Ally Harris

By Ally Harris

After a 4-2 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic in the first round, the Islanders are off to round two, where they take on the second-seeded Shawinigan Cataractes. 

Shawinigan advanced to the second round with a 4-1 series victory over the Sherbrooke Phoenix, winning four games in a row after dropping game one at home.

With the teams having to travel a long distance between the two cities, the series will follow a 2-3-2 format, with the three home games taking place April 11th, 12th, and 14th.

Regular Season

The Cataractes finished the regular season second in the standings with 93 points and a 44-19-4-1 record. They easily won the East Division, finishing 14 points ahead of the second-best team in the division, which was the Oceanic.

The Cataractes were active during the December trading period to completely makeover their team, adding big pieces like Dmytro Timashov from Quebec, Danny Moynihan and Cavan Fitzgerald from Halifax, and Philippe Cadorette from Baie-Comeau.

The Islanders and the Cataractes met twice in the regular season, with both games taking place in the second half of the season. The Cataractes came away victorious from both contests. The first game took place at the Eastlink Centre on February 3rd. The Cataractes won that game 7-3, although the final score wasn’t necessarily indicative of the play.

“I don't think it was a 7-3 game. I don't think that was a fair reflection of the game. If I walked away with anything from this evening, it's that we can play with anybody in the league when our focus is where it needs to be,” Head Coach Jim Hulton said after that contest.

The second game took place on February 27th in Shawinigan and was a 3-1 loss for the Islanders, with Kameron Kielly scoring the lone goal late in the third period.

Home and Away

One of the strengths of the Islanders’ second half was their play at home. That loss to Shawinigan on February 3rd was one of just three losses on home ice after Christmas for the Islanders. Including the three games in the first round of the playoffs, the Islanders have won 17 of their 19 home games in 2016.

With the overall record that Shawinigan had, it’s unsurprising that they also had winnings records both at home and on the road. They were 22-11-0-1 on home ice, and 22-8-4-0 on the road. In the first round, they won both of their road games and were 2-1-0-0 in their home games.

Goaltending

Fortunately for the Islanders, goaltending wasn’t a storyline for Charlottetown in the first round this year. In the Rimouski-Charlottetown series, the focus was more on the Oceanic’s goaltending situation, which allowed Mason McDonald to just fly under the radar and get the job done. That’s exactly what he did, with a 2.72 GAA and a 0.922 SAV% in the series.

“It’s been pretty easy,” McDonald said after the series-clinching game six. “The guys made it pretty easy on me, keeping shots to the outside and what not. It’s been fun.”

At the other end of the ice for the Cataractes will be Philippe Cadorette. 20-year-old Cadorette spent the first half of the season playing pros after being invited to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s training camp, and then played four games in the ECHL with the Norfolk Admirals. He allowed 11 goals in those four games, a GAA of 9.09. Baie-Comeau shipped him to Shawinigan during the trading period and in the first round he had a 1.96 GAA and a 0.926 SAV%.

Defense

The Islanders gave up 18 goals in six games in round 1, giving them a goal differential of +8. Only five Islanders players finished the round with a negative plus/minus – all with a -1 – and Luc Deschênes led the way as a +7. 

Aside from game three, which the Islanders dominated, most of the games in the first-round series were tight-checking games, with three of them being decided in overtime. Hulton believes the team has become much more comfortable in those types of games, and they’ll have to continue to do so in the next round.

Shawinigan, meanwhile, allowed 11 goals in their five games, an average of 2.2 per game. None of their players finished with a +/- of less than zero, and five players finished as a +7.

Offense

The Islanders had plenty of offense to rely on in the first round.

“Every line was firing. All four lines were going,” said forward Daniel Sprong.

The only players to appear in a game and not pick up a point in the first round was Carl Gervais, who only appeared in two games. Even Mason McDonald picked up an assist in one game.

In game three alone, 16 of the Isles’ 18 skaters registered a point. Samuel Blais leads the way with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) – ranking him third among all players – followed by Sprong with nine points (three goals, six assists). Defenceman Alexis Vanier came alive in the series and leads the team in goals with five.

Shawinigan is led in the playoffs by Dmytro Timashov with nine points (two goals and seven assists), and Alexis D’Aoust – who also leads the team in goals – with eight points (five goals and three assists).

Special Teams

The Islanders certainly have the advantage when it comes to special teams. Their power play was clicking in the first round with a 32.0% success rate, good for third-best in the league, while Shawinigan’s power play was at just 16.7%.

On the penalty kill, the Islanders weren’t that impressive with a rate of 77.3%. But their numbers still fare better than Shawinigan’s, who were a second-worst 67.9%.

The Islanders were lucky to avoid the surging Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the second round, but will still face a big challenge in the second-seeded Cataractes. 

The second round of the QMJHL playoffs gets underway on Thursday night in Shawinigan at 8 p.m. AST. Fans can catch the game shown live at Ise’s Sports Bar or can tune in to George Matthews on Fair Isle Ford Isles Radio.

By Ally Harris

If there’s one word to describe the Charlottetown Islanders right now, it’d be confident. 

The Islanders enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the league, with a seven-game winning streak on the go.

And unlike the Islanders of years past, the team doesn’t just have its sights set on winning a playoff round. This team is preparing to go all the way.

“We’re gonna look to make it a couple of rounds this year and go for the championship,” said goaltender Mason McDonald. “I think we have the team to do that, especially the way we’ve been playing in the second half.”

But before they can do that, they have to advance past the first round. The Islanders will open the playoffs on Friday on the road against the Rimouski Oceanic.

“It’s a good matchup for us,” said McDonald. “We got the team we wanted and now we just have to execute. We’ll have a good week of practice, go to Rimouski and be ready for game one.”

“This is the most confident we’ve been all year,” said forward Keith Getson. “Everybody knows in our room we’re playoff ready and we’re excited to embrace the challenge.”

