Recap: Islanders with gritty display vs. CHL’s best

The Charlottetown Islanders showed plenty of heart and resilience on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately fell short against a high-flying Moncton Wildcats team, losing 6-3 at the Eastlink Centre.

Despite a rocky start and some costly penalties, the Islanders fought hard throughout the game, but were unable to overcome the early deficit.

Tough Start for the Isles

It didn’t take long for Moncton to stamp their authority on the game. Just 30 seconds into the 1st period, Islanders forward Kyle Powers was sent to the penalty box for a checking to the head infraction, putting the Wildcats’ potent powerplay to work early.

The Wildcats capitalized quickly. Preston Lounsbury fired a shot past Islanders goaltender Donald Hickey at 1:48 to give Moncton a 1-0 lead, and just over a minute later, Alex Mercier doubled the advantage with a goal at 2:58.

The Wildcats weren’t done yet. With just over seven minutes played, future NHL 1st-round pick Caleb Desnoyers found the back of the net, pushing the lead to 3-0.

The Islanders were clearly on the ropes, and Head Coach Jim Hulton made a goaltending change, bringing in Nicolas Ruccia to replace Hickey.

A Brief Spark

The Islanders, though stunned by the early onslaught, began to find their footing. After some physical play in front of the Wildcats’ net, Mathis Valente was credited with a goal at 10:17, assisted by Max Jardine and Powers, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

But Moncton responded quickly, with Mercier scoring his 2nd of the game just 35 seconds later, restoring the Wildcats’ 3-goal cushion at 4-1.

Turning the Tide in the Second

After a rough opening period, the Islanders came out with renewed energy in the 2nd frame. Despite being down by 3 goals, they ramped up their physical play and began to press Moncton harder. Nicolas Ruccia was solid in net, keeping the Islanders in the game with a string of key saves.

At 14:37, Anthony Flanagan rifled a shot past Moncton goaltender Rudy Guimond, cutting the lead to 5-2.

Moments later, Ross Campbell added another to make it 5-3 with assists from Thomas Sirman and Nathan Leek. The Islanders were buzzing and the momentum seemed to be shifting in their favor.

Late Push Falls Short

The Islanders started the 3rd period with another chance to build on their momentum, as Moncton took an early penalty. However, despite a number of grade-A chances, Charlottetown couldn’t convert. Going 0/3 on the night.

A crucial moment came midway through the 3rd, as Simon Hughes was called for a questionable interference penalty. Moncton capitalized on their powerplay, with Lounsbury scoring his 2nd goal of the game to make it 6-3.

From there, the game slowed down due to a series of penalties, and the Islanders were unable to mount a comeback. Hughes, who had been a standout with his energy and physical play, received a 10-minute misconduct ending his night.

Takeaways and Next Steps

Though the final scoreline didn’t reflect the fight the Islanders showed, they can be proud of their response after a difficult opening period. The team played much more aggressively in the 2nd, outshooting the Wildcats 19-9 and they carried that energy into the 3rd.

While the powerplay struggles and penalty issues (6 penalties overall) were costly, the Islanders’ intensity and resolve in the face of adversity should be something to build on.

Simon Hughes was a bright spot, showing skill and grit that will be important for the team moving forward. Max Jardine blocked a shot with his face and didn’t miss a shift.

In the end, the Islanders fell 6-3, with shots finishing 30-28 in favor of the Wildcats.

The team will need to tighten up defensively and be more disciplined as they head into another challenging matchup against Moncton on December 31st.

The Islanders return to Charlottetown on January 3rd and 4th for a back-to-back against the Saint John Sea Dogs. Buy Tickets