CHARLOTTETOWN – The Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride knows what is at stake on Saturday.
The Pride will enter Game 3 of the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series trailing the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild 2-0, but a win will get Charlottetown right back in the series and provide an opportunity to even the series on home ice in Game 4 on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“There is no denying the importance of this game for our club,” said Pride head coach Luke Beck in an interview with the Journal Pioneer on Thursday afternoon. “If we can pull out a win up there it will be a great boost of confidence for our group.”
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The Wild won the series opener on March 2 by an 8-1 score, and took Game 2 at MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI campus in Charlottetown on Sunday evening 6-2.
“We want to focus on a better start,” said Beck, whose team did outshoot the Wild 33-23 in Game 2. “I thought we did a better job on Sunday, and didn’t give up as many chances as we did in Game 1.
“However, their top guys were able to capitalize on some opportunities, and we have to make sure we are doing a better job of trying to take away them.”
The Pride has yet to hold a lead in the first two games, and that’s something Beck hopes will change in Game 3.
“They are a really good team, and we can’t expect to be chasing game in and game out,” said Beck.
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Although the Pride is facing a two-game deficit, Beck said the players have maintained an upbeat attitude at practice this week.
“Our kids are still confident,” said Beck. “Obviously, there are a few areas in our game we want to clean up.”
One of those areas is reducing the goals-against.
“Any time you give up 14 goals there are a few changes we are looking to make,” said Beck, who added the Pride will continue “to take a one-game approach” in this series.
“We used this week to reset a little bit, build off some of the positives from Sunday night and we are going up there for obviously a critical game for us in the series,” said Beck.
Beck confirmed Erik MacInnis, who started Game 1, will be back between the pipes for the Pride after Ben Parent played Game 2.
Puck drop at Credit Union Centre in Kensington, previously Community Gardens, on Saturday is 7:30 p.m.
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