The major midget championship game of the 2019 Chronicle Herald East Coast Ice Jam hockey tournament on Sunday afternoon did not disappoint.
Alex Gallant scored 2:58 into a 10-minute overtime period featuring 3-on-3 to lift the Moncton Flyers to a thrilling 1-0 win over the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild in an all-New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League battle, after both teams posted semifinal wins Sunday morning. The Wild defeated the Cape Breton West Islanders 4-1 while the Flyers pulled out a 2-1 overtime decision over the Saint John Vitos.
Click here for story on Wild's semifinal game Sunday morning:
The final featured an outstanding goaltending duel between the Flyers’ Jacob LeBlanc and the Wild’s Chad Arsenault, who was named the tournament’s top goaltender. Arsenault allowed only five goals in six games.
LeBlanc made some gave-saving stops late as the Wild failed to capitalize on its fourth power play of the game that carried over from the third period to the start of overtime.
Click here for story on Wild's quarter-final game Saturday night:
Three other Wild players received tournament awards. Rookie Zach Biggar was selected a first team all-star defenceman while forward Colby MacArthur and defenceman Isaac Wilson received second-team all-star honours.
Click here for story on P.E.I. teams in the Round of 16 playoffs on Saturday:
Evenly-matched teams
The Flyers sit first in league play at 22-2-1 (won-lost-overtime losses), and the Wild is two points back at 21-5-1. Including the Ice Jam and Monctonian AAA Challenge tournaments, the Wild and Flyers have split eight games this season. Four of those games have required overtime, with each team winning twice.
