Islanders Win Streak Comes to an End in Hard-Fought Battle
The Islanders saw their five-game winning streak and perfect start to 2025 come to an end on Thursday night, falling 5-2 to the Moncton Wildcats at the Avenir Centre.
Despite the scoreline, it was a spirited performance from the Isles, who stood toe-to-toe with the league’s top team for much of the contest.
The night marked the first meeting between the Islanders and goaltender Mathis Rousseau as a member of the Wildcats, who was recently acquired by Moncton in a blockbuster trade with Halifax. In a rare swap of long-time starters, Rousseau and Jacob Steinman, who had both spent multiple seasons with their former clubs, traded jerseys to kick off an intriguing second half of the season.
Scoreless out the gate
The Islanders came out flying in the opening period, delivering physical play highlighted by Marcus Kearsey’s big hit on Markus Vidicek.
Goaltender Nicolas Ruccia, the reigning QMJHL Goalie of the Week, was sharp early, making a huge save on a 2-on-1 to keep things even.
Moncton briefly thought they had opened the scoring with 7:59 left in the period, but Caleb Desnoyers’ goal was overturned after an offside review.
Despite a couple of power-play opportunities, Charlottetown couldn’t break through in the first, which ended scoreless. Shots were 7-6 in favor of Moncton in a tight, defensive battle.
Spirited 2nd Period
The Wildcats opened the scoring early in the 2nd period when Desnoyers tucked home a rebound just 3:16 in.
Moncton carried the momentum, but the Isles weathered the storm, with Ruccia coming up big time and again to keep it a one-goal game.
Charlottetown capitalized on their fourth power-play chance late in the period, as Ethan Montroy rifled a shot past Rousseau to even things up at 1-1.
The goal was Montroy’s 3rd since joining the Islanders and capped an impressive middle frame for the visitors, who continued to show resilience against Moncton’s league-leading roster.
Moncton take control
The Wildcats reclaimed the lead just 43 seconds into the 3rd period, as Juraj Pekarcik’s quick release from the slot surprised Ruccia.
Moncton struck again moments later, with Desnoyers notching his 2nd of the night.
However, the Islanders responded quickly, as Max Jardine beat Rousseau five-hole for his 2nd career QMJHL goal, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
The Isles had a chance to tie things up on the power play shortly after but were stymied by Moncton’s stingy penalty kill.
The Wildcats regained their two-goal cushion midway through the period when Maxim Cote capitalized on a loose puck in front, making it 4-2.
Charlottetown pulled Ruccia late in the game for the extra attacker, but Moncton sealed the victory with an empty-netter from Justin Collard, closing out a 5-2 win.
What’s Next?
Ruccia was stellar in net for the Islanders, stopping 27 of 31 shots and keeping his team in the game against a relentless Moncton attack. Despite the loss, the Isles showed plenty of fight, proving they can compete with the best teams in the league.
Charlottetown will look to rebound quickly, as they head to Saint John tomorrow night to face the Sea Dogs at TD Station at 7 PM. The Isles are undefeated against Saint John in 2025.
The Charlottetown Islanders are excited to announce that newly acquired Czech forward Pavel Simek will make his debut tomorrow night against the Saint John Sea Dogs as the team looks to make it three wins in a row against their division rivals.
Simek, who recently returned from a shoulder injury sustained while representing Czechia at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Ottawa, brings an impressive scoring pedigree to the lineup. Fresh off helping his national team capture a bronze medal, the dynamic forward is ready to jump straight into the top six and make an immediate impact.
With his elite offensive skill set, Simek aims to add even more firepower to the Islanders’ red-hot start to 2025. Fans won’t want to miss seeing this talented playmaker hit the ice for the first time in black and gold!
Fans won’t want to miss Saturday night’s 90s Night at the Eastlink Centre, when the Isles host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at 7 PM.
The team will wear Mighty Ducks-inspired jerseys, and fans can enjoy 90s-themed activities, a costume contest, and retro beer prices during the pregame power hour.
With the Titan just ahead of the Islanders in the standings, it promises to be a crucial matchup in the race for playoff positioning.
Final Score: 5-2