Isles Steal Two Points Taking Down Bathurst 3-2
February 19, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release
Charlottetown, PE - The Charlottetown Islanders win a nail-biter 3-2 over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in a pivotal game for the standings.
Carter Bickle was rock solid stopping 40 of 42 shots on goal tonight, continuing his red hot February. He was awarded first star of the game for his efforts.
Pair of goals has Isles ahead after first
Giovanni Morneau put Charlottetown ahead early with his 17th of the season coming just two minutes and 33 seconds into the opening frame with the help of Ross Campbell and Alexis Michaud.
Bathurst was soon after awarded a man advantage after Anton Topilnyckyj was sent to the sin bin for hooking.
The Titan had chances from Dylan Andrews and Igor Mburanumwe but Bickle fended them off, helping the Isles kill off the penalty.
Isaac Vos came back the other way, laying the body then taking a shot with an attempt to swing momentum in the Islanders' favour.
That it did. The fourth line started strong again. This time it was Will Allen who capitalised. He found a hole through Titan netminder Joshua Fleming for his second of the season. Ondrej Maruna and James Swan added helpers on the goal to put them up 2-0.
The score would stay 2-0 in favour of the Isles going into the first intermission, despite being outshot 13-10.
Scoreless but penalty filled second
Michael Horth started off the middle stanza with two chances on Fleming, but was denied both times.
Charlottetown would be sent to the power play for the first time in the game after Igor Mburanumwe took a cross-checking minor.
Owen Conrad had the lone shot on the man advantage despite moving the puck around well.
Bickle had to be on his A-game. Robert Orr had a chance all alone after the penalty expired but Bickle tracked the puck perfectly, making a glove save.
Soon after, Marcus Kearsey drew a four minute power play as Dawson Sharkey was penalised for high-sticking.
Kearsey recorded the only shot of the power play before Simon Hughes was called for four minutes for butt-ending, sparking four-on-four.
Both teams held their own, and the score would stay at 2-0 going into the third period.
Isles sneak away with two points in the third
Bathurst started the third period strong. Colby Huggan managed to bring the game back within one just under four minutes into the period with his 22nd of the season.
Momentum stuck with the Titan. Against the flow of play, Horth had another chance but Fleming won the battle.
Then, Orr tied it. He scored 21st of the season after sustained pressure from Bathurst's offence.
But the Isles responded. Kyle Powers fed it to Huckins who rushed up the wing and gave Hughes a perfect chance to restore the lead. He made no mistake burying his 15th of the season, putting Charlottetown up 3-2.
Bickle's night wasn't over though. He still stayed strong as the Titan offence continued to push.
Fleming was pulled for the extra attacker. Eventually, Michaud broke the puck out of the Isles' defensive end. He fed the puck to Campbell for the empty net goal, but it was ruled offside after the play.
Both teams used their timeouts in the final minute of regulation.
Bickle had to stay strong, stopping a chance in the dying seconds of the game, allowing the Islanders to narrowly defeat the Titan 3-2.
Bathurst led in shots 42-23.
Head coach Jim Hulton still wanted more from his club despite getting the important two points.
"This is one of the few times this year that I didn't like a win. I liked Carter Bickle, I thought he was the storyline of the game but I thought we had a lot of guys who struggled with puck decisions and decision making today."
The Islanders hit the road next, travelling to Cape Breton to take on the Eagles on Thursday night. Puck drop at the Centre 200 will be at 7 p.m.
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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2024
- Schultz Dominates in Mooseheads OT Win vs Moncton - Halifax Mooseheads
- Isles Steal Two Points Taking Down Bathurst 3-2 - Charlottetown Islanders
- Eagles Run into Hot Goalie, Fall in Shootout in Saint John - Cape Breton Eagles
- Team of the Week Named for Week 21 - QMJHL
- Justin Carbonneau Named Vidéotron Player of the Week - QMJHL
- Islanders Host Titan in Islander Day Matinee - Charlottetown Islanders
- A Funday Monday Versus the Maritime-Rival Mooseheads - Moncton Wildcats
- Eagles in Saint John for Holiday Matinee - Cape Breton Eagles
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