Regular Season

The Islanders faced off against the Oceanic twice in the regular season, allowing just one goal in regulation in the process. As things worked out, it was Matt Welsh who was the goaltender in both games.

The first game between the teams was in Rimouski back in October. That game was scoreless through regulation and overtime, and took a six-round shootout before Hunter Moreau finally put one in the back of the net to give the Oceanic the 1-0 win. Welsh also stopped a pair of penalty shots in that game.

When the teams met again at the Eastlink Centre in January, it was the Islanders who this time came away with the two points in a 3-1 victory. Jake Coughler, Brad Kennedy, and Mitchell Balmas scored for the Islanders in that contest as Welsh turned away 26 shots.

Home and Away

The Islanders did everything they needed to do to try and earn home ice at the end of the regular season, but the Oceanic did everything they needed to do to stop them. 

While home ice would have been nice for the Islanders – they are 13-1 in their last 14 home games – being on the road for the extra game isn’t the end of the world. The Islanders have also been impressive on the road lately: they are 7-3-0-0 in their last 10 away from the Eastlink Centre.

For the Islanders, it doesn’t matter whether they’re at home or on the road. The end goal is still the same.

“Either way it’s the same thing,” said Getson. “We’re gonna go into another team’s barn, we’re gonna get two points.”

Rimouski have also been winning at home recently, going 7-2-1-0 at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in their last 10 games there. On the season, they have an impressive 23-8-3-0 record at home. On the road, they are 13-17-2-2.

Goaltending

Goaltending was the number one story of the playoffs last year with McDonald getting injured in game three of the first round.

The Islanders hope it’ll be a different story this year.

Goaltenders can be the difference maker in the playoffs and the Isles have all the confidence in the world in McDonald, who has had a strong end to the season.

“Mason is as sharp as I’ve seen him, rounding into form at the perfect time,” said Head Coach Jim Hulton.

McDonald, meanwhile, is just doing what he does best.

“I’m just doing what I do all the time: going out there and playing hockey. (I’m) not thinking about numbers, not thinking about wins, losses – just going out and playing.”

And if lightning does strike twice, it doesn’t hurt that the Islanders have a solid backup in Matt Welsh.

For Rimouski, Louis-Philip Guindon appeared in 57 games this season, posting 32 wins, a 2.81 GAA, and a 0.905 SAV%.

Defense

The Islanders have tightened up defensively in the second half. In their past 12 games, they’ve given up more than three goals just once. 

Hulton said the most impressive thing about the Islanders’ last seven wins was the way they’d won those games.

“In particular, this last seven have all been tight-checking, low scoring games. And that’s what playoff hockey is all about.”

In the first half of the season, and even early in the second half, the team was struggling in close games where they needed to defend a lead. That hasn’t been the case lately.

“We’re comfortable now with the lead,” said Hulton. “We kind of got over that rough patch where we blew some leads and we seem to be comfortable now in a lot of different situations, and that’s what playoffs are all about. 

“You can expect the unexpected, and you have to be prepared for anything and everything.”

Offense

Offense hasn’t been a problem for the Islanders since Christmas. With the addition of guys like Daniel Sprong and Samuel Blais on the roster, the Isles have scored 131 goals in 33 games – just under four goals a game.

What Hulton was most impressed with about the Islanders’ last two games of the season was the fact that none of the goals were scored on the power play.

“There was a stretch of time there where we seemed to (depend) on our power play to create any momentum offensively. We understand now that we have to be able to grind some teams down 5-on-5.”

Blais led the team in scoring with 82 points (33 goals and 49 assists), ahead of Brad Kennedy with 56 points (25 goals and 31 assists) and Filip Chlapik with 54 (12 goals and 42 assists).

For Rimouski, Antoine Dufort-Plante led the way with 63 points (23 goals and 40 assists), followed by Dylan Montcalm with 59 points (23 goals and 36 assists) and Tyler Boland with 54 (26 goals and 28 assists).

Special Teams

Although the power play didn’t score over the weekend, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been hot this season. 

The Islanders had the league’s third-best power play over the regular season, clicking at 24.9%. Rimouski’s power play was 7th, at 22.8%.

Their penalty kills are the other way around. Rimouski’s penalty kill is third in the league and has an 81.1% success rate. The Islanders rate of 78.6% is 8th overall.

By Ally Harris

Christmas came early this year for Nate Bambrick.

The 5-year-old Islanders fan, who was hit by a car in October, had a special visit on Tuesday as Isles forward Kameron Kielly stopped by his house to surprise him and check in on his recovery.

Nate was all smiles as one of his favourite players knocked on the door and sat down on his couch with him to give him some goodies.

“I’m playing Santa today,” joked Kielly, as Nate pulled items such as an autographed team poster and a COWS Islanders shirt out of an Islanders treat bag.

By the time Kielly presented him with one a signed jersey and a stick signed by the whole team, Nate’s smile was as bright as the Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

Initially, he was a little bit reluctant to put the jersey on.

“I think it’s a little too big for me,” he said.

But eventually, he changed his mind and modeled his new game-worn jersey.

“How does it smell?” he was asked.

“Gross!”

Nate will also get to enjoy an upcoming home game at the Eastlink Centre, watching from the Halliwell Consulting Group box with Kielly alongside.

Nate’s mother, Angie, said he is a big hockey fan.

“If you say ‘Who do you cheer for?’, he’ll say ‘the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Islanders,’” she said.

“We haven’t been to a game since the accident. We went to the home opener and he really liked it.”

Nate is such a big hockey fan, that after showing Kielly some of his favourite toys, he invited him downstairs for a game of air hockey.

Playing against one of the Islanders, Nate had to use some of his trusted tactics.

“Look over there!” he called out. Then, as Kielly’s back was turned, he sent the puck down his end of the table.

But in the end, Nate won fair and square. 

He then went into the next room, where he trounced Kielly in a few games of Tic-Tac-Toe, winning 3-0.

“Well, at least I beat you in air hockey,” said Kielly.

