Road to the 2019 National Junior A Championship: MHL

The Summerside Western Capitals posted a +127 goal differential to finish atop the MHL standings.

Jason La Rose

The Summerside Western Capitals are atop the MHL for the first time in four years on the back of one of the best regular seasons in franchise history. The Capitals were actually under .500 in late September, but didn’t lose back-to-back games the rest of the way en route to 40 wins in 50 tries. Summerside posted a +127 goal differential (247-120) that was far and away the best in the league, and the individual stats reflected that; Brodie MacArthur (43-67—110) won the MHL scoring title – the first of five Capitals in the top 20, while Dominik Tmej led all goaltenders in GAA for second season in a row (2.24) while also posting league-best marks in wins (26), shutouts (7) and save percentage (.929).

PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS
North Division
1) Summerside Western Capitals vs. 4) St. Stephen Aces
2) Campbellton Tigers vs. 3) Edmundston Blizzard

South Division
1) Yarmouth Mariners vs. 4) Truro Bearcats
2) Amherst Ramblers vs. 3) South Shore Lumberjacks

FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-OTL)
North Division
Summerside – 82 points (40-8-2)
Campbellton – 68 points (31-13-6)
Edmundston – 59 points (26-17-7)
St. Stephen – 43 points (20-27-3)
Miramichi – 41 points (19-28-3)
Grand Falls – 33 points (13-30-7)

South Division
Yarmouth – 77 points (36-9-5)
Amherst – 75 points (36-11-3)
South Shore – 57 points (27-30-3)
Truro – 53 points (24-21-5)
Pictou County – 51 points (22-21-7)
Valley – 16 points (6-40-4)

LEADING SCORERS
Brodie MacArthur (Summerside) – 43G 67A 110P
Jean-Simon Belanger (Grand Falls) – 36G 40A 76P
Matt Barron (Yarmouth) – 31G 41A 72P
Logan Johnston (Edmundston) – 27G 43A 70P
Kallum Muirhead (Summerside) – 35G 34A 69P

LEADING GOALTENDERS
Dominik Tmej (Summerside) – 26-4-2, 2.24 GAA, .929 SV%, 7 SO
Tristan Gray (Campbellton) – 16-8-3, 2.35 GAA, .924 SV%, 3 SO
Daniel Thompson (Summerside) – 14-4-0, 2.42 GAA, .921 SV%, 1 SO
Matt Williams (Amherst) – 24-7-3, 2.51 GAA, .924 SV%, 4 SO
Tyler Caseley (Yarmouth) – 25-7-2, 2.55 GAA, .911 SV%, 2 SO

LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE
2013 (Summerside Western Capitals – runners-up; Truro Bearcats – fifth place)

TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES
27 (2013, 2013 (host), 2012, 2009, 2008, 2003 (host), 2002 (host), 1999, 1997 (host), 1996, 1994, 1993, 1993 (host), 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1989 (host), 1988, 1987, 1986, 1986 (host), 1985, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1971)

LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
2002 (Halifax Oland Exports)

TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
2 (2002, Halifax Oland Exports; 1997, Summerside Western Capitals)