CHL on CBC Gem | 3 Reasons to Watch – Voltigeurs vs. Islanders
Free hockey is yours for the taking.
Available via the free CBC Gem streaming service, fans across Canada can tune in Wednesday as the Drummondville Voltigeurs visit the Charlottetown Islanders, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. Atlantic.
To get you ready, here are three reasons why this QMJHL showdown is must-see TV:
Nationally ranked Islanders
One of the top teams in the circuit, the Islanders have been nationally recognized five times this season, with the most recent rendition of the Kia CHL-Top 10 Rankings seeing the Prince Edward Island club placing fifth. Undefeated in regulation in their past four outings while also picking up at least one point in nine of their past 10 contests, the Islanders reside atop the QMJHL with a dazzling 17-6-2-0 record, good for 36 points. Following a season in which the squad dominated the QMJHL in finishing top spot in the regular season with 70 points in 40 games, the Islanders have returned much of the same lineup, a deep roster that is headlined by names like gifted offensive blue-liner Lukas Cormier, a Vegas Golden Knights draftee who claimed the Emile Bouchard Trophy last season as the QMJHL’s Defenceman of the Year after leading all rearguards with 54 points in 39 appearances.
HIGHLIGHT | Simoneau springs Cormier through the middle for a shorthanded goal. pic.twitter.com/L5ZfxqeDfx
— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) November 14, 2021
Voltigeurs look to turn tables
The second of two meetups between the Islanders and Voltigeurs this season, the latter will look to turn the tables after dropping a 4-1 final on home ice in early November. That contest saw four different skaters find the back of the net for Charlottetown, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Xavier Simoneau, who continues to challenge for the league lead in scoring, as well as left-wing Jakub Brabenec, a 2021 fourth-round selection of the Golden Knights who wrapped up that November contest with a pair of points. For the Islanders, beyond Simoneau, Brabenec, and Cormier, other NHL up-and-comers include right-wing Ben Boyd (Columbus Blue Jackets) as well as defencemen Oscar Plandowski (Detroit Red Wings) and William Trudeau (Montreal Canadiens), while for the Voltigeurs the focus is on the future, particularly budding blue-liner Maveric Lamoureux who projects as a first-round selection in the upcoming NHL Draft per Central Scouting.
The big 6'7" d-man, Maveric Lamoureux, backing up his 'A' ranking for the #NHLDraft with a big 2 goal game.@VoltigeursDRU | @QMJHL pic.twitter.com/7wCnYTifjm
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) November 22, 2021
Brabenec’s shining rookie season
Joining the Islanders after being chosen in the opening round of the 2020 CHL Import Draft, Czech-born forward Jakub Brabenec who after splitting his prior two campaigns in the Czech professional ranks has made a quick transition to his first season in North America in scoring north of a point-per-game with eight goals and 18 assists through 25 appearances, good for fourth in team scoring and top spot among his fellow freshmen league wide. Collecting at least one point in eight of his past nine appearances, including eight points in his last four outings, the Golden Knights draftee is showing to be a savvy selection by both his NHL club as well as the Islanders.
HIGHLIGHT | What a pass. What a shot. 😮
Patty Guay works his magic to find Jakub Brabenec for the one-timer. We're up 2-1 early in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/QLFEAvjhhq
— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) November 19, 2021