“No, I beat you!”

It was a great way for Nate, who has had to stay home from Kindergarten for the past few weeks, to spend the afternoon.

“I had no idea that any of this was going to happen,” said Angie. “It’s great.”

By Ally Harris

This story was the main feature in the team’s second in-game program for the 2015-16 season

The Charlottetown Islanders have every right to have so much faith in Matthew Welsh.

The rookie goaltender, a second-round pick of the Isles in this summer’s QMJHL Entry Draft, has earned his spot on the Islanders roster right out of his first training camp with the team.

Making the opening night roster with Isles’ number one goaltender Mason McDonald away at the Calgary Flames’ training camp, Welsh proved his worth right out of the gate.

His first game came against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in game two of the Islanders’ season. He made 20 saves in the game as the Isles came away with a 5-0 victory.

“That was a pretty special night,” he said. “The guys did everything they could to make sure I secured that and that meant a lot to me. It really shows that I have good teammates and good coaches behind me - I really respect that.”

But it wasn’t just that first game he impressed in. He’s given the Islanders a chance to win in every game he’s started.

“His on-ice performance has been above impressive,” said Islanders Head Coach Jim Hulton. “I mean, he’s had two regulation shutouts in his first four starts to start his career, which is basically unheard of.”

“It’s exciting,” said Welsh. “Obviously it’s been a good start for me and our team, (we were) 4-0 out of the gate.”

“(We’ve had) a couple of losses recently but we’re still a tight-knit group and it’s always good to know the team’s gonna be there for you no matter what – your lows and your highs.”

Despite the season still being young, Welsh has already experienced a couple of those highs and lows. In his third game against Moncton on Sept. 27, he was pulled midway through the game after giving up five goals – although Hulton says it was more of a wake-up call to the team than anything else.

“I think we were very porous in front of him. We gave up three goals in particular that he had no chance on because their guy was wide open in front of the net, so that’s a system error more than a goalie error. 

“Sometimes you pull the goalie to try to wake up the rest of the group and send a message there. We explained that to him and, true to form, he handled it professionally.”

“Being a rookie goalie, you’re adapting to the league and the speed of the play and those games are going to happen,” said Welsh. “(My teammates were) just kind of telling me that since they are going to happen, you have to have a short memory. You have to forget about them and move on, and I think knowing that my teammates have my back, it’s a lot easier to do that.

Welsh gives his teammates a lot of credit for his hot start. One teammate in particular he gives credit to is his fellow goaltender, Mason McDonald.

“Mason’s been a role model for me since I’ve been younger, but getting to play with him is a really great experience for me,” he said. “Just seeing his habits in practice and off the ice – the stretches he does and how much he emphasizes on everything he does. He has such a pro mentality, he’s somebody that’s really good to look up to and learn from, and I’m just trying to do as much of that as I can.”

Hulton said the relationship between his two goalies – both on and off the ice – is important.

“They already have a good relationship built up and it’s a healthy competition, but a respectful one. The goalie position is very unique and not a lot of us can understand it, so I think having Mason and (goalie coach) Paul Drew around, and having a constant line of communication with those two is extremely important.”

McDonald, who said he’s been very impressed with the rookie’s start, joked he may have to up his game this season with Welsh behind him.

“He’s had quite the start – he already has as many (career) shutouts as me. 

“He’s been great, he’s come in here and done a great job. He’s put up a couple of wins, he’s done what he’s needed to do, he’s given our team a chance every time he’s been in.”

The credit he gives to his teammates is just one example of his professionalism, which seems to be a key theme when discussing Welsh’s game.

“I think the impressive part of Matt is how he conducts himself on a daily basis,” said Hulton. “He has a maturity beyond his years, he has a very calm and controlled demeanor and that’s exactly how he plays.”

Welsh’s maturity was particularly evident in his next start following the Moncton game. Starting in Rimouski in the third of a three-game Quebec road trip, he fought until the end to give his team the chance to win despite a lack of scoring in front of him.

“It was a big test for him,” Hulton said of the game, which the Islanders ended up losing 1-0 in a shootout. “We had the same question marks, wondering how it was going to affect his psyche and his mental approach to the game, but he responded with flying colours and probably had the best game of his career in Rimouski.”

“That was another pretty special game,” said Welsh. “It’s one of those games where you just dial in and our team played well defensively.”

“It just shows that he has the ability to put bad games behind him which is usually an acquired skill at a young age,” said Hulton.

Welsh will be called upon to help the team out this season – especially with McDonald expected to fight for a spot on Canada’s World Juniors team – but Hulton believes he is up to the challenge.

“There might be pressure, but if I’m in Matt’s shoes I’m actually a little bit relieved because now I know I’m here. I think sometimes the pressure of having competition outweighs the pressure of expectation.”

And Welsh is more than ready to meet those expectations.

By Ally Harris

This story was the main feature in the team’s third in-game program of the 2015-16 season

Filip Chlapik feels much more comfortable in his second year with the Islanders.

When the 18-year-old joined the team last year, everything was foreign for the Czech Republic native – literally.

Although he had learned some English in school at home, when he came to Canada he found it difficult to talk to his teammates.

“I spoke English, but when I came here, the accent was so different it was like I didn’t speak English,” he says.

But this year is a different story.

“It’s so much easier than last year because I know all the boys. I changed my billet family but I can speak English so it’s so much easier. Everything is going well.”

Before getting drafted into the CHL, Chlapik had been to Canada once when he represented his country at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Cape Breton, but had never been to Canada’s smallest province.

But in his second year here, he’s enjoying his time in Prince Edward Island.

“It’s a nice spot in the summer. But in the winter it’s a lot of snow, a lot of shoveling.”

Last winter, which was bad even by Canadian standards, was particularly surprising for Chlapik, who isn’t used to seeing that much snow in his home country.

“It was crazy. My father was here with my grandfather and they were stuck for like three days, so they couldn’t fly back to Czech. (You had to) shovel every day.”

