Isles Drop Matchup with Val-D'Or 3-2 in Overtime
November 25, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release
The Islanders' losing streak reaches five games losing to the Val-d'Or Foreurs 3-2 in overtime.
Aksels Ozols started his second game in a row as he looked to bounce back from a 5-2 loss to the Moncton Wildcats.
The physical tone of the game was set early as Val-d"Or was laying the body right from puck drop.
They were also first to the power play as Lucas Romeo was caught checking from behind. Ozols helped the penalty kill unit making a flurry of saves in tight.
The Foreurs recorded five shots on the game's first power play.
Val-d'Or continued to pressure the Isles defence but after some blocked shots from Isaac Vos and Alexis Michaud, momentum shifted.
Charlottetown brought the puck into the Foreurs' end. That's where it would stay for most of the rest of the frame.
The pressure led to the Isles drawing a power play, and it clicked.
Marcus Kearsey fed a pass across to Cole Huckins and he ripped it into the back of the net for his seventh goal of the season, opening the scoring. Simon Hughes assisted as well,
The Isles took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission and they outshot the Foreurs 10-9.
It was quick to the power play for Charlottetown to open the second as Charles-Antoine Pilote cross-checked Hughes hard into the boards.
Despite momentum, the power play was killed off, but the puck stayed in the Val-d'Or defensive end.
Chance after chance was turned aside by Foreurs goaltender Émile Beaunoyer.
Vos then sent Val-d'Or to the power play after taking an interference penalty, but their man advantage couldn't get going.
The Isles had another opportunity on the power play, but the score would stay at 1-0 heading into the third period.
Early in the third, Huckins took a roughing penalty while in a scrum beside the Foreurs net. Their power play woke up.
Alexandre Guy was waiting back-door, and the pass got through. He shot past Ozols, tying the game at one.
The puck went back the other way and Hughes had control. He pulled the puck from behind him through his legs and threw it on goal. It squealed through Beaunoyer and the Isles led 2-1.
But it only took three minutes for a response from the Foreurs. While on the power play, Nathan Baril got the puck through Ozols in tight of the goal, once again knotting the game up,
Kyle Powers went back the other way, rushing up the right wing, but Beaunoyer turned the shot aside.
Regulation time was not enough and overtime was needed.
The Isles held pressure for the first minute of the extra frame, then Tomas Cibulka took over.
He skated up the ice, danced around the Islanders defence, and outwaited Ozols to bury the overtime winner, ending their losing streak at five. It also extended the Isles losing streak to five.
Ozols stopped 20/23 shots in the loss. The Isles ended up going 1/6 on the man advantage and 2/4 on the penalty kill.
Head coach Jim Hulton didn't hold back with what they have to do ahead of the upcoming road trip through Québec.
"Well, we have to be more tenacious, hungry and stop feeling bad for ourselves," he said.
The Isles hit the road this week stopping in Sherbrooke first to play the Phoenix on Thursday, Nov. 30. Puck drop at the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet is at 7 p.m. EST/8 p.m. AST.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2023
- Isles Drop Matchup with Val-D'Or 3-2 in Overtime - Charlottetown Islanders
- League Leading Drakkar Shut Down Eagles at the Nest - Cape Breton Eagles
- Isles Look to Snap Losing Skid against Val-d'or - Charlottetown Islanders
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
