KENSINGTON, P.E.I. – It’s a simple scenario – if the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild want to finish first in the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League, a win Friday night is a necessity.
The second-place Wild will visit the league-leading Moncton Flyers at the Superior Propane Centre in a 7:30 p.m. start in what will be the final regular-season meeting between the two teams. The Flyers, who are 23-3-1 (won-lost-overtime losses), hold a two-point lead on the Wild (22-5-1).
“It’s a pretty big game,” acknowledged 16-year-old Wild rookie forward Duncan Picketts of Kelvin Grove, near Kensington.
Even if the Wild pull even with the Flyers on Friday night, they will still require help as Moncton has one game-in-hand. Including Friday, six of Moncton’s final eight regular-season games are at home while four of Kensington’s last seven contests before the playoffs will be played in the cozy confines of Credit Union Centre.
“First place is still in our sights, and if we want to get first we have to do our job Friday night against Moncton. We have to get the two points, and go from there.”
-Wild head coach Kyle Dunn
“First place is still in our sights, and if we want to get first we have to do our job Friday night against Moncton,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “We have to get the two points, and go from there.”
It won’t be an easy task as the Wild and Flyers have met eight times this year – six regular-season games, in the quarter-finals of the Monctonian AAA Challenge and the final of the 2019 Chronicle Herald East Coast Ice Jam tournament – and each team has four wins. Each team also has two overtime wins, and the tie-breaking goal in another game was scored in the final minute of regulation time.
“I saw something the other day where there is only a one-goal difference between the teams all year,” said Picketts. “It’s just really whoever gets the bounces and makes less mistakes wins.”
It’s important to note that the final standings only determine home-ice advantage for the New Brunswick and P.E.I. provincial playoffs. The Wild will meet the Charlottetown Pride in a best-of-seven series to determine the P.E.I. champion, and the four New Brunswick teams will compete in a playoff format to determine that province’s representative at the Atlantic championship. With the Pride hosting the Atlantics, both P.E.I. teams are already guaranteed berths.
Click here for feature story on Kensington Wild goaltender Chad Arsenault:
Back home Saturday
The Wild returns home on Saturday to host the Northern Moose (1-25-2) from Bathurst, N.B.
“They are a hard-working team,” said first-year Wild forward Kalib Snow of Summerside in describing the last-place Moose. “They are struggling a bit point-wise, but they will definitely come out and work their hardest. We have to be ready to match that.”
Northern has proven it can compete with any team. An example is the Moose held a 1-0 third-period lead, before losing 2-1 in overtime, on the road against the Flyers last weekend.
“We can’t take teams for granted,” emphasized Snow, 16. “This is a close, competitive league, and you have to bring your best every game.”
Click here for story on Kensington Wild participating in fundraiser for KidSport P.E.I.:
Atmosphere
A lively atmosphere is expected for Saturday’s game as participants in the 51st annual peewee hockey exchange between Kensington and Bedford, Que., will be guests of the Wild. Picketts is a former participant of the exchange.
“There will be lots of kids around from P.E.I. and Quebec watching the game,” said Picketts, who has chipped in with six goals, five assists and 11 points in 28 regular-season games. “It will be great to put on a show for the kids from Quebec coming to watch us play.”
Click here for story on this year's peewee hockey exchange between Kensington and Bedford:
Snow also has recorded 11 points – three goals and eight assists – in 28 games.
“I may not be the biggest point guy, but I work my hardest every shift,” said Snow in describing his role. “It’s been a great year, there is a really great chemistry in the room and I’m really enjoying it so far.”
The Wild will be without defenceman Isaac Wilson, who was named an all-star at the recent Ice Jam tournament, and forward Jack Campbell, as both begin serving suspensions picked up in last weekend’s 8-1 win over Fredericton (7-15-4).
