Penalties cost the Charlottetown Islanders in a 5-1 loss to the Moncton Wildcats Sunday afternoon at the Moncton Coliseum.
The Wildcats scored three power play goals, including a pair in the first period.
Charlottetown Islanders forward Oliver Cooper described the loss as tough.
“We didn’t play the game we wanted to and didn’t stick to the game plan and that’s what happens.”
The Islanders have lost two straight games and are now 14-14-1-1 on the season. It is also the team’s fourth consecutive loss to the Wildcats this season.
“We give them too many opportunities, we give them too much space to their skilled guys,” said the 19-year-old veteran Cooper. “When you do that with skilled guys they’re going to capitalize. We have to learn to play a little harder on them and give them a little less space and little less time with the puck to make plays.”
The Wildcats improve to 17-10-0-1 on the season.
With Cooper in the penalty box, the Wildcats opened the scoring at 6:25 with Liam Murphy’s third goal of the season with Zachary Malatesta drawing the lone assist.
On another Cooper penalty, the Wildcats took a 2-0 lead with a goal from Stephen Johnson for his 18th of the season at 12:28. Dominic Talbot-Tissi and Ivan Barbashev drew assists.
“Tough one to swallow,” said Cooper on being in the penalty box for both Wildcats goals. “Coming back to the bench saying sorry and stuff like that but it does’t cut it. I have to find a way to stay out of the box whether they’re good calls or not.”
Shots were a commanding 16-5 in favour of Moncton.
In the second period, Barbashev increased Moncton’s lead to 3-0 at 1:20 with his 20th goal of the season. Conor Garland and Cameron Askew drew assists. Shots were 9-6 Moncton.
In the third period, Cooper put the Islanders on the board just 34 seconds into the frame with his fifth goal of the season. Ross Johnston and Filip Rydstrom drew assists.
The Wildcats made it 4-1 with their third power play goal of the afternoon coming off the stick of Jacob Sweeney at 8:59 for his fourth of the campaign. Talbot-Tissi and Johnson drew assists. Moments later, the Wildcats took a 5-1 lead at 10:11 with Eric Leger’s seventh goal of the season. Murphy and Barbashev drew assists.
Alex Dubeau made 23 saves in the winning cage for Moncton as Mason McDonald suffered the loss for Charlottetown making 31 saves.
The Islanders are back it at Friday Nov. 5 in Halifax against the Mooseheads for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
Islanders Insights:
-Islanders out-hit the Wildcats 10-1.
-Ross Johnston led the game in hits with two.
-Kameron Kielly went 13-for-16 in the face-off dot.
-Kielly also led the Islanders in shots with five.
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