The Valley Wildcats, of the Maritime Hockey League, recently announced that they have partnered with the West Nova Scotia Regiment and the South Shore Lumberjacks to launch the West Nova Scotia Regiment Challenge Cup competition between the two MHL teams.
The West Nova Scotia Regiment Challenge Cup will be presented to the team that has the most wins in head-to-head competition this season. The first game in the series was played last week in Berwick and was marked with a ceremonial puck drop. The Wildcats won the game 5-3 in an exciting contest that ended with a last second, empty-net goal.
Lieutenant Colonel Ken Butterworth, Commanding Officer of the West Nova Scotia Regiment, has a personal connection to both MHL clubs.
“My experience with the Maritime Hockey League has been extremely positive,” said Lt. Col. Butterworth. “My son Jeremy was drafted and played for the South Shore Lumberjacks and also played for the Valley Wildcats. Both organizations are pillars of the community and their brand represents everything that the Canadian Armed Forces looks to for partnership opportunities.”
Jeremy Butterworth was, in fact, a star player both team. He was drafted by the Lumberjacks 2nd overall in 2012 and amassed 16 goals and 29 assists in 49 games during the 2012-13 season. After playing a few games with Fargo in the USHL and 23 games with the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL in 2013-14, Butterworth was traded to the Valley Wildcats. Over the next two and a half seasons in Berwick, Butterworth scored 39 goals and 68 assists in 102 games.
Wildcats G.M. Nick Greenough shared Lt. Col Butterworth’s sentiments about the partnership.
“The players on the Wildcats and Lumberjacks are the leaders of tomorrow and display some of the same characteristics of the men and women who serve, and have served, in the Regiment,” said Greenough. “We are proud and honored to be associated with them.”
The West Nova Scotia Regiment (WNSR), is one of the oldest Infantry Regiments in Canada. It was formed from both the 69th (Annapolis, 1717) and the 75th (Lunenburg Regiment, 1870) in 1936 and served with distinction throughout World War II. Stretching from Sicily to Holland, there are 352 graves of West Nova’s who paid the final sacrifice. Added to this were 1,084 wounded and missing. The Regiment continues to send soldiers on U.N. peace keeping tours and on active duty in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, the West Nova Scotia Regiment serves the Kentville, Bridgewater, Middleton and Windsor communities and employs more than 120 soldiers.
West Nova Scotia Regiment Challenge Cup (remaining games)
- Saturday, Nov. 3 @ Valley 7 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 23 @ Valley 7 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 30 @ South Shore 7 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 14 @ South Shore 7 p.m.
- Friday, Feb. 1 @ South Shore 7 p.m.
- Friday, Feb. 22 @ Valley 7 p.m.
