Bantams come up big
Truro skates to 5-1 record to capture Royal Canadian Legion Challenge Cup
The Truro Bantam AA Bearcats turned in a solid team effort and came up big at the 24th annual Royal Canadian Legion Challenge Cup bantam AA hockey tournament in Cape Breton.
The Truro TECTURA Bearcats posted an overall record of 5-1 and defeated the Cape Breton County Islanders 7-4 in the final of the Royal Canadian Legion Challenge Cup bantam AA hockey tournament in Membertou.
Brandon Forbes led the Bearcats in the gold-medal game with two goals, including the eventual winner with 2:06 left in the second period. Forbes also added an assist for a tidy threepoint effort, while Aiden Fisher, Ewan Mackinnon and Colby Wolfe each chipped in a goal and a helper. Keagan Macumber and Mitchell King pumped home other markers for the champion Bearcats and Ashton Cutten provided strong goaltending.
In a semifinal game, the Bearcats blanked the Chebucto Atlantics 1-0. Jake Stewart scored the game’s lone goal with 8:48 left in the first period and Cutten stopped all shots directed his way for the shutout.
The Bearcats opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over the Cole Harbour Wings.
After a scoreless first period, Forbes put Truro on the board with 9:33 left in the second. Alexander Hendren replied for the Wings 42 seconds later. Tim Porter of the Bearcats fired the winner with 3:19 left in the period and Kyran Burton iced it with a late third-period tally. Wolfe had two assists in the contest and Cutten picked up the win in nets.
In Game 2, the Bearcats dropped a 4-1 decision to the Glace Bay Miners. Macumber had the lone Truro goal, assisted by Nick Gallant. Brandon White manned the pipes. Glace Bay broke open a close game with three unanswered goals in the third period.
Truro rebounded to earn a victory in their next game – a 3-1 win over the Northside Vikings. Stewart, Gallant and Macumber netted markers for the Bearcats and Cutten got the win.
In their other preliminary game, the Bearcats marched to a 6-1 win over the Sydney Steelers. Fisher notched two goals, while Sam Rogers, Stewart and Wolfe each added a goal and an assist and Forbes had the other marker. White was solid in nets.
The Bearcats also collected individual hardware, as Porter was named the tournament’s most dedicated player.