QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Isles Roll into Gatineau as They Open Their Road Trip by Taking on the Olympiques

Published on November 1, 2023 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


The Islanders open their five game road trip as they roll into Gatineau to take on the Olympiques tonight at the Centre Slush Puppie.

The Isles are looking to bounce back as they are coming off of a 6-2 loss against the CHL's top team, the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday night.

But the 4-10-1-1 Olympiques are coming off of an 8-5 win over the Val-d'or Foreurs and want to start a win streak of their own.

Aksels Ozols gets the nod tonight to back stop the Isles. He is coming off of a 6-5 victory in a shootout over the Saint John Sea Dogs on Thursday night. Ozols is 4-3 in seven starts this year while posting a 3.39 G.A.A. and a .888 SV% in that span.

Alexis Michaud will return to the lineup tonight. This will be his first game since being injured in a game against the Drummondville Voltigeurs on Oct. 13. Michaud had three goals and six assists for nine points in his first nine games of his sophomore year.

Simon Hughes, Sam Bowness and Jarett Todd are still sidelined with injuries while rookie defenseman Owen Conrad won't be traveling with the team as he will be representing Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown and Summerside.

Keys to victory

CHA - The Isles have the second ranked power play in the QMJHL at 27.91%, only behind the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The man-advantage is a deadly weapon for Charlottetown and should take full advantage of it in Gatineau as the Olympiques have just a 66.67% penalty kill at home.

GAT - Gatineau has given up a league leading 77 goals in their first 16 games of the season. That is an average of 4.8 goals a game given up. Their defense simply needs to be better if they want to spark a win streak.

Players to watch

CHA - Alexis Michaud returns to the lineup tonight and he's looking to pick up right where he left off as he's putting up point-per-game numbers with nine points in nine games. He'll be eager to hit the score sheet early.

Though he has 11 assists so far, defenseman Marcus Kearsey has yet to put the puck in the back of the net. The 17 year old has shown steller play on and off the puck and it's only a matter of time before he starts burying chances.

GAT - Charles Boutin is tied for third in the Q in scoring with 21 points. Boutin, in his first season with the Olympiques, is on pace to shatter his 35 point career high that he set with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada two seasons ago, and matched it last season with the Cape Breton Eagles. He is coming off of a four-point performance against the Foreurs. Boutin also leads Gatineau in penalty minutes with 16.

6"5' Slovenian defenseman Jan Golicic has gone pointless in his last four games. Golicic, who was taken in this year's import draft, has one goal, four assists in 16 games this season. Some may say he's due to return to the score sheet tonight against the Isles.

Puck drop at the Centre Slush Puppie is at 8 p.m. Fans can tune into the game at MAX 93.1FM.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2023


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