O'LEARY, P.E.I. — It was a record-setting performance for Ethan Dickson on Friday night.
The five-foot-seven and 150-pound centre became the all-time leading goal-scorer in regular-season play for the O’Leary-based Prince County Warriors.
Dickson’s first of three goals in the Warriors’ 7-5 home-ice victory over the Mid-Isle Matrix set the new mark.
Dickson entered Friday’s game with 49 goals and tied with Summerside native Bennett MacArthur.
Dickson has now scored 52 goals in 47 P.E.I. Major Under-15 AAA Hockey League regular-season games over the last two seasons. MacArthur played 54 regular-season games with the Warriors during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
"Going into the game, I knew I was close, but during the game, I forgot about it as I got caught up in the game trying to win,” said the 14-year-old son of Todd and Lisa Dickson of Kensington. “I’m excited that I set it.”
Rebound
Dickson established the new record 4:25 into the second period. He made no mistake depositing a rebound from a Lincoln Waugh shot past Matrix goaltender Landon MacKinnon on the glove side. Carson Griffin also earned an assist on the record-breaking goal.
“I’m proud and happy for Ethan,” said Warriors head coach Cleve McNeill. “Ethan’s got a motor to succeed and compete like I have never seen.
“He takes great pride in growing his game and never loses his passion to win.”
Well-rounded game
Dickson said he likes to play a well-rounded game and hopes to follow in MacArthur’s footsteps and play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. MacArthur has 15 goals and 22 points in 48 games with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan the last two seasons.
“It feels great to know I passed somebody who is doing really good in the Q right now,” said Dickson, who has scored 31 of those goals during the 2020-21 campaign.
MacArthur passed along congratulations to Dickson through a team official. The two also discussed the record during a 3-on-3 event the Warriors hosted with current players and alumni over the Christmas holidays.
“He said, ‘Do you think you will beat the record?,’” said Dickson. “I said, ‘Yeah, I think I will.’
“He said, ‘I would like to see it.’”
Dickson will graduate to the under-18 age category next season, and he has already had a taste of playing at that level. He has played a few games as an affiliated player with the Kensington Wild of the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Under-18 Hockey League this season.
“It’s pretty fast hockey, and I enjoy it very much,” said Dickson. “It definitely gets me ready for next year, and hopefully, I can make one of the two (P.E.I.) teams (Wild or Charlottetown Knights).”
Immediate focus
But Dickson’s immediate focus is helping the second-place Warriors, who are 12-5-0 (won-lost-overtime losses), pursue a league championship.
Next up for the Warriors is a head-to-head clash with the league-leading Eastern Express (16-0-1) in Pownal on Thursday at 7:40 p.m., and a home date against the Central Attack (2-13-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Statistics:
Ethan Dickson and Bennett MacArthur’s stats with Warriors:
Regular Season
Ethan Dickson
2020-21
GP G A Pts
17 31 23 54
2021-22
GP G A Pts
30 21 8 29
Career Totals
GP G A Pts
47 52 31 83
****
Bennett MacArthur
2015-16
GP G A Pts
30 41 30 71
2014-15
GP G A Pts
25 8 3 11
Career Totals
GP G A Pts
55 49 33 82
Jason Simmonds is the Journal Pioneer's sports reporter.
