Squires nets winner for dad
Bantam Attack victorious at Monctonian; Wild claims midget crown for coach Dunn
Prince Edward Island minor hockey teams struck gold at last weekend’s prestigious Monctonian minor hockey tournament as the Jeff Squires and K.J. Whitecoached Central Attack bantam AAA squad and the Kensington Wild major midgets surprised Maritime hockey fans with championship game victories, which is sweet music for P.E.I. sports fans.
Squires and White deserve a lot of credit for the bantam victory as the Charlottetown-based club upset pre-tournament favourite St. Margaret’s Bay, N.S., 4-0 in the semifinal and edged East Hants, N.S., 2-1 in triple overtime for the Monctonian title.
Cam Squires, Jeff’s son, converted a neat pass from Kal White, K.J.’s son, for the winning goal on a play brought about by Colby Huggan’s strong forecheck. The same line connected for the Attack’s opening goal with Huggan pulling the trigger. Goaltenders usually play a large part in championship victories at any level and Attack netminder Jack Howatt was brilliant, allowing just one goal in nine pressure-packed periods to end the tournament.
This club has been together for some time and the victory is a result of the hard work and dedication by the kids. Coach Squires told me last winter, after the Attack’s 5-4 loss in Charlottetown’s Spud tournament peewee final to Moncton, his club would be tough to beat in 2018-19, and he was right. Their prime goal is the Atlantics in April.
In Monctonian midget AAA play, another coach that is drawing plenty of praise is Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild bench boss Kyle Dunn. His team’s march to the gold medal was another story of perseverance and grit.
The Wild played three games, including two sudden-death contests, on Saturday and the semifinal on Sunday, setting the stage for the championship game against defending champion Dartmouth Steele Subaru from Nova Scotia.
Goaltender Chad Arsenault was terrific throughout as the club sidelined strong teams AjaxPickering, Moncton and Markham, Ont., en route to the gold. Well done, Kyle.
Major Junior
The Charlottetown Islanders 4-3 overtime loss to the Mooseheads earlier this week in Halifax showed me the Islanders will give any of the top Quebec Major Junior Hockey League clubs a severe test in the playoffs.
The Islanders are at home tonight for a 7 p.m. contest against a good Cape Breton club that outplayed the Islanders here earlier this season in a losing cause. The Isles are back in action against a strong Baie-Comeau squad Sunday at 3 p.m. at Eastlink Centre. It’s a good test for the local club. Charlottetown forward Daniel Hardie continues to post big numbers as his 16 goals before Friday’s games were tied for the fourth most in the league, trailing only BaieComeau teammates Ivan Chekhovich (20) and Nathan Legare (17) as well as Moncton’s Jeremy McKenna (18) of Summerside.
University Hockey
The surprising UPEI Panthers men’s hockey team concludes their two-game weekend homestand with an important 7 p.m. game tonight against secondplace Saint Mary’s Huskies at MacLauchlan Arena.
The Panthers are battling St. FX and Moncton for the third and fourth spots in the conference standings and the extra home game in the quarter-finals, so this
is a big game for UPEI.
Basketball
The Island Storm split their opening two home games last weekend against Saint John, N.B., and Cape Breton, N.S., in National Basketball League of Canada play and the two games proved all the teams in this loop are very close in talent.
There’s lots to like about the Storm and local fans will get a chance to see them here Thursday, at 7 p.m. against the Kitchener-Waterloo Titans. The Titans have ex-Storm favourite Akeem Ellis in their lineup and it’s a chance for local fans to see some of the Storm’s new faces like Russell Byrd, Sampson Carter, Robbie Robinson, Dominic Shuler, plus flashy guards Jarrell Tate, Alex Campbell and Tyree White. Sharp-shooting guard Tyler Scott is sidelined with a broken finger while Brad States and Tirrell Baines both played very well in the 96-95 win over Saint John.
Harness racing
Live harness racing continues today at 12:30 p.m. with a 14-dash card and it’s a day that you should attend.
It’s the annual Paul MacDonald Memorial Drivers’ Challenge card sponsored by the P.E.I. Horse Owners Association and while eight of the top drivers at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park (CDP) compete for cash and prizes, fans are eligible for draw prizes including turkeys and other gifts. The drivers in this event are Kenny Arsenault, Ron Matheson, Gilles Barrieau, Mike McGuigan, Corey MacPherson, Adam Merner, Ambyr Campbell and David Dowling. CDP dashleader Marc Campbell and Walter Cheverie are enjoying holidays and are not available.
At Mohawk tonight, Euchred (Jody Jamieson), who won last week in 1:53 and change, has the outside 10-hole in a $15,000 event for trainer Terry Gallant.
At Flamboro tonight, Sodwana Bay has Post 4 in the $10,500 preferred for owners Wayne MacRae and Blaine MacPherson.
At The Meadowlands tonight, Percy Blue Chip leaves from Post 5 in the $175,000 TVG series for open mares against the likes of Shartin N, Pure Country and six others. Iron-sided open pacer McWicked has the inside in the TVG older horses’ event.
Bill Gale, who was named the 1991 driver of the year in Canada and is a Canadian Harness Racing Hall of Famer, passed away last week in Ontario. A class guy always. He will be missed.