Aside from living in a new country, there were also some different aspects of the game that Chlapik had to get used to last season, such as the smaller rink sizes.

“It was different. Not difficult (to get used to) but it was different. In Europe you have so much space and you can do everything that you want, you get a puck and you get a hit everywhere.”

He seemed to adapt pretty easily, finishing the season second in team scoring with 33 goals and 42 assists for 75 points in 65 games.

“This year I know how everything’s going and I have more experience but last year was good too. Everything was new so I enjoyed it a lot.” 

Although the 2015-16 season is still young, Chlapik has now well and truly settled in as a Charlottetown Islander. He spends most of his time with his teammates, even when not at the rink.

“With the guys, we’re always doing something. We go to eat and stuff like that or I’m home playing Playstation.”

One teammate in particular that he spends a lot of time with is Filip Rydstrom.

“My billet family’s like a one minute walk from his, so we are together almost every day,” says Chlapik. “It’s so much fun.”

“It’s better than last year. I didn’t know the boys too much and I didn’t feel in the start like friends because I couldn’t talk with them. So every practice I went home every time and I was homesick a little bit, so it’s better now.”

Chlapik had a great chance to improve his English this summer, spending most of the offseason in North America. It began with the NHL Entry Draft, where he was taken in the second round by the Ottawa Senators at 48th overall.

“It was nice,” he said. “This summer was pretty busy. I (went) home after the combine testing, (but) I wasn’t home at all after the draft. We had a camp right after the draft, so I didn’t get home at all. But the draft, it was crazy.”

He also went to the Senators’ main camp in September, where he got to watch NHL players at work.

“It was a lot of experience, to see the NHL players and how they work hard. They’re best on the team and they really work on their bodies and everything so it’s nice to see them,” he says.

“I wasn’t there too long, but I just saw how they prepare for the games and practices.”

And all of this new experience, combined with an increased comfort level with the team, is translating onto the ice. Chlapik leads the team in scoring through the first two months of the season and believes the team has what it takes to make a long playoff run this year.

“We’re getting better every game. We have a new coach which is great and he wants to get us to the best point. 

By Ally Harris

The Charlottetown Islanders picked up another big two points with a 6-5 overtime win against the Saint John Sea Dogs in front of a sellout crowd at the Eastlink Centre on Friday night.

A one-timer from Alexandre Goulet at 4:23 of the overtime period gave the Isles the extra point in their final home game of the season. They now sit a point ahead of the Sea Dogs in the standings.

“It’s all about gaining momentum at the right time and we seem to be getting pretty hot going into the playoffs,” said Isles captain Ryan MacKinnon. “That win keeps us where we want to be and was definitely huge.”

Isles head coach Gordie Dwyer said the team was excited to hear the game had sold out.

“As soon as the players hear about it, there’s an energy, there’s a buzz, and it’s great to see the Island come out and support the team. The players fed off it and it was a great atmosphere and a great hockey game today.”

“Every time you fill a rink you want to come out and have a great performance,” said forward Ross Johnston.

“To see the Eastlink Centre like that, it’s huge,” said MacKinnon. “Hopefully we can still see that in playoffs. They’re the sixth man – when they’re loud, we’re going.”

The scoring was back and forth throughout the game, but Filip Rydstrom got it going midway through the first period with an unassisted goal as his slapshot from the faceoff dot found its way through traffic.

The Isles tried to take the lead into the first intermission but in the final minute of the period, two Isles took penalties to put the Sea Dogs on a 5-on-3. Jakub Zboril got the goal from the front of the net, with the assist going to Spencer Smallman.

Filip Chlapik put the Isles back ahead just 93 seconds into the second by outwaiting Saint John goaltender Sebastien Auger and dragging the puck around his pads.

Two minutes later the game was tied up again. After Kameron Kielly was hauled down at one end of the ice and play carried on, the Sea Dogs took the puck back down the other end and Thomas Chabot tied it at 2.

Rydstrom’s second of the night at 14:26 put the Islanders ahead once again thanks to a backhand shot with assists from MacKinnon and Johnston.

But before the end of the period, the score was 3-3 as Justice Dundas grabbed a rebound to tie the game once again.

Chlapik scored early again in the third to put his team back in front, putting the puck into an open net 1:49 into the period. Daniel Sprong and David Henley recorded assists on the goal.

The Sea Dogs just managed to tie things up a few minutes later as a shot from Bokondiji Imama just snuck over the shoulder of Daryl MacCallum.

Then midway through the third, the Sea Dogs took their first lead of the game as Mathieu Joseph notched an unassisted goal to make it 5-4.

Late in the period, the Islanders went to the power play and pulled MacCallum shortly after to give them a two-man advantage. With 1:06 to play, the team thought they’d tied things up, but the goal was waived off. But then just seconds later, Johnston found a puck in the crease and threw it up high to send the game to overtime with less than a minute remaining.

“Spronger got the puck through to me and with a little bit of luck I got it in,” said Johnston.

In the extra period, Kameron Kielly set up Alexandre Goulet for the one-timer at the 4:23 mark to give the Islanders the 6-5 win. Dexter Weber picked up the second assist on the goal.

Daryl MacCallum got the start in net with Mason McDonald being given a rest before the playoffs.

“I was so excited to play at home again,” he said. “The boys came together and helped me out a lot and they deserve this win.”

“He stood on his head tonight and did a great job,” said MacKinnon. “It’s great to see for him.”

Dwyer said he was pleased with MacCallum’s performance.

“He responded well in a big game for us and gave us a chance to win, so that’s all you can ask for.”

MacCallum made 26 saves between the pipes, while Auger made 45 saves at the other end of the ice as the Isles threw 51 shots on net.

The Islanders play their final game of the regular season – and find out who their playoff opponents will be – as they travel to Moncton tomorrow afternoon.

