Garnhum snipes in Pride win
Charlottetown sweeps weekend games in Fredericton, N.B.
After outlasting the Fredericton Office Interiors Caps 4-3 in a shootout Saturday night, the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride used a surprise scoring source to complete a sweep Sunday at Willie O’Ree Place.
The Pride won the rare noonhour New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League contest 5-3, thanks to three goals and an assist by Luke Garnhum.
The 15-year-old rookie leftwinger had no goals and two assists in his first 22 games.
So what he did have for breakfast?
“A bagel, cereal and a double chocolate chip muffin,” Garnhum grinned after helping the Pride improve to 10-11-3. Fredericton fell to 7-18-1.
Connor McGregor chipped in a goal and two assists while Dylan Matthews had the other goal against Caps goalie Frederic Plourde, who faced 28 shots.
Dawson Breau scored twice and Max Grant also put the puck past Charlottetown netminder Erik MacInnis, who stopped 33 of 36 shots. Sam Mossman also beat MacInnis – but not the first period buzzer, which would have made it 2-1.
Garnhum scored his first goal when his shot trickled through Plourde’s pads 7:33 in – his teammates retrieved the puck for him – then he tipped Gage MacWilliams’ point shot up and over the goalie at 15:56.
The Caps officially cut it to 2-1 seven minutes into the second when Breau buried Mossman’s pass on a 3-on-1 rush.
But Garnhum completed his hat trick by sliding McGregor’s rebound into an open side at 17:17.
Grant, off a nice dish by Ryan Penney, roofed a backhander to make it a 3-2 game 3:45 into the third, but McGregor went short side at 8:37, then fed Matthews on a delayed penalty to up the lead to 5-2 just 71 seconds later.
The Caps outshot the Pride 9-0 the rest of the way, but Breau’s power-play goal at 13:39 was the only damage.
“(Saturday), we were very good and very sound defensively,” Caps head coach Eric Bissonnette said. “Today, we were loose, we missed some assignments and they capitalized on it. McGregor, if you give him a chance, he’ll score, and Garnhum was in the right place at the right time.”
Charlottetown head coach Luke Beck praised Garnhum’s effort.
“For 15-year-old kid, it’s always an adjustment from bantam to major midget,” Beck said.
“Luke’s had his highs and lows of late, but he responded well today. We’re really happy for him. You could see that on the bench.”
Garnhum acknowledged the adjustment from bantam and said he struggled early.
“I was pretty excited after the first (goal), then it kept going and going. They weren’t pretty goals but they gave me and the team a boost.”
On Saturday, the Pride overcame three one-goal deficits.
Ben Parent stopped 32 of 35 shots through 65 minutes, then foiled all four Caps in the shootout to earn the win. Plourde made 24 saves and allowed one shootout goal, to Logan KellyMurphy in the sudden-death round.
Grant put Fredericton ahead with a power-play goal midway through the first, but Shaul Mitton tied it shorthanded at 19:05.
Zach Spencer gave the Caps a 2-1 lead at 13:57 of the second period.
Sam MacNeil pulled the Pride even again 2:17 into the third, but Grant scored his second of the night just 37 seconds later. Nick Reeves forced overtime by tying it 3-all at 9:27.
“When we don’t overhandle the puck, play simple and play in straight lines, we’ve had success,” Beck said. “It wasn’t always pretty this weekend, but we’re happy to be heading home with four points.”
The Pride is 9-1-2 in its last 12 games, including play at IceJam tourney in Halifax.
They are 10-11-3 in regular season play. Charlottetown travels to Bathurst, N.B., on Saturday to play the Northern Moose.