IJHL Red Wings clinch first

The defending-champion Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings have secured homeice advantage throughout the Island Junior Hockey League playoffs.

Isaac Knox scored at 1:16 of overtime to give the Red Wings a 3-2 win over arch-rival Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers on Sunday night.

The win, which improved the Red Wings’ record to 20-8-2 (won-lost-tied), clinched first place for the Abram-Villagebased Red Wings.

The loss dropped the thirdplace Vipers’ record to 13-16-5. At Credit Union Centre in Kensington, previously Community Gardens, Chasse Gallant and Silas Handrahan scored regulation-time goals for the Red Wings. Jason Gallant (2), Spencer Groom, Dillon Wall and Connor Morrissey drew assists.

Logan Vandervelden and Ryan McKenna, who tied the game with under a minute remaining in the third period, each contributed a goal and an assist for the Vipers. Parker Ronahan added a helper. Luke Oliver was the winning goaltender, and Rett Rook was between the pipes for Kensington. Overall, the Red Wings outshot the Vipers 40-33.

Friday night

In an interlocking game with the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League on Friday night, the host Cap-Pele Predators erupted for three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to turn a 3-2 deficit after 40 minutes into a 5-3 win over the Vipers.

Yannick Jacob (2-2), Kevin McGraw (2-1) and Simon Savoie-Vienneau scored for the Predators, who trailed 2-1 after the first period.

CJ McCardle, Garrett Murray and Riley Gallant netted the goals for the Vipers. Vandervelden, Jesse Jay and Easton Smith added helpers. Overall, Cap-Pele outshot Kensington 46-26. Mathieu Landry was the winning goaltender, and Cameron Visser tended goal for the Vipers.