Recap: Islanders Soar to 4-1 Victory Over Mooseheads on Teddy Bear Toss Night
The Charlottetown Islanders took to the Eastlink Centre ice with high energy and confidence, defeating the Halifax Mooseheads 4-1 in the first of a back-to-back doubleheader on Friday night.
The game featured a lively atmosphere, with fans eagerly participating in the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night presented by The Brick, and the Isles came out on top with a dominant performance across all three periods.
Teddy Bear Toss Magic
The action kicked off in the 1st period with a moment that fans have come to expect and cherish every season: the Teddy Bear Toss.
Just 5:21 into the opening frame, F Nathan Leek scored the first goal of the game, sending a sea of teddy bears raining down onto the ice. The goal was assisted by Ross Campbell and Kyle Powers, and marked an early 1-0 lead for the Isles.
The teddy bears collected will be donated to Santa’s Angels Toy Drive, spreading holiday cheer to children in need.
However, Halifax quickly responded less than two minutes later, with Cole MacLeod netting a goal of his own at 6:58 to tie the game 1-1.
Both teams played a competitive, back-and-forth game in the opening period, but the Islanders outshot Halifax 9-8 and appeared to have the upper hand, winning most of the puck battles. Charlottetown killed off a penalty late in the 1st and went into the intermission with momentum on their side.
Dominant 2nd Period
The 2nd period saw the Islanders take control of the game. They came out firing, outshooting the Mooseheads 15-7 in the first 10 minutes.
Ross Campbell continued his impressive play, scoring what would prove to be the game-winning goal at 9:41. A beautiful wrist shot from the top of the circle beat Halifax G Mathis Rousseau, with assists from Marcus Kearsey and Thomas Sirman. The Isles led 2-1, and they didn’t let up.
Charlottetown’s physicality and offensive pressure continued to be a problem for the Mooseheads, as they dominated possession and created plenty of scoring chances.
Despite their best efforts, Halifax couldn’t get anything past Islanders’ netminder Donald Hickey, who remained sharp throughout the game.
The Isles would finish the 2nd period with a 23-14 lead in shots and a 2-1 advantage on the scoreboard.
Early Goal in the 3rd
The 3rd period started with a quick response from Charlottetown, as F Jude Herron scored just 2:18 into the frame. Herron received a slick feed from Brayden Stumpf and Anthony Flanagan before ripping a shot past Rousseau for his 4th goal of the season, putting the Isles up 3-1.
With the two-goal cushion, the Islanders continued to dominate the physical play, forcing Halifax to take evasive action rather than engage in the hard-hitting contest.
Simon Hughes added to the Isles’ lead with a goal at 7:00, putting home in a rebound to make it 4-1. Campbell and Topilnyckyj picked up the assists, and the Islanders were firmly in control with less than half the period remaining.
Despite a couple of penalties, including a roughing minor on Nikita Voyaga and a late slashing call on Ross Campbell, the Islanders’ penalty kill remained strong, and Halifax couldn’t capitalize.
Hickey continued his stellar play, finishing with 24 saves on the night.
The game ended with a 4-1 victory for the Islanders, who outshot the Mooseheads 36-28. With the win, Charlottetown improved to 6 wins in their last 10 games and will look to carry the momentum into tomorrow’s rematch in Halifax at the Scotiabank Centre at 7PM.
3 Stars
- Ross Campbell
- Simon Hughes
- Cole MacLeod
