Recap: Egor Goriunov Receives 1st Star Honours in Victoriaville (+ Interview With Jim Hulton)
The Charlottetown Islanders capped off their demanding three-game Quebec road trip with an impressive 5-2 victory over the Victoriaville Tigres at the Colisée Desjardins on Sunday night.
Powered by Egor Goriunov’s emotional return to his former home and a flawless special teams performance, the Isles showcased grit and determination to take 2 wins out of 3 games on the weekend.
The Islanders wasted no time setting the tone. Just 5:34 into the game, Egor Goriunov, returning to face his former team, scored a power-play goal to give Charlottetown an early lead.
The Tigres honored Goriunov with a video tribute later in the period, but the forward wasn’t done making his mark. Midway through the frame, he helped set up Ross Campbell’s power-play tally, doubling the Isles’ advantage to 2-0.
Though Olivier Laverdière responded for Victoriaville to cut the lead to 2-1, the Islanders’ penalty kill remained sharp, stymieing the Tigres’ struggling power-play. Donald Hickey turned away 7 of 8 shots in the 1st, keeping the Isles in control.
The Islanders exploded in the middle frame, scoring twice more to seize a commanding lead. Will Shields tipped in an Owen Conrad point shot just 4:33 into the period to make it 3-1, prompting the Tigres to swap goalies. However, Charlottetown’s relentless attack continued as Ross Campbell scored his 2nd of the night on a feed from Alexis Michaud, extending the lead to 4-1 at the 8:15 mark.
While the Tigres pushed back, Donald Hickey was spectacular, making several highlight-reel saves, including a sprawling glove stop to deny a sure goal. The Isles penalty killers remained impenetrable, shutting down 2 more Victoriaville power-plays.
The Tigres struck early in the final period, capitalizing on an Islanders turnover for a 2-on-0 breakaway goal by Eliott Simard just 45 seconds in. However, the Islanders refused to waver, locking things down defensively while continuing to generate chances throughout the period.
The Isles’ red-hot power play struck again late in the 3rd, with Alexis Michaud netting his team-leading 10th goal of the season to restore the three-goal cushion at 5-2. Egor Goriunov added his 3rd point of the night with an assist, capping off a memorable performance against his former team.
Despite being outshot 31-26, the Islanders controlled key moments and leaned on Hickey’s stellar goaltending to seal the win. Over his last 6 starts, the rookie netminder has a 4-2 record with a 2.01 GAA and a .933 save percentage.
Takeaways
Goriunov was the clear star of the game, tallying a goal and two assists in his return to Victoriaville. His performance earned him a well-deserved first star.
The Islanders went 3-for-5 on the power play and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. Their special teams have been crucial on this road trip, scoring multiple goals in all three games.
Hickey’s calm and composed play in net, especially under pressure, has been a major factor in the Isles’ recent success.
With two goals tonight and three in the last two games, Campbell is finding his groove and delivering in clutch moments.
COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH & GM JIM HULTON:
The Islanders now return to Charlottetown brimming with confidence, set to host Val d’Or at the Eastlink Centre on Thursday at 7PM. With their power play clicking, Hickey thriving in net, and key players stepping up, the Isles are poised to build on this momentum.
