SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals will be back in familiar surroundings Thursday.
No, it will not be Eastlink Arena. It will be the team bus.
The Caps, who are off to a 3-1-0 (won-lost-overtime losses) start will head to Miramichi, N.B., to take on the Timberwolves (0-3-0) in a 7 p.m. start. This will conclude a stretch of five straight games on the road for the Caps to open the 2019-20 Maritime Junior Hockey League regular season.
“Starting the year with five games on the road is different and we had to do that last year, too, but the guys are excited for Saturday,” said Caps forward and captain Brodie MacArthur.
Caps head coach Billy McGuigan noted the team cannot look past the Timberwolves with excitement building for Saturday’s home opener against the Yarmouth Mariners (4-1-1) at 7 p.m.
“Yarmouth is coming off a championship season,” said McGuigan. “Props to (Mariners head coach and general manager) Laurie Barron, it was his first championship (as a head coach) after 15, 16 years in the league. In that aspect, if we were not going to win I was happy to see Laurie win.
“They are a good hockey team and they are coached well. Matt Barron is arguably one of the best two-way players in the Maritime (Junior) Hockey League.
“He’s been a staple in their organization for a few years and they have added some guys again. They are having a great start to their season and it’s going to be a tough game for us. We are going to have to be ready.”
Lots of travel
After having Monday off following three games in three days in New Brunswick last weekend, the Caps were back practising on Tuesday afternoon. Overall, McGuigan noted, the Caps travelled 1,700 kilometres over the three days.
“There are pros and cons to it,” said McGuigan, referring to the hectic schedule. “It’s a good time to get the team together. Obviously, in years past these points are very important, so you want to get as many as you can.”
The Caps are back in Grand Falls, N.B., on Oct. 4 and play back-to-back games in Edmundston, N.B., on Nov. 16 and 17.
“The travel in our division is pretty long,” said McGuigan. “You go to the Quebec border, you go to the United States border, it’s important to get them over with when the weather is good.”
However, after playing six of their first seven games on the road, 13 of the next 18 Caps’ contests will be at home.
“We’ve been really good at home over the last few years and are hoping to continue that this year,” said MacArthur. “Once you get a couple of wins at home you feel pretty good and comfortable. That’s what we are going to try and do.”
RELATED:
Click here for story on Caps-Grand Falls game Sunday:
Click here for story on Caps-Fredericton game Saturday:
Click here for story on Caps-Edmundston game Friday:
Road Trip
Recap of Western Capitals’ road trip last weekend:
Friday, Sept. 20
Left for Edmundston, N.B., around 8:30 a.m.
Checked into hotel in Edmundston before Friday night’s game against the Blizzard – a 5-2 loss.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Travelled to Fredericton to take on the Red Wings. The Caps won the game 7-2.
Stayed in the New Brunswick capital on Saturday night.
Sunday, Sept. 22
Back on the road to Grand Falls, N.B., for a 3-0 win over the Rapids in a matinee.
Headed home after the game and arrived back in Summerside around midnight.
Quote: “Playing three in three with all that travel was a tough weekend,” said Caps head coach Billy McGuigan. “Edmundston sure was a game we would like to have back, but we bounced back as a team and showed a lot of character and came up with six out of eight points on the road (in the first four games, including a 4-0 win at Amherst on Sept. 14).
“We are really happy with the way things have started and we are optimistic about our hockey club.”
Jason.simmonds@journalpioneer.com
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