Newfoundlanders a growing presence at world ball hockey championships
Now nine players from this province on Canadian entries in Mount Pearl, including the leading scorer in the U18 division
The contingent of Newfoundlanders competing in the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation’s world junior championships in Mount Pearl keeps getting larger.
Kyle Mcgrath of St. John’s was added to the Canadian under-20 as an injury replacement just before the start of the championships Wednesday, becoming the fifth player from this province on Canada’s U20 active roster. The others are Mount Pearl’s James O’brien and Jesse Sutton, Joel Bishop of St. John’s and Gander’s Jordan Maher.
As well, Mike Dyke of Gander is an assistant coach with the Canadian team.
Bishop had two goals, Sutton had two assists and Maher added a tally as Canada opened its preliminary-round schedule with a 9-0 win over the United States Wednesday night.
The host team won its second game Thursday night, but it wasn’t nearly as easy. The Canadians edged the Czech Republic 3-2, with the Czech’s scoring twice in the late stages with their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker.
There are four Newfoundlanders on the Canadian under-18 team, which sports a 4-0 record after winning twice Thursday at
the Glacier, edging the United States 6-5 and blanking Slovakia 5-0.
Fogo Island native Brent Broaders leads all U18 scorers with 11 points on eight goals and three assists. More than half that output came in the win over the Americans, where Broaders was involved in all the
scoring, registering four goals, including the game-winner, and a couple of assists.
Dawson Mercer of Bay Roberts, a forward with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Drummondville Voltigeurs, but playing as a defenceman for Canada in this tournament, is tied for second in scoring in the
U18 division with eight points (two goals and six assists).
Jack Keough of Mount Pearl and Adam Mouland of Gander are also with the Canadian U18s, who take their perfect record and title as reigning champions into a critical 6 p.m. matchup against the Czech Republic today, their only game on the third day of the tourney.
The Czechs are also undefeated through three games.
The Canadian under-20 team has two games today, facing Great Britain at 11 a.m. and following up with an 8 p.m. contest against defending champion Slovakia in a rematch from the final of the last world U20 event, in Sheffield, England, in 2016.
The ISBHF world juniors are held every two years.
Note
Mcgrath played his first full season in the QMJHL last season with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Other Newfoundlanders in the Q and playing in the ball hockey world juniors are Mercer, Maher and Bishop (Halifax Mooseheads) and Sutton (Quebec Remparts).