Slow start costs Caps
Shea moves into sole possession of top spot in league scoring race
A slow start proved costly for the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals on Sunday night.
One night after posting a 5-2 victory over the Pictou County Crushers, the Capitals fell behind 4-0 after one period, and it proved to be too big of a hole to crawl out of against the Edmundston Blizzard, who was the second-ranked team in last week’s Canadian Junior A Hockey League rankings.
The final score of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) contest ended up 7-4.
The Eastlink North Divisionleading Blizzard improved to 9-2-0-0 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses), and the Caps are third in the division at 5-5-1-0.
At Eastlink Arena, Capitals’ sophomore forward TJ Shea of Anglo/Tignish recorded a goal and an assist to cap a four-point weekend.
Shea scored twice in Saturday’s game, and he now sits alone atop the league scoring race with 18 points — 10 goals and eight assists.
Shea is one point ahead of the Blizzard’s Logan Johnston (3-14), and two in front of Edmundston’s Kyle Ward (11-5).
Johnston scored twice for the Blizzard, who received two goals and an assist from Liam Leonard. Maxime Grandmaison (1-2), Ward and Nicholas Jessome also scored for Edmundston, which is the former Dieppe Commandos’ franchise.
Scott Bagby and Brodie MacArthur each contributed a goal and an assist for the Caps, and Alex Hambly rounded out the scoring. Rookie Jordan Spence (2), Kallum Muirhead, Thomas Harper and Austin Taylor were credited with assists.
Overall, the Blizzard held a 33-26 shots-on-goal advantage. Francis Asselin earned the goaltending win. Rett Rook and Cody Smith both saw action between the pipes for the Capitals.
The game’s three stars were:
1. Logan Johnston (Blizzard),
2. Maxime Grandmaison (Blizzard), 3. TJ Shea (Caps).
The Caps begin a stretch of four straight road games on Wednesday against the Miramichi Timberwolves (4-3-1-1). The Caps’ next home is against the Yarmouth Mariners (9-2-0-0) on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m.