McKay, a Deer Lake native, will play the biggest game of his amateur hockey career when he suits up for the Miramichi Timberwolves in Game 7 tonight at the Miramichi Civic Centre.
The Truro Bearcats forced Game 7 with a 3-2 win over the Timberwolves Wednesday night at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro.
McKay will wrap up his junior hockey career at the end of this journey. He was traded to the Timberwolves from the St. Stephen County Aces a few months ago and was excited about playing in the playoffs for the first time in three years of playing hockey on the mainland.
“It’s definitely going to be the biggest game I ever played in, but it’s going to come down to who wants it more here,” McKay said Thursday morning from Miramichi. “We have nine 20-year-olds and none of us want to go out without a championship so we’re going to do everything we can to be successful.”
Shoulder surgery kept McKay out of the lineup for the first round of the playoffs. He says he’s taken his fair share of hits in what he called a fast and physical series and he’s not experiencing any discomfort or pain.
He likes the fact his team has home-ice advantage in the playoffs and hopes the team can feed of the fans in what is expected to be a sellout for the final game.
Home didn’t seem so far away for the entire series because his parents Karen and Jamie McKay have been in Miramichi since Game 1 so that means a lot to him.
“It gives me a little feel for home I guess and she’s cooking some supper for us today actually so I’m hoping to get a Newfie meal here,” he said with a light chuckle.
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