SUMMERSIDE – The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals begin the 2018 post-season Thursday.
The Capitals host the Campbellton Tigers in Game 1 of the best-of-seven semifinal series in the Eastlink North Division of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League). Puck drop at Eastlink Arena is 7 p.m.
“The matchup against Campbellton is a little tricky,” said Capitals head coach Billy McGuigan. “We haven’t been great up there, and it’s a little different playing in their barn – it’s a bigger rink and is the only one in the league with the big (Olympic-sized) ice.
“We have been a little behind up there in certain games. It’s going to be a tough task for us. They have, I think, the best defensive core in the league, good goaltending and a real hard-working forward group that plays a heavy game. They don’t score a lot of goals, and we are hoping that’s a positive for us.”
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The Caps finished second in the division and third overall in the 12-team league at 33-16-1-0 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses), despite having six rookies, including four midget-aged freshmen, and six sophomores playing regularly. That means over half of the Caps’ lineup every night featured first- and second-year junior players.
“Our rookies were outstanding this year,” said McGuigan. “We probably have the best rookie group in the league as a core, and probably had the most of them.
“Then you add in those sophomores and older guys who really dominated.”
Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals forward Kallum Muirhead of Charlottetown recorded five points, including four goals, in the final two games of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) regular season.
The Tigers finished tied for third with the Miramichi Timberwolves in the Eastlink North Division with 52 points. Campbellton (24-22-2-2) got the nod for third place over the Timberwolves (23-21-1-1) based on more regular-season wins. Ironically, the Caps defeated the Timberwolves 5-2 in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday.
“Basically, we went into that game with the thought process we are a team that is here to win hockey games, we are a team that’s going to work hard and battle to win every hockey game and this one is no different,” said McGuigan. “We went out and played our best, and won the hockey game.”
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That outcome set up the series against Campbellton, a club the Caps split the regular-season series with. Each team won three times on home ice
“The good thing is we have home-ice advantage,” chuckled McGuigan. “I think there is some growing hatred between the two teams, and it’s going to be exciting playoff hockey.”
It is also the second time in three years the Caps and Tigers will meet in Round 1. Summerside overcame a 3-1 series deficit to win in seven games in 2016.
When asked what will be keys for the Caps against the Tigers, McGuigan answered: “We have to really focus on getting pucks in behind their D. The key to their hockey team is their D. If we can get pucks in behind them and really bear down on our forecheck and defend well, we will have a good series.
“I’m hoping, as time goes on in the series, we will get stronger. We have to limit their chances, and make sure we are making their D turning around to get pucks and making sure we are on them often.”
McGuigan also emphasized the Caps, who will have a full roster available for Game 1, need a total team effort.
“You can’t rely on six guys to do all the scoring,” said McGuigan. “Our depth is going to have to play a part in this series.”
McGuigan said Dominik Tmej, who was named the MHL’s top goaltender on Tuesday night, will get the nod in Game 1. Tmej and Alex Bishop give the Caps one of the league’s best goaltending tandems.
“We have been rotating them back and forth, and it will be Dom’s game,” said McGuigan. “We will go with Dom, he’s pretty hot on home ice and has played well for us there. Either one of our guys can go, and we are going to try and keep that ball going.”
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The Teams
A look at Western Capitals and Campbellton Tigers:
Western Capitals
Team Statistics
Record: 35-18-2-0.
Home: 21-6-0-0.
Road: 14-2-2-0.
Points: 67 (third-best in MHL).
Goals-for: 213 (league best).
Goals-against: 142.
Power play: 25.6 per cent (league best).
Penalty killing: 85.4 per cent (second in league).
Penalty minutes: 741 (fewest in league).
Individual Leaders
Points: TJ Shea, 105 (league best).
Goals: TJ Shea, 43 (league best).
Assists: TJ Shea, 62 (league best).
Power-play goals: TJ Shea, 12 (league best).
Short-handed goals: TJ Shea and Brodie MacArthur, tied with four.
Game-winning goals: TJ Shea, 5 (tied for league best).
Goaltending
Dominik Tmej
21 games
17-2
2.06 goals-against average (league best)
6 shutouts (league best)
.940 save percentage (league best).
Alex Bishop
12 games
8-4
2.40 goals-against average.
1 shutout.
.930 save percentage.
Campbellton Tigers
Team Statistics
Record: 23-14-2-2.
Points: 52.
Home: 15-11-0-0.
Road: 9-13-2-2.
Goals-for: 134.
Goals-against: 158.
Power play: 12.2. per cent.
Penalty killing: 77.1 per cent.
Penalty minutes: 898.
Individual Leaders
Points: Pierre-Luc Lurette, 41.
Goals: Pierre-Luc Lurette, 19.
Assists: Pierre-Luc Lurette, 22.
Power-play goals: Pierre-Luc Lurette, 8.
Short-handed goals: Pascal Valcourt and Noah Whebby, tied with one.
Game-winning goals: Dylan Coffey, 2.
Goaltending
Greg Maggio
33 games
13-16-2
3.14 goals-against average.
0 shutouts.
.910 save percentage.
Tristan Gray
23 games
9-10-2
3 shutouts
2.90 goals-against average
.910 save percentage
Head to Head
Regular-season meetings between Caps, Tigers:
Oct. 5: Tigers 1 at Caps 4.
Dec. 10: Caps 4 at Tigers 5.
Dec. 30: Tigers 2 at Caps 4.
Feb. 2: Caps 1 at Tigers 5.
Feb. 17: Caps 4 at Tigers 7.
March 1: Tigers 0 at Caps 7.
When They Play
Playoff schedule for Caps-Tigers’ series:
Game 1
Thursday, March 15 – Tigers at Caps.
Game 2
Saturday, March 17 – Caps at Tigers.
Game 3
Monday, March 19 – Tigers at Caps.
Game 4
Wednesday, March 21 – Caps at Tigers.
Game 5, if necessary
Friday, March 23 – Tigers at Caps.
Game 6, if necessary
Sunday, March 25 – Caps at Tigers.
Game 7, if necessary
Tuesday, March 27 – Tigers at Caps.
Note: All games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
