Will Proud has been here before.
He knows it won’t be easy, but acknowledges it’s the best time of the year for players.
Proud and his Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild teammates will host the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights in Game 1 of the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series Saturday. Puck drop at the Credit Union Centre is 7:30 p.m. At stake is P.E.I.’s berth in the Atlantic championship in Corner Brook, N.L., from April 2-5.
“It’s a big series and it’s been a big rivalry all year,” said Proud, an 18-year-old defenceman and team captain from Stratford. “We may have beaten them seven times (in the regular season), but it means nothing now and it comes down to who can win four games first.
“It’s a new start and we have to come ready to go right away.”
Experience
One area Wild head coach Kyle Dunn is hoping to benefit from against the much-younger Knights is experience.
“We have (11) third-year guys and a lot of older guys who have been around the league,” said Dunn. “We had a couple of hard practices this week and it will be one game at a time. You can’t win a series on Saturday night.”
Discipline
Proud and Dunn both stressed the importance of playing disciplined hockey.
“Special teams will be key and a big part in the series,” reiterated Proud. “I remember a few games ago they scored all three of their goals on the power play.
“We have to stay out of the box because they have a skilled power play.”
Proud said many factors figure in strong discipline, including unselfish play, especially with a trip to Atlantics on the line.
“You have to put the team ahead of yourself all series,” stressed Proud. “If you have to take some stuff, you have to do it. If we are getting a power play, we can’t retaliate.”
Dunn pointed out the Knights have some skilled players and the Wild has to respect their power play.
“We don’t want to get into a high-scoring match against them and we don’t want to see a parade going to the penalty box giving them the power play because they will put the puck in the net,” said Dunn. “We want to play 5-on-5 and hope we can benefit from our depth over seven games.”
Health
Dunn said the Wild is not fully healthy entering the playoffs.
“We are probably about 80 per cent healthy,” said Dunn. “We ran with an 80 per cent team all year, so that’s our expectation right now going into the playoffs unless told otherwise by doctors or Chris (McCarthy, the team’s athletic therapist).”
Dunn said Jonah Arbing will get the start in goal for Kensington in Game 1. Arbing went 15-5-1 (won-lost-overtime losses) with a 3.07 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.
“Jonah has been a really good player for us all year and was named a second-team league all-star,” said Dunn. “You can also expect to see (goaltender) Josh Smith sometime in this series.”
Asked what he’s learned from the past two provincial finals that he can pass along to his teammates, Proud stressed the importance of not sitting back.
“In the playoffs, there are going to be highs and lows,” said Proud.
“You have to be ready to go right from the start because if you are not they will be and will make you pay for it.”
Provincial major midget hockey championship schedule:
Game 1
Saturday, March 7 – Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2
Tuesday, March 10 – Kensington at Charlottetown, 7:45 p.m.
Game 3
Saturday, March 14 – Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4
Thursday, March 19 – Kensington at Charlottetown, 6:30 p.m.
Game 5, if necessary
Saturday, March 21 – Charlottetown at Kensington, 7:30 p.m.
Game 6, if necessary
Sunday, March 22 – Kensington at Charlottetown, 7:30 p.m.
Game 7, if necessary
Wednesday, March 25 – Charlottetown at Kensington, 8 p.m.
