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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Good Times Keep Rolling and Christmas Creeps Closer After Isles WIn

December 18, 2021 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


We made it folks, the Christmas season is upon us. As we enter the holiday break, it is impossible for the Islanders to enter the break, not as the first-place team in the QMJHL. With a total of 44 points going into tonight's bout with the Cape Breton Eagles, with a win tonight the smallest lead the Isles would take into the holidays would be a three-point margin. With Oliver Satny between the pipes tonight and Xavier Simoneau settling back into the lineup, this was set to be an energetic night as Charlottetown fans would be eager to see their boys go into the break on a high note. When the puck dropped at 7 pm, it was apparent from the start that Jim Hulton had his squad revved up to send Cape Breton home empty-handed after their trip to the Island.

The first-period scoring got underway with a nice moment for an Island boy. Cam Squires took a nice feed from fellow Islander Jack Campbell who fed him right in the slot where Cam let one rip right over the glove of Satny who barely had time to react. This marked the rookie's first goal on PEI and fourth of the season, the lone assist went to Campbell. Just a little over a minute later it was the Isles responding when Oscar Plandowski walked in from the point and absolutely sniped one off the back bar and out, a shot so quick it took them a minute to celebrate wondering if it was in or not. Helpers on Plandowski's third of the year were credited to Patrick LeBlanc and Keiran Gallant.

Shots favored the Isles 13-7 after the opening frame.

To get things underway in period two it was Xavier Simoneau potting his first since his return to the lineup and it came just 2:29 into the frame. Simoneau sent a wrister on net from outside the left dot and it went soaring over the blocker shoulder of Ruccia for his eleventh of the season and we were up 2-1. Helpers were Sam Oliver and William Trudeau. Then exactly two minutes later he decided to do it again, Simoneau found himself sitting alone in front of an open net and was able to tip a pass in from Laaouan for his second of the game with Ruccia no where near the crease on the play. Assists were given to Noah Laaouan and Patrick Guay. Next, it was the Isles lethal powerplay striking just a minute forty later. Brett Budgell put the Isles third goal on the board in the second frame not even halfway through the middle period, Budgell's goal was a short side one-timer that he fired right past a sprawling Ruccia. Helping hands on Budgell's 15th of the year was Patrick Guay and Xavier Simoneau. Just past the fifteen minute mark of the frame is when the Isles powerplay went to work again and this time it was their favorite target in Patrick Guay putting his 25th of the year in the back of the net. Guay sent a snapper from the slot into the left side of the net past a flailing Ruccia blocker. The tally put the Isles up 5-1 before the break and helpers on the marker went to William Trudeau and Sam Oliver.

Xavier Simoneau spoke a little on getting back in the goal column before the Christmas break and how he's fitting in with Charlottetown this season. "It's actually fun you know, I was supposed to be out for a couple of weeks and we worked hard to get me back on the ice early. It's fun to see my personal stat but when the team is going good, I'm good. It's the team that does the work and I'm pretty proud of the group. It's probably one of the best chemistry fits I've had in five years of being in the league. The boys are all sticking together and we're all on the same page and I believe we'll have a lot of success for the future."

Charlottetown led in shots 23-15 heading into the final frame.

It was the Eagles getting the quickest strike of the night in the opening minute of the third. Logan Camp beat Satny just 58 seconds into the final frame to cut the Isles lead down to three-goals. Assisting on the tally were Romain Rodzinski and Nicholas Girouard. The Islanders struck back just before the ten minute mark of the third when Jarrett Todd was able to work his way behind Ruccia and find the loose puck to bat it home. It was Todd's second in two games and third of the season and helping him out were William Trudeau and Ben Boyd. At 16:29 into the period, it was Nicholas Girouard banking a hard pass from Conor Shorthall top cheese on the powerplay to once again cut the lead to three-goals. All of a sudden things started to get a little shaky when Emile Hegarty-Aubin was able to pick up his own rebound and tuck it between the post and Satny's pad, the goal cut the Isles lead to 6-4, and a timeout was instantly taken by the Eagles with just 1:11 left on the clock. Nicholas Girouard and Conor Shorthall were the helping hands on the marker.

After the timeout the Eagles instantly got Ruccia out of there for the extra attacker. It made no benefit for them though as Patrick LeBlanc sent his fifth of the season into the open net to seal a 7-4 victory for the Isles with 42 seconds left on the clock. The buzzer sounded and the Islanders were off to the Christmas break with a W. Final shots also favored the Isles 29-26.

Head Coach Jim Hulton had this to say on the message during the timeout after a quick couple goals by Cape Breton and how he got the team to settle down. "Just get the job done and keep the focus in. It's easy to start thinking about the car loaded and start heading for home nut just finish the job and the boys got it done."

Three Stars of the Game:

Xavier Simoneau(CHA)- 2 goals and 1 assist.

Patrick Guay(CHA)- 1 goal and 2 assists.

William Trudeau(CHA)- 4 assists.

"I think you always want to wrap up the first half in style, they've had a wonderful first half and they just completed the job and have a good feeling going into Christmas. It's a well earned break for everyone." Jim Hulton on the win tonight and taking a four-game win streak into the holiday break.

The Islanders now go and join their families and await to see what other presents Santa will bring them other than the first spot in the QMJHL standings. Charlottetown also heads to the break on a four-game win streak so they get to the leave the Eastlink Centre flying high. Now, they will enjoy some time off, rest up, and get ready to continue the show on December 28th when the Acadie-Bathurst Titan come to town.

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