CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Charlottetown Islanders continue their improbable Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff run tonight in the Montreal area as they tangle with the first-place Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in Game 2 of the semifinal.
The Armada dumped the Islanders twice in the regular season – 6-1 in Quebec and 4-1 here on the Island – but, as we've seen with the Halifax Mooseheads, regular season success does not guarantee playoff victories.
The other semifinal has the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, with Summerside native Noah Dobson patrolling its blue-line, playing the Victoriaville Tigres. Based on both teams’ last game with the Islanders in March, I like sixth-seeded Victoriaville over second-place Titan. The Islanders fell behind the Titan 4-1 here but stormed back to win 5-4 while Victoriaville blasted our Islanders 9-0 at the Eastlink Centre.
Both series began on Friday night.
RELATED: Click here for the Islanders game story.
RELATED: Click here for the Titan story.
The Armada have five forwards with 13 points or more so far in the playoffs, so it's not just the big three of Alex Barré-Boulet, Alexandre Alain and Drake Batherson. Islanders Keith Getson is tied for the lead in playoff goals with nine while Pascal Aquin has eight and their linemate Daniel Hardie has 13 points, the same as standout rookie Nikita Alexandrov. If the Islanders continue to get the same quality goaltending from Matt Welsh, as they did in Rounds 1 and 2, this series will be a tight one.
When the series shifts to Eastlink Centre Tuesday and Wednesday, the sellout crowd will be in a frenzied mood. Some extremely loyal Islanders fans are openly talking Memorial Cup, and as insane as that might have been in October, it just might happen. We'll know better after Tuesday night.
Golf
The Avondale Golf Course is opening Thursday for the season and owner Wendell MacEachern told me they cut back the trees surrounding the green on the eighth hole, which should hopefully help my game.
I have played a few rounds at Steve Dowling's indoor golf simulator in the Confederation Court Mall in downtown Charlottetown, so I may not need Avondale golf pro Dave Bowlan at all this summer. Former Colonel Gray teacher Gerard Murnaghan sends word his longtime golf partner Maj. John Bradley will miss opening day at the Vernon River course for the first time in 20 years. Bradley is recuperating from a heart attack but vows he'll be back by mid-season or earlier.
Marathon
Local marathon runner Stan Chaisson finished the Boston Marathon in something like two hours and 45 minutes to finish 250th in a field of 30,000 while Islander Mike Peterson stopped the timer in 3:01:55. A number of Island women marathoners finished bunched together at 3:21-3:26 range, including Leanne Vessey, Amber Spriggs, Jocelyn Peterson and Charlotte Gardiner. A terrific performance.
Francis Fagan won the five-mile pre-Boston marathon tune-up last Saturday, but didn't finish the Monday marathon packing it in after 12 miles. I told Francis, 68, he was overtraining.
Local runners, including Chaisson, Billy MacDonald and Stratford's Pam Paquet, are preparing for the Cabot Trail relay race in May.
Condolences
Don Fitzpatrick, who formed the highly successful senior softball team Don's Fawcetts, the dominant softball team here in the 1970s and who played a major role in the development of softball in this province, passed away this past week. He also coached and helped develop the women’s softball program on the Island, co-owned racehorses at the city track and worked for many years with Charles (Chuck) Keating in his sports shop. My condolences to all connected to this gentleman.
Online video
CLICK HERE for this week's video as columnist Fred (Fiddler) MacDonald and sports editor Jason Malloy talk about the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders decision to take a leave of absence from the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League, the Island Storm, Charlottetown Islanders and NHL playoffs in this week’s video.
NHL
Since a great many hockey fans are involved in various hockey pools across the province, you may appreciate what I have to tell you.
