James Beaton, of the Blackstone Knights, beats a Glace Bay defender to the puck during Friday night Senior A action at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation Centre in Inverness.
-by Bill Dunphy
A balanced attack which saw seven Cape Breton West Blackstone Knights get on the scoresheet Friday earned the team an 8-2 win over Glace Bay.
The Nova Scotia Senior A Hockey League game was played before a big crowd at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation Centre in Inverness.
Along with the balanced offence, Knights coach Kyle Gillies said the team has also shored up its defence.
Already solid with homegrown talents Keenan Gillis, Liam Trenholm, Neil MacLean, and Drew MacDonald, the Knights have added two relative unknowns who have played well in their first starts.
Justin Taylor, 24, originally from Ontario but currently living in Grand Etang, has four years of NCAA Division 3 experience.
Jack Summerell, 28, is from Reserve Mines and joins the Knights with some previous Junior experience.
“They have been two great additions to the team,” said Gillies. “They are confident, have skills, and excited to be in the community.”
Gillies said the team is at the point now where beating the undefeated Cape Breton County Islanders before playoffs is a reality.
“Absolutely. I think a switch went off in our last game with the county (a 4-2 loss) and things we’ve been practicing started working. The guys are finding a little confidence in the system – a blueprint for the future for those guys who have been out of the system for a while.”
The team will have a chance to put the system in action this weekend when they play a home-and-home game with the County.
“We planted a good seed in their head with that last game. The boys are ready, excited, and believe they can do it,” said Gillies.
In Friday’s 8-2 win, the game was never in question with the Knights leading 3-0 and 5-2 by periods.
Chad Wilson scored twice for the Knights, both goals coming on plays with Stephen Fox and Neil MacLean.
Matt MacNeil scored what would be the winning goal at 15:10 of the first period. On a delayed penalty, Craig Ryan and Randon MacKinnon were moving the puck well, setting up MacNeil on the long side for a snap shot high.
There was a scary moment involving Ryan late in the third. Involved in a fight, Ryan fell heavily and hit his head on the ice. Bleeding profusely, he was helped off the ice. Gillies said he’s going to be okay and will return to the lineup soon.
MacLean also scored in the first period. His three-point game gave him a goal and nine assists in 10 games to lead all defencemen.
Also scoring on Friday were MacKinnon, James Beaton, Keenan Gillis, and Travis King.
Shots were 42-33 in favour of the Knights with Kenzie MacPhail picking up his fifth win of the season.
The home-and-home with the County begins this Friday, 8 p.m., at the Al MacInnis Sports Centre. The two teams go at it again on Saturday, 8:15 p.m., at the Cape Breton County Arena in Coxheath.