PREVIEW: Islanders get set to take on Screaming Eagles in round two
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles were nearly there. But it took them four more games to finish off the strong (ex-Islander filled) Gatineau Olympiques.
They did it on Tuesday night in overtime of game seven in front of their faithful fans in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Now, they will take on the Charlottetown Islanders, who have had a week off after sweeping their first round series against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
On Wednesday, Head Coach and General Manager Jim Hulton said the time off has been beneficial.
“Well I think rest is a weapon, especially as you move deep in the playoffs. The fact that Cape Breton had to go to overtime in game seven should come into our favour as the series goes on,” said Hulton.
Islanders captain Guillaume Brisebois said the team has been waiting for the second round, and will be ready to go on Thursday.
“We’ll be excited but will also have to make sure we get the legs going in the first period and really work hard in those first minutes.”
The Islanders will start a second round series on home ice for the first ever time on Thursday, which is something Coach Hulton said is a reward for a good regular season.
“We have had a really good home record over the last year and a half so we want to try and take advantage of it. I think in junior hockey in particular, players are more comfortable in the familiar surroundings. We anticipate big crowds for both games so we want to take advantage of that and make it as uncomfortable as possible for Cape Breton.”
The Screaming Eagles entered the playoffs as the 7th place team in the standings with a 39-25-2-2 record in the regular season.
The Islanders finished 14 points ahead of the Eagles, and had seven more wins, but it was Cape Breton who won the season series.
The Islanders were 3-4-2-0 in the nine games against Cape Breton this season:
- Oct. 29 – Screaming Eagles win 8-3 @ Charlottetown
- Nov. 7 – Screaming Eagles win 5-3 @ Cape Breton
- Nov. 15 – Islanders win 4-2 @ Charlottetown
- Nov. 18 – Islanders win 5-4 (OT) @ Cape Breton
- Nov. 19 – Screaming Eagles win 5-3 @ Cape Breton
- Dec. 14 – Islanders win 6-3 @Charlottetown
- Jan. 6 – Screaming Eagles win 4-2 @ Charlottetown
- Jan. 7 – Screaming Eagles win 4-3 (OT) @ Charlottetown
- Jan. 27 – Screaming Eagles win 5-4 (OT) @ Cape Breton
Those Jan. 6 and 7 meetings were the first two games after the trade period closed. Now that the Islanders lineup has been together for three months, it will be interesting to see what happens.
At the trade period, the Screaming Eagles shipped star Pierre-Luc Dubois to Blainville-Boisbriand, as well as Tobie Paquette-Bisson.
They also shipped 19-year-old Dillon Boucher to the Islanders.
They picked up defenceman Ross MacDougall from Quebec and forward Mathias Laferriere in the Dubois deal.
The series starts on Thursday night, and is one Coach Hulton is expecting to be intense.
“I think it’ll be a long series and one that is hotly contested. We have had some great hockey games with them this year and dating back to last year as well. There is not much pick or choose between the two teams so it’s going to come down to the team that comes into the game playing the best.”
Brisebois knows of the challenge in beating the Screaming Eagles.
“They are a really hard-working team so we’ll have to match that effort and they have a good scorer in (Giovanni) Fiore so we’ll have to shut him down.”
Tickets are available for both games this weekend. You can purchase one of three different ways: by phone at (902) 629-6625, online at www.eastlinkcentrepei.ca or in person at the Eastlink Centre box office.
Don’t forget about the joint ticket available for Saturday that will get you into the Islanders game at 7:30, as well as the Island Storm basketball game at 1.
It’s time to #ProtectTheBridge for round two of the QMJHL playoffs, brought to you by Roland Tours.
