Shea steps up for Caps

Summerside has opportunity to sweep St. Stephen Aces tonight

SUMMERSIDE – Big-game players step up when their team needs them the most.

Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals forward and captain T.J. Shea did just that Thursday against the St. Stephen Aces.

The 20-year-old Anglo Tignish native scored the tying goal at 1:24 of the third period and set up Josh MacDonald’s game-winning goal while short-handed at 6:13. It helped turn a 3-2 deficit after 40 minutes into 5-3 win, which was capped by Brodie MacArthur’s empty-net goal with 12 seconds remaining.

“T.J. put them on his back in the third period,” said Caps head coach Billy McGuigan. “He was out for seven, eight weeks (with an injury), and now he’s starting to find his groove.

“I thought we were sloppy in the first and second periods. He took charge of the dressing room (in the second intermission), and he took charge in the third period. We played a lot better in the third period.”

The Caps lead the best-of-seven Maritime Junior Hockey League playoff series 3-0, and will go for the sweep tonight in St. Stephen, N.B.

“We are going to have to be better for three periods, and play a good 60-minute game to wrap it up,” said McGuigan. “They are going to be desperate; they are going to be hungry and obviously they don’t want to go home and end their season.”

Before 1,704 fans at Eastlink Arena, Shea won possession of a bouncing puck at the Caps blueline and raced down the left wing.

“I was trying to go wide and put my hand out to separate myself from (an Aces defender), saw there was an opening, took it to the forehand and wrapped it around the goalie,” explained Shea.

On the game-winning goal, Shea was controlling the puck deep in the St. Stephen end.

“I saw Josh come in from the bench and he had a step on their guy,” said Shea, who won two faceoffs deep in the Caps end in the final two minutes of the third period as the Caps protected a one-goal lead. “I passed to Josh (in the slot), and he made a nice move.”

Shawn Wiranta received an unexpected start in goal for the Aces after scheduled starter Joey May suffered a broken skate in the warm-up. Wiranta made 34 saves.

“It was one of those things we have been trying to get him into a game for a long time,” said Aces head coach Emery Olauson. “He has done well against Summerside, and he’s beaten them (during the regular season).

“We feel he’s quite capable, but obviously when you have a 20-year-old goalie you run him until he can’t go anymore.”