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QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Isles Take First of the Back-To-Back with the Birds with 5-2 Friday Night Win

December 17, 2021 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


As COVID-19 emerges as the grinch who is beginning to steal Christmas, the Islanders continue to give residents of P.E.I their best foot forward on the ice. Santa has gifted the Isles with first place in the QMJHL entering tonight's action against the Cape Breton Eagles. However, not even the last-place team in the league coming to town means you get to take your foot off the gas and just put it in cruise control as the road to the QMJHL's Christmas break nears. Charlottetown will be staying hungry to fend off their opponents chasing them for the top of the food chain as the Eagles entered the Eastlink Centre tonight for the first of back-to-back games. With Xavier Simoneau back in the lineup tonight, it seemed that the Isles were receiving one more gift in the final stretch before the holidays begin.

The action was fairly back and forth throughout the first period as it seemed to take both teams some time to get their footing in this bout. There was an ice breaker though and it came from an Eagles stick at 8:13 into the opening frame. Sean Larochelle came in hard on the outside near the left boards and was just about on the goal-line when he sniped one right over the shoulder of a tight to the post Goobie for a nice short-sided tally. Assisting on the first marker of the game was Emile Hegarty-Aubin. The Eagles took their 1-0 lead into the first break.

Here's what head coach Jim Hulton had to say on the slow start to the game. "I thought we slept walked through the first period, and these games before Christmas you know it's difficult to keep your focus and attention where it needs to be and we looked like a distracted team in the first period. Once we started moving our feet later in the game the shot clock started to go in our favor and gradually built on it from there."

Shots were in favor of the Isles 9-5 going into period two.

Jim Hulton must have said something to wake his boys up in the intermission because they got on the board early in period two. Patrick LeBlanc got in tight on Ruccia before firing one cross-crease and past the glove of the Eagles goaltender at 2:17 into the frame. The helpers on LeBlanc's fourth of the year went to Ryan Maynard and Keiran Gallant. Then just under two minutes later, it was William Trudeau staying hot for the Isles. Xavier Simoneau sent one on net that trickled through the legs of Ruccia where Trudeau came in hard to push the rebound over the line for his sixth of the year with 15:48 left on the clock. Simoneau and Brett Budgell were the helping hands on this one. Next, in the second half of the frame, it was the Eagles pulling out the talons to claw their way back to a tie. Conor Shortall walked right into the slot where he lasered one over the blocker shoulder of Jacob Goobie at 12:04 into the middle frame and we were all tied up. Assists were credited to Logan Camp and Emile Hegarty-Aubin.

The score stayed tied going into the third period, the Islanders had quite the lead in shots though at 28-11.

Scoring got underway in the final frame with a beautiful hustle play by Islanders rookie Jarrett Todd. Oscar Plandowski innocently dumped a puck into the Eagles zone and Todd chased after it, the puck hit the end boards and bounced right into the slot where Todd was there to bat it home and take the lead back for the Isles at 6:07 into the frame. Helpers were credited to Oscar Plandowski and William Trudeau. Next up, it was the Islanders powerplay going to work. Big Ben Boyd parked himself in front of the net where he was able to get his stick on a Noah Laaouan shot from the point and redirect it past Ruccia and put the Isles ahead by two. The goal came at 15:38 into the third and was assisted by Laaouan and Oscar Plandowki. Finally, the Isles were able to add an empty netter when Drew Elliott out-hustled the Eagles defense and buried it with just .9 seconds left on the clock. Helpers on the tally to seal a 5-2 Isles win went to Patrick LeBlanc and Noah Laaouan.

"When you first get into the league it's pretty hard to find your game and maintain a solid game, so it's pretty awesome when you finally see results start coming and potting another goal. I feel this year is going good and the team is starting to shape up, we're off to an amazing start and sitting first place in the league. Personally, I feel like I am adjusting well and hopefully we make it far this year." Isles rookie forward Jarrett Todd on adjusting to league play and his hustle mentality.

Final shots favored the Isles 39-14.

Three Stars of the Game:

Nicolas Ruccia(CAP)- 35 saves.

Patrick LeBlanc(CHA)- 1 goal and 1 assist.

Ben Boyd(CHA)- 1 goal.

The Islanders were able to put a little pep in their step after the first period and even though it wasn't a domination style win, they still put together a strong 60 minutes overall and came away with the victory. This win now puts them on a three-game win streak heading into their final piece of action before the break tomorrow night when the puck drops for the second installment of Eagles vs Islanders at 7 pm.

Our Saturday, December 18 game vs Cape Breton Eagles will be played as scheduled. Capacity for the game will be at 50% as per Public Health restrictions. All tickets that have been issued for the game will be honored. No additional tickets will be sold. To accommodate the updated restrictions seating in the Eastlink Centre will be general admission. Fans are not guaranteed their assigned seat. The Eastlink Centre will be equipped to follow the new social distancing regulations. Fans who purchased individual tickets and are unable to use them for any of the games affected by the new restrictions can redeem them for a future game or receive a full refund by contacting the Eastlink Centre Box Office.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2021


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