A smooth transition
Arsenault remains perfect as Wild defeats Pride at Gardens
It’s been a smooth transition to major midget hockey for Chad Arsenault.
The 15-year-old goaltender from St. Raphael, near Wellington, stopped 18 of 20 shots in helping the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild to a 4-2 victory over the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride on Saturday night.
“We played well defensively,” said Arsenault. “We are getting better as the year goes, and hopefully we can keep going like that.”
Wild head coach Kyle Dunn described it as a team win. “We played well,” continued Dunn. “Our power play scored two goals, which was big, and we focused on our defensive play during the week.
“We wanted to shut certain guys down on their team, and we achieved that. Overall, it was a good 20-man effort.” Pride head coach Luke Beck assessed his team’s play: “We didn’t come out with our best effort (Saturday). We took too many undisciplined penalties early, and when you are chasing the game against a team like Kensington, giving them 5-on-3 opportunities, the result is going to be like it was (Saturday).”
Undefeated
Arsenault, who played with the O’Leary-based Prince County Warriors’ major bantam AAA team last season, is a perfect 5-0 (won-lost). He has a very respectable 2.36 goalsagainst average and .917 save percentage in his rookie season with the Wild, who improved to 7-2-1 (won-lost-overtime losses) in the New Brunswick/ P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League.
“There’s not too much you can’t say about Chad Arsenault,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “He’s a battler, and he’s been a winner everywhere he’s played. He keeps continuing to impress, and his team plays well in front of him.”
Arsenault, who says he’s “five-foot-six, maybe” and 155 pounds, said the biggest adjustment he’s faced is in the speed of the game, and having to read the play more.
“It’s a big transition from bantam,” admitted Arsenault. “It’s a lot faster and stronger, and you have to put a lot more time and work into it if you want to succeed.”
When asked if he’s leaned on anyone for advice, Arsenault replied, “We have a lot of role models in our third-year players, and (Wild goaltender) Caleb Coyle is a guy I look up to and take notes from.”
Fortin records three points
Before an estimated 400 fans at Community Gardens, Frank Fortin scored twice and added an assist for a three-point night to lead the Wild’s offence. Isaac Callaghan added a goal and an assist, and Colby MacArthur contributed a single goal to round out Kensington’s scoring.
Evan Gallant (2), Ethan Beaulieu, Ryan Richards, Chandler Wood and Chandler LaPorte earned assists for Kensington, which scored a pair of powerplay goals.
Logan Kelly-Murphy and Nick Reeves countered for the Pride.
The Pride took a 3-6-1 mark into Sunday’s home game against Moncton (8-3-1). Hunter Bradley (2) and Grant MacAdam added helpers. The teams were tied 1-1 after the opening period, and the Wild took a 2-1 cushion into the second intermission. Charlottetown goaltender Ben Parent blocked 35 of 39 shots he faced.
The two teams will meet again on Thursday at the Bell Aliant Centre on the UPEI campus at 7 p.m.