Crisis At The Tower; Huskies Deperate for a Win vs. Acadia

Jack Creighton's departure has been one of several troubling storylines this season for SMU

by Steve Betts

SMU has a very possible problem showing up at the game this coming Friday: Acadia. Acadia has beaten SMU already this year and is coming into town to try and make SMU go 0-4 on the season. A situation for Coach Steve Sumarah and Saint Mary's that hasn't happened in many years. Compounded by this situation? Jack Creighton has quit the team for mysterious reasons. SMU worst enemy isn't Acadia, it's themselves. Here is why.

SMU has lost a good player for selfish reasons. Creighton quit on his team and until we find out why, those reasons were selfish and make him look like a quitter. Im sure reasons true and false will run rampant around the AUS and CIS chat rooms and blogs but the bottom line is that he quit. That is not cool for SMU. Coach Sumarah lost Eric Glavic, a budding star to a Blake Nil run team in Calgary. So this isnt new to Sumarah's camp. Im not saying Glavic left, or even Creighton left due to Sumarah but nonetheless the situation is not new. Creighton could have been the man to get them out of this funk but alas he is gone.

First thing is first, fix the QB situation. Micah Brown, a scrambly QB isnt what will get SMU to the finals. He is too young and inexperienced. He shows some greatness potential but he has a lot to learn and is not ready to burden the load.

The next problem is administrative. Is Sumarah the man for the job? There are arguments for and against this but that is a question that will only be answered months from now after the season. A managers true skills come to the top when stress and pressure is applied to his or her job. When a manager is truly great they get through the tough times given the chance. Will SMU give him the time to correct this Husky sled that is off track? We are only concerned about this because of the pedigree of the program. He has less time than say the Mount A coach for example. Either way SMU has a problem with many aspects.

One more thing before I go get for more coffee. What about recruiting? This SMU team, the number 1 program in the AUS has always picked up the best import players. I worry about those A players choosing other schools like Calgary, Queens, Laval and even another AUS team. Throw into the mix the new Atlantic football teams at Dal and UdM in Moncton and you have recruiting competition galore. Imagine being in Quebec and getting a chance to go to UdM and play football and getting a pre-med degree. Its now possible. Imagine being able to go to Dal as an A player and getting a degree in dentistry! It can happen.

A lot of things are happening right now. Who is going to beat who to the punch and take control of their destiny? SMU? Sumarah? Micah Brown? The SMU players themselves? Someone has to step up and make it right. Hurry up. Acadia is coming to town.

Steve Betts is the colour commentator for Dalhousie Tigers hockey on ssncanada.ca and a regular contributor to Haligonia Sports. Follow Steve on twitter, @bettszee.

Tigers Ready to Lace Them Up; Introduce Recruits, Announce New Initiatives

Benjamin Breault's Dalhousie Tigers look to move up the AUS standings in 2010.
(photo credit: Richard Lafortune)

by Bill McLean

In a press conference this afternoon at the Nova Scotia Hall of Fame, the Dalhousie Tiger’s men’s and women’s hockey teams introduced new recruits for the 2010-11 varsity season and announced several partnership initiatives with the HRM community and Dalhousie alumni.


Dalhousie Athletics Director John Macdonald began the conference with a quick speech before giving way to Lesley Jordan, the Head Coach of the Women’s team. Jordan introduced several recruits including three who played in the PWHL last season; Goaltender Zoe Zivolac of the Hamilton Hawks; Meaghan O’Neill of the Oakville Ice; and Rebecca Smyth of the Stoney Creek Sabres.


Among the returnees is AUS first team all star Jocelyn LeBlanc, and second team all star Laura Shearer. Leblanc finished 2nd in AUS scoring last season while Shearer was the conference’s leading scoring defensemen.


“We think we have a fast paced, hard working group of athletes and we expect to be in the hunt for the AUS championship,” said Jordan in her closing comments.


Next up was Men’s Coach Pete Belliveau, who began his address by reminding the media and dignitaries assembled that AUS Men’s Hockey was “the best hockey in Atlantic Canada.”


Belliveau went on to list the team’s progress in 2009/10, which included an 11 point jump in the standings, and being the second most improved team in Canada.


The third year coach announced his recruiting class beginning with the headliner, Pierre-Alexandre Vandall. Vandall was a high scoring forward in the QMJHL for the Shawinigan Cataractes. Joining Vandall in the forward corps is Patrick Daley and Brett Theberge, who stared last season for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL.


Belliveau was realistic in his assessment of his team chances this season in the highly competitive AUS. “We think we turned the corner last year….we feel that we’ll be middle of the pack this season and competitive every night. We’ve added a great deal of speed, skill, and size.”


Master of Ceremonies and Tiger’s assistant coach, Paul Boutillier, then announced a partnership with the Dalhousie Tigers alumni that will see the athletics department set aside designated nights on the men’s hockey schedule to honor past players and teams.


The Decade Chairs initiative will pay tribute to players from four different decades. The first event is seventies night on October 15.


The Tigers also introduced the Black Youth Ice Hockey Initiative, the result of a partnership with the Black Ice Hockey /Sport Hall of Fame Society, Sport Nova Scotia, and Hockey Nova Scotia.


The program will attempt to get more African Canadian youth in the HRM to participate in hockey and learn basic skills. Tiger’s players will help serve as mentors for participants and assist HNS coaches in teaching skills during designated practice times.


The press conference closed with a tribute to Jim Bottomly, the Tiger’s living legend who now coaches the Bridgewater Lumberjacks of the MJHL.


In his speech, Bottomly congratulated Pete Belliveau for his recruiting of several maritime junior players including Dan Joyce (Weeks County Crushers), Ben Mccaskill (former Moosehead and Truro Bearcat), and Nick Croft (Miramichi Timberwolves).