“In this league you can play good any night but you gotta bounce back tomorrow,” said MacKinnon. “We can enjoy tonight but come to work (tomorrow) and be ready.”

By Ally Harris

The Charlottetown Islanders received some good news last weekend as Filip Rydstrom rejoined the lineup after missing 18 games.

“I was happy to get him back,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer. “He’s a guy who quietly before he got hurt was one our top minute-getters as a forward and played in a lot of critical situations.”

The Swedish rookie went down with a broken ankle Jan. 23 against Acadie-Bathurst and had surgery shortly after. He was projected to be out for at least six weeks, but could have potentially missed the remainder of the season.

After missing seven weeks of action, Rydstrom was glad to finally get back on the ice against Cape Breton on Saturday.

“It feels unreal. I’ve been working hard on this and it’s good to be back out there,” he said.

Dwyer said Rydstrom’s quick recovery was down to his work ethic and the work of the Islanders’ medical staff.

“Credit to Filip for working hard and coming back, and the whole medical staff, led by Kevin Elliott, to really get him back on his feet.”

Rydstrom had a strong first game back, seeing time on the penalty kill and doing a good job of breaking up passes and blocking shots. To cap it off, he scored the game-winning goal in the third period as the team won 3-1.

“He was hard to play against, he won a lot of faceoffs and obviously scored a big goal for us, so it was great to have him back in the lineup and put his injury behind him and move forward,” said Dwyer.

He was reunited with his former linemates Oliver Cooper and Ross Johnston, which Dwyer said probably helped him perform well.

“Spenser (Cobbold) had played there for the last little while and played well, but we felt that Filip was comfortable with those players and I think that familiarity probably helped in his first game back.”

And Cooper and Johnston were both happy to have him back.

“Him scoring was pretty special,” said Cooper. “Everyone on the team was really excited for him and we’re glad to have him back.

“Right from the beginning of the year when Ross came back from injury, we kind of clicked and when you have chemistry you don’t really lose it, you just pick up from where you were.”

“I thought he did great,” said Johnston. “He was great in his own end and obviously was rewarded with a big game-winning goal.”

Dwyer is certainly pleased to have such a key player back with playoffs just around the corner.

“I can’t say enough for the work that he and Kevin put in to get back and for him to be able to step in and deliver an important game for us and score the game-winning goal is huge.

By Ally Harris

Daniel Sprong hasn’t let the pressure of being draft-eligible weigh down on his play this season.

Last year’s MVP has had an excellent second season with the team, leading the team in all three offensive categories.

“I’m happy with my season,” he said. “I progressed a lot as a two-play player and I put up pretty good numbers. I had a good second half and I hope that can continue going into the playoffs.”

He has recorded 37 goals and 48 assists for 85 points so far this year, placing him in the top 15 in league scoring.

Sprong said he’s tried to put the draft to the back of his mind and just focus on the game.

“At the beginning of the year we looked a lot at the rankings, but right now we’re worried about playing a game at a time.”

“As a young guy, there’s lots to deal with, but I think Daniel did a good job of parking those distractions and really focusing back on what makes him a top offensive player,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer.

Sprong has spent the year on the top line with Alexandre Goulet and rookie Filip Chlapik. Sprong and Chlapik have built great chemistry over the season, even though it didn’t come right away.

“In the start it wasn’t bad but we both wanted the puck,” said Chlapik. “Daniel was a big star last year and I was a star last year too, so we came and we both wanted to do our best.

“Now, it’s pretty good. We try to find the other guy and if we play together, we can do really good things.”

Sprong said he feels his overall game has improved this year thanks to the veteran presence in the Islanders’ locker room.

“We had a lot of veterans this year with Ryan (MacKinnon) and Ross (Johnston) in the room, who really showed me how to become more of a leader and what it takes to become effective in this league and of course in the next level. I’ve been really working hard on my two-way game and I think it’s been really improved.”

And MacKinnon, who was traded in from Rimouski in the offseason, has been impressed with what he’s seen from the 18-year-old.

“This is the first year I’ve really been able to see the skill set he has,” he said. “He definitely has a bright future ahead of him, hopefully he can put it all together and make it work.”

His teammates and coaches have also been impressed with the way he has dealt with numerous distractions over the course of the season.

“It’s part of becoming a player, learning to deal with expectations and distractions and narrowing your focus on your development as a player,” said Dwyer. “It’s a lesson to be learned for any player.

“He’s our leading goal scorer, he’s our leading point getter and he’s had an excellent offensive season, but in the second half he’s really taken his game in hand and gone back to being that explosive guy night in and night out.”

“A lot of people see him having a huge year, but he’s just 18 years old,” said MacKinnon. “He’s still a young kid going through a lot of things that no one’s ever experienced before. At the start of the year he had some difficulties dealing with it but he definitely learned how to.

By Ally Harris

Alexandre Goulet has had another strong season for the Charlottetown Islanders.

After a good rookie campaign last year, the 18-year-old’s offensive numbers have increased this season, and his defensive capabilities have improved at the same time.

Islanders head coach Gordie Dwyer said Goulet had some difficulties to begin the season, but was able to overcome those obstacles.

“It’s his second year, there’s a lot more expectations heading into your second year. We had a lot of new faces.

“He switched from the centre to the wing and had a few different linemates throughout the season, but after a slow start I think he’s been one of our best players, especially offensively.”

Goulet had an exciting start to the season when he was invited to the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp in September.

“I really liked my experience at the Habs camp,” he said. “I learned that I have to keep moving my feet.”

Although he had a slightly slow start to the year, he had a particularly strong streak in the middle of the season. He posted 33 goals and 25 assists on the season, with 38 of those points coming between November and January.

“In the second half of the season where he really caught fire, obviously he was a key factor in our team’s success,” said Dwyer. “Certainly in the second half he’s been excellent for us.”

But it isn’t all about the offensive numbers. He has also been a reliable player for the Islanders in defensive roles.

As well as being a regular on the team’s power play, he has also become a key part of the penalty killing team which has been strong this year, particularly on the road.

