Finals begin
Game 1 of provincial major midget championship series goes in Kensington on Saturday night
Kensington Wild will host the Charlottetown Pride in Game 1 of provincial major midget hockey championship series on Saturday.
All season long the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild and Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride have prepared for this.
The two rivals will begin the best-of-seven provincial major midget hockey championship series at Community Gardens in Kensington on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The winning team will represent P.E.I. at the Atlantic championship in Miramichi, N.B., from March 30 to April 2.
“This is what it’s all about,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “If you want to play at the next level, the big players show up in the big games and they don’t get much bigger than this from here on out.” Although the Wild won five of seven head-to-head meetings, Pride head coach Luke Beck liked what he saw in those matchups.
“All the games this season had good intensity, and a good mix of skill and physicality,” recalled Beck. “We are excited to get going . . . and are excited about the challenges ahead of us over the next couple of weeks.”
The Wild finished the regular season in third place of the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League at 16-15-4 (wonlost-overtime losses). The Pride was fifth at 12-21-2.
“No matter where you finish in the standings, you are playing your cross-province rivals and the players seem to get up for it a little more,” said Dunn. “It’s a faster pace, harder hitting and it’s going to be exciting hockey and a lot of one-goal games.
“It’ll be great hockey to watch and be a part of.”
Dunn makes no secret the Wild will rely heavily on their veterans, including third-year players Jack DesRoches, Zach Thususka and captain Tayler Read.
“These guys know what the playoffs and this rivalry means,” said Dunn. “You are just not going to go in and roll over Charlottetown at any time.
“We are preparing for a long, gruelling series.”
Read offered: “Our game is focused on hard work and committing to the D zone as a team. We like to get pucks down low and really work our forecheck. Our success comes from our forecheck.”
Defence
Beck says Charlottetown is focusing on its defensive play. “We are not a high-scoring team,” said Beck. “If we are going to have success in this series, we are going to have to keep the games low scoring, keep them tight and be strong
defensively.” One key for the Pride, notes Beck, will be contributions from everybody. “We have played our best hockey in the second half when we have had four lines, six D and strong goaltending,” offered Beck. “We have built our team around 20 guys, and that
will be the plan going into Game 1.”
Both coaches agree playoff time is an opportunity to showcase major midget hockey. “Our goal with midget programs is to help prepare the kids for whatever the next step will be in their career, whether
that be major junior or junior A,” said Beck. “It will be a little more intensified for them, and a great learning tool.”