Hockey and a two-way street
There was a celebration at the RECC last Saturday
I recall as a kid following John Matheson, John Hutchinson, Donnie Moore, Phil Henderson and other local players who travelled over Mount Thom to play junior hockey in Pictou County.
They played for the Stellarton Royals, coached by former senior player Danny Dorrington.
It was a good two-way street then as it is today – a Pictou County-based team providing an opportunity for a player from the Truro area to play a higher calibre of hockey. And, the presence of Colchester County talent helps make the Pictou County team more competitive.
Looking at today’s Pictou County Weeks Major Midgets, with the regular season in the record books, the team finished in fourth place in the eight-team Nova Scotia Eastlink Major Midget Hockey League.
Enjoying a good season, the Weeks team boasts six fine young local players – goaltender Oliver Arnfast, Merle Putnam, Sam Archibald and three players we will hear from for this week’s Sports Scene.
Completing the regular season, Weeks lost 2-1 to Cape Breton West Islanders at home last Saturday night and rebounded for a 7-3 Sunday afternoon win in Port Hood. The fourth-place finish sees Weeks meeting fifth-place Steele Subaru out of Dartmouth in the first playoff round. The Steele team is coached by Steve Crowell.
This best-of-seven series should be a good one; it opens Saturday night at the Wellness Centre in New Glasgow at 8 p.m. Game 2 takes place in New Glasgow Sunday at 4 p.m.
Tanner Greatorex, a defenceman, is in his second season with Pictou County following two seasons with the Truro Bearcats in major bantam hockey.
“Dartmouth kept getting better as the season went along,” Greatorex, 17, of Truro, said. “They just won the recent East Coast Ice Jam Tournament in Bedford, so it’s going to be a tough series against them. If we can play more consistently we’ll do alright but we can’t look pastdartmouth at this point.”
The Grade 11 CEC student, who excels in track and field, shared further.
“I think playing major midget hockey is a great thing for our development as Nova Scotia hockey players. For players who might want to play a higher brand of hockey later, this is an awesome opportunity.”
Greatorex’s major junior rights belong to Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, his junior A rights belong to Truro Bearcats. He’s a fine young hockey prospect.
Rookie defenceman Brayden Schmidt also commented on the upcoming playoff series.
“Dartmouth are a good defensive team,” Schmidt, 15, of Bible Hill, said. “We’re going to have to work hard and get to the net to score goals. This is going to be a pretty intense hockey series, it’s going to be really interesting; as a team we’re going to have to be ready.”
The Grade 10 CEC student, who plays bantam AA baseball in the summer, shared an interesting outlook on hockey.
“I began hockey at age four, playing hockey with my friends was a lot of fun. My outlook and goal for hockey is to get drafted in the “Q” league. I’d also like to play junior A hockey in Truro with the Bearcats; it’d be really nice to represent my home town.”
Schmidt is the grandson of former hockey player Jim Mackinnon.
Bryson Currie is a rookie forward who plays both leftwing and right-wing.
“I started my hockey in the Truro minor system,” Currie, 16, of Truro, said. “My dad (Sterling) took me skating a lot as a kid, my interest grew from there.”
The Grade 10 CEC student and former Truro Bearcats major bantam player appreciates the hockey opportunity he’s been given.
“Playing with a major midget team, I’ve got to play against some of the best players in Eastern Canada. Looking at playing Dartmouth, our team has been inconsistent at times this season, lately we’ve been coming together better as a team, I think that is going to carry us a long way.”
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It’s remarkable how people are describing last Saturday night’struro Bearcats win at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre. After trailing 4-0, the Bearcats scored five third-period goals to earn a 5-5 regulation-time tie with South Shore Lumberjacks. Ben Higgins blasted one home for Truro about three minutes into overtime for a 6-5 win.
“It’s the best game I ever saw,” one fan said. Others agreed. Another fan remarked, “I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Others called it “the best comeback” they ever witnessed.
When Higgins scored, fans were on their feet all around the rink, it was a celebration like none we’ve seen at a hockey game in a long, long time.
The Bearcats exciting playoff hunt continues Friday night when the Edmundston Blizzard visit. Sunday night, Pictou County Weeks Crushers come to town. Both games are crucial in the Bearcats making the playoffs. Game time is 7 p.m.