SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — A simple adjustment of shooting the puck more paid off for Kayden Peck on Saturday night.
The forward scored four goals and assisted on two others for a six-point night in leading the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals to an 8-3 win over the Miramichi Timberwolves in the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League).
“He was outstanding,” said Capitals head coach Billy McGuigan about his first-year forward from Charlottetown. “When Kayden Peck shoots the puck it almost always has a chance of going in. He has a great release, a great shot and he just has to get himself into those shooting areas. (Saturday), it paid off.”
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There was no better example of Peck’s potent shot than on his second goal of the night at 8:12 of the second period. He carried the puck deep into the Miramichi end on the right wing, and from a sharp angle snapped the puck over goaltender Stewart Bagnell’s left shoulder.
“At the beginning of the year I was looking to pass first a little bit too much,” said Peck, 20. “Now that I’m shooting a little bit more, the pucks seem to be going in more often, and that’s a big thing for me.”
This was not Peck’s first four-goal game, however, as he had one last year while playing junior B hockey in British Columbia.
“It feels nice,” added Peck. “Everyone has their good games, and I had mine (Saturday).”
Busy stretch
The game capped a stretch of three games in four days for the Capitals, who defeated the Pictou County Crushers 7-3 on Wednesday night and the Campbellton Tigers 4-0 on Friday.
The Caps, who sport a league-leading 31-5-1 (won-lost-overtime losses) and were ranked fourth in last week's Canadian Junior A Hockey League rankings, are 12-0-1 in their last 13 games. Summerside’s last regulation-time loss was a 5-4 decision in Grand Falls on Dec. 21.
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MacArthur streak
Before 1,017 fans at Eastlink Arena, Capitals forward Brodie MacArthur assisted on the Caps’ first two goals versus the Timberwolves to extend an unheard of streak. That marked 14 straight Summerside goals the Summerside native either scored or assisted on.
MacArthur, playing on a newly-formed line with Peck and Cameron Roberts of Kensington, finished the game with three assists to improve his league-leading point total to 81 – 33 goals and 48 assists. Roberts contributed five assists as the trio combined for 14 points.
“They are two really smart players, so I just try to get open best I can and they ended up seeing me with the puck,” said Peck, who has 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in 35 regular-season games.
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Single goals
Brodie MacMillan, Jacob Arsenault, Dylan Riley and Kallum Muirhead also scored for the Capitals. Conor MacEachern (2), Ryan MacDonald (2), Jacob Hickey and Sullivan Sparkes added assists.
Walker Campbell, James Walker and Chris Murphy replied for the Timberwolves (15-22-2). Miramichi is one point back of the St. Stephen Aces (15-22-3) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastlink North Division, and in all likelihood a first-round matchup against the Capitals.
The Caps led 1-0 at the end of the first period after outshooting Miramichi 19-5. After the Timberwolves tied the game early in the middle frame, the Caps scored three times to take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission.
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Overall, the final shots-on-goal totals were 52-25 in favour of Summerside. Daniel Thompson picked up the goaltending win.
“The first period and a half of the game I thought they had the more quality chances, but I thought we had more puck possession time in the end zone and were a lot better team,” assessed McGuigan. “They got a couple of goals, but we stuck to our game plan.
“It’s a big tribute to the guys when you have guys like (forward and captain) TJ Shea and (defenceman) Noah Massie out of the lineup. When you have key injuries like that, and guys like Kayden Peck, Brodie MacArthur, Ryan MacDonald are stepping up, it says a lot about our depth and is great for our hockey club.”
The game’s three stars were:
1. Kayden Peck (Caps), 2. Cameron Roberts (Caps), 3. Conor MacEachern (Caps).
The Caps will host Grand Falls (10-20-6) in a make-up game on Tuesday. Puck drop at Eastlink Arena is 7 p.m.
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