KENSINGTON – Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild head coach Kyle Dunn is well aware of the importance of Saturday night’s game.
The Wild will take a 2-0 lead over the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride in the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series into a critical Game 3 at Credit Union Centre in Kensington, previously Community Gardens. The opening faceoff is 7:30 p.m., and a full house and lively atmosphere are expected after the first two games attracted crowds of over 500 fans.
“Any game from here on in is obviously big,” said Dunn, who is well aware a Pride win will make it a 2-1 series heading back to Charlottetown for Game 4 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. “We don’t want to get too high or too low.
“It’s just one game at a time, and our message is we have had success when we are working. If we come out and work, the rest will take care of itself. We want to get our feet going, establish an early forecheck and get pucks to the net.”
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Wild forward Chandler Wood of Coleman said his teammates are not taking anything for granted.
“We haven’t stopped working,” said Wood. “We don’t think this is going to be a cakewalk. We have a lot of work to do yet, and are only halfway to winning the series. . . We have to keep going.”
Wild defenceman Zac Arsenault of Montague agreed with Wood, 17.
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” emphasized Arsenault, 16. “We haven’t won anything yet.”
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Arsenault said Kensington’s approach doesn’t change going into Game 3.
“We have to come out hard, play a full 60 minutes and play the hockey we have been playing,” said Arsenault, who was a physical presence in Game 2.
Wood has been key offensive contributor recording six points in the first two games playing on a line with Evan Gallant and Isaac Callaghan. Gallant has a series-leading eight points and Callaghan has picked up three points.
“I have to give all the credit to my linemates,” said Wood. “We work hard in practice and (at off-ice) workouts. We have one goal and that is to try and drive this team as a line. We lean on each other to do well together.”
Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild defenceman Ethan Beaulieu of Borden-Carleton looks to make a pass during Game 1 of the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series against the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride on March 2. The two teams will clash in Game 3 at Credit Union Centre in Kensington, previously Community Gardens, on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Two keys
Some keys for the Wild in Games 1 and 2 have been jumping out to early leads, never trailing in either game and only allowing three goals in 8-1 and 6-2 wins.
“All year we’ve had great starts getting off to early leads,” said Dunn, who admitted he would like to see the Wild cut down on the number of Pride shots and scoring chances. “Once we get off to early leads we start playing with confidence. Obviously, that’s a key to our game.”
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