Storm advance to championship series
Teams tied 1-1 as series comes to Barrington this weekend
The South West Storm rebounded from a 2-0 series deficit by posting three consecutive wins to take their best-of-five semi-final series against the Sackville Knights, advancing the Storm to the championship series against the East Hants Penguins in the Nova Scotia Regional Junior Hockey League, which is tied 1-1 after the opening games.
The Storm had wrapped up the semi-final series on the road on March 25 with a 3-1 win over the Knights. Dylan Hatfield, assisted by Riley Hubbard; Brady Nickerson assisted by JJ MacPhee and Zach D'Arcy; and Jack Atkinson, assisted by Tylan Foster and Ryan Warner, were the Storm marksmen.
The Storm had begun their series comeback at home on March 23 with a 5-0 win over the Knights. Storm goalie Tyson Peters stopped 28 shots for the shutout. Ollie Tipton, JJ MacPhee, Zach D'Arcy, Alexander Swaine and Ryder Travis were the goal scorers, with two assists from Caelen Wallace and Isaac Richardson and single assists from Ryan Warner, Ethan Brannen,
Riley Hemeon Nate Killam.
The Storm tied the series with a 3-1 win on March 24 before a packed house at the Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena. Zach D'Arcy assisted by Brady Nickerson scored two goals for the Storm with an empty netter from Ethan Brannen. Nate Killam and Caelen Wallace also had assists.
The best-of-seven league championship series against the East Hants Penguins opened on March 29 with the Storm posting a 7-2 win. JJ MacPhee had two goals and an assist for the Storm, while Caelen Wallace, Brady Nickerson and Zach D'Arcy each marked a goal and an assist.
Ryder Travis and Dylan Hatfield also had single markers.
East Hants came back with a 3-2 win in game two on March 30. JJ MacPhee and Evan Acker were the Storm's marksmen.
The series moves to the Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena in Barrington on April 6 for a 7 p.m. tangle. Game four is scheduled for April 7 at 3 p.m. in Barrington. Game five moves to East Hants on April 12 for an 8 p.m. face-off.
Game six if necessary is scheduled for April 13 in Barrington at 7 p.m. Game seven, if necessary, will be played in East Hants on April 14, with a 5 p.m. start.
East Hants finished the regular season in first place with 39 points. The Storm finished the season in third spot with 35 points.
The Storm had advanced to the semi-finals after rebounding from a 2-1 series deficit to win their best of five quarterfinal series against the Spryfield Attack 3-2.
The Storm are the two-time defending league champs as well as the 2023 Maritime Junior C champions.