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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Isles Close out Regular Season Losing in Overtime 3-2 to the Eagles

March 23, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


The Charlottetown Islanders took the Cape Breton Eagles to overtime but lost 3-2 at the Eastlink Centre Saturday afternoon to wrap up the regular season.

Carter Bickle stopped 39 of 42 shots faced in the loss.

This was the final regular season games for 20-year-olds Giovanni Morneau, Cole Huckins and captain Michael Horth. Before the game, there was a ceremony at centre-ice for all three of them where they were recognized for their great QMJHL careers.

"I had a great time in my two years here. Fans are awesome, the people are awesome, the billets were great. Everything was just tremendous," Morneau said.

Horth has one message for all the Islanders fans.

"I just want to say thank you. It's been a great three years. The fans, the support, everything they do for us I really appreciate," Horth said.

It was almost bittersweet for head coach Jim Hulton.

"I admire the guys who play their OA (over-age) year, who put everything on the line. It's a sad day in one respect because you see a guy's chapter end but these guys have all given us a lot this year in particular," Hulton said. "They've been real good soldiers and most importantly, they're real good people."

Houde scores lone goal in first

Bickle was the first goaltender tested in this contest as he turned aside Cole Burbidge just over a minute into the game.

But it only took four minutes for the Eagles to strike. Olivier Houde notched his second goal in just as many nights to give Cape Breton the lead.

Not long after, the Isles were awarded the first power play of the game. Huckins and Horth each had chances, but Jakob Milota was started off right in goal, turning them aside.

Horth, Will Shields and Matthew Butler continued to press as the Isles had all of the momentum to that point.

In the dying moments of the opening frame, Bickle made a series of three spectacular saves to keep it at just a one goal deficit going into the first intermission.

The Eagles led in shots 16-12.

Isles storm back to take lead in second

Just 17 seconds into the middle period, Simon Duguay was called for boarding to give Cape Breton a chance on the power play.

The penalty kill unit did a great job at suppressing chances from the Eagles, only allowing one shot that was turned aside by Bickle.

The Isles started to push the other way. Horth and Anthony Flanagan tested Milota but he was up for the challenge.

Then, Butler came flying down the ice. He wired a shot off of the post and into the back of the net for his 11th of the season to tie the game at one goal apiece. Shields recorded an assist on the game-tying goal.

Antoine Roy and Conor Shortall came down the other to try to respond immediately after, but Bickle stood strong in goal once again.

Soon after, Simon Hughes was sent to the box for tripping, giving Cape Breton another chance on the man advantage.

Jacob Newcombe had their best chance while a man up but Bickle denied him.

Then, Shields gave the Isles the lead. Butler fed him a pass from the corner and Shields redirected into the back of the net. Hughes added an assist to extend his point streak to five games.

The Isles carried their 2-1 lead into the second intermission. Just before the end of the frame though, Huckins took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, giving Cape Breton a power play to start the final frame.

Overtime needed after early Eagles' goal in third

The Eagles capitalised on the power play early. Tomas Cibulka fired a shot through traffic and it found its way into the back of the net to once again tie the game.

Cape Breton held momentum. Houde, Roy and Thomas Lavoie kept firing the puck on goal but Bickle continued to keep the Isles in the game.

Houde fired one off the post as well as the Eagles kept pushing.

The Isles were awarded two back-to-back power plays in the middle of the final stanza. Houde was called for hooking and Zach Biggar was called for holding. Both times Milota and the penalty kill unit were able to shut down the offence.

Butler shot a nice feed from Horth but Milota stood tall.

Roy and Ross Campbell traded chances for each team but the goaltending duel continued late into regulation.

It ran until the clock ran out in the third period, forcing overtime.

Horth and Morneau then went on a two-on-one in their final regular season games at home. Morneau ripped a one-time feed from Horth but Milota was there to deny them.

Then, a long-stretch pass found it's way to Cam Squires' stick. He was in alone on a breakaway and he beat Bickle on the back-hand, giving the Eagles a 3-2 win in overtime.

Cape Breton ended their regular season on a nine-game winning streak going into their series with the Rimouski Océanic.

The Eagles led in shots 42-25 while going 1/4 on the power play compared to the Isles' 0/3.

Hulton now has his eyes on Baie-Comeau, the Islanders' first-round matchup.

"We get a fun week of preparation now. We just told the team there that it's 16 teams tied for first place. It's an entire brand new season," he said.

Game one of the series against Baie-Comeau will take place on Friday, March 29 at 8 p.m. AST and 7 p.m. EST at the Centre Henry-Leonard.

Game three, the first home game for Charlottetown in the playoffs, will be on Tuesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. AST.

Playoff ticket packages are on sale now. More information is here. Ticket packages can be purchased by calling the Eastlink Centre box office at (902) 629-6625. Single game tickets can be purchased here starting March 25.

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