Major Midgets look for bounce-back weekend

Locals down 2-0 in playoff series

After two losses in Cole Harbour to open their playoffs, the Pictou County Weeks Major Midgets are hoping for some better luck on home ice.

“You keep working, the bounces will eventually go your way,” said coach Kyle MacLennan.

“We’re in a bit of a hole, but it’s a best-of-seven.”

The Major Midgets (20-15-3) finished fifth in the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League, drawing the Wolfpack (23-123) in the first round.

The Wolfpack won the opening two games last weekend, with scores of 5-3 and 4-2, both tightly contested battles that could have gone either way – in the 5-3 loss, Pictou County trailed by four goals before getting three quick ones to make a game of it, only to see the Wolfpack score into an empty net.

The series continues with two games this weekend at the Pictou County Wellness Centre: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

MacLennan would like to see his team continue to do the tough sledding down low in the offensive zone, “getting those playoff-type goals,” the secondyear Major Midget coach said.

“(Our sprits are still high. Cole Harbour) did the job on home ice, winning those two games, and we have to do the same thing. To be honest with you, we were pretty happy with our game last weekend, outside of the fact we didn’t get the results we wanted.”

The Major Midgets were led by regular season most valuable G Blackmore, who won the league’s scoring title with 75 points (28G, 47A). Jaden Mason (23G and 40) Kevin Mason (29G, 33A) were also key contributions on offence.

“It’s nice to have a good year individually, but we want to go as far as we can,” said the 17-year-old Millbrook, Colchester County resident at a team practice Thursday.

“We think we can beat anyone and it’d be nice to go as deep as possible in the playoffs.”