YARMOUTH, N.S. – The Maritime Hockey League (MHL) has announced the rosters for the two teams heading to the city of Quinte West, Ontario for the eighth annual Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge and among those making the trip are five players from the Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners and their coach.
The tournament will take place from Nov. 19-21 at the Duncan McDonald Memorial Community Gardens, home of the Trenton Golden Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL).
Twelve all-star teams will compete in a tournament format that will consist of four teams from the OJHL, two teams from each of the CCHL, QJHL, MHL and NOJHL.
The MHL is sending one team comprised from the Eastlink North Division and another squad from players in the Eastlink South Division.
Team Eastlink South features five players each from the Yarmouth Mariners and Truro Bearcats, four from the South Shore Lumberjacks, and two each from the Amherst Ramblers, Pictou County Weeks Crushers, and Valley Wildcats.
The five Mariners players on the team are goalie Tyler Caseley, forwards Brent Broaders, Matthew Barron and Logan Timmons and defenceman Noah McMullin.
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Laurie Barron of the Yarmouth Mariners is the head coach, joined by South Shore Lumberjacks Head coach Kyle McAllister as assistant coach. The athletic therapists are Steve Lindsay (Truro Bearcats) and Ashley Merrithew (Amherst Ramblers).
A total of 21 games will be played by teams at the tournament to determine the champion. Teams will play modified two-period games in a round-robin with quarter finals, semi-finals, and a championship game scheduled for Nov. 21. Teams will be awarded three points for the win, two points for the overtime win and one point for the overtime loss.
"The Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge is well attended by scouts representing the NHL, NCAA, CHL, and the staff of Team Canada East who will be identifying players for their selection camp in December," says MHL President Brian Whitehead. "The MHL divisional teams will be looking to improve on their quarterfinal result from last year, and these might be the most talented teams we have ever taken to the event."
Of the twenty players on the MHL’s Team Eastlink North, six are from the Summerside Western Capitals, four are the Edmundston Blizzard, three each from the Campbellton Tigers and Grand Falls Rapids, and two each from the St. Stephen Aces and Miramichi Timberwolves. Billy McGuigan of the Summerside Western Capitals is the head coach, with Grand Falls Rapids Head coach Sandy McCarthy serving as assistant coach. John Blanchard (Summerside) and Ashley Grant-MacDonald (St. Stephen Aces) are the team’s athletic therapists.