“I had the chance to play on the penalty kill this year, too,” said Goulet. “I’m happy to play on the power play and the penalty kill, it means that I can play good two ways.”

Dwyer said Goulet’s defensive play has significantly improved lately.

“He’s developed into a really reliable two-way player, and especially recently he’s been a really key player on our special teams, both the power play and the penalty kill.

By Ally Harris

If you didn’t know who Filip Chlapik was before this season started, you certainly do now.

After being selected 11th overall by the Charlottetown Islanders in the 2014 European Entry Draft, Chlapik has had a strong first year in the league.

“We drafted him in the CHL draft, knowing that he had a chance at being a good player, but he’s had an excellent season in his first year in the Canadian Hockey League,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer.

Playing on the first line alongside last year’s rookie sensation Daniel Sprong, Chlapik has recorded 31 goals and 40 assists for 71 points in 62 games this season. His 31 goals and 71 points are both franchise rookie records.

“Every goal I made before the season I (met), but it’s not over and we have a lot of games ahead,” he said.

“When Fil got drafted in the Euro Draft, I was looking forward to playing with him and in training camp we connected a bit,” said Sprong.

Chlapik and Sprong didn’t click right away, but as the season went on they developed good chemistry.

“We have two different styles, we didn’t really have a lot of chemistry at the beginning of the year. We both wanted the puck a lot, we were used to being the guy in control,” said Sprong.

“We went out for lunch and we talked about how we have to play more together. We both noticed that we each have the puck a good amount and to play together we’re gonna be effective. Me and Goulet already had good chemistry and then with Fil coming in, our line really stepped up.”

And like his linemate, Chlapik has performed well despite the pressure of being eligible for the NHL Draft this summer.

“He’s obviously done an excellent job of putting himself on the map in his first year, and his play has done that,” said Dwyer.

Chlapik said the draft has played on his mind a bit, but has tried to put it aside.

“I think it does for everyone. We looked at the rankings and we talked about it, we wanted to go higher. We try and do our best and play our game and we’ll see after the season.”

The biggest difference for Chlapik this year has been the move to the North American style of hockey.

“It’s very different. It’s a smaller rink and it’s more physical so I don’t have time for what I did in Europe.”

Dwyer said he is impressed with how well Chlapik has adapted to playing in North America.

“I think that’s the story within the story: how well Filip has come over at the age of 17 and really fit in as our top line centre.

“I think that sometimes people don’t understand what that transition is for a young man to move away to another continent and pursue his dream.”

Having guys like Chlapik eligible to play for the Islanders for a few more years is definitely good for the future of the team, Dwyer said.

By Ally Harris

Mason McDonald has had a career year with the Charlottetown Islanders.

But that’s not surprising for the Islanders coaching staff.

“Mason’s consistency and success is no surprise to us,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer.

In his first full season with Charlottetown, McDonald has suited up for 56 games, posting 28 wins and 26 losses.

His 28 wins ties the Islanders’ franchise record and with two games left to play, he could very well set a new record.

“Sometimes you kind of take for granted the position of goaltending when you have an excellent goaltender. He’s a true number one goaltender and since we’ve acquired him last year, he continues to improve daily,” said Dwyer.

This season, McDonald’s goals against average has significantly lowered to 3.06, and his save percentage sits at 0.906, second in the league. Those numbers are both a career-best for McDonald.

“I think my positioning’s gotten better. My rebound control has definitely gotten better and I think the experience of being a starter has helped a lot.”

McDonald said being drafted by the Calgary Flames last summer gave him some confidence coming into the season, and that has grown as the season has gone on.

“It hasn’t really played a factor in my play because it’s just a draft number, but my confidence has grown throughout the year.”

It also helps that McDonald said he feels more comfortable with the team this season after being traded midseason from the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last year.

“Last season was kind of a weird year. I didn’t play on very good teams and this year being on a winning team is so much better. It’s much more fun coming to the rink and being around the guys and playing the games.”

It’s been a busy year for McDonald. Over his three-year QMHL career, he’s played in 111 games, and more than half of those have been this season. He has carried the workload for the team this year, but Dwyer said he has handled it well.

“He’s been everything we’ve hoped for and expected and I think Mason relishes that role. He wants the net every night, he doesn’t take that opportunity for granted.”

McDonald’s previous season-high for games played was 29 last year, split between Charlottetown and Acadie-Bathurst.

“It’s been a lot of work but it’s been fun,” said McDonald. “Coming into the season, I didn’t know I’d be playing this much, but it’s been great and I really enjoy it.”

His teammates certainly appreciate having him behind them.

“He’s definitely the backbone of this team,” said forward Ross Johnston. “He’s stood on his head, and some nights when we probably didn’t deserve to win he’s kept us in it. I can’t praise Mase enough.”

Dwyer said he has also developed into one of the team’s leaders in the dressing room.

“He’s a leader for his teammates and he’s an example for them by how well he takes care of himself, both his mental and physical preparation and post-game routine.

By Ally Harris

Ryan MacKinnon has never put up numbers quite like this.

The Summerside native has always been solid defensively, but in his first season with the Charlottetown Islanders, he’s added another dimension to his game.

“Normally I’m a ‘take care of my own end first’ kind of guy,” he said. “But this year I tried to expand that a little bit and I seemed to be rewarded a bit. Hopefully that can keep going.”

Through 62 games this season, MacKinnon has posted 10 goals and 38 assists for a career-high 48 points. His previous highs in those categories were 5 goals and 18 assists.

“Ryan’s been nothing short of excellent for us,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer. “He’s got the tools to be an offensive defenceman to go alongside his defensive awareness. He comes ready to play every night and obviously he’s had an excellent season.”

But while improving his offensive numbers, he hasn’t given up any of his responsibilities in his own zone.

“He routinely plays big minutes every night and plays against teams’ top players and he’s a go-to guy in all situations for us. He leads our group on the back end offensively and he’s our leader defensively,” said Dwyer.

