Isles double-header leads into the weekend
By Kyle Cotton
Charlottetown, PE – The Charlottetown Islanders continue their five game homestand tonight and tomorrow as the Victoriaville Tigres and Rimouski Oceanic come to town. The Isles are looking to return to the win column after losing to the Halifax Mooseheads 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday, Jan. 7.
Islanders report – Rookie forward Matthew Butler has been a great story so far this season for the Isles. Through 39 games, he has 23 points. Though he only has one point in his last five contests, Butler’s play on the ice is no reflection of that as he has shown extensive skill and poise on the puck. It will only be a matter of time before Butler starts hitting the back of the net more consistently. Be ready to see his point total rise.
James Swan is set to make his debut in the black and gold tonight. In 34 games with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Swan has 13 points. In his final game with the Armada, the 5’8” centreman recorded an assist. What better time to start a point-streak while suiting up with his new club.
Maxwell Jardine is another new face around the Islanders’ locker room. Jardine has played just one game for the Islanders since being signed last week. He played with the Miramichi Timberwolves of the MHL before signing in Charlottetown, where he had six points, all assists, in 22 games. Head coach Jim Hulton was impressed with what he saw from Jardine in his first appearance with the Isles, saying he was a “solid, steady, dependable defender.”
Tigres report – Joseph Henneberry was just traded to the Tigres before the trade period ended. In his one appearance, he has one assist. With the Titan this season, Henneberry has always been a threat offensively scoring 41 points in 39 games. Now that he has a game under his belt with Victoriaville, watch for him to start producing similar numbers to how he was with Bathurst.
Netminder Nathan Darveau has been pivotal in the success of the Tigres this season. He is 17-9 in 26 games posting a .920 save percentage and a 2.54 goals against average.
Hulton knows how much of a threat Darveau is in goal, especially knowing how defensive minded Victoriaville is.
“They are a team centred around their goaltending and their defence. They love to play playoff style hockey which fits in with what we’re trying to do,” he said.
Victoriaville is hot right now as they are 8-2-0-0 in their last ten games, most recently taking down the Cape Breton Eagles 4-3 on Sunday, Jan. 6. This is the first meeting of the season between these two squads with the second being in Victoriaville on March 2.
Océanic – A familiar face will be suiting up against the Isles for Rimouski as Brett Arsenault returns home for the first time since being traded. Arsenault has played just one game for Rimouski, recording no points. This season, he has four goals in 38 games, but beware of what a hometown crowd can do to motivate him.
P.E.I. native and Florida Panthers prospect Luke Coughlan has been solid in the first half of the season. He has 18 points in 33 games while holding a +2 rating on the blueline for Rimouski. The defender was selected in the sixth round of the NHL entry draft last year and this will be his first time playing in his hometown since being drafted.
The Océanic are coming off of a 3-2 win over the league’s best team in the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. They play in Saint John tonight before coming to Charlottetown tomorrow. These teams have met once this season where Charlottetown came out on top 5-1 in Rimouski. This will be their final matchup of the season.
Special teams – CHA – The power play continues to be strong for the Isles as it sits at 24.22 per cent (31/128) while the penalty kill is serviceable at 78.07 per cent (25/114).
VIC – With the defence of the Tigres being so strong, it’s no surprise their penalty kill is succeeding at an 81.05 per cent (29/153). Their good while a man up as well as their power play percentage is at 23.62 per cent (30/127)
RIM – The Océanic’s special teams have been good this season, but are still below the Islanders’ special teams. Their power play is sitting at 22.29 per cent (35/157), and their penalty kill sits at 75 per cent (35/140).
Final notes – The Islanders are looking to bounce back from last year’s season series with the Tigres after going winless in two games. That will also be the final student night of the season and there will be a $500 tuition giveaway for one lucky student in the crowd. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
Friday night’s affair against Rimouski is the second to last game in the Isles’ five game homestand before they wrap it up on Sunday. Note that Friday games are all at 7 p.m. now as opposed to the previous 7:30 p.m. start times.
Fans can purchase tickets by calling the Eastlink Centre box office at 902-629-6625 or by going to the Eastlink Centre website.
