CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Charlottetown Islanders gets to measure where they are as a team at tonight against the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League leaders.
The Isles host the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at 7 p.m. at the Eastlink Centre.
“It’s going to be a tough test for us,” Islanders goalie Matthew Welsh said Friday. “They have a lot of talent. They’re definitely one of the teams to beat in the league, so I think we have a chance to prove what we’re made of.”
The Huskies took a 32-7-0-1 record into Friday night’s game in Moncton. Results were unavailable at press time. Charlottetown was fifth with a 25-11-2-1 record.
Welsh said it’s a challenge the players in the Islanders jerseys are excited about.
“It's always good to bring some of the top-end teams into the Eastlink Centre and give them a run for their money,” he said.
The clubs will meet twice in the next week with the final meeting set for next Saturday in northern Quebec.
Welsh said to have success they will need to play solid defensively and not force things while capitalizing on their chances.
It could also be a matchup of two of the league’s goalies if Samuel Harvey starts for the visitors.
The fifth-year veteran had 113 wins before Friday’s play and a 2.14 goals-against average this season.
“He’s definitely a very well-respected goalie, who has had a lot of success over his career,” Welsh said. “It’s always fun to get to battle against a really good goalie like that.”
There is a chance it could be Summerside native Noah Dobson’s final game on the Island if he makes the NHL next season with the New York Islanders.
