SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Noah Laaouan had a Gordie Howe hat trick and Brett Budgell a four-point game Sunday as the Charlottetown Islanders won their fourth straight contests.
The Isles defeated the Saint John Sea Dogs, the team chasing them for fifth place in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Eastern Conference, 6-2 in the first of three straight games between the division rivals.
Laaouan had two goals and an assist plus fought Nicholas Deakin Poot in the first period for a Gordie Howe hat trick. He had three goals entering Sunday’s contest in Saint John, N.B. Budgell had a goal and three assists Sunday and recorded his 100th career point 4:34 into the game on Cedric Desruisseaux’s goal.
Nikita Alexandrov and Gaetan Jobin each had a goal and an assist while Ethan Crossman, Thomas Casey, Lukas Cormier and Desruisseaux all had an assist.
Jeffrey Durocher and Jeremie Poirier scored for Saint John with assists going to William Villeneuve, Poirier and Brady Burns.
Matthew Welsh had 28 saves for the win while Noah Patenaude stopped 43 shots in the loss.
The Islanders, who held 2-0 and 4-0 period leads, went 3-for-8 on the power play and killed all eight of the Sea Dogs’ chances with the man advantage.
Charlottetown improved to 31-25-5-0, six points up on Saint John (30-30-1-0) with seven games remaining for each team in the regular season. The Islanders clinched a playoff berth with Friday’s victory over Cape Breton.
The Islanders host the Sea Dogs Thursday and Friday at the Eastlink Centre.
