Hot Corner
Leafs, Canadiens meet in important game tonight
Sports columnist Joe MacIntyre reflects the heyday of the Island Junior Hockey League, including a look at the dominant SherwoodParkdale Metros in today’s Hot Corner column. The Metros advanced all the way to the national final in 1979, before losing a heart-breaker on a tough bounce.
The Island Junior A Hockey League operated on P.E.I. from 1973 until 1991.
It was during this period when junior hockey was at its best in Canada’s smallest province. There was talent galore throughout the league. There were as many as six teams, including Kings County, SherwoodParkdale, Charlottetown, North River, Summerside and O’Leary. This was at a time when major junior hockey was not even on the radar in the Maritimes, which resulted in a lot of good, local junior talent playing at home.
One of the most talented and best junior A teams to ever come from P.E.I. was the 1979 Sherwood-Parkdale Metros, who made it all the way to the national Centennial Cup final in Prince Albert, Sask.
The Metros lost 5-4 to Prince Albert on an overtime deflection in the final, much to the disappointment of thousands on P.E.I. listening to Cy Yard on CHTN Radio.
It was a tremendous year leading up to the national final. After winning the Island championship, the Metros went on to win the Callaghan Cup with separate series wins against the Fredericton Red Wings and the Halifax Lions.
Angie Carroll, whose son Dunstan was the MVP of the 1979 Centennial Cup, coached the Metros. Callie MacPhail, Allan Wright, Ron Carragher, Steve Gallant, Shane Turner, Danny Revell, Doug Currie and Laurie Downe were some of the nucleus of a very talented Metros’ team. They defended their Island and Maritime titles the following year, but were derailed in the 1980 Centennial Cup, finishing 1-3 (won-lost). The Centennial Cup has since been renamed the RBC Cup.
It is interesting to note that the Metros beat the West Prince Bluefins 35-0 that year. To this day that remains the most lopsided score in Island junior hockey history.
The Metros were one of the best hockey teams to ever come out of P.E.I.
Leafs, Canadiens
Any game between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maples Leafs is a big one, but Saturday’s meeting in Toronto is one of the biggest in recent memory between the two rivals. Only four points separate the two in the Atlantic Division, with the Leafs having a game-inhand.
Montreal is clinging to first place, but that could have changed if Ottawa beat Carolina on Friday, which would propel the Senators into the division lead that Montreal has occupied since the start of the season. A Toronto win in regulation time makes it even tighter at the top of the division. Both Boston and Florida are very much in the mix as well, with the Bruins only four points back, and Florida just six points out of first, leaving a six-point difference between first and fifth place in the Atlantic Division.
Three teams in each division have a guaranteed playoff spot, and one wild-card position looks like it’s up for grabs.
A lot can happen over the last quarter of the season, but a Toronto/Montreal first-round playoff matchup would be great to see, and there’s a real good possibility of it happening. They last met in a playoff series in 1979.
There was a pair of tickets for sale for Saturday’s game on a local website this week for $900, which was less than what they paid for them. I would just as soon watch it at home, and maybe get a couple of airline tickets to Florida with the $900.
Deadline
The NHL trade deadline is Wednesday, and it will be a real interesting few days leading to March 1. There are so many teams still in the race, and the expansion draft in June to stock the new Las Vegas Golden Knights will add a new wrinkle to this year’s trade deadline. The salary cap, which many contenders are up against, may limit what can be done, but there are always creative ways to make a trade happen.
Have a great week! Joe MacIntyre is a Summerside resident. His column appears every Saturday. Comments and suggestions can be sent to j-mac@eastlink.ca.