KENSINGTON – The Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild winning streak is over at nine games.
The Moncton Flyers pulled out a 3-1 road victory on Saturday night to close to within three points of the Wild in the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League standings. Moncton improved to 16-6-2 (won-lost-overtime losses), good enough for 34 points, while the Wild fell to 18-6-1 for 37 points.
“It was a good win,” said Flyers head coach John DeCourcey, who added his team played well as a group. “We were a little short-staffed tonight (Saturday), and Kensington is a really good team.
“You know we have been battling all year with them, and it was a good game.”
It was the only game of the weekend for the Wild after their game in Barthurst, N.B., against the Northern Moose (7-11-4) on Friday night was postponed. It will be rescheduled for a later date.
“I didn’t like our effort at all, right from the back end to the front end,” assessed Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “We just have to bring it right from the opening faceoff.
“We have to start working hard, and then the rest will fall into place.”
At Community Gardens, Lukas Cormier’s goal during a two-man power play at 10:14 of the third period broke a 1-1 tie, and proved to be the winner. Patrick LeBlanc’s empty-net goal with 35 seconds remaining sealed the win.
The Flyers’ Yannic Bastarache opened the game’s scoring at 13:22 of the second period, but Frank Fortin, who was set up by Clark Webster and Ryan Richards, evened the score for the Wild 1:35 into the third period.
Miguel Poirier (2), LeBlanc, Alex Gallant and Cole Cormier contributed assists for the Flyers, who closed out their regular-season meetings against the Wild with a 4-3 advantage.
“We’ve had a good season with Kensington, and hopefully we will see them down the road somewhere,” noted DeCourcey.
Overall, the Wild held a slim 32-30 shots-on-goal advantage. Brandon McKenna earned the goaltending win with a 31-save effort.
Coyle praised
Wild goaltender Caleb Coyle, who allowed two or fewer goals for the sixth time this season, finished with 29 saves and drew praise from his head coach.
“I talked about all 20 players that didn’t have a great work ethic, but I thought that goaltender Caleb Coyle did play one of his better games tonight, and unfortunately was on the losing side of it,” said Dunn. “He (Coyle) stood on his head and made some key saves at times, and obviously (he had no chance on) the 5-on-3 goal, and (it was) a tipping goal. He did play well.”
jpsports@journalpioneer.com
Notes
Rookie Wild defenceman Will Proud missed Saturday’s contest with an injury suffered against Moncton on Dec. 30.
Saturday night’s game was the Wild’s final home game in almost a month.
The Wild’s next scheduled league game is not until Friday, Feb. 2, when they travel to Bathurst, N.B., to take on the Moose. Kensington returns to Community Gardens on Saturday, Feb. 3, against the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride (8-11-3) at 7:30 p.m. The Pride's game against Saint John on Sunday was postponed due to wind restrictions on Confederation Bridge.
The Wild will open play in the 2018 Chronicle Herald East Coast Ice Jam hockey tournament in Bedford, N.S., against Pictou County on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
