CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Let’s play another.
The Cinderella Charlottetown Islanders have forced a winner-take-all game in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League semifinal with the top-ranked Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Tuesday night. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. Atlantic in Boisbriand, Que.
Islanders rookie Nikita Alexandrov tied Sunday’s game with 2:11 to play and veteran Cam Askew scored six minutes into overtime for the winner in a 3-2 victory that sent the Eastlink Centre into a frenzy.
“It’s so appropriate that they came up with the slogan, ‘Find A Way,’ because (we) couldn't have summed it in a better way,” Islanders head coach Jim Hulton said of his players. “No quit . . . (and) a pleasure to coach.”
Brett Budgell gave the Islanders a lead 12:37 into the first period from the slot.
Alex Barre-Boulet and Alexandre Alain scored power-play goals about 10 seconds after the man advantages began in the second period to give the Armada a 2-1 lead heading to the third.
Alexandrov, who rang iron just before Alain scored the go-ahead marker, tied it in the third, setting the stage for Askew to play the hero’s role. The veteran credited defenceman Hunter Drew with the shot that found him at the side of the net for the winner.
“I don’t know if he banked it on purpose or not, but it was a good play,” Askew said. “(I was) surprised it went right to me and just tried to bank it in as quick as I could.”
The goal came after Sam King was tripped moving his feet in the offensive zone.
Hulton said the message during the third period was the same as it has been all year.
“Let’s, go for it,” he said using the analogy of a lion and a lamb. “If we’re going to die, die a lion. A lamb gets eaten, a lion usually has to get shot, so if we’re going to die, let’s go down our way. We’ve been aggressive all year, let’s not stop now.”
Armada head coach Joel Bouchard said his team had a bad day and was clinging on to the lead in the third.
“And I give credit to Charlottetown, but we didn't have our A or B game. We had a C game. Our guys had no gas,” he said. “It’s going to be a battle at home.”
RELATED: Click here for more photos from the game.
Each of the six games have been won by the home team with the three games in Charlottetown all decided in overtime.
Can the Isles win in the Montreal suburb?
“Absolutely,” Hulton said immediately. “We have a terrific goaltender that gives us a fighting chance every night.”
Islanders players are having a hard time explaining how a team that was counted out so often before and during the season and playoffs is a game away from the Presidents Cup final.
“We knew that as the underdogs you can create a surprise and I think we’re creating a great one right now,” captain Pierre-Olivier Joseph said. “I think everybody in that locker room and everybody around us will remember that ride and I don't think it’s over yet.
“I think we all want to go to that championship series.”
Highlight reel
A look at the statistics from Sunday’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League semifinal Game 6 between the host Charlottetown Islanders and visiting Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
Outcome
Armada – 2
Islanders – 3
Goals
Armada – Alex Barre-Boulet, Alexandre Alain.
Islanders – Brett Budgell, Nikita Alexandrov and Cam Askew.
Assists
Armada – Alexandre Alain, Drake Batherson, Alex Barre-Boulet and Pascal Corbeil.
Islanders – Derek Gentile 2, Nikita Alexandrov, Brett Budgell, Hunter Drew and Pierre-Olivier Joseph.
Goalies
Armada – Emile Samson, 36 saves on 39 shots.
Islanders – Matthew Welsh, 16 saves on 18 shots.
Power play
Armada – 2-for-3.
Islanders – 2-for-4.
Faceoff wins
Armada – 44.
Islanders – 23.
50/50 – $6,510
Attendance – 3,674 (sellout).
Cam Askew: “That’s all we wanted to do, coming into tonight, just force another game. Anything can happen in a Game 7.”
