CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Charlottetown Islanders gave the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s top team all they could handle on Saturday night.
The Sherbrooke Phoenix received goals from different players, including an empty-net goal with two seconds remaining, in a 5-3 victory over the Islanders.
The setback gave the Islanders a split of two home games over the weekend after defeating the Victoriaville Tigres 6-1 on Friday night.
Before 3,585 fans at Eastlink Centre, Samuel Poulin (1-1), Anthony Munroe-Boucher (1-1), Felix Robert, Charles-Antoine Roy and Israel Mianscum scored for the Phoenix, who will take a 39-8-4 (won-lost-overtime losses) record into Sunday’s game against the Halifax Mooseheads (18-27-4).
Charlottetown native Thomas Casey, Zachary Beauregard and Ethan Crossman countered for the Islanders (27-22-5). Drew Johnston added two assists.
The Phoenix held period leads of 1-0 and 4-1 while going 2-for-3 on the power play. Charlottetown went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Winning goaltender Samuel Hlavat finished with 23 saves while Matthew Welsh stopped 22 of 26 shots for the Islanders.
The Islanders begin a three-game swing through Quebec on Friday against the Gatineau Olympiques (19-28-4).
