QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Isles Go for Repeat Performance against Cataractes

Published on February 16, 2020 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


Can the Charlottetown Islanders replicate one of their biggest wins of the season? They're certainly going to try.

The Isles wrap up their final Quebec road trip of the season Sunday afternoon with a visit to Shawinigan to take on former Islanders coach Gordie Dwyer and the Cataractes.

The Islanders (27-24-5-0) were down 5-2 at one point in the last meeting between these two teams at the Eastlink Centre on January 30th. From there, the Isles would rattle off four straight goals en route to an immaculate 6-5 victory. Liam Peyton scored twice within a two minute span before Ethan Crossman scored the game winner two minutes later.

Charlottetown will hope for some semblance of that success this afternoon as they push to reverse the fortunes of this Quebec road trip. They've dropped the first two games of the road trip in Gatineau and Drummondville, although head coach Jim Hulton says that he sees the marks of a team that's slowly turning things around.

"As difficult as it appears, we are slowly learning the style we will need to employ in order to have playoff success." said the Isles bench boss after last night's defeat to the Voltigeurs.

One player who turned it around for the Isles is Nikita Alexandrov. Entering yesterday's game with just two goals since returning from the World Junior Championships, Alexandrov scored twice in yesterday's victory, giving him 18 tallies on the year. The St. Louis Blues prospect had been racking up the assists and now has seven points in six February games.

The Cataractes (25-28-0-0) meanwhile are coming off a 3-2 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar just last night. The victory was the second in a row for Shawinigan under their new coach; Gordie Dwyer was promptly hired following the dismissal of former head coach Daniel Renaud at the start of the week. It's his first coaching gig in the QMJHL since his time in Charlottetown. Dwyer had previously been coaching with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL.

Xavier Bourgault was the hero for Shawinigan in yesterday's defeat, recording a goal and two assists. A 2nd round pick in the 2018 QMJHL Draft, Bourgault is first on the Cataractes with 32 goals and second on the team in points with 61.

You can catch all the action with George Matthews and Norman Beck tomorrow afternoon on Fair Isle Ford Isles Radio. Tune in at 5:00pm Atlantic for the call!

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 16, 2020


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