’Cats in the conversation

The Truro Stuart Kia Bearcats will play their first game in the new Hockey Nova Scotia Midget X Division Thursday.

The Bearcats host Pictou County Green for a 6:30 p.m. puck drop at the Colchester Legion Stadium.

The league was formed to help get high school hockey players who are sidelined during Nova Scotia teachers’ workto-rule job action back on the ice.

The Bearcats are the former CEC Cougars, while Pictou County is comprised of players from the North Nova Gryphons high school team.

Hundreds of high school athletes across the province were left without an opportunity to play as a result of the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation no longer sanctioning high school hockey during the NSTU’s job action.

Hockey Nova Scotia sanctioned the formation and registration of teams that will accommodate displaced high school hockey players.

The teams will participate in a newly formed league for currently registered high school players and play an abbreviated schedule of 10-12 regular-season games as well as playoffs. These teams will also have an opportunity to compete for a provincial championship within the Hockey Nova Scotia structure.