AESHL final begins tonight in Harbour Grace
After winning just three games last season, Harbour Grace club takes home-ice advantage into AESHL final beginning tonight against Northeast
The Ceebees will look to take a last successful step in what would be a worst-to-first journey as they take on the Northeast Eagles in the Avalon East Senior Hockey League final beginning tonight in Harbour Grace
This time last year, the Harbour Grace Ocean Enterprises Ceebee Stars were a month removed from hanging up their skates after a tough first season back in action.
The Ceebees limped their way through the 2015-16 campaign, managing only three wins in 23 games and failing to qualify for the playoffs. It was the team’s first year back in the Avalon East Senior Hockey League following a 2014-15 season that featured no senior hockey in Harbour Grace.
“Starting last year, we were just trying to get some pieces together to be competitive in the league, and just get our team back in,” said Ceebee Stars captain Robert Slaney.
How things have changed. Tonight in Harbour Grace, the Ceebees face the Tapper’s Northeast Eagles in Game 1 of the best-of-seven AESHL final.
“I think that anybody would be surprised at the success that we’ve had this year based on where we were last year,” Slaney continued. “However, we’ve made some big additions. We’ve got A.J. Whiffen, Sam Roberts, Colin Feehan and Matthew Thomey through drafting and trading, but then also picked up a great young core of junior players who’ve played heavily into our lineup.
“I don’t know if anyone saw all those pieces falling together, but now that they did, I don’t think it would surprise anybody that we’ve been successful as we have been.”
Indeed, the team’s remarkable turnaround is significant. This season, the Ceebees were one win shy (18) of equalling last season’s regulation loss total of 19. There were two regulation losses and one in overtime. Whiffen supplied the team with the best goaltending in the league, and the Ceebee Stars’ offensive attack was generally unmatched.
In a semifinal series against the St. John’s Green Sleeves Caps, it looked for a second like the Ceebees would run away with it after taking Game 1 by a score of 5-1. However, the defending champion Caps tightened their game considerably, taking Game 2 1-0 and keeping it close for the remainder of the series, which the Ceebee Stars ultimately won in five games.
“There were multiple games that could have went either way,” said Slaney. “They gave us a pretty strong series. I don’t think anyone was surprised by that. They’re the defending champions.”
The Eagles, who play out of Jack Byrne Arena in Torbay, have the distinction of being one of two teams to hand the Ceebees a regulation loss during the regular season, having defeated the club from Harbour Grace 2-0 Dec. 9. A one or two-goal margin decided most games played between the two teams. The Eagles had the second-best record during the regular season.
“I think Torbay is a pretty well-rounded team,” Slaney said. “They have a lot of firepower up front, and I think for us to be successful, we’re going to have to play a sound defensive game, try to keep their offensive chances to a minimum, and then try to go on offence when we’ve got our chances.”
The Ceebees captain also complimented the Eagles for having a strong group of defenders and a great goaltender in Mark Yetman, who backstopped the Ceebees to a Herder title in 2013.
Game 1 goes 7:30 tonight at the Danny Cleary Community Centre. Game 2 is 8 p.m. Friday in Torbay, with Game 3 returning to Harbour Grace Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
A full schedule can be found on the AESHL website.