A four-goal second period and some lucky bounces helped the Charlottetown Islanders to a 5-1 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar Thursday night at Eastlink Centre.
Islanders defenceman Guillaume Rioux-Legault scored the game winning goal at 12:40 of the second period to help the Islanders improve to 25-20-1-3 on the season. The Drakkar snaps a five-game winning streak and falls to 27-14-5-2.
The win feels good, said Rioux-Legault.
“We just came back from a big road trip in Quebec and feels good to come out with a big two points tonight.”
The team started off slow in the second period but rebounded at the mid-way point, said Rioux-Legault.
“We just talked and said we should go back to simple things and it worked.”
Coming into the game, the Drakkar was ranked No. 10 in the most recent BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings.
Rioux-Legault said it is a huge win and shows a lot of character from the Islanders.
“We can beat any team in this league so far.”
The scoring opened up in the second period with the Drakkar drawing first blood with Matthieu Desautels’ third of the season at 2:14. Jeremy Gregoire and Frederic Gamelin drew assists.
Daniel Sprong tied the game at one with his 23rd of the season at 11:49. Sprong made a move around the Drakkar defenceman and tried to make a pass to a teammate which hit off of Drakkar defenceman Guillaume Beaudry and into the net. Luc Deschenes and Kameron Kielly drew assists.
Just 51 second later, Rioux-Legault went five-hole on Drakkar goalie Philippe Cadorette for his third goal of the season. Samuel Guilbault and Mitchell Balmas drew assists.
“I just had a good opportunity to make a good shoot on net,” said Rioux-Legault. “I put it low so if I didn’t score my teammate could get a rebound or a second scoring chance.”
Spenser Cobbold gave the Islanders a 3-1 lead with a short-handed goal at 14:51 for his eighth of the season. Keith Getson, who drew the lone assist, found Cobbold on a two-on-rush. Cobbold tried to pass the puck back to Getson and the puck hit off the skate of Drakkar forward Gregoire and trickled its way to the back of the net.
The Islanders took a 4-1 lead with Filip Chlpaik’s 24th goal of the season at 18:15 with Bradley Kennedy drawing the lone assist. The goal would spoil the night for Cadorette, who was relieved by Alexandre Lagace, after giving up four goals on 26 shots.
In the third period, Alexandre Goulet scored his 29th goal of the season on a power play at 7:05 to give the Islanders a 5-1 lead. Kennedy and Chlapik drew assists.
Mason McDonald made 27 saves in the win for Charlottetown. Cadorette took the loss making 22 saves. Lagace made 10 saves in relief.
The Islanders host the Chicoutimi Sagueneens tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
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