Ex-Rocket signs in LNAH

A former Rocket defenceman signed with the Thetford Mines Assurancia of the LNAH on Thursday.

Steve Pelletier, 32, will suit up for the semi-pro club in Quebec.

The native of St-Jerome, Que., played 28 games with the Montreal Rocket and then 55 games as the P.E.I. Rocket during its first season on the Island. He totaled 10 goals and 46 points.

Prior to playing with the Rocket, Pelletier played with Quebec Remparts and Val-d'Or Foreurs. He was originally a fifth round pick by the Foreurs in 2000.

Pelletier has spent the last eight seasons playing in Europe with leagues in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Austria. He last played with Neumarkt/Egna in Italy and scored 11 goals and 42 points in 39 games.

Pair of Islanders named to Penguins rookie tournament roster

Daniel Sprong. Photo by Darrell Theriault.

A pair of Charlottetown Islanders forwards have been named to Pittsburgh Penguins' Rookie Tournament roster.

Daniel Sprong and Kameron Kielly will take part in the rookie tournament that takes place Sept. 10-13 in London, Ont.

Sprong, 18, was Pittsburgh's first selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft at 46th overall in the second round. The native of Amsterdam, Netherlands has led the Islanders in scoring for the past two seasons and had 39 goals and 88 points in 68 games last season.

Kielly, 18, went undrafted this Summer at the NHL Draft. The Charlottetown native scored 16 goals and 49 points in 67 games last season.

A total of four players from the QMJHL were named to the roster. Full roster can be seen here.

The Penguins play its first game on Friday Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. EDT against the Montreal Canadiens and then play the Ottawa Senators the next day at 4 p.m. EDT. Pittsburgh wraps up the tournament Sunday Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. EDT against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Islanders set final roster for 2015-16 campaign

Daniel Sprong takes a shot on Cape Breton goalie Kyle Jessiman
moments before Filip Chlapik scored on a rebound in a game
on Aug. 21, 2015 in Pownal. Photo by Kevin Reid.

The Charlottetown Islanders set its final roster for the 2015-16 season on Monday.

The 23-man roster consists of three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards.

Prior to naming its roster, the Islanders sent defencemen Domink Reid, Lucas Sangster and Pierre-Olivier Joseph back to their respective clubs along with forwards Brady Griffin-Hefford, Kyler Carter and Johnny Foley.

In a team press release, Islanders General Manager Grant Sonier said the team was extremely excited from what they saw from the prospects during training camp.

“These decisions have made made today based on league rules, as we would have loved to have more time to watch and evaluate these players further.”

Sonier also added it is always a difficulty day to deliver bad news to “really great kids.”

“They have done everything we have asked of them and we appreciate their hard work in the off season and over the last three weeks. Most if not all of these prospects are expected to wear our jersey at some point this season, with some to be recalled sooner than later.”

Islanders trim training camp roster by four

The Charlottetown Islanders released four players from training camp on Monday.

Forward Brady Griffin-Hefford and Kyler Carter along with defencemen Lucas Sangster and Dominik Reid were the four players released.

Griffin-Hefford, 18, was a 13th round pick of the Islanders in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft and attended his second training camp this season. It is most likely he will play junior A with the St. Stephen County Aces who owns his rights.

Carter, 17, attended his first QMJHL camp this Summer as he was a free agent signing last season. Last season he played two games with the Islanders and 15 games with the Summerside Western Capitals of the MHL. He is expected to join the Capitals.

Sangster, 18, was a fifth round pick of the Islanders in the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft and was a late cut last season. He will join the Amherst Ramblers of the MHL where he played last season.

Reid, 16, was seventh round pick of the Islanders in the 2015 QMJHL Entry Draft. His junior A rights are owned by St. Stephe. According to an Islanders release, he will be going back to Fredericton for major midget.

With the recent cuts, 26 players now remain in camp with three goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards.

For a full list of players remaining in camp, click here.

Islanders/Mooseheads game cancelled during first period due to fog

Photo credit: @HalifaxHerdcast

Saturday night's game between the Charlottetown Islanders and Halifax Mooseheads from the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro, N.S., was cancelled with 8:09 remaining in the first period due to fog. 

Both team officials came to an agreement as fog was so bad it was hard for players and fans to see the play. The game was cancelled for the safety of the players. 

The game was tied 2-2 when the decision was made. 

Johnny Foley scored 1:10 into the contest to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Alexandre Goulet drew the lone assist. 

Just 1:01 later, Vincent Watt tied the game for Halifax with a power play marker. Cooper Jones and Morgan Nauss drew assists. 

Halifax then took a 2-1 lead at 3:58 with a goal from Connor Moynihan. Barrett Dachyshyn and Ilya Putinstev drew assists. 

Charlottetown tied the game at 8:09 with a power play goal from Brady Griffin-Hefford. Dexter Weber and Kameron Kielly drew assists. 

Matthew Welsh only faced three shots in the short time for Charlottetown. Kevin Resop was 11-for-13 in goal for Halifax. 

Details on the game will be posted when they come available. 

Former Rocket forward signs with Leigh Valley Phantoms

Former P.E.I. Rocket forward Geoff Walker signed with the Leigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Friday.

The 27-year-old native of Charlottetown spent two and half seasons with the Rocket from the mid-way point of the 2005-06 season until his overage season in 2007-08.

In his last QMJHL season with the Rocket, Walker scored 38 goals and 90 points in 69 games. Walker skated in 168 total games with the Rocket and scored 83 goals and 196 points. He was originally a second round pick of the Gatineau Olympiques in 2004.

Walker has been been back-and-forth between the AHL and the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League) since his departure from the QMJHL. Last season, Walker split the season between the Ontario Reign and the Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL and combined for 18 goals and 43 points in 60 games.

In 269 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Lake Erie Monsters and the Syracuse Crunch, the six-foot-three, 225-pound winger has collected 45 goals and 116 points. In 160 ECHL games with Ontario, Florida Everblades and Missouri, he has collected 52 goals and 123 points.

Leigh Valley is the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.

Islanders down Screaming Eagles in pre-season play

Daniel Sprong’s second period goal stood as the game winner as the Charlottetown Islanders skated to a 5-1 pre-season win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Friday evening at Pownal Sports Centre.

Sprong added another goal and helped out on another as Filip Chlapik, Carl Gervais and Mitchell Balmas added singles. Anthony Sorrentino had the lone goal for Cape Breton.

Charlottetown picked up its third pre-season win in as many games. Cape Breton is 1-1-1 through the pre-season.

Islanders defenceman Alexander McQuaid said it was a fun game.

“It was only a pre-season game but for a lot of the veteran guys it was our first time in the line up. We were all excited and couldn’t wait to get out there.”

Matthew Welsh. Photo by Kevin Reid.

Rookie goaltender Matthew Welsh said it was a good game for the Islanders.

“Our team was just relentless on the offence and we played strong defensively and stayed strong in front of our net clearing pucks and we blocked a lot of shots at our blue-line too.”

For 16-year-old Welsh, it was his first taste of QMJHL action. Welsh came into the contest at the 13:23 mark of the second period as him and Daryl MacCallum split the time in goal and stopped all nine shots he faced.

Welsh said it was fast-paced and experienced harder shots than what he was used to in major midget.

“They got a couple of power plays on us and I got to experience different situations and it was good. The team played well in front of me and let me do my job.”