Islanders goaltender Mason McDonald said having a guy like MacKinnon in front of him certainly makes life easier.

“He’s the backbone of our defence, he’s our best defenceman. We rely on him heavily every night and he always comes through.”

MacKinnon was brought in at the draft last year from Rimouski in exchange for a first-round pick in that draft and a fifth-round pick in 2015.

He’s enjoyed the opportunity to play in his home province.

“For me it was obviously different getting traded from Rimouski to P.E.I. I haven’t been home for a while and it’s definitely been nice to play in front of a lot of family and friends, which was a nice change.”

“We had discussions with Ryan before the season that it’s a new opportunity for him here in Charlottetown and we want him to just play,” said Dwyer. “I think he’s done a great job of that, of going out and playing and setting an example for his teammates.”

Shortly after returning home, he was named the team’s captain. Dwyer said having guys like MacKinnon has been huge for the young team.

“With our youth movement and having a lot of younger players in the lineup, it’s critical for our team’s success in the future to have players like Ryan. His season will not only have an effect on the team today, but for many years to come. He’s had that kind of impact on our team.”

“He always has a positive attitude, keeps the guys motivated and that’s what you need out of a captain,” said McDonald.

Overall, MacKinnon said he’s pleased with how the season has gone and hopes the success can continue into the playoffs.

By Ally Harris

Ross Johnston may have played only 42 games as a member of the Charlottetown Islanders, but he’s certainly had a big impact on the team.

The Islanders traded for Johnston last May, sending a first-round pick to Victoriaville in return.

He definitely hasn’t disappointed.

“We certainly saw an impact when he returned to the lineup,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer.

In his first season for the team, the Charlottetown native has so far registered 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points in 42 games, and is one of six players nominated for this year’s Most Valuable Player award.

“On a personal note, I think it started with a few ups and downs, and now it’s hopefully going on the right track,” he said.

The biggest ‘down’ of the season for Johnston was when he suffered an upper-body injury that required surgery while at the New York Islanders training camp in the preseason.

“You kind of expect to come back from NHL camp and play right away but the injury kind of put a damper on things,” he said. “The nerves and excitement kind of built up a little more than they probably were going to so it was pretty great when I finally got to play.”

With Johnston in the lineup, the Isles have posted a 24-17-0-3 record.

Dwyer said his presence was noticed when he finally saw game action on Nov. 15 against Johnston’s former team.

“Our group, especially early on in the season, could have used his presence and used his leadership. Unfortunately, him being out for an extended period of time kind of held everything back.

“He had an impact not only on how the team played but in helping to build team identity. Obviously with his return, it really helped that and stabilized our forward group. We seemed to be able to play a lot more consistent when he returned.”

Although Johnston has contributed some good offensive numbers – his 15 goals is the highest in his junior career – his biggest contribution to the team has been his leadership, Dwyer said.

“Ross was acquired by the Islanders not only for the obvious – his size, toughness, and presence on the ice – but he was also identified as a good leader and guy we thought could help not only be a presence for the younger guys on the ice, but help mould these guys for the future.

“His leadership has been excellent. He’s certainly up for every game and has a huge presence on the ice and probably an even bigger one in the dressing room.”

Isles captain Ryan MacKinnon played with Johnston when the pair were younger and has enjoyed the opportunity to reunite with his friend for their final year of junior.

“Getting traded home is always fun, but being able to play in front of your family and friends with a best friend like him, who I’ve been playing with my entire life, is a great thing that we’ve both been through.”

And Johnston has also enjoyed the chance to return home for his final year.

By Ally Harris

The Charlottetown Islanders moved up another place in the standings Saturday night with a 3-1 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

The Islanders now sit second in the Maritimes Division, jumping ahead of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

It was a quick turnaround for the Isles, who fell 5-3 to the Eagles last night.

“I thought they were two hard fought games against a team that’s playing really well,” said head coach Gordie Dwyer. “I thought for the most part the games could have gone either way. For us, being able to bounce back after not being able to pull out the win yesterday was big for our team.”

Filip Rydstrom made his return to the Islanders lineup after being out with a foot injury since Jan. 23 and ended up scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. He fit right back in with his old line of Ross Johnston and Oliver Cooper, who both said it was great to have him back.

“I thought he did great,” said Johnston. “He was great in his own end and obviously was rewarded with a big game-winning goal.”

“Him scoring was pretty special,” said Cooper. “Everyone on the team was really excited for him and we’re glad to have him back. Right from the beginning of the year when Ross came back from injury, we kind of clicked and when you have chemistry you don’t really lose it, you just pick up from where you were.”

Rydstrom said it felt good to be back out with Johnston and Cooper.

“It feels unreal. I’ve been working hard on this and it’s good to be back out there.”

After a scoreless opening 20, the Islanders finally broke the 0-0 tie late in the second. Kameron Kielly got his team on the board with his 16th of the season, putting home a beautiful backwards pass from Daniel Sprong. Ryan MacKinnon had the secondary assist on the goal.

The Eagles almost tied things up early in the third, hitting the post, but then midway through the period Evgeny Svechnikov did make the score 1-1 with a one-timer on a delayed penalty call.

But at the 15:34 mark, Rydstrom pulled a great move on Eagles goaltender Miguel Sullivan to grab the lead back for the Isles. He was able to stickhandle the puck around the pads of Sullivan, who tried to poke the puck away.

“(Brad) Kennedy worked hard, they turned it over and I came in on a breakaway and scored so it felt good,” he said.

Johnston sealed the deal for the Islanders with an empty net goal at the end of the period, tossing the puck in from centre ice.

The Eagles pulled Sullivan for a second time in the final minute of play just as the Isles got the puck into the zone, but he chased back to block a shot by Quinn O’Brien with his stick.

Mason McDonald made 36 saves in net for Charlottetown, picking up his 28th win of the season to tie the franchise record.

