Isles get 2 points in Bathurst winning 5-3
By Kyle Cotton
Bathurst, NB – The Charlottetown Islanders wrap up their triple-header with a 5-3 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre Sunday afternoon.
Carter Bickle started his second straight game, stopping 31 of 34 shots in the much needed win.
Islanders offensive burst in the first
Bickle once again had to stay strong early as the Titan had the Isles hemmed in their own zone to open the game.
Blake Pilgrim-Edwards then took a holding penalty to award the Islanders the first power play of the game.
Bathurst netminder Joshua Flemming started well, turning aside opportunities from Marcus Kearsey and Alexis Michaud.
But the Isles could convert five-on-five. Cole Huckins (13) buried a rebound from an Anton Topilnyckyj (8) shot to put them up 1-0 10:26 into the opening frame. Kyle Powers (17) also assisted.
Then, just 28 seconds later, Isaac Vos (3) snapped a shot over the glove of Flemming to double the Islanders lead. Matthew Butler (26) picked up an assist.
Later in the period, Will Shields had a burst of speed and went on a race with Titan captain Milo Roelens. Shields was able to ring a shot off the post then draw a boarding penalty behind the play.
This time, the Isles capitalized on the power play. Simon Hughes found a loose puck sitting in front of an empty net and he didn’t miss. The power play marker was assisted by Giovanni Morneau (22) and Kearsey (31).
Charlottetown carried a 3-0 lead into the first intermission while outshooting Bathurst 13-11.
Titan fight back in second
Bathurst changed goaltenders in the intermission as Antoine Keller suited up.
The Titan wasted no time getting a goal back to open the second period. Emile Perron took a slap shot from the point to beat Bickle to bring it back within two.
Then, just a minute and 10 seconds later, Yannik Ponzetto sent another one past Bickle to make it a one-goal-game once again.
But Shields (6) responded. He restored the two-goal-lead for the Islanders with a laser of a shot. Michaud (15) assisted.
After a Titan shot, Huckins took a penalty during a scrum to give Bathurst a man advantage, but Bickle and the Isles penalty kill kept them off the board.
The penalty kill unit would be tested again after an Anthony Flanagan high-sticking penalty but the Titan couldn’t convert.
With 42 seconds left in the second period, the Isles went back on the power play, allowing them to start the final frame a man up.
Bathurst stormed back in shots in the period and led 27-19.
Isles finish the job in third
The Titan’s penalty kill unit finished the job to open the final stanza.
They came back the other way with force though and eventually, they brought it back within one again. Colby Huggan was able to put his 15h of the season past Bickle.
Soon after, the Islanders were awarded with another power play but weren’t able to get the puck through Keller.
Then, Ross Campbell was penalized for continuing to play without his helmet, but the penalty kill stayed perfect.
When Campbell (14) came out of the box, he was given the puck. He fed it through traffic to Hughes (14) who scored his second of the game to restore the two-goal-lead, putting the Isles up 5-3. Powers (18) also added his second helper of the afternoon.
The Titan would pull Keller for the extra attacker but they couldn’t bring it back. Charlottetown pulled away with a 5-3 win.
Bathurst led in shots in the end 34-23.
The Isles hit the ice again on Friday, Feb. 2 as they take on the Cape Breton Eagles in Cape Breton. Puck drop at the Centre 200 is at 7 p.m.
