The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals staged one of the team’s most dramatic wins of the 2018-19 season on Friday night.
The Capitals overcame a pair of two-goal deficits on the road, and Brodie MacArthur’s unassisted goal at 1:55 of overtime lifted Summerside to a 4-3 win over the Campbellton Tigers in the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) game.
The Caps have now won six games in a row, and sit atop the Eastlink North Division at 25-5-0 (won-lost-overtime losses). The second-place Tigers (18-10-5), who have played three more games than the Caps, are nine points back.
Summerside, which was ranked fourth in this week’s Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings, also closed to within one point of the league-leading Yarmouth Mariners (24-5-3) in the overall standings. The Caps hold two games-in-hand on Yarmouth.
Also scoring
Before 851 fans at the Campbellton Memorial Civic Centre, Kallum Muirhead, Jesse Annear and Josh MacDonald also found the back of the net for the Capitals. Sparkes, who had two goals and an assist in the Caps' 6-1 win over the St. Stephen Aces on Thursday night, pulled the Caps into a 3-3 tie with the Tigers at 12:30 of the third period. MacArthur and TJ Shea added single assists.
Coleton Perry of North Bedeque, Dawson Stairs and Pascal Valcourt scored for the Tigers, who held a 2-0 first-period lead and a 3-1 advantage in the middle frame. Campbellton led 2-1 after 20 minutes, and 3-2 at the end of two.
Overall, the Tigers outshot the Capitals 43-34. Dominik Tmej earned the goaltending win over Tristan Gray.
The game’s three stars were:
1. Sullivan Sparkes (Caps), 2. Brodie MacArthur (Caps), 3. Dawson Stairs (Tigers).
The Capitals are scheduled to visit the Miramichi Timberwolves (12-18-2) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Caps’ next home is against the Truro Bearcats (18-10-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m.
