Storm hosting 2025 Maritime Junior C championship
While the South West
Storm didn't bring home the championship banner from the 2024 Maritime Junior C Hockey Championship tournament, they didn't come home empty-handed.
The team has been named host for the 2025 tournament, which will bring some of the best Junior C hockey players in the Maritimes to face off at the Sandy Wickens Memorial Arena in Barrington.
The team is excited, says Head Coach Andrew Holland.
“Planning is well underway,” he says. “We have a committee set up. We will be looking for some volunteers to help out and reaching out to the community for sponsors and things like that.”
Holland says he was notified that the team was awarded the 2025 championship tournament during the coaches meeting on April 24 at this year's Maritime Junior C Hockey Championship, which was hosted by the Sunny Corner Thunder at the Miramichi Civic Center in Miramichi, N.B. from April 24 to 28.
Besides the Storm and Thunder, the Pownal Ice
Dogs from P.E.I and the TriCounty River Cats, also from New Brunswick, competed in the tournament.
The Storm posted an 0-4 record at the tournament, losing 7-0 in their opener to the host Thunder, falling 11-2 to the River Cats in game two, doubled 6-3 by the Ice Dogs in game three, and losing 5-3 in semi-final action against the River Cats, who went on to win the banner, defeating the Thunder 6-2 in the championship game.
“We didn't play our best hockey,” says Holland. “The New Brunswick teams were very strong and they were quite a bit bigger and quicker than us and P.E.I.”
Holland says the Storm had fans that followed them to the Maritime tournament.
“We did give them something to cheer for the last couple of games. Actually, in the semi-final against the River Cats, we gave them quite a scare. We were within a goal a couple of times and we put it to them the last few minutes. We took the goalie out and had an extra attacker. We played a really good game that game.”
Holland says while the team was a little disappointed in the tournament's outcome, they “were proud of the way they battled all season."
"They came from behind a couple of times in the playoffs," he says. "Even though teams were a little stronger than us at the Maritimes, they fought their way through it until the end. They played with dignity. Even though they were frustrated with losing, they didn't act up and take penalties. They just kept playing and did the best they could. We left with some dignity.”
The Storm finish the season with a 27-16-1 record. Holland says the team is thankful to the players, their families, and the community for all their support during the year.
“Our fans are second to none,” he says.
The Storm is looking forward to next season and hosting the 2025 Maritime Junior C championship tournament.
“Everybody is excited about that,” Holland says. “We're going to try and build a strong team again and hopefully have another shot at winning our league and also having a shot at the Maritime championship.”
The Storm won the Maritime championship in 2023. It has won the provincial championship three years in a row.