Islanders come up short in road contest

Age mattered in the Rimouski Oceanic’s 4-2 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Wednesday as overager Olivier Garneau netted the eventual game-winning goal with just under three minutes left in the second period.

Charlottetown’s Nikita Alexandrov (1-1) did his best to close the two-goal gap with a marker just over two minutes later making it 3-2 in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game, but Summerside native Carson MacKinnon potted an insurance goal (his first goal of the year) four minutes into the third and secured the victory in Rimouski.

Brett Budgell (1-1), named the game’s third star, tallied his first of the season in the second frame. Pierre-Olivier Joseph recorded the assist on the score.

Charle-Edouard D’Astous (1-1) and Dmitry Zavgorodniy (1-1) had the other Oceanic markers.

Charlottetown’s Matthew Welsh (2-2) stopped 34-of-38 shots in the loss, while Rimouski’s Colton Ellis (3-1) kicked aside 32of-34 shots.

The teams combined to go 2-for-10 on the power play. Rimouski led 1-0 after the first period and 3-2 at the second intermission.

Charlottetown (2-3-1) returns to the ice Friday in an 8:30 p.m. AT contest against the leagueleading Drakkar (5-0-0-1) in Baie-Comeau as the Island squad continues its swing through Quebec.

The Isles wrap the road trip Saturday in Chicoutimi versus the Sagueneens (5 p.m. AT).