TORBAY, N.L. – The Prince County Warriors are right in the thick of things entering the final day of round-robin play at the 2018 Atlantic major bantam hockey championship.
The Warriors, who sport a 2-1 (won-lost) record, split two games on Friday – defeating Newfoundland and Labrador’s Tri-Com Thunder 6-4 and losing 5-2 to The Gulls from Nova Scotia at the Jack Byrne Arena. The O’Leary-based Warriors, champions of the P.E.I. Major Bantam Hockey League, close out the round robin against the host St. John’s Hitmen at noon on Saturday.
The top two teams at the end of the round robin will meet in Sunday’s championship game.
Warriors 6 Thunder 4
Sam Hackett scored two goals and added two assists while Zach Biggar contributed five assists to pace the Cleve McNeill-coached Warriors. Donovan Arsenault also netted a brace while single goals came off the sticks of Max Chisholm and Liam Greenan, who sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 29 seconds remaining. Sid McNeill and winning goaltender Aiden Williams contributed other assists.
Jack Connors (3) and Travis Badcock (1-2) accounted for the Thunder goals. Zachary Dean (3), Liam Marshall (2) and Ryan Greene added other helpers.
The Warriors led 3-0 after the opening period on three power-play goals, and took a 4-2 advantage into the final frame.
Williams turned in a strong 36-save effort as the Thunder outshot the Warriors 40-25, including 15-8 and 17-6 advantages in the final two periods.
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Gulls 5 Warriors 2
The Gulls, who never trailed in the game and survived three double minors for hitting to the head in the first period, built period leads of 1-0 and 3-1.
Cameron MacDonald (2-1), Connor McNamara (1-1), Daniel Kline and Stephen Purdy lit the lamp for the Gulls. Camden Pellerine (2), Leighton Carruthers, Ryan Dempster, Justin Keating, Davis Cooper and Drew Maddigan set up the goals.
Chisholm and Marshall Gallant countered for the Warriors. Frederick Morency and Will Smith were credited with helpers.
Overall, the Gulls outshot the Warriors 42-29. Noah Harvey earned the goaltending win, and Turner Ellis was between the pipes for Prince County.