QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Before going little deeper in the analysis of this quarter-final series beginning this Friday, let’s have a quick return to the confrontations between these two teams in regular season. The Tigres and Sea Dogs faced each other twice in 2010-11. On October 17, 2010, Victoriaville travelled to Saint John and the Sea Dogs took a 4-2 victory. On February 26, 2011 Saint John went into Tigres territory and were unable to master the Tigres, the Sea Dogs lost by the score of 2-1.
Saint John ended the regular season first in the overall standing with 119 points (58-7-1-2) in 68 games. Victoriaville, on the other hand, ended their season 11th overall with 74 points, (35-29-1-3).
Looking at the numbers, it could be easy to say Saint John will have the advantage in this series. But all coaches will say the regular season means nothing when the series begins or every teams start all over with a clean slate.
Victoriaville will enter the series with the reputation as a hard working team. Tigres head coach Yanick Jean knows his team will have to face possibly the biggest challenge facing the best team in the league, but he won’t back down. Au contraire he likes to face challenge, and you can be sure he won’t let any detail in his team preparations against the Sea Dogs.
Saint John enters the series as the favorites, not only due to the 45 points between the two teams but the Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant has the luxury of four well-balance lines, two good goaltenders, a defensive unit led by three great offensive minded defensemen and a very good offense.
The teams won their previous series in four straight games, Victoriaville defeated Acadie-Bathurst and Saint John eliminated Cape Breton. The format of the series (2-3-2) instead of usual one (2-2-1-1-1) could represent a great challenge for Saint John (as favorites by most pundist) if they lose one of the first two games. If Victoriaville can steal one of two games in Sea Dogs territory, it could become interesting to see what will happen with the next three games in Tigres land.
Now, let’s have a look at the two teams.
Goaltenders: Everyone knows goaltenders play a key role when playoff time comes. It will be interesting to see, to whom Victoriaville’s Jean will give the nod in this series. Will it be Antonio Mastropietro who ended the regular season with a 3.07 average and .894 save percentage in 43 games? Or David Honzik who saw action in the four games of preceding series. Honzik ended 2010-11 seasons with 2.67 G.A.G. and .903 save percentage.
Saint John has the luxury of two great netminders in Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault who began the season with the Halifax Mosseheads (25 games) played 15 others with the Sea Dogs after being traded to the Sea Dogs, for a grand total of 40 games. In 15 games with Saint John, Theriault ended with 2.17 goals against and .908 save percentage. Combining the two stints he ended with 3.10 G.A.G. and .882 save percentage. Signed as free agent, Jacob DeSerres played 30 games in the QMJHL with Saint John, ending with 2.22 G.A.G and .916 save percentage.
In the first round, Gallant sent both netminders into action. DeSerres was in net for three games ending with 0.67 average and .964 save percentage compared to 0.00 G.A.G. and 1.000 save percentage playing one game.
Both starting goaltenders will have to play major roles for their respective teams if they want to win the series. Expect to see Honzik as starting goalie for Victoriaville against DeSerres for Saint John; slight advantage to Saint John.
On defense Victoriaville veteran defensemen Samuel Grouxl and Pierre Luc Pelletier with respectively (36 points in 62 games) and (35 points in 67 games) are the leaders from the defensive unit. Bohumil Jank (2 points in 20 games), Francois Godin (11 points in 44 games), Etienne St-Germain (10 points, in 47 games) and William Plourde (10 points in 56 games), complete Tigres defensive units.
In Saint John, Nathan Beaulieu (45 points in 65 games), Eric Gelinas (44 points in 62 games), Simon Depres (41 points in 47 games) represent the most offensive defensemen from Sea Dogs blue line. Gabriel Bouret (33 points in 63 games), Kevin Gagne (32 points in 59 games) and Pierre Durepot (30 points in 68 games), are the three other defensemen completing Saint John defensive unit.
For fans in both cities, it will be interesting to follow the confrontation between the two defensive units to see which one will come out with the advantage. Even if you expect great things from Grouxl and Pelletier in Victoriaville the advantage should go to Saint John.
On offense, in Victoriaville the departure of Philip-Michael Devos (traded to Gatineau at trading deadline), the offensive felt on shoulders of Philippe Maillet (69 points in 67 games), Yanni Gourde (68 points in 68 games), Brandon Hynes ( 67 points in 66 games) and Phillip Danault (67 points in 64 games). Guillaume Goulet, Yannick Dube, Carl-Antoine Delisle, Guillaume Naud and Bejamin Laliberte are other players who bring offensive threats for Tigres head coach Jean.
In Saint John, Jonathan Huberdeau (105 points in 67 games), Zack Phillips (95 points in 67 games), Michael Kirkpatrick (82 points in 63 games), Stanislav Galiev (65 points in 64 games), Steven Anthony (60 points in 61 games) and Tomas Jurco (56 points in 60 games), represents players who saw most action in Saint first two lines. Ryan Tesink, Stephen MacAulay, Danick Gauthier, Mike Thomas and Alexandre Beauregard and Scott Oke are the other players on whom Saint John coach Galland can count to bring offensive contributions.
In goals for and goals against department, Saint John has the advantage in scoring 68 more goals for (324-256). In goals against, the Sea Dogs have the advantage, allowing 75 fewer goals (165-240). Saint John’s power plays runs at 25.1 percent (74/295), compared to 22.1 for Victoriaville (56/253). Finally, the penalty killing is another category where the Sea Dogs have the advantage. Saint John penalty killing runs at 83.7 (46/282), compared to 75.0 for Victoriaville (67/268).
Series prediction: Saint John in six.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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