Rookies star in Islanders home-ice win
Charlottetown earns five of a possible six points in three games
Rookies Aksels Ozols and Anthony Flanagan made the most of their opportunity to get back into the Charlottetown Islanders’ lineup.
The two rookies starred in a 7-2 home-ice win over the Moncton Wildcats on Feb. 25 to cap an impressive week for the Islanders, who won two of three games over a fourday stretch and earned five of a possible six points against teams ahead of them in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) standings.
Ozols, making his first start since Feb. 10, stopped 33 of 35 shots, including some key saves early in the game to prevent the Wildcats from jumping out in front.
Ozols’ busiest period was the second when he stopped 16 of 17 shots as the Islanders took a 4-1 lead into the dressing room after 40 minutes of play before 3,203 fans at Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.
Flanagan, also playing his first game since Feb. 10, scored a goal and added an assist. Flanagan’s fifth tally of the season at 5:13 of the third period gave the Islanders a 5-1 lead.
OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Charlottetown team captain Michael Horth scored twice to reach the 30-goal mark, and Simon Hughes of Stratford, P.E.I., contributed a three-point performance – one goal and two assists.
Kyle Powers (1-1), Will Allen and Cole Huckins rounded out the scoring for the Islanders, who defeated the Cape Breton Eagles 3-1 on Feb. 22 and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Wildcats in Moncton, N.B., on Feb. 24.
Charlottetown sophomore defenceman Marcus Kearsey contributed three assists while Ross Campbell (2) of Souris, P.E.I., Carl-etienne Michel (2) and Alexis Michaud also earned helpers for Charlottetown.
The Islanders, who led 2-0 after the opening period, improved to 24-26-4-2 (wonlost-overtime losses-shootout losses).
The Islanders remain two points behind the seventhplace Acadie-bathurst Titan (25-27-3-3) in the Eastern Conference.
Vincent Collard (1-1) and Caleb Desnoyers replied for the Wildcats (32-18-4-3).
The Islanders directed 29 shots at Wildcats goaltender Keegan Warren, who has family connections to P.E.I.
The Islanders went 1-for-2 on the power play and killed off all four of Moncton’s man advantages.
The game’s three stars were:
1. Aksels Ozols (Islanders),
2. Marcus Kearsey (Islanders),
3. Anthony Flanagan (Islanders).
OFF TO QUEBEC
The Islanders open a stretch of three games in four days in Quebec against the Blainvilleboisbriand Armada (25-264-1) on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., AT. The Islanders also visit the Western Conference-leading Drummondville Voltigeurs (40-11-5-1) on March 1 at 8 p.m., and the Victoriaville Tigres (36-17-3-0) on March 2 at 5 p.m.
The Islanders’ next home game is against the Wildcats on March 9 at 7 p.m.