Leek's Last-Second Heroics Earn Islanders Point in Cape Breton
QMJHL Charlottetown Islanders

Leek's Last-Second Heroics Earn Islanders Point in Cape Breton

Published on January 4, 2026 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Charlottetown Islanders News Release


The Charlottetown Islanders battled to the final second on Sunday afternoon, earning a hard-fought point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Cape Breton Eagles at Centre 200, closing out a back-to-back in Sydney.

Coming off Friday night's loss, the Islanders faced adversity before the puck even dropped. Ross Campbell was unavailable due to suspension, Tyler Peddle was sidelined after suffering an injury the night before, while Matt Butler made a welcome return to the lineup.

In goal, newly signed Jack Carter made his QMJHL debut for Charlottetown, opposite Felix Hamel, who was back between the pipes for Cape Breton after an excellent performance on Friday.

Despite being outshot early, the Islanders struck first. After Rory Pilling took a tripping penalty just over five minutes in, Charlottetown's power play capitalized. Will Shields blasted home his signature one-timer at 6:44 of the opening frame, converting the Islanders' first power-play opportunity after going scoreless on the man-advantage the night before. Brady Peddle and Owen Conrad picked up the assists.

The Eagles responded midway through the period when Maxime Sauthier tipped a point shot past Carter to tie the game at 1-1. Cape Breton controlled much of the play, outshooting the Islanders 11-5 through 20 minutes, but the game remained deadlocked heading into the first intermission.

The Islanders were dealt another blow early in the second, as Dylan MacKinnon did not return after leaving late in the first with an injury. Cape Breton took advantage of their momentum at 4:33, when Jacob Hartlin finished off a clean 2-on-1 rush to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

The Eagles continued to press, generating chances and drawing Charlottetown's first penalty of the night, but Carter stood tall. The Islanders' netminder was sharp throughout the period, making several key saves to keep the deficit at one despite Cape Breton owning a 25-12 edge in shots after two periods.

Cape Breton opened the third with another power play, but once again the Islanders' penalty kill-and Carter-held firm. As the period wore on, Charlottetown began to tilt the ice, pushing back and cutting into the Eagles' shot advantage.

That pressure paid off in dramatic fashion. Nathan Leek delivered a clutch moment, burying the tying goal with just eight seconds left in regulation. Leek's 24th of the season was set up by Matt Butler and Marcus Kearsey, stunning the Centre 200 crowd and forcing overtime with a strong drive to the net and a beautiful finish past Hamel.

The celebration was short-lived, as the Eagles ended the game just 23 seconds into overtime. Reece Peitzsche finished the winner to give Cape Breton the 3-2 victory.

Despite the result, Jack Carter turned in an impressive debut performance for Charlottetown, earning third star of the game after keeping the Islanders within striking distance all night.

The Islanders leave Cape Breton with a valuable point, showing resilience and determination in the second half of a challenging back-to-back as they look to build momentum heading back home.

Post-Game Interview with General Manager & Head Coach Jim Hulton:

A hard-fought effort to come back today in Cape Breton with some big injuries to the lineup. Were you proud of the resiliency shown on the ice this afternoon?

"Our team battled hard for a well-earned point tonight. Injuries had a major effect on our lineup, but we fought valiantly for 60 plus minutes."

Jack Carter had an impressive debut, saving 30 of 33 shots he faced this afternoon and keeping the team within 1 heading into the final minutes of the game. What were your thoughts on his performance?

"Jack had an impressive debut. He was composed, competitive & athletic. He did his job to help secure a point. Overall. a very good start to his Q career."

Ross Campbell has received a 4 game suspension following an incident in last night's game vs. Cape Breton. What are your thoughts on the suspension?

"Ross let his emotions get the better of himself last night. His actions were regrettable and below the expectations and standards of our organization."

They return home to the Eastlink Centre Charlottetown next week for another important battle with the Halifax Mooseheads. It's Y2K night so dress up in your best 2000s outfits and join the fun Friday, January 9th @ 7pm. Buy Tickets

Check out the Charlottetown Islanders Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 4, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central