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Charlottetown Islanders

Islanders Look to Continue Play from Sunday Tonight in Bathurst

November 13, 2015 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


The Islanders earned four of a possible 10 points against three of the top-five teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) during the past two weeks.

Three of those games were in Quebec without Captain Quinn O'Brien.

He's improving and could be in the lineup tonight when the Isles travel to northern New Brunswick to play the Acadie Bathurst Titan at 7 p.m.

The Titan is 7-13-2-0 and in second last place in the 18-team league, but as the Islanders found out last time they made the trip it's not an easy place to win. Charlottetown lost 6-2 on Oct. 23 and needed overtime to beat them 4-3 at home on Oct. 25.

"They have a winning record on home ice and we don't," said Islanders head coach Jim Hulton, referring to the Titan's 6-4-1-0 home record. "We have no reason to sit here and overlook any opponent . . .

"We've given it a lot of lip service before, but we didn't do it where it counts on the ice."

Charlottetown (10-9-2-1) is tied for 11th with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Ten of the Islanders next 13 games are against divisional opponents.

Hulton said the team showed resilience against two tough teams in Gatineau and Rouyn Noranda during the last road trip.

"(I'm) starting to see a lot more signs of the team we want to be," he said.

"Hopefully, mentally, it proves to ourselves that when were excited, and when were amped up, we can play with anybody in the league," he added. "Our challenge now is to get the consistency in that mental approach."

Goalie Matthew Welsh and forward Shawn Boudrias returned to the Islanders after competing in the under-17 world hockey challenge in British Columbia. It gives the Isles two goalies, 12 forwards and nine defencemen.

Hulton said some of defencemen, including Alex McQuaid, have spent time playing as forwards during the trip. He said players have bought in and are willing to do what's needed to be in the lineup.

The forward line of Mitchell Balmas, Kameron Kielly and Oliver Cooper had a good road trip. Hulton said Balmas has responded to increased expectations and ice time.

"He really seems to be blossoming in a role that we've put him in," the coach said.

The Isles have moved Alexandre Goulet back to the middle between Keith Getson and O'Brien while Filip Rydstrom was skating on the wing with Filip Chlapik and Bradley Kennedy as Hulton looks for chemistry.

McDonald starts tonight in his last start before leaving for the CHL Canada Russia Series. The QMJHL team plays Russia Tuesday in Rouyn-Noranda, Que., and Thursday in Halifax.

Check out the Charlottetown Islanders Statistics

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 13, 2015


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