Charlottetown Islanders coach proud of team following ‘historic season’
The top coach of the Charlottetown Islanders says he is pleased with what his group achieved this yr regardless of a bittersweet ending to a “historic season.”
The Islanders made it to the QMJHL closing for the primary time of their 19-year historical past following a season that noticed them win a 48 regular-season video games, a group report.
After dropping the primary three video games of the championship collection towards the Shawinigan Cataractes, the Islanders escaped elimination by routing their opponents 7-0 in Recreation 4.
It was trying good for the Islanders for many of Recreation 5 on Saturday. They led by two targets within the second interval.
However the Cataractes got here roaring again, tying the sport 3-3 within the third and forcing time beyond regulation. Shawinigan scored 40 seconds into time beyond regulation, ending Charlottetown’s season.
“The sting of the defeat is clearly nonetheless recent,” mentioned coach Jim Hulton. “The nearer you get to the championship, the tougher it’s to simply accept when you do not obtain your aim.
“Dropping could be very exhausting. And in order a bunch, we had been devastated final evening. We thought we had a group that was able to successful a championship. And, sadly, … we ran right into a group that capitalized on plenty of probabilities.”
The group has made deep playoff runs earlier than, with three semifinal appearances. However Hulton, who has been teaching the group for the final seven years, mentioned getting even a step additional is a major achievement.
“The message to our children is to carry their heads up excessive and be pleased with their accomplishments,” he mentioned. “I feel in time we’ll perceive the magnitude of our season, however proper now we’re nonetheless specializing in the actual fact we did not win a championship.”
Hulton mentioned the group now enters a rebuilding section as plenty of gamers graduate from the league.
“We’ll be beginning with what will likely be a younger group subsequent yr,” he mentioned. “It will likely be much more of a educating and improvement atmosphere …That is the character of junior hockey. It really works in a cyclical sample.”
However, for now, Hulton thanked the followers.
“To see a sold-out Eastlink Centre for 3 video games is gratifying,” he mentioned. “It has been a very long time because the constructing’s been packed, particularly in mild of the COVID state of affairs the final couple of seasons. So all in all, simply an enormous thanks for all of the help domestically.”
