QUEBEC CITY – The Charlottetown Islanders exploded in the third period with their season on the line Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.
The Islanders scored six times to break open a 2-2 contest after 40 minutes and defeat the Quebec Remparts 8-3 to take the best-of-seven series 4-3.
Veteran forward Pascal Aquin scored 28 seconds into the third and added goals at 4:20 and an empty-net marker at 15:50 as part of his four-goal effort.
“I’m just happy that we’re moving on to the second round,” a calm Aquin said after the game. “All year long we had to prove everybody wrong because everybody thought we would finish last in the standings and now we just beat Quebec, so it feels awesome.”
It is the team’s first win in a Game 7 in franchise history and fourth straight trip to at least the second round of the playoffs.
The Islanders scored four times in the first 4:20 of the third period to take a commanding 6-2 lead and never looked back.
But it was what happened late in the second period that gave the Isles a chance to take the lead.
Matthew Welsh made a number of key saves, including another on former Isles teammate Gregor MacLeod, to preserve the tie heading to the second intermission.
“For five minutes, we let him down a little bit and he made some amazing saves,” Aquin said. “I’m so proud of him because he kept us in the game.”
Aquin said he took a perfect pass from captain Pierre-Olivier Joseph to score the go-ahead goal to start the third. Cam Askew made it 4-2 three minutes later.
“A two-goal lead felt like about a six-goal lead in this series,” head coach Jim Hulton said. “It looked like the first time we relaxed all night and we just took it over.”
Askew and fellow overager Olivier Desjardins were both added to the Isles lineup during the season. Hulton said there’s no making up for playoff experience. They were the only two Islanders with Game 7 experience before Tuesday.
“To have Desjardins, who was a force out there tonight, and Cam, who has gone through this before, they just calm everybody down and they shine through in big moments.”
The series was a matchup of the eighth- and ninth-place teams in the regular season. A tight contest with little to separate the teams was the script going into Game 1 and it prevailed most of the series. After six games, each team had three wins and each team had 19 goals heading into the third period of Game 7.
So what was the message in the second intermission?
“The whole time tonight we just tried to get them to enjoy the experience,” Hulton said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, playing in a Game 7, don’t be nervous by it. Easier said than done. I don't think any of us foresaw the third period going the way it did, but sure as hell glad it did. First time I was able to breath in about a week and a half.”
The Islanders will play Halifax in Round 2 after all three road teams won Game 7s on Tuesday. Moncton defeated Rimouski 6-3 and Sherbrooke beat Rouyn-Noranda 3-1.
Summerside native Jeremy McKenna had four assists to help lead the Wildcats to victory.
Highlight reel
A look at the Charlottetown Islanders-Quebec Remparts Game 7 Tuesday in Quebec City.
Outcome
Quebec – 3.
Charlottetown – 8.
Goals
Quebec – Andrew Coxhead, Philipp Kurashev and Olivier Garneau.
Charlottetown – Pascal Aquin 4, Daniel Hardie, Cam Askew, Sullivan Sparkes and Taylor Egan.
Assists
Quebec – Matthew Grouchy 3, Sam Dunn, Etienne Verrette and Philipp Kurashev.
Charlottetown – Pierre-Olivier Joseph 3, Saku Vesterinen 3, Keith Getson 2, Daniel Hardie 2, Derek Gentile, Olivier Desjardins, Sam King and Hunter Drew.
Goalies
Quebec – Antoine Samuel, 19 saves on 25 shots in 48:30; Dereck Baribeau, one save on two shots in 10:24 in relief.
Charlottetown – Matthew Welsh, 36 saves on 39 shots.
Power plays
Quebec – 2-for-6.
Charlottetown – 1-for-2.
Faceoff wins
Quebec – 37.
Charlottetown – 43.
Hits
Quebec – 27.
Charlottetown – 14.
Attendance – 8,121.
Head coach Jim Hulton said: “To win in Game 7, your best players have to be your best players and they certainly were tonight.”
Game 7s
Here’s a look at the Charlottetown Islanders, P.E.I./Montreal Rocket franchise history:
2007
– Acadie-Bathurst defeated P.E.I. 4-3 in Round 1. (Spencer Jezegou scored the series-winning goal 2:54 into overtime).
2003
– Sherbrooke defeated Montreal 4-3 in Round 1. (Jean-Francois Plourde scored the series-winning goal 9:43 into double overtime.)
2002
– Hull defeated Montreal 4-3 in Round 1. (Philippe Dupuis scored the series-winning goal 2:35 into double overtime.)
Second-round matchups:
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (1) vs. Moncton Wildcats (14)
Acadie-Bathurst Titan (2) vs. Sherbrooke Phoenix (10)
Halifax Mooseheads (4) vs. Charlottetown Islanders (9)
Drummondville Voltigeurs (5) vs. Victoriaville Tigres (6)
Second-round schedule
Game 1
Friday — Charlottetown at Halifax, 7 p.m.
Game 2
Saturday — Charlottetown at Halifax, 7 p.m.
Game 3
Tuesday, April 10 — Halifax at Charlottetown, 7 p.m.
Game 4
Wednesday, April 11 — Halifax at Charlottetown, 7 p.m.
Game 5
Friday, April 13 — Charlottetown at Halifax, 7 p.m.
Game 6
Sunday, April 15 — Halifax at Charlottetown, 7 p.m.
Game 7
Tuesday, April 17 — Charlottetown at Halifax, 7 p.m.
