KENSINGTON, P.E.I. — 

The Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights impressively made franchise history Saturday night.

The Knights, who held a 50-10 shots-on-goal advantage, defeated the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild 9-2 to complete a four-game sweep in the best-of-seven P.E.I. major under-18 hockey championship series. It is the first provincial championship in franchise history, which began as the Pride in 2016 and rebranded as the Knights for the 2019-20 campaign.

“It’s an indescribable feeling,” said Knights forward and team captain Max Chisholm of Summerside. “I’ve been waiting three years for this, and (head coach) Luke Beck has been waiting (for) five (years). Cam (MacLean) has been waiting for three, just like me. It’s just a surreal feeling.”

The Knights, who won all eight regular-season games the team played in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major Under-18 Hockey League before COVID-19 halted off-Island travel, dominated the provincial final series. The Knights, who never trailed in the series, also defeated the Wild 6-1, 3-1 and 10-1.

“Even though the scores were lopsided, we still kept our game the same way and played hockey the way we were supposed to,” said Knights’ sophomore forward Nolan Stewart, who is from Brooklyn near Montague.

Scoreboard

The Knights outscored the Wild 28-5 in the four games, including 19-3 in Games 3 and 4.

“I thought we were extremely dominant,” said Chisholm. “We played a full 60 minutes each game.

“We wanted to put ourselves in a position to win each night, and that’s what we did.”

Saturday at Credit Union Centre in Kensington, Stewart opened the scoring on the power play 6:36, and the Knights never looked back.

“We have a lot of skilled guys here, so I tried to bring some energy, grit, get some pucks to the net and find ways to make that work,” said Stewart, a draft pick of the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and the Campbellton Tigers of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).

Charlottetown built a 4-0 lead early in the second period, but the Wild rallied for two goals 28 seconds apart just past the midway point of the middle frame to cut the lead in half.

It didn’t take the Knights long to answer back with two goals in a 1:06 stretch to open up a 6-2 lead.

MVP

MacLean, who had four goals and 10 points, was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the series. He downplayed the award, deflecting praise off himself towards what he described as a full-team effort.

“There are so many guys who could have been named MVP; guys who may not have had as many points, but they played a great role for us, too,” said MacLean, who is from New Haven. “Everyone had a great playoff; it was a full team effort.”

MacLean said it was special to win the provincial championship.

“It feels like a lot of hard work has paid off,” he said. “All the guys played really well; everyone elevated their games in the playoffs. It feels amazing right now.”

Although COVID-19 constantly provided challenges and uncertainty this season, MacLean said the Knights never lost focus of their goal. He said the 2020-21 edition of the Knights battled hard and pushed each other in practice all season, and he said he is “so happy for everyone” involved with the organization.

“We have been waiting the last two years,” said MacLean, a draft pick of the QMJHL's Acadie-Bathurst Titan and the MHL's Grand Falls Rapids. “Like our motto ‘unfinished business', we are just happy to be here and grateful, too.”

MacLean and Chisholm, who are the only Knights to play the last three seasons with the organization, have been through both the good and bad times.

“It’s been a crazy chain of events the last three years,” said Chisholm, a draft choice of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders and the Rapids. “From behind the scenes to where we are now with players, it’s been crazy.

“The first year, losing in four (games to the Wild), last year being shut down (due to COVID-19 with the playoff series against Kensington tied 1-1), and this year winning it all, it’s crazy.”

Short-staffed Wild

The Knights’ victory ended the Wild’s run of four straight provincial championships. Kensington, which went 1-7-1 in league action, played Game 4 with only 12 skaters as seven players were unavailable due to injuries and suspensions. The Knights were also without three regulars on Saturday due to suspensions.

“We battled, and we competed with what we had,” said Wild head coach Kyle Dunn. “At times, we had more coaches on the bench than players, so it’s been a tough year, a difficult year for our guys.

“Even in the last minute, guys are having fun, joking and smiling on the bench. Even though we were struggling losing games 10-1 and 9-2, they came to the rink smiling every day, and I’m proud of them for that.”

Jason Simmonds is The Guardian's sports reporter.