CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Jeremy Davies will be cheering for Cape Breton Screaming Eagles forwards Mitchell Balmas and Derek Gentile to get points but the Charlottetown Islanders to win the playoff games.
The two teams begin their best-of-seven Quebec Major Junior Hockey League first-round series tonight in Charlottetown.
Balmas spent 1 ½ seasons living with Jeremy and Kellie Davies of Stratford while Gentile was there for his only year on the Island. Islanders rugged defenceman Hunter Drew still lives with the Davies.
“We’ve already had some friendly jabs because Mr. Gentile reached out (via a group text) as soon as the playoffs were set,” Jeremy said Thursday. “It was fun. . . There’s obviously friendships there that’ll last forever.”
But those friendly jabs turn to reality when the veterans hit the ice tonight at the Eastlink Centre.
“I told Hunter not to be gentle with Derek in the corner,” Jeremy said.
While the billets are super proud of Balmas’ and Gentile’s accomplishments since being traded from the Islanders, there’s no split allegiances here when it comes to their preferred outcome.
“Oh, Islanders fan through and through,” Jeremy said. “As long as the Islanders win the game, we’re good right?”
There were seven potential first-round opponents for the Islanders, but heading into the final weekend of the season, a meeting with Cape Breton seemed possible.
“We had our hearts set on Cape Breton because both teams are so close it’ll be a great series,” Jeremy said. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be good hockey.”
This will be Drew’s and Balmas’ swan song in junior hockey while Gentile has one year of eligibility remaining. Jeremy hopes Drew and Balmas sign professional contracts after the season.