The Razzy’s annual Stanley Cup draft attracted co-owners Glenn (Stretch) Gaudet, Brian Carragher, Chris Chaisson, Trent Birt and from Russia's KHL head coach Gordie Dwyer (some guys will do anything to win). After 10 of the 15 rounds, I had to depart leaving the task of the final selections to Ian (Tex) MacDonald. He grabbed Dion Phaneuf and three guys with first names like Nino, J.T. and Jarn, sound familiar? I never heard tell of a hockey player named Nino! I think Ronnie Carragher gave Tex an NBA list. Oh well, the hockey Islanders were picked for last too.
At the outset of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I selected Winnipeg and Vegas in the West final and Pittsburgh and Boston in the East final. I liked Vegas better than the three California teams, no travel to worry about, and great goaltending, but did not expect a four-game sweep of the LA Kings. The contests were all tight, physical games. I've been telling readers for three years about Leafs inability to defend in their own end, especially Jake Gardiner and Morgan Reilly. Is Leafs head coach Mike Babcock overrated?
Harness racing
Live harness racing is just a week away, but qualifiers are set for this afternoon at 1 p.m. at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
Bill Andrew of Meridian Farms has been elected into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame along with the late trainer-driver Jimmy Doherty of Saint John, N.B., and photographer-communications specialist Dave Landry, whose parents are from Cape Breton.
In racing up country, Western Fame and driver Mark MacDonald have drawn the rail in tonight's $500,000 levy final from Yonkers, N.Y.
At Mohawk tonight, James MacDonald drives Ellis Park in the $34,000 feature against Easy Lover Hanover, The Rev and eight others.
At Pompano Park in Florida on Sunday, Wally Hennessey drove Classic Pro to an easy 1:53: and change victory in the $10,000 open for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and co-owners Serge Savard and Ron MacLellan.
At Yonkers on Thursday, Abner the Great, bred by Hampshire's Blair Campbell, was a winner in 1:55:3 while another Island-bred, Luke's Cowboy, was first in 1:56:1.
Last year's three-year-old stakes winner Island Energetic was parked all the way and was fourth in 1:54 on Thursday night at Mohawk.
Erv Miller and daughter Hannah attracted a full house at the annual Standardbred Horse Owners Awards last Saturday at the Murphy’s Community Centre. Major award winners were Mickey Gallant, horseman of the year, Deanna Clow, female horse person of the year, and Reg MacPherson, owner of the year.
Award winners
Winners from the Prince Edward Island Standardbred Horse Owners Association annual awards banquet:
Kentucky of Canada – Marc Campbell.
Horseperson of the year – Mickey Gallant.
Horsewoman of the year – Deanna Clow.
Active horseman of the year – Peter Buchanan.
Arnold Weeks Memorial – Ronnie and Dianne Gass.
Standardbred Canada owner of the year – Reg MacPherson.
Appreciation awards – Anne Charlotte Kelly and James Perrot.
Leading dash-winning trainer – Marc Campbell.
Leading dash-winning driver – Marc Campbell.
Leading percentage trainer – Marc Campbell.
Leading percentage driver – Marc Campbell.
Rookie driver – Kyle Gillis.
Mr. Trot Challenge – Marc Campbell.
Male groom – Sam Bulger.
Female groom – Tammy Collings.
Rising stars awards – Jacob Sweet, Jamieson Sweet and Gracie Clark.
Horse of the year – Filly Forty Seven.
Pacer of the year – Filly Forty Seven.
Trotter of the year – Pappy Go Go.
Fan favourite – Zanzibar
Aged pacing mare – Ramblinglily.
Aged pacing horse – Eagle Jolt.
Aged trotting horse – Freddie.
Three-year-old pacing filly – Filly Forty Seven.
Three-year-old pacing colt – Island Energetic.
Three-year-old filly trot – Dusty Lane Min.
Three-year-old colt trot – Pappy Go Go.
Two-year-old pacing filly – Scarlet Desire.
Two-year-old pacing colt – Half Cut.
Two-year-old filly trot – Oceanview Eunomia.
Two-year-old colt trot – Windmeredontuworry.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
