Metalfab MHL Cup Playoff Capsule: Summerside vs Amherst

(Photo: Ronnie McKenzie)

(1) Summerside Western Capitals vs (4) Amherst Ramblers

  • Game 1 – Saturday, March 14th, 7 p.m. – Credit Union Place
  • Game 2 – Monday, March 16th, 7 p.m. – Amherst Stadium
  • Game 3 – Thursday, March 19th, 7 p.m. – Credit Union Place
  • Game 4 – Saturday, March 21st, 7 p.m. – Amherst Stadium
  • Game 5 – Monday, March 23rd, 7 p.m. – Credit Union Place*
  • Game 6 – Thursday, March 26th, 7 p.m. – Amherst Stadium*
  • Game 7 – Saturday, March 28th, 8 p.m. – Credit Union Place*

*if necessary

Summerside Amherst
32-12-5-3 (1st) Record (MHL Rank) 32-19-1-0 (7th)
6-4-0-0 (3-0-0-0) Last 10 Games (current streak) 7-3-0-0 (2-0-0-0)
232 (1st) Goals For (MHL Rank) 196 (7th)
170 (4th) Goals Against (MHL Rank) 180 (5th)
30.7% (1st) Powerplay % (MHL Rank) 26.1% (3rd)
83.0% (2nd) Penalty Kill % (MHL Rank) 78.2% (7th)
Simon Mullen – 14G, 54A (8th) Top Scorer (MHL Rank) Anthony Gaudet – 25G, 64A (1st)
Simon Mullen – 14G, 54A (8th) Top Scoring Defenseman Owen Aura – 7G, 46A
Kolton Bourret – 15-5-1-0, 2.70 GAA, .908 SV%, 1 SO

Justin Robinson – 4-3-1-0, 2.93 GAA, .890 SV%

Goaltenders Brandon Lavoie – 12-13-1-0, 3.17 GAA, .908 SV%

Hudson Bradley – 14-6-1-0, 3.63 GAA, .898 SV%, 1 SO

2-6-0-0 Head-to-Head Record 6-1-1-0
Simon Mullen – 1G, 6A Leading Scorer in Season Series Anthony Gaudet – 6G, 11A

Previous Meetings

  • October 18th – Summerside 1 Amherst 4
  • November 6th – Amherst 4 Summerside 3
  • November 29th – Amherst 1 Summerside 4
  • December 14th – Summerside 2 Amherst 5
  • December 16th – Amherst 2 Summerside 3 (OT)
  • December 31st – Summerside 1 Amherst 5
  • January 24th – Summerside 0 Amherst 5
  • February 12th – Amherst 4 Summerside 2

Notes

  • Summerside is in the playoffs for the 11th straight season, clinching the Eastlink South Division and the number 1 overall seed in the final weekend of the regular season. The Western Capitals last faced the Ramblers in the 2023-24 South Division Final, where Summerside won in six games.
  • Amherst had the best record of any team against Summerside this season, going 6-1-1-0. The Western Capitals averaged just two goals per game against Amherst, while the Ramblers averaged just under four goals per game.
  • A big part of the Amherst victories was containing Summerside’s powerplay. Ranking first in the league at 30.7%, the Western Capitals were just 4 for 29 (13.8%) against Amherst. The Ramblers powerplay also performed under their season average of 26.1% at just 7 for 34 (20.1%) against Summerside. The Western Capitals led the league in penalty minutes with 1,226, with Amherst 8th at 886.
  • Summerside led the league with thirteen shorthanded goals, while Amherst allowed none in the regular season.
  • The teams were close in goals allowed per game at 3.27 for Summerside (4th) and 3.46 for Amherst (5th)
  • Kolten Bourret started four games against Amherst with a 1-3-0-0 record, 3.30 goals against average, and a .898 save percentage. Rookie goaltender Hudson Bradley played five games against Summerside with a 4-0-1-0 record, 1.98 goals against average, and a .951 save percentage. 
  • The Western Capitals led the league in scoring for the third straight season. Summerside had eleven players with at least 30 points this season, compared to five for Amherst. However, the Ramblers’ top line of Anthony Gaudet, Cooper Cormier, and Mark Corbett combined for 90 goals and 126 assists.
  • Simon Mullen led Summerside in scoring with 68 points, which was tops among MHL blueliners. Owen Aura was fourth in scoring for Amherst with 53 points.
  • Summerside did its best work in the 2nd period this season with a +34 goal differential, compared to the 1st period (+18) and the 3rd period (+15). Amherst was +4 in the 1st, +12 in the 2nd, and -3 in the 3rd.