Islanders Crush Moncton, 7-2
February 25, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release
Charlottetown, PE - The Charlottetown Islanders shut the Moncton Wildcats down with a 7-2 win in front of over 3000 fans at the Eastlink Centre Sunday afternoon.
Aksels Ozols was awarded first star for his efforts, stopping 33 of 35 shots. Marcus Kearsey and Simon Hughes each had three points in the win.
Isles up 2-0 after first
The Wildcats got the jump on Charlottetown early but the Isles composed themselves well, calming the game down.
The line of Kyle Powers, Cole Huckins and Hughes went to work, each recording hits in the first few moments of the game.
Then, Moncton forward Connor Trenholm took a penalty for hooking, sending the Isles to the man advantage for the first time in the game.
They moved the puck well and Isaac Vos had the best chance while a man up, but Moncton killed the penalty.
Just moments after the penalty expired, the Isles held pressure. Kearsey let a shot fly from between the blueline and the face-off circle. Captain Michael Horth then tipped it past Wildcats' goaltender Keegan Warren for his 29th goal of the season. The game's opening goal was also Horth's fifth goal in just as many games.
Then, a minute and 30 seconds later, Anthony Flanagan rushed up the wing. He fired the puck on goal and a rebound popped right out to Hughes and he buried the puck to double the Islanders' lead to 2-0.
Hughes was called for charging late in the period to five Moncton a power play to start the second period.
Charlottetown carried the 2-0 lead into the first intermission and was outshooting Moncton 12-10.
Charlottetown responds well, 4-1 after 2
It was a wild start to the second period. It was started by Moncton bringing the game back within one. Caleb Desnoyers got the puck over Ozols in tight.
But the Isles third line responded. Hughes went into the corner and dug the puck out. He fed it to Powers who got Warren out of position and fed Huckins the puck with a wide open net. Huckins made no mistake, restoring the Isles' two goal lead.
Miles Mueller took the first penalty of the second period and Charlottetown capitalised.
It was Horth again, this time burying his 30th goal of the season. He muscled the puck through Warren to put Charlottetown up by three goals. Alexis Michaud and Ross Campbell assisted.
Soon after, Flanagan was sent to the box for hooking and the Ozols show started. Moncton started to put pressure on the Islanders. Chance after chance he turned them aside.
Max Jardine and Julius Sumpf were also each sent off for roughing.
The Isles went into the third period up 4-1, but it wasn't over yet.
Isles run away with it 7-2
Flanagan got the period started just over five minutes into the frame. He rushed up the wing and let it rip five-hole for his fifth goal of his rookie season. His goal marked his first multipoint game of his career. Campbell and Kearsey assisted.
Flanagan stepped up in a big way, filling in for Giovanni Morneau who was injured in last night's game in Moncton after a knee-on-knee hit.
"It feels good to be back with the boys and get the two points," he said.
One minute and 20 seconds later, the Isles made it 6-1. On a delayed Moncton penalty, Powers scored his fourth of the season. Carl Etienne-Michel fed him the puck and he had an empty net to put it in. Hughes added an assist as well for his third point of the night.
Will Allen joined in on the fun two minutes later. He brought his scoring streak to two games after firing it through Warren. His fourth of the year put Charlottetown up 7-1 before the half-way mark of the final stanza. Michel added his second assist of the night.
The Wildcats got one back. Vince Collard stopped the bleeding bringing it within five goals for Moncton.
But it was too little too late. The Isles secured the two points and came away with three of four possible points in the home-and-home against Moncton.
Final shots were 35-29 in favour of the Wildcats.
Head coach Jim Hulton had only good things to say as the Isles are playing well as of late.
"I'm really proud of this group. I thought they punched through in a big way tonight and they earned five out of six points this week," he said. "The Powers, Huckins, Hughes line got emotion going, got the building into it, got the bench into it, it was positive emotion."
The Isles hit the road next with their final road trip through Quebec. They start in Blainville to take on the Armada on Wednesday Feb. 28. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. AST and 7 p.m. EST.
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