“He was sharp,” said Dwyer. “He was everything you want as a number one goaltender tonight. He held the fort. He gave us a chance to win tonight and we were able to find a way to win in the third period.”

“He’s our backbone,” said Johnston. “He’s always there for us no matter how bad or how good we are in front of him.”

By Ally Harris

A couple of early second period goals for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles helped them to a 5-3 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night at the Eastlink Centre.

The Islanders came within a goal in the final few minutes of play but could not find the equalizer.

Isles forward Ross Johnston said the team just fell too far behind to make it all the way back.

“In any game you’re gonna bend, the key is not to break. We broke a little and couldn’t climb back.”

“We’ve been tending to do that all year,” said captain Ryan MacKinnon. “In this league, it’s tough to take periods on and off. We definitely have to learn that the consistency part is huge in this league and once we figure that out, we should be OK.”

The Eagles got on the board first midway through the first while Luc Deschenes was in the box. Marcus Hinds dished the puck to Kyle Farrell at the side of the net who one-timed it past the glove of Mason McDonald at 11:14.

Charlottetown evened things up a couple of minutes later, with Brad Kennedy finding a loose puck in the crease. Neither goaltender Miguel Sullivan nor Kameron Kielly could find the puck, but Kennedy was able to get his stick on it and put it in the net.

“Rioux-Legault and Kielly did a good job on the wall, Kielly put it on goal and I found the loose puck and put it in,” said Kennedy.

The Islanders had a rough start to the second period, with the Eagles getting back in front after just 90 seconds. After Alex Goulet came close to scoring for Charlottetown, the Eagles took the puck back down the ice and Evgeny Svechnikov put home his 36th of the season.

Just a few minutes later, the Eagles went up by 2 with a goal from Maxim Lazarev at 5:15.

In the third the Isles tried to make a comeback, but the Eagles got even further ahead after Phelix Martineau made the score 4-1. Martineau had a wide-open net to shoot into after McDonald got out of position on the previous save.

The game got interesting in the later stages of the period after David Henley laid a huge hit on Martineau and fired up the Islanders bench.

“When you see guys like that put in what they do, it boosts the team’s morale. That’s what he did and it’s great to see,” said MacKinnon.

McDonald left the Charlottetown net with over four and a half minutes to play, and Filip Chlapik brought the score to 4-2 with a one-timer from up high while the Islanders had a power play at 16:03.

Daniel Sprong then made it a one-goal game with a big snapshot a couple of minutes later, but a miscommunication allowed the Eagles to seal the deal with an empty net goal. McDonald was headed to the bench as Cape Breton got hold of the puck, and then Farrell threw it in the open cage to make it a 5-3 final.

McDonald made 38 saves in the Isles net while Sullivan was huge at the other end of the ice, making 48 saves on the Islanders’ 51 shots.

The win puts the Eagles just three points shy of the Islanders in the standings and they can move to within one when the two teams meet again tomorrow night.

“This one was huge tonight, the one tomorrow is now even bigger,” said Johnston. “We got lots of shots tonight, we’ve just got to tighten up defensively in our own end.”

By Ally Harris

We all know how well Ryan MacKinnon can play in his own zone. But this year, the Summerside native is showing what he can do at the other end of the ice.

To go along with his defensive capabilities, this year MacKinnon has put up the best offensive numbers of his career.

He has posted career-highs in all three offensive categories, and in the goal column has posted as many goals this season as he had in his previous three combined.

MacKinnon said he tried to expand his game this season to go beyond being a solid defenceman.

“Normally I’m a ‘take care of my own end first’ kind of guy but this year I tried to expand that a little bit and I seemed to be rewarded a bit. Hopefully that can keep going.”

Head coach Gordie Dwyer said MacKinnon has been “nothing short of excellent” for the team this year.

“He routinely plays big minutes every night and he’s a go-to guy in all situations for us. He leads our group on the back end offensively and he’s our leader defensively.”

To top off his strong offensive season, the Isles captain recently picked up his 100th career point with an assist on a goal by Daniel Sprong in the team’s 6-5 win over Halifax last Friday.

“It’s a nice little milestone to have and it’s nice to get rewarded a little bit in your last year of junior hockey,” he said.

“Ryan works extremely hard and he’s in great shape,” said Dwyer. “He’s got the tools to be an offensive defenceman to go alongside his defensive awareness.

By Ally Harris

The Islanders have picked up some big points over the past week, and have a chance to add four more this weekend as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles come to town for a double header.

After a successful string of games, the Isles moved a few spots up the standings to 10th place with 69 points. The Eagles aren’t too far back at 64 points, and have the potential to get a bit too close for comfort this weekend.

“Obviously it’s a huge two games for the standings,” said Islanders forward Ross Johnston. “It can go either way. They’re kind of nipping at our heels, so if we want to pull away these are two must-wins coming up for us Friday and Saturday.”

The Islanders have had the upper hand on the Eagles so far this season, posting a 4-3 record. In the last contest between the two teams, Charlottetown came away with a 3-2 win.

In that game, Filip Chlapik scored early in the third and the Isles were able to hold on for the rest of the period. If the Isles want success this weekend, they’ll have to put in another 60-minute performance.

With four games left on the season, it’s still not clear who the Islanders will face in the playoffs.

“These two games against Cape Breton are pretty big,” said Isles captain Ryan MacKinnon. “All these points from now on are huge with who we’re gonna end up playing in the playoffs.”

And as a result, the team will be treating each game like the playoffs have already begun, Johnston said.

“The last 10 games or so, you’ve got to treat them all as playoff games. No matter who you’re playing against, you’ve got to bring it and you’ve got to set the momentum heading into the playoffs.”

The Islanders know they are capable of coming away with four points this weekend, they’ll just have to continue to stick to their game plan.

“We’re on a little bit of a roll right now going into playoffs,” said MacKinnon. “We’ve just got to get back to our game, keep things simple.”