BRIDGEWATER, N.S. — The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals built an early lead and then held off a late rally by the South Shore Lumberjacks on Friday night.
The Capitals prevailed 6-5 in the Maritime Junior Hockey League game.
The Caps, who have won four straight and five of their last six, will take a league-best record of 28-5-1 (won-lost-overtime losses) into Saturday night’s game in Yarmouth, N.S., against the Eastlink South Division-leading Mariners (22-10-3). That game will close out a stretch of three games in three days for the Capitals, who topped the Grand Falls Rapids 4-2 in Summerside on Thursday night.
Before 698 fans at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., the Capitals jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first period and took a 6-3 advantage into the second intermission. The Lumberjacks scored two goals less than a minute apart with under four minutes remaining to set the stage for a nail-biting finish.
Offensively, defenceman Brodie MacMillan scored twice and picked up an assist while forward and team captain Brodie MacArthur collected three helpers to pace the Caps. Cam Roberts (1-1), Marc-Andre LeCouffe, Nick Reeves and Marc Richard, who scored the winning goal against Grand Falls, also dented the twine.
Single assists were credited to Kallum Muirhead (2), Josh MacDonald and Isaac Wilson.
Logan O’Neil (2), Cameron Brown, Brandon Stone and Tyler Ralph answered for the Lumberjacks (17-14-3).
Overall, South Shore outshot Summerside 34-23, including a 21-7 advantage in the second period. Alec MacVicar earned the goaltending win over Ty Grant.
Each team went 1-for-6 on the power play.
The game’s three stars were:
1. Brodie MacMillan (Caps), 2. Brodie MacArthur (Caps), 3. Logan O’Neil (Lumberjacks).
The Caps’ next home game is Thursday against the Edmundston Blizzard (21-7-5) at 7 p.m.