SUMMERSIDE – The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals got what they wanted.
The Capitals split the first two games on the road against the Edmundston Blizzard in the best-of-seven Eastlink North Division final series of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) over the weekend. The teams return to Summerside for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., after the Caps won Game 1 on Saturday 5-4, and the Blizzard took Game 2 on Sunday 3-2.
“We were up against it up there obviously,” said Caps head coach Billy McGuigan is recapping the first two games. “We were down in Game 1, 3-1, and came back and found a way to win that hockey game. It was a very important hockey game for us.
“We went up there not expected to win two games, but if we could ever get a split we’d be pretty happy with that.”
Click here for story on Caps head coach Billy McGuigan accusing Blizzard of embellishing and diving:
With the first two games attracting sell-out crowds of 2,803 fans to the new Centre Jean Daigle, the Caps, who drew over 1,800 fans for a series-clinching win against Campbellton in Round 1, are hoping to see P.E.I. fans come out in large numbers for Games 3 and 4.
“We’d like to see a large crowd in our building,” said McGuigan. “Hopefully the fans come out. It’s been a great series so far, and it’s nice to get back home.”
McGuigan said he does not expect to make a lot of adjustments for Game 3.
“They are a real good hockey team, and we are a real good hockey team,” said McGuigan. “It’s been a good series so far, but we will tweak a little bit, but it’s nothing too serious.
“We felt they were the better team in the first two periods of both games (in Edmundston), and we thought our third period was our best period in both games. We controlled the play in the third period in the last two games.”
Click here for story with Edmundston Blizzard head coach Ryan Salvis:
After the Blizzard registered 90 shots in the first two games, including 20 in each opening frame, is McGuigan concerned about that statistic?
“They came out hard in the first period of both games, especially the first game,” answered McGuigan. “They are running off adrenaline from their home fans, and rightfully so.
“They had great crowds, great atmosphere and I don’t know if they would have had 20 shots each period, that may have been embellished a bit.
“We had to weather a storm early on in both games, and that’s where a lot of the shots came from.”
Click here for story on Games 1 and 2 between Caps and Blizzard:
Goaltending change
McGuigan confirmed he will stay with Game-2 starter Dominik Tmej in goal. Tmej took over from Alex Bishop just past the halfway mark of Game 1, with the Blizzard leading 3-1.
“It wasn’t Bish’s fault in Game 1,” offered McGuigan. He faced 28 shots, and we were behind the 8-ball most of that first game.
“When they scored the third one it was time to change the momentum. I went down the tunnel and had a quick talk with Bish, because he obviously wasn’t happy with the change. I tried to explain to him it’s not about his play, and was more about the fact we somehow needed to change the momentum.
“We were going on the power play at that time, and I thought it gave us an extra minute to rest for that power play and Dom to get in the net. It’s a situation we have two great goaltenders. Dom went in Game 2 and played outstanding. He was the reason the score was 3-2.”
Click here for series preview between Caps and Blizzard:
Get lead
The Capitals have only held one lead in the first two games – for the final 52 seconds of Game 1 – following Chris Chaddock’s game-winning goal at 19:08 of the third period.
“We are showing a lot of perseverance as far as battling back in games, but we would like to get a lead in the next couple of games,” acknowledged McGuigan. “It’s changing now, we are coming to our rink.
“It’s a little different environment for us, and a little tougher to play in our rink, too. Home-ice advantage may be a big advantage in this series.”
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Notebook
Series notes for Caps and Blizzard:
The Caps are 2-for-12 on the power play, and the Blizzard is 0-for-8.
Caps forward Brodie MacArthur recorded three points in Game 1 and an assist in Game 2 to extend his point streak to 43 games.
MacArthur leads the Caps with four points while Liam Leonard has a team-leading three points for the Blizzard.
With such a long distance between Summerside and Edmundston, this series is proving good for hotels and restaurants in both communities. The Caps travelled to Edmundston on Friday for Game 1 on Saturday. Following Sunday night’s Game 2, the Caps spent the night in Fredericton, before travelling home Monday morning and practising in the afternoon. The Blizzard was scheduled to arrive in Summerside on Monday evening.
Including three regular-season games, the Caps and Blizzard have played five one-goal games in Edmundston this season. The Blizzard are 4-1 in those contests.
The Caps won two of three regular-season meetings against the Blizzard in Summerside, including 4-0 and 5-1 wins in Edmundston’s final two visits to Summerside on Jan. 25 and Feb. 8.
Schedule
Schedule for best-of-seven Western Caps-Blizzard series:
Game 1
Saturday, March 31
Capitals 5 at Blizzard 4.
Game 2
Sunday, April 1
Capitals 2 at Blizzard 3.
Game 3
Tuesday, April 3
7 p.m. – Blizzard at Capitals.
Game 4
Wednesday, April 4
7 p.m. – Blizzard at Capitals.
Game 5, if necessary
Saturday, April 7
7:30 p.m. – Capitals at Blizzard.
Game 6, if necessary
Monday, April 9
7 p.m. – Blizzard at Capitals.
Wednesday, April 11
Game 7, if necessary
7:30 p.m. – Capitals at Blizzard.
