SYDNEY, N.S. — Cape Breton players will have an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of hockey scouts this week in Halifax.
Hundreds of scouts from various major junior, junior ‘A’ and NCAA schools will be in the province for the annual East Coast Ice Jam, sponsored by SaltWire Network’s The Chronicle Herald.
Cape Breton’s three elite level hockey teams — the Cape Breton West Islanders, Sydney Mitsubishi Rush and Joneljim Cougars — will participate in the five-day tournament, which kicked off Wednesday at BMO Centre in Bedford.
In the major midget division, the Islanders will open the tournament today at 1:30 p.m. against the Central Impact of Grand Falls-Windsor, before facing the Dennis GM Western Kings of Corner Brook at 9:30 p.m. Both teams are from Newfoundland and Labrador.
Cape Breton West, whose offence is led by Lewis Taylor with 16 goals and 19 assists, will finish the round robin Friday when they face the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights at 11:30 a.m.
The Islanders enter the tournament in sixth place in the Nova Scotia Eastlink Major Midget Hockey League with a 10-18-0-1 record.
Meanwhile, the Rush will begin the event today against the Saint John Viots of New Brunswick, before playing a pair of games Friday at 9 a.m. against the Impact and at 7:30 p.m. against the Knights.
Sydney, which has 12 rookies in its lineup, is currently last in the eight-team Nova Scotia league with a 7-19-3-0 record, two points behind seventh-place Valley.
The Rush are led offensively by Nick Mahar with 17 goals and 14 assists, while Trey Sturge (15 goals and 14 assists) and rookie Drew MacIntyre (13 goals and 16 assists) are tied for second on the team in points with 29.
In the major bantam division, the North Sydney-based Joneljim Cougars are set to begin their tournament today with two games on their schedule.
The Cougars will kick things off at 12:45 p.m. against the Fredericton Blues, before challenging the Mid-Isle Matrix of Prince Edward Island at 8:45 p.m.
The Cougars wrap up the round robin Friday at 5:15 p.m. when they face the Prince County Warriors of P.E.I.
The Cape Breton club enters the tournament in last place in the 12-team Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League with a 3-17-1-0 record.
A bright spot for the Cougars this season has been forward Alexander Christmas who has 12 goals and 13 assists. Not only is he dangerous playing at even strength but has also recorded three shorthanded goals.
The tournament semifinals and championship games in both divisions will be played Saturday and Sunday at the Bedford venue.
CAPE BRETON TEAM SCHEDULES
MAJOR MIDGET:
Cape Breton West Islanders
Thursday
1:30 p.m. – vs. Central Impact
9:30 p.m. – vs. Dennis GM Western Kings
Friday
11:30 a.m. – vs. Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights
* * *
Sydney Mitsubishi Rush
Thursday
7:30 p.m. – vs. Saint John Vitos
Friday
9 a.m. – vs. Central Impact
7:30 p.m. – vs. Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Knights
*****
MAJOR BANTAM
Joneljim Cougars
Thursday
12:45 p.m. – vs. Fredericton Blues
8:45 p.m. – vs. Mid-Isle Matrix
Friday
5:15 p.m. – vs. Prince County Warriors
Twitter: @CBPost_Jeremy
