Islanders Begin Final Quebec Road Trip Tonight in Sherbrooke, Finish in Rimouski
The Charlottetown Islanders hit the road for their final Quebec trip of the regular season, with 3 massive games that could have major playoff implications.
With only 8 games left in the season—just 3 of them at home—the Isles are looking to gain critical points as they chase down the Acadie-Bathurst Titan (5 points ahead) and Cape Breton Eagles (10 points ahead) in the standings.
Despite battling adversity with key injuries, like ones to Matt Butler and Marcus Kearsey, the Islanders have remained one of the hottest teams in the QMJHL winning 6 of their last 10 and 13 of our last 20. This stretch since the new year, includes victories over the Moncton Wildcats, the #1 team in Canada, and the Rimouski Oceanic, the #3 team in the country and hosts of this year’s Memorial Cup.
This trip provides a massive opportunity for the Isles to position themselves better for the playoffs, especially with 2 head-to-head games against Acadie-Bathurst still to come.
TONIGHT @ 8 PM: Charlottetown Islanders vs. Sherbrooke Phoenix
The Islanders open the trip in Sherbrooke against a Phoenix squad coming off a loss to Shawinigan and back-to-back wins over Victoriaville. With two tough games ahead, Charlottetown will see this as a must-win opportunity to start the trip strong.
Sherbrooke is also fighting for a better playoff position, sitting just 3 points behind the Cataractes and 10 back of division-leading Drummondville.
Charlottetown is coming off a 1-0 loss to those same Drummondville Voltigeurs, despite an outstanding performance from goaltender Nicolas Ruccia.
The Isles were held off the scoresheet by red-hot Voltigeurs netminder Riley Mercer but will look to get their offense going tonight in Sherbrooke.
Whether it’s Ruccia or Donald Hickey between the pipes, the Islanders have plenty of confidence in their goaltending.
TOMORROW NIGHT @ 8 PM: Charlottetown Islanders vs. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
The Islanders will be looking for revenge against the Armada, who took a hard-fought 3-1 win in Charlottetown this past weekend. The Isles controlled much of the play, outshooting Blainville 28-17, but struggled to convert chances.
Blainville’s power play was the difference, scoring 2 of their 3 goals. Former Islander Egor Goriunov has been a major weapon since joining the Armada, with 20 goals in 25 games. Alongside Justin Carbonneau, he leads one of the league’s deadliest power-play units.
Staying disciplined and shutting down the Armada’s special teams will be key if the Isles want to flip the script this time around.
SATURDAY @ 5 PM: Charlottetown Islanders vs. Rimouski Oceanic
This could be a playoff preview, as the Islanders would face Rimouski in the 1st round if the season ended today. The Oceanic are gearing up for a Memorial Cup run and made significant moves at the trade deadline to build a championship-caliber squad.
Their roster features elite talent, including:
• Jonathan Fauchon (QMJHL’s leading goal scorer)
• Mathieu Cataford (Team Canada World Junior forward)
• Lou Levesque & Eriks Mateiko (acquired in major trades)
• Mathis Langevin (one of the Q’s top young goalies)
• Luke Coughlin (Charlottetown native, Florida Panthers prospect)
Rimouski has ten NHL-drafted players, making them one of the most stacked teams in the league. However, the Isles already proved they can beat them, taking a commanding 6-3 win in Charlottetown earlier this year.
This game will be especially meaningful for Pavel Simek, who will face his former team in Rimouski for the first time since joining the Islanders. Expect Simek to bring his A-game against his old squad.
A Pivotal Stretch in the Playoff Race
This trip is a defining moment for the Islanders. With Acadie-Bathurst still within striking distance, a strong performance in Quebec could set the stage for a thrilling push to the finish line.
It all starts tonight in Sherbrooke. Puck drop is at 8 PM—let’s go, Isles!
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