Recap: Charlottetown Islanders Fall 3-1 to Cape Breton Eagles in Hard-Fought Rematch
After a thrilling 4-3 win last night with Egor Goriunov scoring in the final seconds, the Charlottetown Islanders and Cape Breton Eagles clashed again in a spirited battle at Eastlink Centre.
Tonight, the Islanders’ Military Appreciation Night brought a charged atmosphere, but despite their best efforts, the Isles fell 3-1 as the Eagles managed to even the series.
The teams now head to Cape Breton for another back-to-back next weekend, setting the stage for more intense rivalry action.
The Islanders set the tone early with physical play, led by F Nathan Leek’s big hit on Cape Breton’s star F Cam Squires. Fellow Isles F Ross Campbell joined in, delivering multiple hits as the Isles displayed a strong forecheck.
Despite controlling play early, the Isles struggled to generate shots and went scoreless through a gritty 1st period that ended with shots nearly even at 11-10 in favor of the Eagles.
Former Islander Lucas Romeo suited up for Cape Breton, adding an extra layer of rivalry to the contest. Both teams kept up the intensity into the 2nd period, but defensive efforts and stellar goaltending from Charlottetown’s G Donald Hickey and Cape Breton’s G Jakob Milota kept the game scoreless.
Hickey made a highlight-reel save from his back to maintain the deadlock, showcasing his resilience under pressure.
The referees, however, took center stage with a couple of controversial penalties against Charlottetown. Goriunov and Kyle Powers were called for roughing after post-whistle scrums, while Eagles players escaped without penalties.
Still, the Islanders’ penalty kill proved effective, and Hickey’s heroics in goal kept them in the game.
As the 3rd period began, the Eagles broke the deadlock just 45 seconds in, with F Luke Patterson netting the first goal off a determined forecheck. Charlottetown, down for the first time in four games, pushed back and drew a powerplay. However, another costly turnover led to a second goal for Cape Breton’s F Dylan Andrews, putting the Isles down 2-0.
A major penalty for head contact on Eagles’ F Joseph Henneberry gave the Islanders a golden five-minute powerplay opportunity. Charlottetown capitalized when F Matt Butler connected on a perfect tic-tac-toe play with F Goriunov and D Marcus Kearsey to make it 2-1. The Isles continued to pressure Cape Breton, with Goriunov buzzing around the net and Kearsey nearly tying it up with a blistering one-timer that came close to crossing the line.
In the end, Cape Breton’s F Jacob Newcombe scored on an empty net with under 2 minutes left, sealing a 3-1 victory. The series now heads to Cape Breton tied 1-1, where the Isles will look to reclaim the upper hand in their next two matchups.
Despite tonight’s outcome, the Islanders showed resilience and intensity, setting up what promises to be another exciting weekend of Maritime hockey.
