Goalie injured
General manager says No. 1 goaltender out for rest of MHL playoff series with ‘upper-body injury’
Summerside Western Capitals No. 1 goaltender is out for the rest of MHL playoff series with an “upper-body injury.”
A big part of playoff hockey is overcoming adversity, and the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals will now face a big test.
The Capitals will go into Thursday’s crucial Game 5 against the Dieppe Commandos tied 2-2 in the best-ofseven Eastlink North Division semifinal series without Christofer Langlais, who was named the MHL’s (Maritime Junior Hockey League) goaltender of the year on Friday. “Christofer got checked out again (Wednesday), and he’s out for the rest of the series with an upper-body injury that was sustained in Game 3, when he got run by Nicholas Jessome,” said Capitals general manager Pat McIver. Jessome was assessed a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct 2:28 into the second period, with the Caps ahead 3-1 at the time. He was later handed a three-game suspension.
“As far as the suspension goes, I didn’t agree with it,” said McIver, who is “extremely disappointed” to lose Langlais. “I thought the league missed the ball on it. Three games for that type of a hit, I’ve seen guys get 15 games in our league for hits less than that. . .
“Goaltenders, to me, are off limits, and always have been.” When questioned why Langlais would start Game 4 if he was injured in Game 3, McIver answered: “Come playoff time guys try to play through injuries. Obviously, Christofer was doing everything he could do to stay in the net. . . Christofer desperately wanted to stay in, but it was apparent he wasn’t going to be able to keep going.”
Williams takes over
The spotlight in the Caps’ goal is now on sophomore Matt Williams, who had a 1413-4 (won-lost-overtime losses) regular-season record, along with a 3.52 goals-against average (GAA) and .900 save percentage.
“Matty has played a lot of great games for us the last two years, and it’s going to be his net,” said McIver, who added the Caps will call up an affiliate to back him up. “We have all the confidence in the world that Matty will get the job done for us.”
Langlais was sensational in the first three games, stopping 100 of 105 shots for a 1.55 GAA and an unheard of .950 save percentage.
After giving up four goals on 20 shots in Game 4, his series stats are a 2-2 record, 2.32 GAA and .930 save percentage.
“He was on top of his game,” said McIver. “The reason we brought him in was for some playoff success, he has experience, he was our leader, he was focused and he was going to win this series.
“I still have confidence we are still going to win the series, but it’s definitely a blow to our hockey team now.”