Isles make franchise history as they secure their spot in the President Cup Finals
History, that is what the Islanders would be looking to make on Monday night. Never before has an Island-based major junior franchise made an appearance in the QMJHL President Cup finals. The Isles themselves, have been on the brink of making it there in all but one of the past five seasons, but fell short each time. Could this be the year though that Jim Hulton and his squad finally made it over that hump, the year that hockey fans in PEI get a taste of a playoff finals series? Leading the series 2-1 entering play tonight, the Islanders knew they had the chance to make franchise and QMJHL history. Getting over that final hurdle before the final seemed more than achievable for this stellar group. Fans were anxiously awaiting that puck to drop at 8 pm up in Sherbrooke and I’m sure the boys in black and harvest gold were as well. When the frozen biscuit did drop, you just had the feeling that Charlottetown wasn’t going to see another playoff game at the Eastlink Centre until the finals.
The Islanders came out hard in the first period and as strong as they looked offensively, it was their defensive game that would control their pace in this bout. Who better to get the scoring underway in game four and get the Islanders fired up than an Island native himself. Keiran Gallant took a neutral zone feed from Guay and wandered in all alone where he pulled off a slick toe-drag around a diving Sherbrooke defender and then lasered a wrister past Zhigalov while stumbling to the ice. Patrick Guay stood as the lone assist on Gallant’s 2nd of the post-season. Then, at 13:32, the Isles captain cashed in on one of their only man advantages of the game. Brett Budgell was in the same spot as where Gallant scored from in the left dot, he faked a pass across and then whipped home a wrister just under the glove arm of Zhigalov to make it 2-0. Patrick Guay and Lukas Cormier were the helping hands. Sherbrooke wasn’t ready to go into the first break with a doughnut up on the board though as Joshua Roy made it a one-goal game at 18:04 into the frame. Roy found a loose puck a few feet outside the crease in traffic and dug it out proceeding to then do a spin-o-rama and fire it between the legs of Lapenna for his 8th of the playoffs. Maxime Blanchard and Julien Anctil were the assists. The Isles led 2-1 after twenty.
“Well, we’ve long contended here that if you’re going to be an elite team you have to have elite overage players and that was on display really all season for us but particularly tonight. Noah has that calming presence on the ice, he’s been there he’s done that and he’s just a fantastic veteran player.” Jim Hulton said on Noah Laaouan’s PK efforts.
Shots were 9-7 for the Phoenix after one.
The Islanders league-best penalty kill really went to work in the second frame and was able to keep the Isles up and even increase their lead. At 4:28 into the middle frame, veteran D-man Noah Laaouan came up with a huge block on the PK and allowed Budgell to pot his second of the game. Laaouan used his body to block the shot and then break out on a 2-on-1, once in the Phoenix zone, he sauced a pass across to Budgell over a Sherbrooke defender’s stick and Budgell took care of the rest. Budgell showed off his quick mitts dragging the puck back and then wrapping it around the left pad of Zhigalov where he then buried his 9th of the playoffs on the backhand. Laaouan was the lone apple on the tally. A little over four minutes later, one of the Isles key blue-liners tallied his 4th of the playoffs to make it 4-1. William Trudeau sent a wrister through traffic from the point and it was able to beat a screened Zhigalov midway up the glove side. Dawson Stairs and Michael Horth were given the apples on the eventual game-winning gino.
Shots were 18-14 after forty minutes.
In the final minute of the third period, Xavier Simoneau was assessed a match penalty for checking from behind and the Isles were sent on the PK for five minutes. It took just 28 seconds into the final frame for Sherbrooke to cash in. Xavier Parent, who was the one Simoneau hit, sniped it home top cheddar over the blocker of Lapenna from the right dot to make it 4-2. Joshua Roy and David Spacek were the helpers. Then, Parent did it again at 4:15 into the third but this one was even strength. Parent scored once again from the same location as his first goal but this time just a little lower putting it past the blocker of Lapenna and into the middle of the net. Joshua Roy and David Spacek were once again the helpers. For the final five minutes of the frame, Isles and the hearts of their fans’ raced as they anxiously awaited the clock to hit zeros. Thankfully, thanks to great goaltending and incredible defensive work, the Islanders killed the clock and sent the Phoenix packing, punching their ticket to the franchise first ever President Cup finals!
Final shots on goal were 39-18 Sherbrooke.
“It was pure jubilation. The kids were thrilled as they should be. It’s an enormous achievement to get to the finals but we know we’re not done yet. I think the impressive part was that a number of them commented that we’re not done yet. So ya they’re going to enjoy it tonight but we’re back to work tomorrow, we get to keep working and that’s fun for all of us.” Jim Hulton said when I asked him to take us into the locker room after the game.
Three Stars of the Game:
- Xavier Parent(SHE)- Two goals.
- Maxime Blanchard(SHE)- One assist.
- Julien Anctil(SHE)- One assist.
“Yeah it was especially after doing it after the longest 13 minutes in the history of hockey just waiting for that clock to count down. It’s more of a sense of relief once it hits to know that you’re going to the finals.” Jim Hulton said on if it felt like it was a monkey off his back to finally make it to the finals.
History, that is what has officially now been made for the Charlottetown Islanders. They’ve climbed that hill and punched their ticket to PEI’s first ever QMJHL finals. The job is still far from done now though. The hardest task still remains, hoisting that President Cup at the end of the season. The locker room knows the work isn’t over, they’ll soak in this series win and then turn their focus to finals prep tomorrow. What a game though folks, it was amazing playoff hockey and made you truly appreciate the effort from our team. Stay proud and loud Isles fans, your boys in black and harvest gold are heading to the finals.
“It feels incredible. I’m happy for all parts of the organization, it’s been a long time coming. I look at Budgell, who’s had three runs at this, and different guys, it’s just really gratifying to push through finally.” Jim Hulton said on how it feels to be going to the finals.
GO Isles GO!