The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild and Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series, with Game 3 at Community Gardens in Kensington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“It’s two good teams, it’s going to be a good series and the first two games clearly indicate that,” said Pride head coach Luke Beck. “We are really happy with where the team is at right now.
“We knew it was going to be a tight series.”
The road team has won the first two games, with Charlottetown winning the opener 3-2 in overtime and Kensington bouncing back for a 3-1 decision in Game 2.
“All week in practice our guys were loose and that’s a credit to our leadership group,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “It was calm and no panic mode.”
Special teams
A big storyline through the first two games, especially Game 2, has been special teams. According to the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League website, the Wild is a perfect 12-for-12 on the penalty kill and 2-for-7 on the power play in the first two games. Both goals with the man advantage came in Game 2.
“Coming into the series we knew Charlottetown had a great power play, so our focus was being aggressive and taking time and space away,” explained Dunn. “Obviously, we don’t want to be working that hard on our penalty kill, and we have to be more disciplined at times.”
Click here for story on Game 1:
Click here for story on Game 2:
The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild and Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series, with Game 3 at Community Gardens in Kensington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“It’s two good teams, it’s going to be a good series and the first two games clearly indicate that,” said Pride head coach Luke Beck. “We are really happy with where the team is at right now.
“We knew it was going to be a tight series.”
The road team has won the first two games, with Charlottetown winning the opener 3-2 in overtime and Kensington bouncing back for a 3-1 decision in Game 2.
“All week in practice our guys were loose and that’s a credit to our leadership group,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “It was calm and no panic mode.”
Special teams
A big storyline through the first two games, especially Game 2, has been special teams. According to the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League website, the Wild is a perfect 12-for-12 on the penalty kill and 2-for-7 on the power play in the first two games. Both goals with the man advantage came in Game 2.
“Coming into the series we knew Charlottetown had a great power play, so our focus was being aggressive and taking time and space away,” explained Dunn. “Obviously, we don’t want to be working that hard on our penalty kill, and we have to be more disciplined at times.”
Click here for story on Game 1:
Click here for story on Game 2:
The Wild went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill in Game 2, including killing off two 5-on-3 Charlottetown power plays – one for a full two minutes in a scoreless first period.
“When you see guys out there blocking shots, working hard on the penalty kill, it becomes contagious,” said Dunn. “Other guys feel they have to work hard and block shots.”
Although Charlottetown is still looking for its first power-play goal of the series, Beck was pleased with some of the chances generated in Game 2.
“We believe if we continue to get those opportunities we will find the back of the net,” added Beck, who likes what he’s seen from his team.
“Our team has come with an eagerness and confidence about them that we are really happy about,” continued Beck. “We feel we have been really strong 5-on-5, and our special teams in Game 2 wasn’t quite as good as we would have hoped.
“Such is playoff hockey and we will continue to make some small adjustments and tweaks to it.”
Attendance
With the first two games attracting close to 500 fans in both Kensington and Charlottetown, a full house is expected at the Gardens on Saturday.
“Both games could have went either way,” said Beck. “They could have easily won Game 1 up there (Kensington), and we could have won Game 2.”
Dunn added, “It’s one of those playoff series the harder you work the luckier you may get.”
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Notebook
Notebook for Wild,
Pride playoff series:
Zach Thususka, Evan Gallant and Clark Webster all have a goal and assist to lead the Wild in scoring through the first two games. Cale Pierce, who scored the overtime winner in Game 1, has an identical summary to lead the Pride.
Goaltenders Luke Oliver of the Wild and the Pride’s Noah Laybolt have put up impressive numbers in the first two games. Oliver, who has allowed four goals on 79 shots, has a 1.92 goals-against average (GAA) and .949 save percentage. Laybolt has given up five goals on 63 shots, and has a 2.50 GAA and .921 save percentage
The Pride has not led in regulation time through the first two games.
The winner of this series will represent P.E.I. at the Atlantic major midget hockey championship in Miramichi, N.B., from March 30 to April 2.
Games
Provincial major midget
hockey playoff series:
(Best-of-seven)
Game 1
Charlottetown 3 at Kensington 2 (OT)
Game 2
Kensington 3 at Charlottetown 1.
Game 3
Saturday, March 11
Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4
Wednesday, March 15
Kensington at Charlottetown, 7 p.m.
Game 5
Saturday, March 18
Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
Game 6, if necessary
Thursday, March 23
Kensington at Charlottetown, 7 p.m.
Game 7, if necessary
Saturday, March 25
Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
