Vipers widen lead atop IJHL
Kensington defeats Maniacs; Red Wings lose to Fredericton
The Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers have opened up some breathing room atop the Island Junior Hockey League standings. The Vipers won 7-3 in one of two games played on Sunday to complete a home-and-home series sweep of the Eastern Maniacs after posting a 9-5 victory on Friday night.
The Vipers are now 15-7-4 (won-lost-overtime losses), good enough for 34 points. The second-place Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings are seven points back at 13-11-1. Also on Sunday, the Fredericton Caps edged the secondplace Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings 5-4 in an interlocking game with the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League. It was a good weekend on P.E.I. for the Caps, who also defeated the Sherwood-Parkdale Metros 5-3 on Saturday night.
Vipers 7, Maniacs 3
At Community Gardens, Jordan Mayhew netted a hat trick and added an assist for a fourpoint night. Campbell Gallant (1-1), Logan Toole, Spencer Sherren and Easton Smith also lit the lamp. Logan Vandervelden (3), Liam Giffin (2) and Spencer McAllister (2) contributed multiple assists. Dalton MacDonald, Johnathan Arsenault and Tyler Rose replied for the Maniacs (414-9).
The Vipers, who outshot the Maniacs 41-36 overall, held period leads of 3-0 and 4-0. Winning goaltender was Cameron Visser.
Vipers 9, Maniacs 5
At the Eastern Kings Sportsplex in Souris, Mayhew (2), Smith (2), Nick Bouchey (2), Jacob Stewart (1-2), Ryan McKenna (1-1) and Spencer Sherren scored for the Vipers. Ben Keefe (3), Vandervelden (2), Parker Ronahan (3), Drew Grady (2) and James Murphy (2) had multiple assists.
Tyler Rose (3-1), Spencer Compton and Johnathan Arsenault countered for the Maniacs, who received four helpers from Alex Gallant.
Winning goaltender was Grant Grady, and the final shots-on-goal totals were even at 30.
Caps 5, Red Wings 4
At the Evangeline Recreation Centre, Patrick Daley’s (1-1) goal with 32 seconds remaining in regulation time broke a 4-4 tie.
Ben Corey (1-1), Alex Cameron, Aaron Mehen and Alex Potter also scored for the Caps, who are the host team for the 2017 Don Johnson Memorial Cup Atlantic junior B hockey championship in April. Chasse Gallant (2-1), Connor Morrissey (1-1) and Drake Smallman countered for the Red Wings, who have lost five straight games. Willie Gaudet added two helpers.
The Red Wings led 1-0 after one period, and the teams went into the second intermission tied 3-3.
Andrew Mergl earned the goaltending win over Bronson Banks.
Caps 5, Metros 3
At the Bell Aliant Centre, Matt Astle (1-1), Mehen, Spencer Farrell, Mark MacMillan and Ben Corey scored for Fredericton. Kyle Koughan, Taylor Runighan and Curtis McGregor found the back of the net for the Metros (9-14-3).
The Metros led 3-2 after the first period, but the Caps took a 4-3 cushion into the second intermission. Winning goaltender was Josh Simpson, and Sam Walsh tended goal for Sherwood-Parkdale.