Rematch is set
Islanders to play the Armada in semifinal series
It will be a rematch of last year’s semifinal for the Charlottetown Islanders.
The top-ranked BlainvilleBoisbriand Armada defeated the Moncton Wildcats 8-3 Friday to advance to the final four.
“They’re a really good team. They play extremely well in all areas. We’re going to have to be at our best, but we’re excited,” Isles head coach Jim Hulton said. “We’re hot, we’re on a roll, we’re getting great goaltending – all the things you need to have success at this time of the year.”
The Islanders swept the Halifax Mooseheads while the Armada took five games to bounce the Wildcats.
A year ago, the Islanders won the first game of the semifinal and were leading 4-2 eight minutes into the third period when the Armada scored three unanswered goals to tie the series. They’d win the next three games to advance to the final.
“We’re hot, we’re on a roll, we’re getting great goaltending – all the things you need to have success at this time of the year.” Islanders head coach Jim Hulton
At that time, the Isles had a high-powered offence while the Armada had the top-level goaltending.
“The roles are reversed a little bit,” Hulton acknowledged. “It’s the mark of two good teams that they’re back there again this year.”
The format for the league semifinal and final is 2-2-1-11. The schedule has not been announced, but it is expected to start next weekend in Boisbriand, Que.
Hulton said the team has been looking at it options for potential call-ups, if needed. It includes Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Wester Capitals sniper T.J. Shea.
“If we get into injuries, that’s a possibility,” Hulton said Friday. “We’ve talked about different scenarios of kids in the Quebec area in case somebody ever went down. It’s all hands on deck this time of year.”
Shea had 20 points in 12 playoff games after leading the league with 105 points in 48 regular season games. The Anglo/Tignish native, who turns 20 on May 24, played two games with the Isles earlier this season and is on the team’s protected list.
“He would probably be our first call-up because he’s an older, more experienced player than most guys on our list,” Hulton said.
The Capitals season came to an end Wednesday when they lost Game 7 to the Edmundston Blizzard in the Maritime Junior Hockey League semifinal.
The Islanders also have Capitals forward Zach Thususka of Summerside and Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild forward Evan Gallant of Abram-Village on its protected list.
Hulton said forward Drew Johnston of the Saint John major midget squad, Wild defenceman Zac Arsenault of Montague and goalie Nolan Boyd, who played this season with the Subaru Steele major midget team in Nova Scotia, have all came to watch Islanders playoff games.
The Islanders received some good news regarding centre Thomas Casey this week. The Charlottetown native left the third period of Game 4 against Halifax with an upper-body injury. It has been diagnosed as a bruised shoulder and he is day to day.
“He had way more range and mobility than anticipated,” Hulton said.
During the playoffs, the Islanders have gone with a 22man roster, which includes one defenceman and one forward not dressing for games.