Islanders Grab Important Point in Intense Battle vs. Sherbrooke

The Charlottetown Islanders kicked off their 3-game road trip through Quebec with a heart-stopping battle against the Sherbrooke Phoenix, taking the game to overtime in a 5-4 thriller.

Despite holding a commanding 3-0 lead early in the 2nd period, the Islanders found themselves on the penalty kill for much of the final frame, battling penalty trouble before ultimately securing a hard-earned point in a hostile road environment.

Fast Start Sets the Tone

Charlottetown wasted no time asserting themselves, taking an early 1-0 lead just 5 minutes into the game. Will Shields capitalized on a Sherbrooke turnover, ripping a shot past Linards Feldbergs with an assist from Brayden Stumpf.

The Isles controlled much of the early play, earning the game’s first powerplay shortly after.

The Phoenix pushed back late in the 1st, outshooting Charlottetown 11-8 by the end of the period. Still, the Isles held onto their 1-0 lead with Hickey standing tall and frustrating Sherbrooke’s attack.

Islanders Surge Ahead, But Phoenix Answer Back

The 2nd period started with fireworks. Just 30 seconds in, Thomas Sirman showcased his speed, bursting through the defense and slipping a five-hole goal past Feldbergs to make it 2-0.

Before Sherbrooke could settle, the Islanders struck again. This time, Jude Herron capitalized on a rebound off a turnover, pushing the Isles’ lead to 3-0 with assists from Pavel Simek and Mathis Valente.

However, Sherbrooke quickly found life on the powerplay, with Benoit capitalizing shortly after the Isles’ 3rd goal. That momentum shift sparked the Phoenix, and a sloppy line change by Charlottetown led to Alexis Doucet cutting the deficit to 3-2 just minutes later.

Suddenly, the game was wide open.

Both teams traded chances through the 2nd, with Hickey continuing to make key stops. The period ended with the Islanders clinging to their 3-2 lead, but it was clear Sherbrooke had seized momentum.

A Wild 3rd Period

With the game hanging in the balance, Sherbrooke came out flying to start the 3rd, outshooting Charlottetown early. Their pressure finally broke through when Mavrick Lachance found himself alone in front, burying a rebound to tie the game at 3-3 with 12 minutes remaining.

Then, the game descended into chaos.

Anthony Flanagan ignited the Isles with a huge hit, drawing a retaliation penalty that gave Charlottetown a crucial powerplay. Despite relentless pressure, the Isles went 0/5 on the man advantage, a recurring theme throughout the night.

Discipline proved costly for Charlottetown as Kyle Powers was given a game misconduct for a knee-on-knee hit, putting the Isles on a 5-minute penalty kill. Then, just seconds later, Max Jardine took a double-minor for high sticking, leaving the Isles to kill an extended 5-on-3.

Just when it seemed Sherbrooke would take the lead, chaos struck again. Phoenix goalie Linards Feldbergs misplayed the puck behind his net and Flanagan, who had been everywhere all night, pounced on the mistake and fired home a shorthanded goal to restore Charlottetown’s lead at 4-3 with just over 7 minutes remaining.

Despite a heroic penalty-killing effort led by Hickey, the Isles’ parade to the penalty box continued. Another high-sticking penalty with 4 minutes left proved costly, as Sherbrooke finally broke through on the powerplay to tie the game 4-4 with just under 2 minutes remaining.

Overtime Drama

After a frantic final stretch, the game headed to overtime.

Both teams had their chances, but the Islanders were once again on the wrong end of a non-call when Owen Conrad was taken in the offensive zone, with no penalty given. Sherbrooke took the puck the other way, and on the odd-man-rush, scored the game winner through Mavrick Lachance.

While the final result may sting, the Islanders battled through immense adversity, with Hickey making 36 saves and Flanagan delivering a great all-around performance. The team will need to regroup quickly as they face a tough Blainville-Boisbriand Armada squad tomorrow night before a massive test against the Rimouski Oceanic, the Memorial Cup hosts and our potential 1st round matchup, on Saturday.

Despite the shootout loss, Charlottetown takes a valuable point from a game filled with intensity, questionable calls, and resilience. They’ll look to build on that as the road trip continues.

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