Sags take down Isles 8-3
By Kyle Cotton
Charlottetown, PE – The Charlottetown Islanders fall to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens 8-3 after a third period offensive burst from the Saguenéens.
Chicoutimi snapped their nine-game skid in the win.
Carter Bickle earned the start and stopped 29 of 37 shots in the loss.
Special teams excel in first
Chicoutimi was quick to the offensive end as both Maxim Massé and Émile Guité tested Bickle in the opening minute, but he started the game strongly, turning the chances aside.
Soon after, Émile Duquet took an interference penalty sending the Isles to power play just two minutes in.
Then, on Charlottetown’s first shot of the game, Marcus Kearsey (5) let a shot fly from the point and it trickled past Saguenéens goaltender Raphaël Précourt to open the scoring. His power play marker was assisted by Giovanni Morneau and Ross Campbell.
Right after, the Isles went back on the power play, but Owen Conrad took a tripping penalty, prompting four-on-four play.
Not long after, Kearsey was sent to the box for high-sticking and this time, Chicoutimi capitalised.
Guité ripped a shot through Bickle to tie the game at one goal apiece.
Both goals in the opening frame were on the power play, but the Isles led in shots going into the intermission 15-9.
Multi-goal second period for Chicoutimi
The middle frame started with more four-on-four play as Simon Hughes and Jonathan Desrosiers each took roughing penalties after the end of the first period.
The Isles opened the second with a lot of momentum. Morneau and James Swan led the way as they started to pepper Chicoutimi with shots.
But against the flow of play, the Saguenéens took the lead. Massé buried a pass in tight of Bickle for his 18th of the year.
Then, they doubled their lead as Alexis Morin cut across the crease and beat Bickle short side, putting them up 3-1.
Eventually, they took a penalty. Colby Train went to the box for hooking and Swan took advantage.
He scored his first goal as an Islanders to bring them back within one with their second power play marker of the game. It was assisted by Isaac Vos and Conrad.
Head coach Jim Hulton likes what he saw from Swan tonight.
“It’s nice to see James (Swan) get his first one,” he said. “He’s a veteran in this league that has produced offence and hopefully he’ll build his confidence from that goal.”
The Isles still led in shots 28-22 after going into the third period.
Sags pull away in third
Under two minutes into the final frame, Vos was penalised for tripping and Massé scored his second of the game to restore Chicoutimi’s two-goal lead.
Two minutes later, Massé finished the hat trick for his 20th of the season.
Nine minutes into the period, Kyle Powers took a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind leading to a five-minute power play for the Saguenéens.
While a man up, they added three more goals. Morin added his second of the game, Massé scored his fourth goal of the night and Nathan Lecompte added his eleventh of the season to extend their lead to 8-2.
Then, with under five minutes to go, Kevin Walker managed to get his second goal in the Q but it was far too little too late. The marker assisted by Will Allen and Vos, was all the scoring this one would have.
The Isles fell to 18-23-2-2 after the 8-3 loss. Final shots were even at 37 apiece.
Despite the Isles playing three days in a row next, Hulton won’t back down from the challenge ahead.
“We have a week to get ready. It’s a challenging week. We have to continue to build on what we did well this weekend,” he said. “We have to continue a five-man defensive effort.”
The Isles travel to Halifax to take on the Mooseheads next on Friday, Jan. 26.
