Early-season showdown

Mariners visit Capitals

Call it an early-season showdown!

The Yarmouth Mariners, who sit alone atop the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) overall standings, visit the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals, a team that is expected to contend for a championship. The two clubs will clash at Eastlink Arena in Summerside on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Mariners, ranked No. 4 in this week’s Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings, took a 6-0-0-1 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses) record into Friday’s road game against the Truro Bearcats (3-2-0-0). The Caps, who have won two straight and are coming off a 6-0 whitewashing of the Edmundston Blizzard before over 1,600 fans in their home opener on Sept. 29, are 3-2-0-0.

This will be the second meeting of the regular season between the two teams. The Mariners, supported by a 28-save performance by rookie goaltender Tyler Caseley of Kensington, won 5-1 in Yarmouth, N.S., on Sept. 15. Both teams feature potent offences as the Mariners have scored a league-high 30 goals while the Caps are second with 27 goals for.

Yarmouth has been very stingy defensively as entering Friday’s game the Mariners had given up just 13 goals in seven contests. Summerside has allowed 18 in its first five games, but just two in the last two games while scoring 13 goals.

Busy stretch

Saturday’s game is the start of a busy stretch for the Capitals, who will play three games in a fourday span.

As part of the annual MHL Showcase, which is being held in New Glasgow, N.S., the Caps will play the South Shore Lumberjacks (3-2-1-0) on Monday at 1 p.m., and the Pictou County Crushers (1-2-2-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m.