Islanders win in high scoring game against Drakkar
The Charlottetown Islanders may have dominated the shot total 58-29, but the score was much closer.
The game between the Islanders and the visiting Baie-Comeau Drakkar was tied 7-7 in the last minute of the third period.
With 40.5 seconds left, a scramble ensued in the Drakkar crease and the puck rolled free for Kameron Kielly, who buried his 2nd of the night and 10th of the season to give the Islanders their fifth lead of the game.
Chris Chaddock and Gregor MacLeod assisted on the Kielly game winner.
It had been a back and forth game in Charlottetown.
The Islanders had led 3-2 after the first period.
After the second, the game was tied at 5-5.
Matthew Welsh took over in goal in the third period after Blade Mann-Dixon started the game and allowed 5 goals on 17 shots.
The Drakkar had taken a 6-5 lead in the third at 2:02. The Islanders then scored two in under two minutes to take a 7-6 lead before the Drakkar tied things again.
Filip Chlapik continued his current point streak in the win. He now has a point in every game this season, a total of 14 games. He said the high number of Islanders shots show how dangerous this team can be offensively.
“We fired almost 60 shots so we played really well that way but we gave up seven goals, which is a lot for a game so we’ll learn from this on the defensive side.”
Chlapik had two assists in the game, his 24th and 25th point of the season, and has recently passed the 150-point mark in an Islanders jersey. With all this personal success, Chlapik says the fact that the team has played well is much more important to him.
“The stats are obviously nice but I just focus on being the most complete player I can be and I think that’s what I’ve been doing this season. The season has been going really good, I enjoy it here a lot and this team has helped me a lot.”
Another Islander having a career year is Kameron Kielly, who had four points on Thursday. Kielly and Chlapik are both in the top five in league scoring.
Balmas, with his three goals on Thursday, sits 9th in league scoring.
The Islanders record improves to 10-6-1-0. They now sit just two points behind the Saint John Sea Dogs for first place in the Maritime Division.
The Islanders are back at it tomorrow night when they take on the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the Eastlink Centre. 7pm is puck drop!
Isles Notebook:
-Eight Islanders had multipoint nights tonight: Kameron Kielly (2g, 2a), Filip Chlapik (2a), PO Joseph (1g, 1a), Cody Donaghey (1g, 1a), Chris Chaddock (3a), Mitchell Balmas (3g), Jake Coughler (3a) and Gregor MacLeod (2a).
-The Islander lead the league in goals for with 82. The next highest team is the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies with 66.
– The Islanders have scored 5 or more goals in 7 of the 17 games so far this season.
– The Islanders have won 6 of their 8 games at the Eastlink Centre so far this season.
Written by Darcy Cudmore
