SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Billy McGuigan has liked what he has seen since the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals have resumed practising.
“There is a new-found enthusiasm and guys are excited about the second half of the season,” said McGuigan in an interview with the Journal Pioneer on Monday. “The 20-year-olds are looking at the big picture.
“You have those conversations with them that their junior careers are winding down and this is the stretch drive for a lot of our guys who have played here for three or four years, (Kallum) Muirhead, Brodie MacArthur, Brodie MacMillan, Zach Thususka and the list goes on. It’s coming down to the last 22 (regular-season) games of their junior hockey career and the last time they will be Western Capitals.
“It’s exciting for them and also a little bit of emotional and bittersweet.”
The Capitals, who sport a Maritime Junior Hockey League-leading record of 24-5-1 (won-lost-overtime losses), return to action with the team’s annual New Year’s Eve home game Tuesday. The Fredericton Red Wings (17-11-2) will provide the opposition at Eastlink Arena for the 5 p.m. start. With the game being held in conjunction with the City of Summerside’s New Year’s Eve festivities, there will be no admission charge.
“Fredericton is a good hockey team and is making a playoff push,” said McGuigan. “They are in third place trying to climb up the ladder and also trying to keep some distance on fourth.
“It’s going to be a good game, they have played well and given us some tough games and beaten us here at home (5-4 in a shootout). For our guys it does not matter who we are playing at this point, it’s getting ready to focus in on the game and getting ready to play again.”
McGuigan said it’s an exciting time of the year.
“The second half of the hockey season is a little shorter than the first half and is the reason you put the work in all year,” he added. “It’s the best time of the year, it’s a fun time and is when the competition amps right up.”
Moves
The Capitals recently lost rookie forward Bennett MacArthur to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the remainder of the season. MacArthur led all rookies in the 12-team league in scoring with 41 points in 30 regular-season games.
“It was a tough loss losing Bennett,” said Caps general manager Pat McIver, who expects to be busy leading up to the Jan. 10 roster deadline.
“There is nothing imminent right now and it’s still pretty quiet,” said McIver. “We have some irons in the fire and it’s quiet right now.
“There are not a lot of teams selling right now. The next 10, 12 days is going to be busy. It will heat up, but it will probably be closer to the deadline.”
- RELATED
- Click here for story on Bennett MacArthur joining the Acadie-Bathurst Titan:
- Click here for story on a Western Capital receiving recognition from the Canadian Junior Hockey League:
Notebook
Summerside Western Capitals’ notebook:
Capitals goaltender Dominic Tmej, who was injured against Fredericton on Nov. 30, is back practising in full gear and is listed as day to day. Head coach Billy McGuigan said he wanted to talk to Tmej at Monday’s practice before deciding on a starter for Tuesday’s game against Fredericton.
The Capitals will honour team captain Brodie MacArthur in a pre-game ceremony on Tuesday after he became the franchise’s all-time points leader on Dec. 8.
The New Year’s Eve game is the third in a five-game homestand for the Caps, who will entertain the Valley Wildcats on Saturday and the Grand Falls Rapids on Thursday, Jan. 9. Both of those games are 7 p.m. starts.
McGuigan said Caps’ rookies Isaac Wilson and Ed McNeill, who were called up to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for weekend games, will be back for Tuesday’s contest.
The Caps sport a league-best 14-1-1 (won-lost-overtime losses) record on home ice.
Previous Meetings
- Previous meetings between the Capitals and Red Wings:
- Sept. 21
- Capitals 7 at Red Wings 2.
- Nov. 2
- Red Wings 2 at Capitals 5.
- Nov. 30
- Red Wings 5 at Capitals 4 (SO).
- Dec. 7
- Capitals 7 at Red Wings 3.
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