SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — It was not the start to a busy weekend the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals were hoping for.
The Caps will be back on the ice against the Edmundston Blizzard on Sunday afternoon looking to salvage a win after dropping the first two of a three-game weekend on the road. The Caps, despite outshooting the opposition in the first two games, lost 3-2 in overtime to the Grand Falls Rapids on Friday night, and 4-3 in regulation time versus the Blizzard on Saturday.
Click here for story on Friday night's game between Capitals and Rapids:
It was the Caps’ first regulation-time loss since dropping a 5-4 decision in Grand Falls on Dec. 21. The Caps went into Saturday’s game 13-0-2 in their last 15 games.
The Caps, who sit atop the overall standings of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League), entered Sunday’s play at 32-6-2 (won-lost-overtime losses).
Click here for Joe MacIntyre's Hot Corner column in Saturday's Journal Pioneer:
It’s a busy upcoming week for the Caps, who visit the Truro Bearcats (22-15-4) on Friday night, host the Campbellton Tigers (24-11-5) on Saturday at 7 p.m., and entertain the South Shore Lumberjacks (19-17-3) in the team’s annual Islander Day game on Monday at 2 p.m.
Click here for feature story on Western Capitals forward Zach Thususka:
MacDonald solid
Before 2,837 fans in Edmundston, N.B., Blizzard goaltender Ewan MacDonald turned in a 42-save performance as the Caps outshot their hosts 42-29, including 13-5 and 17-9 advantages in the first and third periods.
There was no scoring in the first period, and Edmundston took a 2-1 cushion into the final 20 minutes. The Blizzard scored two early third-period goals to increase that lead to 4-1, before the Caps countered with two goals to close the gap to one with 7:05 remaining.
Keenan Gillis (1-1), Sam King, Dallas Maurovic and Samuel LeBlanc scored for the Blizzard (21-14-4). Felix Rioux, Oliver-Luc Haché, Tristan Mercure and Maxime Grandmaison were credited with assists.
Kallum Muirhead (1-1), Conor MacEachern and Brodie MacArthur answered for the Capitals. MacArthur’s goal extended his point streak to 21 games. Cameron Roberts (3) and Sullivan Sparkes added other assists.
Dominik Tmej finished with 25 saves for the Caps, the third-ranked team in the latest Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings released Feb. 4.
Click here for story on latest Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings:
The game’s three stars were:
1. Ewan MacDonald (Blizzard), 2. Tristan Mercure (Blizzard), 3. Brodie MacArthur (Caps).
