AMHERST, N.S. — AMHERST, N.S. – Bennett MacArthur and Kallum Muirhead each scored twice as the Summerside Western Capitals spoiled the Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers home-opener with a 4-0 win at the Amherst Stadium on Saturday.
"We're not to the standard that we want. Structurally we did some good things. It's early. They're learning, I'm learning and it's a process. It's good to get games like this out of the way early," Ramblers coach Doug Doull said. "They're a skilled hockey team."
Muirhead opened the scoring 11:07 into the first period when he was left untouched in the slot and fired a loose puck by Ramblers’ goalie Joel Gogeun.
Brodie and Colby MacArthur added assists on the goal.
In the second period, rookie forward Bennett MacArthur scored two goals less than a minute apart midway through the period to extend the lead to 3-0 before Muirhead redirected a Gianiuca Fuoco shot past Goguen at the 6:20 mark of the third to round out the scoring.
Dominik Tmej was strong when tested to post his first shutout of the season.
Goguen faced 37 shots in the Ramblers’ net while Tmej faced 26.
"There were times they had us hemmed in our own zone just on their skill alone," Doull said. "We're learning and once we get a few games behind us we'll be fine. It's like you play one game 50 times. There were some positives. The Hebert, Boudreau and Gallant line was our best line."
Amherst returns to action on Thursday at the Pictou County Wellness Centre against the Weeks Crushers before travelling to Berwick to face the Valley Wildcats on Friday.
For Doull, going to the Wellness Centre, will be unique in that he's returning to the building he coached in the last several years.
"It's a big game that represents two points in the standings. That's how I'm looking at it," he said.
The Crushers, he said, are expected to be one of the league's top teams this year and it will be another challenge for his hockey club.
The Ramblers are home again Sept. 25 against the Truro Bearcats.
