SUMMERSIDE – The goaltenders stole the show on Thursday night.
Daniel Thompson turned aside 27 of 28 shots, including a pad save on a one-timer off the stick of Charlottetown native Connor McGregor from the centre of the left-wing faceoff circle with 13 seconds remaining in regulation time, to preserve a 2-1 win for the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals over the St. Stephen Aces. At the other end of the rink, the Aces’ Joey May was simply outstanding as he stopped 40 of 42 shots, including all 22 directed his way in the second period.
The 18-year-old Thompson, a product of the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League’s Moncton Flyers, was making his home debut for the Capitals. Thompson has won all four of his starts this season while allowing two or fewer goals in five of his six appearances. The Riverview, N.B., native’s resumé currently reads 4-1-0 (won-lost-overtime losses), and he has a league-best 2.01 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.
The Eastlink North Division-leading Capitals (9-2-0) have won eight straight games, and are three points back of the league-leading Yarmouth Mariners (10-2-1) in the overall standings of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League).
Click here for story on Western Capitals defenceman Conor MacEachern:
Before 1,228 fans at Eastlink Arena, all of the game’s scoring took place in the first period. Kallum Muirhead (8:33) and Conor MacEachern (9:22) scored less than a minute apart to stake the Caps to a 2-0 lead. Andrew Antle (16:25) answered for the Aces (5-6-1).
Brodie MacArthur, Cam Roberts and TJ Shea assisted for the Capitals.
The three stars were:
1. Brodie MacMillan (Capitals), 2. Joey May (Aces), 3. Daniel Thompson (Capitals).
The Caps play back-to-back divisional games on the road this weekend against the Edmundston Blizzard (6-5-1) on Saturday night and Grand Falls Rapids (4-4-1) on Sunday afternoon. Grand Falls is the former Woodstock Slammers’ franchise.
