Isles Drop Season Finale Against Baie-Comeau 5-3
November 22, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release
The Isles went to the penalty kill early as Carter Bickle played the puck outside of the trapezoid, giving the Drakkar the first power play of the game, but Charlottetown killed it off, only allowing one shot.
Alexis Michaud responded with a good individual effort chasing a loose puck, but Drakkar goaltender, Phillipe Bourdages, turned aside the shot.
The fourth line of Brett Arsenault, Jarrett Todd, and call-up from the Miramichi Timberwolves, Will Allen, put in work in their first two shifts of the game, forcing the play to stay in Baie-Comeau's end.
Then, Lucas Romeo drew a power play for the Isles. The man-advantage sparked pressure for Charlottetown.
After a chance by Romeo, the puck bounced into the corner for Matthew Butlers, who didn't miss his shot for his second goal of the season, putting the Isles ahead 1-0. Romeo ended up with an assist.
The Drakkar then had their second chance on the man advantage after a cross-checking call against Simon Duguay, but Bickle stayed strong, turning away their chances.
The Isles were outshooting Baie-Comeau 7-6 at the end of the first frame.
The start of the second period was all in Charlottetown's defensive end as Baie-Comeau's offence woke up.
They held the Islanders to no shots in the first 10 minutes of the frame. In that span, they tied the game at one. Félix Gagnon got the puck through Bickle after a broken play in front of the crease.
Kirill Evstigneev gave the Drakkar the lead just five minutes later. Off of an odd-man rush, he shot it far side on Bickle, beating him.
The offence continued to rain down on the Isles. Isaac Dufort spun around and buried his ninth goal of the season to put them up 3-1.
Cole Huckins answered though. Isaac Vos shot the puck towards the goal, but Huckins was in the right place at the right time and tipped home his sixth goal of the season, bringing the Isles back within one.
Charlottetown then went to the power play after Justin Poirier was called for high-sticking. That led to some momentum for the Isles. After the Drakkar killed it off, Raoul Boilard sent the Isles right back to the man-advantage.
But despite being a man down, Anthony Lavoie scored. The short handed goal restored Baie-Comeau's two-goal lead.
The second frame ended and the Drakkar were leading in shots 19-14.
The Isles would still carry the power play into the third period, but Baie-Comeau's penalty kill unit did their job.
Then, Poirier came back the other way. He threw a shot on net, and it beat Bickle low, putting them up 5-2.
That would signify the end of the night for Bickle. Aksels Ozols came in for relief.
Ozols was tested early, but turned away the Drakkar's attempts.
The game started to get rough. Penalties were handed out to Simon Hughes, Kyle Powers and Huckins as well as multiple Drakkar players.
The Isles ended the game with a 30 second power play. Alexis Michaud was able to capitalise with eight seconds left, but it was too late. Marcus Kearsey and Anton Topilnyckyj assisted.
Baie-Comeau won by a score of 5-3. The Drakkar outshot the Isles 30-21 but were outhit 11-10. The Isles were perfect on the penalty kill going 7/7.
Kearsey thinks the team could have put more into this game.
"I don't think we gave as much as we wanted to at the end of the day," he said. "I think we did some good things but I think they pounced on our mistakes and they put it in the back of the net."
Head Coach Jim Hulton knows what they have to do differently going into tomorrow's game in Moncton.
"Well we have to manage the puck better," he said. "We talked before this game about not turning pucks over and getting out of our zone quickly and we did that in the first period but right off the hop in the second period we started to turn it over."
Puck drop at the Avenir Centre in Moncton tomorrow night is at 7 p.m.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2023
- Isles Drop Season Finale Against Baie-Comeau 5-3 - Charlottetown Islanders
- Starting Our 5-Game Homestand Thursday - Moncton Wildcats
- Islanders Set for Double-Header against Baie-Comeau and Moncton - Charlottetown Islanders
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