Isles show resilience
Charlottetown wins Game 1 on the road in Halifax
Pascal Aquin stayed hot Friday in Halifax.
The overage forward tipped an Olivier Desjardins shot for the overtime winner as the Charlottetown Islanders took Game 1 from the Halifax Mooseheads 4-3.
Aquin scored four times in Tuesday’s Game 7 victory to eliminate the Quebec Remparts.
“In order to be playing at this time of the year, generally, you’ve had big contributions from your overage players,” head coach Jim Hulton said. “They’re such key components of your team and he’s proven that here, especially in the last two games.”
Game 2 goes Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Scotiabank Centre in downtown Halifax. Friday’s game was tied 1-1 after the first and second periods.
Nikita Alexandrov scored 42 seconds into the third to give the Islanders the lead, but the one-goal advantage quickly became a one-goal deficit as Xavier Parent and Filip Zadina scored at 3:04 and 6:19 to give the home side the lead.
Islanders veteran Keith Getson tipped a Daniel Hardie shot from the blue-line for his second of the night at 11:42 to tie the game.
The veteran forward from Bridgewater, N.S., had seven shots and was 23-for-36 in the faceoff circle.
“Getson was enormous,” Hulton said. “We used him a ton. . . You can’t ask for anything more out of a veteran like that. That line sets the tone for us and they were terrific. It was fitting they scored the winner.” Hunter Drew and Hardie each had a pair of assists while Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph, Brendon Clavelle and Cam Askew each added one. Connor Moynihan scored in the first period for Halifax. Arnaud Durandeau had two helpers while Jocktan Chainey, Walter Flower, Maxime Fortier and Benoit-Olivier Groulx each added one.
Halifax native Matthew Welsh made 41 saves for the victory while Alexis Gravel stopped 38 shots in the loss. “We just kept fighting back all night,” Hulton said. “A total team performance. Welsh was outstanding at key moments, as he always is, both goaltenders were.”