KENSINGTON, P.E.I. — The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild started off the 2019-20 New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League regular season on a winning note over the weekend.
Kensington won back-to-back games – 6-4 over the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights on Friday night and 5-4 versus the Saint John Vitos 5-4 on Saturday evening.
“The main thing is we got the four points with a lot of new faces,” said Wild forward and assistant captain Reid Peardon, 17. “We started off a bit slow and the passes weren’t always there, but, overall, it was a pretty good weekend.”
Noah Griffin is one of the 11 players in his first season with the Wild and he played a big role against the Vitos in Kensington’s home opener before an estimated 300 fans at Credit Union Centre. Griffin scored twice, including what proved to be the game-winning goal at 17:02 of the third period. That marker gave the Wild a 5-3 lead.
“It definitely feels really good (to contribute offensively) because last year I only scored six goals (with Charlottetown),” said the 17-year-old forward. “To come out with four points in a weekend like that, and all the guys to come together, it was really nice to see.”
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Although there has been a big turnover in the Wild roster, Peardon noted the transition of the new players has been smooth.
“It’s a good group of guys and everybody knows each other from different hockey – spring hockey, POE (Hockey P.E.I.’s Program of Excellence) – and it’s not really as big of a deal as people may think,” said Peardon.
Griffin acknowledges there is still a lot of work ahead, but he felt Kensington played its best game of the season on Saturday.
“We were really good in their zone, but we can clean up our breakouts and D zone a little bit,” assessed Griffin. “We came together really well and battled hard.
“We were a lot more focused this game and our passes were better. We got all four points (in the two games), which is key.”
Landon Clow (1-1), Sam MacNeill and Donovan Arsenault also scored for the Wild. Peardon (2), Duncan Picketts (2), Dixon MacLeod (2), Kalib Snow, Crosby Andrews and Matt McQuaid added assists.
Carter McCloskey (2), Kiefer Lyons and Luc Thorne replied for Saint John, which dropped its home opener 6-0 to the Moncton Flyers on Friday night.
Overall, the Wild, who took a 3-2 lead into the final frame after the opening period ended in a 1-1 tie, outshot the Vitos 36-26. Winning goaltender was Jonah Arbing and Jeremy Delaquis was between the pipes for Saint John.
“We were strong the whole game and we deserved the win,” added Peardon. “It ended up being closer than I thought it should have been. It was a full effort.”
Referees Tanner Doiron and Nick Hann assessed a total of five minor penalties in the game – three of those to the Vitos.
Against Charlottetown
At MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI campus, Donovan Arsenault (2), Austin Arsenault (1-2) and Sam MacNeill (1-2) ignited the Wild’s offence. Clow and Peardon each added a goal and an assist.
MacLeod (2), Griffin, Picketts, McQuaid and Kieran Rennie were credited with assists.
Simon Hughes (2), Will Morrison and Cole McKeighan answered for the Knights. Colby Huggan (2), Jesse Blanchard (2) and Max Chisholm collected helpers.
The Wild, who killed off two Charlottetown power plays in the final nine minutes of the third period while nursing a 5-4 lead, held period advantages of 2-1 and 5-2.
Josh Smith stopped 34 of 38 shots to earn the goaltending win while Jack Howatt blocked 26 of 32 in the Knights’ goal.
Referees Travis Timmons and Jarrod MacAdam called seven of 12 minors against the Wild. Each team picked up one 10-minute misconduct.
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