Half of the Macs 40 shots on Saturday came in the third period, where Islanders goaltender Rhyah Stewart stood tall – on her skates or on her head, take your pick – to preserve a 2-1 win in the first game of the series at the Halifax Forum.
March 13, 2024
-by Bill Dunphy
Anyone who doesn’t believe playoffs is a new season – then check out the Cape Breton West Islanders.
Dominated by the Halifax McDonalds in the regular season – to the tune of 0-for-6 and outscored 34-15 – the Islanders won twice in Halifax on the weekend to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League semifinal series.
The Islanders opened the series on Saturday with a 2-1 win, highlighted by goaltender Rhyah Stewart’s 20 saves in the third period.
On Sunday, the Islanders stifling defence once again shut down the Macs offence to take game two 4-1 with an empty-net goal.
“That was our goal going in, we want to play 2-1 or 3-1 games, rather than running-and-gunning, which Halifax wants to do,” said Islanders coach Michael MacDonald.
The scoreless first period on Saturday was a typical opener with two teams feeling each other out, which benefitted the Islanders in the long run.
Halifax broke the ice with a powerplay goal at 2:38 of the first period. However, the Macs discipline problems eventually got the better of them.
Giving up a five-on-three to the Islanders, Jack Hayne tied the game at 4:04. Cohen Pictou initiated the play, making a point-to-point pass to Ben MacDonald, with Hayne tipping his shot past goalie Sam Madgett.
Like Cole Harbour before them, the Macs tried getting to Stewart with hard stops and second whacks with the stick on saves, but she would calmly skate away as her teammates sent a message without going overboard.
Pictou was a horse in the game, taking care of business at Stewart’s net and jumping up on offence that resulted in him scoring the game-winning goal at 5:48 of the third. Taking a pass out of the corner from Owen Bell, Pictou skated to the slot and flipped the puck high past Madgett for the score.
The Macs killed two penalties after that and an Islanders penalty at 16:43 led to a frenetic end of the game as Halifax pulled its goaltender with 40 seconds left in the powerplay, but couldn’t beat Stewart for the tying goal.
Shots were 40-24 for the Macs, including the 20 in the third.
“They had a good push going in the third, but we were good in clearing those second and third scoring opportunities after Rhyah made the initial saves. Her calm demeanour is infectious, she’s played in some tough situations in her career,” said MacDonald.
He said he wasn’t happy with some of the attempts by Halifax to get her off her game, but acknowledge that the referees allowed some leeway in her teammates defending her.
“Everybody is aware of just how good she is (and) they were trying no more than Cole Harbour tried, and there were some hard stops that threw some snow in her face that bothered me, but she would just go for a skate and not let them get to her.
After giving up 24 minutes in penalties, including a 10-minute misconduct, on Saturday, the Macs were better disciplined on Sunday in taking just three minor penalties to just two for the Islanders.
Nonetheless, it was the Islanders who made the most of their five-on-five scoring opportunities.
Defenceman Thomas MacEachern had the Islanders up 1-0 at 8:04 of the first period, completing a play with Hayne and Campbell Barrett.
And at 17:49, Lance Heukshorst scored what would be the game-winning goal for a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Linemates Mathieu Delaney and Carlin Samson assisted on the score.
Halifax scored the lone goal of the second period, but Pictou’s second goal of the series, a powerplay goal just 25 seconds into the third on a play with Hayne and Luke MacEachern, restored the Islanders two-goal lead.
With the clock winding down, Ben MacDonald scored an unassisted empty-netter at 18:19 to salt the game away.
Stewart faced 39 shots for the win in goal.
Once again, the Islanders find themselves in a position to finish the series at home.
“We can’t take anything for granted and we can’t be satisfied with two – it takes three to win,” said MacDonald, noting that an ice surface is an ice surface no matter where it’s at and the focus of the players has to be inside the glass.
“We can feed off the energy that playing at home generates, but emotions have to stay in check with the focus being on the game plan and on what you can control.”
He said there has been a noticeable change in the attitude of the players.
“They are believing in themselves. They are coming to the rink expecting to win, not hoping to win.”
Game three of the series takes place this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Al MacInnis Sports Centre.
If necessary, game four is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Port Hood.
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