#internship 2

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.