Charlottetown Islanders second half November preview

By Nathan A'Hearn

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Schedule

Nov. 2 vs Halifax Mooseheads 3-0 L

Nov. 4 vs Moncton Wildccats 5-2 L

Nov. 7 @ Gatineau 4-1 W

Nov. 8 @ Blainville 4-2  L 

Nov. 9 @ Drummondville 8-3 W

November Record: 2-3

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

First Half Recap

Picking up where we left off, the Islanders were able to take two wins out of a three-game road trip to Quebec.  The Islanders looked really good considering these games were back-to-back-to-back. In Gatineau, the Islanders were able to put the puck in the net despite Gatineau's new addition of goaltender Brandon Whitney.  Blainville-Boisbriand was the only team to give the Islander's some trouble holding the Isles to just 15 shots.  Then, the Islanders traveled to Drummondville where they played a relatively close game until the third period where the Isles exploded for four unanswered goals.  My previous anticipation of Drummondville holding us off the score-sheet was ill advised that evening.

(12-6-0-3)

Charlottetown returns home on Nov. 15 where they will play against the Victoriaville Tigres. Victoriaville has been hot with seven wins in their last 10.  Containing Angelo Miceli will be a daunting task as he is second in the league in scoring.  Victoriaville is also second in the league in penalty killing but not strong on the power play so the Islanders really have to make their special teams count.  The Tigres netminder Chase Marchand is first in the league in save percentage.  Part of the reason for that is because they also average 36.1 shots against on him and that is where the Islanders will have to take advantage of.

(9-9-0-2)

Remember these guys last weekend?  I fully expect Drummondville to play a tighter game after their third period meltdown just recently. Like Victoriaville, they are not overwhelming on the power play but have strong penalty kill numbers.  They really struggle to light up the goal lamp.

(13-4-0-3)

Here the Islanders will have to face the Saint John Sea Dogs who are first in the Maritimes Division and boast the best winning percentage in the QMJHL.  A penalty kill as strong as Drummondville's but more tested, and another team with a lackluster power play.  They will likely have to face Sebastien Auger who has two wins against the Islanders in three games this season.  I think out of all the Division leaders, Saint John is the most likely to regress.

(15-6-1-1)

It doesn't get any easier after Saint John as Charlottetown will have to play the top team in the QMJHL in the Rimouski Oceanic. The Islanders will have the power play edge while both teams are similar in their penalty kill Numbers.  Rimouski's leading scorer Alexis Loiseau (first in league) and partner in crime Anthony DeLuca are as lethal as they come with 32 goals between them.  However, Phillipe Desroiers has the worst goals against average among the leagues Top 10 netminders, but he the Oceanic does a good job of suppressing shots.

(13-4-0-3)

The second time in five nights where the Islanders and Sea Dogs face off against each-other. Personally I believe that the Islanders can win one of these games but do not be surprised if they manage to win both. Bold Prediction of the Month.

(14-7-0-0)

The Phoenix just may be the most dangerous team in the QMJHL and here is why: They are third in the league in goals.  Their penalty kill is just below the Islanders but is rarely tested. Their power play is fifth overall at 23.7 per cent. The Trio of Audette, Wieser, and, Schweri may be the league's best.  Goaltending duo of Bureau and Fitzpatrick may not be elite but provides the Phoenix with a chance to win every night.

(14-8-0-0)

Lastly the Islanders face a team who beat them earlier in the month in a 5-3 loss at home.  They have the advantage on special teams and still have the names of Barbashev and Garland but are not the strongest infront of goaltender Alex Dubeau.  This will be the Islanders' chance to seek revenge and defeat the Wildcats on their home ice.

Thoughts:

This second half of November just may be the toughest stretch this team will have all year with four games against divisional leaders.  Once the first game against Saint John is played the Islanders will be in a stretch where they play five games in eight nights.  The work is definitely cut out for them but with the returns of  Ross Johnston (Injury), Mitchell Balmas and Samuel Guilbault from the World Under-17s, this team will be running with it's full line-up for the first time this season.  I predict the Islanders will win more games in November then they have in any one month so far (4).