Eyes on the prize

Islanders look to finish strong as the QMJHL season winds down

This isn’t Keith Getson’s first rodeo.

The veteran centre has nearly four Quebec Major Junior Hockey League seasons on his skates with the Charlottetown Islanders, so with the Isles already in the playoffs he won’t float mindlessly into the postseason.

“No, honestly, it’s the complete opposite. I’m watching the standings after every game. We don’t know who we’ll play, it could be Victoriaville, Gatineau, Quebec, maybe Rouyn, any number of teams we could play. (That’s coming) but we have these nine games to focus on first,” Getson said.

Charlottetown (33-21-5) is part of an eight-team logjam in the heart of the QMJHL standings with just 12 points separating fourth-place Drummondville and 11th-place Sherbrooke.

Tuesday, the Isles welcome Maritimes Division rival Acadie-Bathurst (35-15-7-2) into the Eastlink Centre for a 7 p.m. showdown. The Titan, with 79 points, sit eight points up on the Islanders for second in the division.

Charlottetown has been a bane to the Titan this year and lead the season series 5-1, including 3-0 at home.

Aside from a recent 7-1 loss to Acadie-Bathurst, Getson said the secret is simple.

“We’ve gotten good goaltending against Bathurst. But we have to play our system, finish our hits, play really hard because they’re a good team. Play to our identity,” said Getson, who has 43 goals and 100 points in 244 games with the Isles.

Isles head coach Jim Hulton said it is a “huge week” for his club, particularly playing two teams in Acadie-Bathurst and Victoriaville that were ultra-aggressive at the deadline and are playing extremely good hockey. Victoriaville is also a possible first-round opponent for the Isles.

Hulton said he is a big fan of being tested at different times during a season.

“The confidence in our game is back to where it need to be, so it’s a good time to have these guys coming in,” he said. “Let’s lay it on the line and see where we’re at.”

Tuesday is the last regularseason visits to Charlottetown for Titan defenceman and Summerside native Noah Dobson and former Isles’ first-round pick Mitchell Balmas.

Charlottetown hosts Victoriaville on Saturday at 7 p.m.

He Said It

“I don’t think there has been any team that has run away with it. Any of the top 10 and maybe a couple in the bottom six could win the league. It’s wide open and anyone could win the President’s Cup.”

Keith Getson, Charlottetown Islanders forward, on the parity in the QMJHL this season