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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Game Preview: December 8 vs Drummondville

December 8, 2021 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


Top of the conference. You read that right, your Charlottetown Islanders sit atop the Eastern Conference currently holding a two-point lead over the Quebec Remparts. The hockey gods don't always shine so brightly on their strongest warriors though. With just six games remaining before the Christmas break, the Islanders face what is most likely to be their toughest stretch yet given the blows to their roster in the last few days. As our sights now turn to the Drummondville Voltigeurs who roll into the Eastlink Centre for a 7 pm puck drop this evening, here's what you need to know about the Isles.

The Islanders most lethal one-two punch so far this season will be out of the line-up for tonight and possibly longer as both Xavier Simoneau and Patrick Guay are sidelined with upper-body injuries. Michael Horth still remains out of the line-up but has started to skate in practice, Horth is considered week-to-week. Lukas Cormier will be suiting up tonight however it will be his last game before departing for Team Canada's World Junior Selection Camp on Thursday. Oscar Plandowski still has two games left to serve of his four-game suspension, he will rejoin the team on Saturday night in Saint John. With the heavily depleted line-up, Jim Hulton has called up defensemen Anton Topilnyckyj who was drafted in the third round of the 2021 QMJHL Draft. The Oromocto, New Brunswick native has recorded four goals and five assists in eighteen games for the Fredericton Caps of the NBPEIMU18HL this season.

The Voltigeurs sit in seventh place overall to this point of the season holding a record of 12-8-4-1. Drummondville currently finds themselves on a two-game losing skid after defeats at the hands of the Quebec Remparts and Shawinigan Cataractes. Leading the charge for the Voltigeurs so far this season is Justin Cote. Cote, is in his second year with the Drummondville organization and has recorded a career-high 28 points through just 25 games. After falling 4-1 to the Islanders in their first meeting of the season, the Voltigeurs will be looking for Cote to add onto his eleven-goal season to spark some offense against a beaten-up Isles squad.

On the Islanders side of things, Jim Hulton will have to shake things up and call on some new numbers to try and fill the net. Lukas Cormier will be looking to leave for World Junior Camp on a high note in front of the home faithful. With twelve goals and twenty assists to this point, you can bet the blue-liner would like to beef up those stats even more and roll into Team Canada Camp flying high. Sam Oliver is more than likely to start carrying more weight during this holiday stretch. Coming off a two-goal performance in Val-d'Or, Oliver will want to keep the ball rolling and continue to build on his stock ahead of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. A few other names to watch out for as the line-up gets a shake will be Ben Boyd, Noah Laaouan, and Brett Budgell, the Isles veterans will look to stand their ground and keep Charlottetown in good shape before the Christmas break.

After claiming five out of a possible six points on the latest Quebec trip, the Islanders continue their fight atop a crowded QMJHL standings list. After a disappointing 5-4 overtime defeat against the Foreurs Saturday, the Islanders get back to the Eastlink Centre now rested and hungry to get back in the win column. Puck drop is set for 7 pm, Tickets are available at the Eastlink Centre Box Office in person (Monday to Friday 11 am to 5 pm) as well as before game time, online, or by phone at 902.629.6625. Make sure to get your tickets early and come on out to help your boys in black and purple protect the bridge.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2021


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