored a pair of goals while Simon-Pier Brunet and Peter Repcik also connected. Louis-Felix Charrois made 33 stops in the win.

2023-24 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs went 0-2-0-0 against the Voltigeurs in the regular season while Drummondville went 2-0-0-0 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 24 in Drummondville where the Voltigeurs defeated the Sea Dogs 9-2. Noah Reinhart had a hat trick for Drummondville; Mikael Huchette scored twice; and Ethan Gauthier, Peter Repcik, Lukas Landry and Sam Oliver added solo markers. Eriks Mateiko and Brody Fournier had Saint John goals. Louis-Felix Charrois made 31 stops in the win. Patrick Leaver made 40 stops in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Voltigeurs: Forward Noah Reinhart.

Voltigeur to watch: Saint John native Sam Oliver set career highs in goals (35), assists (36) and points (71) this season.

Random stat: Brody Fournier enters the playoffs on a five-game goal scoring streak.

Notes: Brody Fournier led Saint John in points with 52 and goals with 27... Joseph Ianniello led the club in assists with 29... Ethan Gauthier and Sam Oliver each had a Drummondville high 71 points... Gauthier led the team in goals with 36... defenseman Vsevolod Komarov led the team in assists with 55... the Volts were 28-6-0-0 at home... Saint John went 9-22-2-1 on the road... Drummondville has won seven straight games... the Sea Dogs have lost 13 straight road games... Komarov led all QMJHL defensemen in scoring with 69 points... Drummondville had the second best power play in the regular season (26.6%) and fourth best penalty kill (81.2%)... the Volts had a league best 4.47 goals per game... Saint John allowed the most shots against per game (35.56).

Next game: Following these two games in Drummondville, the series shifts to Saint John for Game 3 on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

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