Major Bantam Bombers begin playoffs Saturday
Game 1 at Pictou County Wellness Centre
It’s been awhile since the Major Bantam program had some meaningful playoff games in March.
“We didn’t really get to March last season,” said Thomas Schnare, captain with the Pictou County Wear Well Garments Bombers.
“So, we’re looking forward to having a longer season.”
The Bombers will start a best-of-three playoff series with the Bedford Barons on Saturday at the Pictou County Wellness Centre (12:30 p.m. start time).
Games two and three (if necessary) will be next week in Bedford and the winner of the series will compete at provincials, which will be held later this month in Liverpool.
The Bombers, of course, would prefer to head to Bedford next weekend with a win in their back pocket, and avoid having to win two straight on the road.
“You don’t want to go down in the series right off the bat,” Schnare said, “so game one is a big game.”
Schnare said Pictou County has a size disadvantage against Bedford, but the Bombers might have the edge in quickness.
“We just have to do the little things right,” said head coach Jon Sim. “Playoff hockey: get pucks deep, get the puck out of our end and get bodies and the pucks to the net.”
The Bombers lost two of three this season against Bedford, games that Sim described as being “pretty even, I think. This year we have a legit shot at going to provincials. We have some kids who have never been to provincials and we’re all looking at this as a great opportunity.”
Note: Tickets on the Islanders Experience ($10 each) will be sold at the door prior to Saturday’s game and the draw will be held during the game.
The winner of the trip-for-two will head to New York to take in an Islanders/Philadelphia Flyers game on April 3, where they will also get the VIP treatment: watching the game from the Islanders’ alumni box, with free food and drinks.
The winners will receive $1,500 for expenses and also have a chance to meet the players in the New York dressing room and take in a team practice.