Wild sweeps weekend games
Pride bounces back to earn split
The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild continued to play stingy defensive hockey over the weekend.
The Wild, who has allowed just six goals in their last six games, recorded back-to-back wins in the New Brunswick/ P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League. Saturday night, a dozen different players recorded points as the Wild trimmed the Bathurst, N.B.-based Northern Moose 7-2. Kensington kept that momentum going on Sunday in a 6-1 road win over the Fredericton Caps.
The second-place Wild now sits at 22-6-1 (won-lost-overtime losses), five points back of the league-leading Moncton Flyers (24-6-2). Kensington, which has won four league games in a row and 13 of its last 14, has three games in hand on Moncton.
The Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride lost 2-0 to the host Flyers on Saturday night, but bounced back for a 4-1 homeice win over the Moose in a Sunday matinee.
Charlottetown, which is 1213-5, will host Kensington in an all-P.E.I. clash at MacLauchlan Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Wild 7 Moose 2
At Community Gardens, Frank Fortin had two goals and an assist while Chandler Wood set up two others to pace the Wild offensively. Bradley Campbell and Clark Webster each scored once and helped set up another. Thomas Rennie, Evan Gallant and Marc Richard chipped in with single tallies for the Wild. Helpers were credited to Austin Callaghan (2), Ryan Richards, Isaac Callaghan, Zac Arsenault, William Proud, Ethan Beaulieu and Colby MacArthur.
Brandon Millson and Zach Young replied for the Moose (719-4).
The Wild led 2-0 after the first period, and extended that margin to 5-2 following 40 minutes. Wild rookie goaltender Chad Arsenault turned aside 29 of 31 shots to improve his regularseason record to 15-0. Arsenault sports a 2.06 goals-against average and .932 save percentage.
Kensington fired 45 shots at Moose netminder Alexandre Levesque.
Wild 6 Caps 1
At Willie O’Ree Place, Gallant netted a pair of goals while Fortin scored once and drew three helpers to earn seven points in the two weekend contests. Webster (1-2), Isaac Callaghan (1-1) and Colby MacArthur also dented the twine for Kensington, which received single helpers from Bradley Campbell and Ethan Beaulieu.
Ben Lightbody’s power-play goal with 44 seconds remaining in the third period spoiled Wild goaltender Caleb Coyle’s shutout bid. Coyle has given up just three goals while stopping 87 of 90 shots in his last three league games.
Overall, the Wild held a 38-24 shots-on-goal advantage while building period leads of 1-0 and 4-0.
Fredericton fell to 7-22-2.
Flyers 2 Pride 0
At the Superior Propane Centre, two special-team goals and an 18-save shutout from Brandon McKenna keyed the Flyers’ win.
Evan Jackson’s short-handed goal at 11:42 of the first period proved to be the game-winner, and Cole Darrach added a power-play goal at 16:56 of the second period.
Pride goaltender Ben Parent put in a strong performance, stopping 40 of 42 shots.
Pride 4 Moose 1
At MacLauchlan Arena, Nick Reeves, Riley MacDougall, Kennedy Gallant and Ed McNeill scored for the Pride. Charlottetown, which held period leads of 1-0 and 3-0, outshot Northern 47-21. Erik MacInnis recorded the goaltending win.