DARTMOUTH: The Cape Breton West Islanders finished their weekend on a high note when dropping the number three team in the provincial Major Midget league in a 5-2 final.
The Sunday win puts the Islanders back on the winning side of things, as the local boys had lost three games (one due to a shootout) leading into the Sunday meeting. Dropping Dartmouth’s Steele Subaru Major Midgets is no small feat either, as the squad is only one point out of second place.
Scoring five goals on Dartmouth is a rare occurrence, as the team is the second best in the provincial league when it comes to their own end. They’ve allowed only 61 goals in 25 games. (The Islanders have allowed only 57 goals in 28 games.)
Keenan Gillis, Craig Ryan and Jacob Hudson led the offense for the Islanders, all managing a goal and an assist; Gillis and Ryan both scored in the first period on power plays. Logan Chisholm had a good game, with two helpers; and Fearghus MacDonald and Malcolm MacEachern both had a goal. Calum MacPherson, Ryan MacLellan, and Jacob Stewart all had helpers.
Ewan MacDonald was the man with the plan in net for the Islanders, as he stopped 30 of 32 shots. He was especially busy in the final 20 minutes, as Dartmouth had 17 shots on the Antigonish-born keeper.
The Saturday beforehand, the Islanders were unable to handle the Halifax McDonalds at the Halifax Forum.
Islander Chisholm (from Spencer Barron and MacDonald) had a goal midway through the first frame, but he was followed 14 seconds later by Halifax’s Ian Watt. Halifax managed a pair of goals in the second and third, while the Islanders remained unable to find the back of the net.
The final was 5-1.
This time around, MacDonald faced 31 shots.
Tomorrow night (Thursday, December 22) the Islanders host the Cape Breton Tradesmen at 7 p.m.
The Islanders (22-5-0-1) lead the provincial league with 45 points, a cosy seven points more than second-place Cole Harbour.