By Nathan A'Hearn
Check out the October Recap and Analysis HERE
Follow me on Twitter @TheTermiNathan
Schedule
Nov. 2 vs Halifax Mooseheads 0-3 L
Nov. 4 vs Moncton Wildccats 3-5 L
Nov. 7 @ Gatineau
Nov. 8 @Blainville
Nov. 9 @Drummondville
First Half Preview
This section represents a tough stretch of games where the Islanders play five games in seven nights. The loss to the Mooseheads on Sunday was an effective summary of my October recap. Good PK, strong goaltending, too easy to keep us to one goal (or less) and lacklustre 5-o-5 play (shots 18-3 in the first period). To be fair, this was at the end of a four-game in five night stretch where the team went 2-3. The Isles are really going to have to grind out out before till Drummondville before they have a five-day break. The team can also expect the return of forwards Mitchell Balmas and Samuel Guilbault back from the World Under-17's.
Shades of Halloween night were upon us. The Islanders scored the first goal but collapsed in the second. Short-handed and power play goals were scored against. Barbashev, Garland and Johnson looked like elite players. When the penalty kill is not operating for the Islanders it is going to be a rough night. Even the power play is giving up goals. I'm not saying implode the team but they do have to go back to the drawing board and shake something up.
Next up is Gatineau tomorrow. They are ranked second in the West Division and are not to be taken lightly. They have the highest goals for in the QMJHL but also have the highest goals against. They tend not to take a lot of penalties so capitalizing on chance will be crucial as they have also own the lowest PK in the Q at 74.1 per cent. Former Islander/Rocket Louick Marcotte and Russian-import rookie Yakov Trenin are a high scoring duo that is hard to stop and we have a habit of making top players look good.
The next day the Islanders will be in Blainville against the third-placed team in the West Division. This team is on fire right now with no regulation losses in their last nine and are only behind Gatineau because of games played. Goalie Samuel Montebault is a 2015 draft eligible prospect who owns the sixth best goals against average but his save percentage is the second worst among goalies ranked in the Top 10. Challenge him early and often.
Playing three games in three nights is a tough task on its own and Drummondville is not likely going to be an easy matchup either. They take penalties but they are Top 5 in PK. Their goalie Louis Phillip Guindon is among the top in goaltenders right now. They do not score a lot but with the lowest goals against in the Q they have not had to. This is exactly the type of team that can hold us off the score sheet.
Schedule
Nov. 15 vs. Victoriaville
Nov. 16 vs. Drummondville
Nov. 22 @ Saint John
Nov. 23 vs. Rimouski
Nov. 27 vs. Saint John
Nov. 28 vs. Sherbrooke
Nov. 30 @ Moncton
Thoughts:
The entire month of November is essentially a taste test against divisional leaders and contenders with not many nights off. A lot of these games are back-to-back or within days of each other and will really test the makeup of this team. Every night they will be facing a team ahead of them in the overall standings. The Islanders will also go from being without Under -17 Standouts Balmas and Guilbault at the end of October to having them back into the lineup by mid November and the anticipated return of Ross Johnston. Josh Shattford confirmed in his tweet that he will be on the team until Nov. 11. Wth the recent addition Chris Chaddock it will be interesting to see how the lineup shapes up. It is difficult to predict what level of success we will see from this team but one thing is for sure. We will definitely see how this team stacks up and we will be able to define what this team is lacking as Christmas approaches.
Check in Nov. 14 for the Second Half game by game preview
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