Recap: Islanders Shine in Thrilling School Day Game Victory
In front of a packed house filled with enthusiastic school kids, the Charlottetown Islanders delivered a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes in their annual School Day Game presented by Subaru of Charlottetown.
The Eastlink Centre was electric throughout the game as students from across Prince Edward Island cheered on their team in a hard-fought, back-and-forth battle.
The Islanders came out flying in the 1st period, setting the tone with physical play and big hits, particularly from Nikita Voyaga.
The crowd erupted when Zachary Plamondon scored his first career CHL goal off a feed from Brayden Stumpf, marking the third consecutive game where an Islander has notched their first league goal.
Just minutes later, Mathis Valente added to the lead with a powerplay goal in the dirty areas, assisted by Matt Butler and Nathan Leek, giving the Isles a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes.
The 2nd period was a different story as Shawinigan pushed back. A questionable penalty to Kyle Powers led to the Cataractes capitalizing on the power play through Felix Lacerte, cutting the Islanders’ lead in half.
The Isles faced even more pressure when Will Shields was handed a double-minor for high-sticking, but stellar goaltending from Donald Hickey kept the score at 2-1.
Hickey, coming off a CHL Top 3 highlight performance last week, delivered again with several big saves, including an incredible stop late in the period.
The Islanders regained control early in the 3rd, with Nathan Leek scoring a critical insurance goal just 37 seconds into the frame. The assist came from Ross Campbell and Plamondon, who capped off an impressive two-point game.
The Isles continued to dictate the pace, but Shawinigan refused to go quietly, pulling within one on a goal by Vince Ellie.
However, the Islanders’ physicality, led by Leek and Voyaga, as well as Hickey’s composure in net proved too much for the Cataractes.
Shawinigan pulled their goalie in the final minutes, but the Islanders’ defense stood tall, securing a 3-2 win. Hickey finished with 27 saves, earning first-star honors for his outstanding performance.
The Islanders now look ahead to a tough road trip as they head to Saint John this weekend for a back-to-back showdown against the Sea Dogs. Fans can follow the action as the Isles aim to build on the momentum from today’s victory.
Final Score: Charlottetown 3, Shawinigan 2
Shots: Charlottetown 31, Shawinigan 29
