Western Caps take control

Summerside allows only two goals in back-to-back wins in Yarmouth

The Summerside D. Alex Macdonald Ford Western Capitals played textbook playoff hockey on the road.

The Capitals rode Drew Sim’s strong goaltending, strong defensive play and timely scoring to earn backto-back, low-scoring wins over the Yarmouth Mariners – 3-1 on March 23 and 4-1 on March 22. Sim stopped 65 of 67 shots in the two games.

The Capitals now lead the best-of-seven Eastlink South Division semifinal series in the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) 3-1. The Caps can win the series on home ice at the Island Petroleum Energy Centre in Game 5 on March 26 at 7 p.m.

CAPITALS 3 MARINERS 1

Before 1,405 fans at the Mariners Centre, Liam Duquette opened the scoring for the Capitals 31 seconds into the game. The score remained 1-0 until Paul Hughes made it 2-0 at 3:40 of the third period.

Ethan Hoffe got the Mariners on the board at 14:24, setting the stage for an exciting finish. But the Capitals shut the door over the final five and a half minutes, and rookie Jonah Macdonald, who has scored three goals in the first four games of the series, sealed the win with an unassisted empty-net goal with 49 seconds remaining.

Not only did the Caps’ defence play well inside its own blue-line but it contributed offensively. Defencemen Andrew Thompson, Will Murphy, Jacob Squires and Lincoln Waugh assisted on the Caps’ first two goals.

Overall, the Caps held a 35-31 shots-on-goal advantage, including a 14-8 cushion in the third period. Thomas Fontaine tended goal for the Mariners.

The Capitals went 0-for-3 on the power play while the Mariners were 0-for-4. The Caps were assessed five of the game’s nine minor penalties.

The game’s three stars were: 1. Drew Sim (Capitals); 2. Paul Hughes (Capitals); 3. Ethan Hoffe (Mariners).

CAPITALS 4 MARINERS 1

Before 1,404 fans at the Mariners Centre, Hughes scored at 14:38 of the second period to give the Caps a 2-1 lead. That goal proved to be the gamewinner. Hughes and team captain Connor Keough then set up Macdonald’s goal at 16:17 of the third period to make it a 3-1 game. Trent Crane added an empty-net goal at 18:20.

William Irvine also scored for the Capitals, who received assists from Macdonald, Thompson, Dominik Godin and Robbie Rutledge.

Nathan Mossey of Charlottetown netted Yarmouth’s lone goal. Mossey tied the game 1-1 at 3:33 of the second period.

The Caps took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 into the intermissions. The Capitals outshot the Mariners 51-36, including a 16-7 advantage in the third period. Sim earned the goaltending win over Fontaine.

The Caps were 1-for-4 on the power play while the Mariners went 0-for-5.