Aslan Tremblay leads Islanders to a 5-4 win in Chicoutimi

Chicoutimi, QC — The Islanders went into battle against the 2025-26 Gilles-Courteau Trophy winners, the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Thursday night. The Islanders are coming off of an overtime loss in Victoriaville, stealing a point in a high scoring 6-5 game on the road.

It was 6’4″ Seth Ronan making his rookie debut between the pipes for the Isles giving Donald Hickey his first rest after five intense games to start the season. The Islanders were missing some veterans from their lineup with Anthony Flanagan serving a game suspension from Wednesday night’s fight after a hit to Antoine Provencher.

First period action didn’t get interesting till half way through when Chicoutimi’s Brayden Kaldenbach was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a hit to KJ Eccleston. Neither teams were getting high quality scoring opportunities with only 6-5 shots on goal lead by the Islanders. It wouldn’t be until their third power play opportunity that the Islanders would get one in the net, but after minutes of deliberation, it was called off with an offside call keeping the game 0-0 with just over four minutes left in the first. The first period alone almost took 45 minutes due to 9 penalty calls and a couple reviews, but the buzzer for intermission sounded with no score on the board.

Second period action continued in the sin bin for the Saguenéens; sending Andrew Mohesky for a 2:00 minute roughing call only 14 seconds into the period. The Isles penalty kill still looking for their first fair goal going 0/3. Chicoutimi finally opened the scoring sneaking one past Ronan’s pad putting William Dubé on the board. When the seal breaks it breaks. The Islanders answered quickly with another rookie making his debut on the board. First round pick of the 2026 Draft, Aslan Tremblay, makes a backdoor tap securing his first of the year. Captain Owen Conrad wanted some play in the action, as well. The defenseman joined in on the ‘firsts’ for the week getting his first goal and sixth point of the year, and getting the Isles first lead of the night. Let’s add another to the board shall we? Not much happened for the Islanders other than scoring in the second period. Tremblay made a second attempt a the net, blowing past a defender to get a quick wrister up and through Patriks Plumins. That’s how the second frame would end leaving the Islanders feeling good with a 3-1 lead. 

There’s a lot more where that came from. The Islanders kept the momentum moving to start the third utilizing a loose puck in front of the Saguenéens net to their advantage. After a couple cracks at the net, Rowan Walsh finally said enough’s enough and tapped it in himself 2:14 into the final 20. A penalty to Artyem Mate left Chicoutimi with an opportunity for a 6-on-5 taking net minder Plumins out for the 2:00 minute stretch. It was an unsuccessful attempt at closing the 4-1 gap, leaving Chicoutimi to keep fighting for a goal. Constant 6-on-5’s persisted the remaining of the third with Chicoutimi grasping at any chance to get one past Seth Ronan who stepped up big for the Islanders this game.

A couple of bad taps in front of the net and a sprawled out Ronan gave the Saguenéens a glimmer of hope with just over three minutes left in the third. A hat trick was in the cards for Tremblay tonight. After getting stopped on his way to an empty net, the refs blew the play down giving him an automatic goal and the rookie’s third of the night. Two quick goals from Chicoutimi made the game tense in the final seconds, but Charlottetown stole a win in Chicoutimi territory 5-4.

The Islanders head to Baie-Comeau for 3/4 road games this week. Their next home game is October 9th when they host Drummondville for the first time this season.

Season Tickets and 15-Game Packs are still available for the 2026-27 season. Fans can secure their seats for an exciting new era of Islanders hockey by purchasing online or visiting the Eastlink Centre Box Office.