Bradley Kennedy’s second period goal stood as the game winner as the Charlottetown Islanders snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan Friday night at Eastlink Centre.
With the win, the Islanders improve to 6-5-1-1 on the season, while Bathurst sees its record fall to 4-9-0-0.
It felt good to get back on the winning track, said the 18-year-old Kennedy.
“That was probably one of our better games in a long time and it felt good to get the win.”
Kennedy said the recent losing streak was stressful but the dressing room remained positive.
“We started working harder tonight and it paid off.”
Islanders alternate captain Oliver Cooper, who scored a goal in the second period, said the entire team is excited to snap the losing streak.
“We’re going to try and build off it.”
Charlottetown drew first blood at the 11:17 mark of the first period with a power play goal from Captain Ryan MacKinnon. The goal was his third of the season after his initial shot hit the glass behind the net and came back and hit Titan goalie Jacob Brennan off the back to find its way into the net. Filip Chlapik and Spenser Cobbold drew assists. Shots were 13-6 in favour of Charlottetown.
In the second period, Kennedy increased the Islanders’ lead to 2-0 with his third of the season on a wrap around effort at 8:44. Luc Deschenes and Mitchell Balmas drew assists.
“I should have buried it the first time,” said Kennedy on his goal. “I just kind of scrambled around the net and jammed it around and it went in.”
Just 55 seconds later, Cooper scored his second goal of the season off a great feed from Chlapik to give the Islanders a 3-0 lead. Dexter Weber drew the second assist.
Cooper’s goal was his second in three games and first goal at home. It is a huge relief, said the 19-year-old Fredericton, N.B., forward.
“Obviously it’s a weight lifted off my shoulder. I would have liked it to come sooner but (with) hockey things sometimes don’t go your way and don’t get the bounces.”
Shots in the second period were 9-6 for Bathurst.
Charlottetown took a 4-0 lead with Alexandre Goulet scoring short-handed for his sixth goal of the season at 5:58. The goal was unassisted and was Charlottetown’s first short-handed marker of the season.
On the same power play, the Titan responded just 19 seconds later with Aaron Kerr burying his first goal of the season from Bronson Beaton and Jordan Maher. Shots were 11-9 in favour of Bathurst.
Mason McDonald picked up his fourth win of the season between the pipes for Charlottetown making 25 saves. Jacob Brennan took the loss for Bathurst stopping 24 shots.
Both teams will meet again Sunday afternoon in Bathurst for a 3 p.m. puck drop.
Islanders Insights
-Both teams were one-for-five on the power play.
-Islanders held a 19-10 edge in hits. Weber led the game in hits with four.
-Ryan MacKinnon led the Islanders with five shots; two of which were considered dangerous.
-Kameron Kielly was 12-for-19 on faceoffs.
No comments:
Post a Comment