The Wild faces the Nova Scotia-champion Cape Breton West Islanders in Miramichi, N.B., on Thursday for the first time this season.
“If they (Islanders) are not the favourite, they are the 1A favourite,” said Wild assistant Duane Richards. “They are extremely fast, they won it as a group in bantam and they are going to come with a lot of speed.
“We will have our hands full, and we will have to make sure our defensive play is at our best.”
The Islanders completed regular-season play in the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League at 31-5-2 (won-lost-overtime losses) while Kensington went 16-15-4 in the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League.
“Nova Scotia always comes hard,” said Wild rookie defenceman Ethan Beaulieu, who recorded 11 points in 33 regular-season games.
First season
Beaulieu, who described his first season with the Wild as a “great experience,” is expecting tough competition.
“It’s a lot faster hockey,” assessed Beaulieu, 15. “We have to go at it with more intensity, hit harder and play with heart.”
The Wild clinched P.E.I.’s title against Charlottetown in Game 7 Saturday.
“We will have had a couple of hard practices to get us going,” said Wild sophomore forward Coleton Perry.
And what will the Wild need to do for success?
“We just need to play our game, get pucks deep and outwork the opponent,” answered Perry, 16. “There is going to be a lot of skill over there, but hard work beats skill when skill is not working hard.”
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Schedule
Wild schedule at Atlantic championship in Miramichi:
Thursday, March 30
4 p.m. – vs. Nova Scotia (Cape Breton West Islanders).
Friday, March 31
1 p.m. – vs. Host (Miramichi Rivermen).
Saturday, April 1
9 a.m. – vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John’s Maple Leafs).
3 p.m. – vs. New Brunswick (Moncton Flyers).
Note: The top two teams after round-robin play will meet in Sunday’s final at noon.