Questions or comments? Email us at haligoniasports@gmail.com. Follow us on twitter @haligoniasports.

Street Hockey: A Canadian Institution Under Attack

A staple of canadian sports culture is slowly being taken away from us.

by Joel MacDougall

The seeds of a disturbing epidemic seems to be sprouting in this country.

The ailment?

NGCD, or No-Goodian Cantankerouseum Disorder to use its proper classification. The most troubling symptom of NGCD appears to be an overwhelming urge by those afflicted to spoil the enjoyment and physical activity of others.

Most recently there have been a number of instances of Canadian residents filing complaints with law enforcement agencies over children playing street hockey, of all places, on the street!!???

This weekend saw one such incidence occur in the rural community of Prospect, Nova Scotia (about 30 minutes outside of Halifax). On a quiet cul-de-sac, well away from anything close to moderate traffic volume, the RCMP were called in to put a halt to a kids’ game of street hockey.

When the RCMP arrived the game had already finished, and the children had moved on to other games, but parents of the children were told that if there were further complaints, the RCMP might have no other option but to confiscate the kids equipment.

This is the second such incidence in Nova Scotia this year. In April, RCMP were called to break up a game in Enfield, NS after a neighbour complained. (Link)

A disturbing trend is that in neither situation were the parents of the children involved contacted prior to calling the police, nor is the exact nature of the complaint expressed, so that perhaps a compromise could be found.

Of course, I am being overly optimistic by suggestting a compromise is possible. Most likely, there is little, if any, rationale for filing a complaint over children playing a game.

I sympathize with the police, because I know they don’t want to be involved in telling kids to stop playing. I am sure they would rather encourage kids to be involved in such activities, instead of participating in much destructive behavious. However, they have the unfortunate duty to respond to the complaints of residents and enforce the laws as they are written.

I also understand that municpalities are responsible for public safety and have concerns about liability. The laws that are on the books are primarily to protect children from playing near high traffic areas where the chance of injury is higher. Not rural neighbourhoods where the traffic is comprised mainly of the parents of the children playing in the street. Common sense needs to prevail and the sentiment has ben growing across the country.

Street hockey bylaws have long been a source of dispute in Canadian cities:

"Montreal In March, hundreds signed a petition in support of a Montreal-area father who was fined $75 for playing street hockey with his son and friends. The acting mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux said the bylaw should not be revoked but should only be enforced if there is a complaint.

- Kingston A Kingston cul-de-sac became the centre of a bitter road hockey dispute in 2008. The 15-house street led to 12 street-hockey-related complaints in the previous year — the highest for any street in the city. One resident who supported the bylaw banning street sports said she had been “turned into the Wicked Witch of the West,” by bitter neighbours.

- Halifax In January 2006, Sidney Crosby waded into the debate over a street hockey ban in Halifax, writing a letter to the mayor asking him to rethink a vaguely worded law that could have been used to outlaw street hockey.

- Rothesay, N.B. Two years before that, Bobby Orr made his displeasure known about a proposed Rothesay, N.B., street hockey ban. Town officials changed the bylaw to forbid the impeding of traffic instead of outright banning street hockey.

- Hamilton In 2001 in Hamilton, a resident frustrated with hockey playing neighbours took her complaint to district court. It was thrown out, but in drew support from hockey fans across the country.

- Port Coquitlam, B.C. In 2000, former Toronto Maple Leaf and Vancouver Canuck Tiger Williams stepped in when condo owners here went to court to force neighbourhood children off the road. “Ball hockey, roller hockey, ice hockey, it’s the fabric of this country, Mr. Williams said. He offered to pay the kids’ legal bills."

via The National Post

There is ever increasing distraction from actual physical activity and the outside world for kids today. I grew up playing hockey. My winters were spent bouncing between rinks throughout the province. Whenever the weather began to turn and the snow to melt, my neighbour became home ice for the Stanley Cup Championship to be fought over on a daily basis.

Games were played as long as there was two of us: one to play net and the other playing the part of the other 10 skaters.

Now it appears the game is under attack and it is just another reason for kids to stay inside and not be physically active. Please voice your opinion, and let kids keep playing outside.

Joel MacDougall lives in Halifax and loves hockey and baseball. Follow him on twitter @jmdougall. Joel's website is http://www.route19.wordpress.com/.

Huskies on Haligonia; Friday Night Football This Weekend

The struggling Huskies will be looking for revenge vs. the Axemen

The beleaguered Saint Mary’s Huskies football team will look to get on track this Friday night vs. the Acadia Axemen at Huskies Stadium.

The game starts at 7:00 and will be webcast on Haligonia.ca as part of the website’s season long broadcast schedule of Huskies athletics.

Mavs Gillis and Dan Campbell will have the call from the stadium. The webcast will feature several interviews with Huskies players, administrators, fans, and alumni.

“Even with the slow start for Saint Mary’s this season, Friday Night Football at Huskies stadium is one of the premier events of the fall varsity season in Halifax”, says Bill McLean of Haligonia Sports. “ It will be a lot of fun with the rejuvenated Acadia Axemen playing a Huskies team desperate for it’s first win of the season.”

Haligonia’s coverage will begin at approximately 6:50 and continue well past the final whistle with post game analysis and interviews.

It’s the Huskies on Haligonia.ca! Friday Night Football from the stadium on www.live.haligonia.ca.

Questions or Comments? Email us at haligoniasports@gmail.com

Marauders Gameday; Battle of First Place Teams on Haligonia

Dylan King has Eight assists this season for the Metros.

(photo credit: Michael Fines)

Tonight's Opponent- Miramichi Timberwolves(http://www.miramichitimberwolves.ca/)

Game Time: Friday, September 24th, 7:00
Where: Dartmouth Sportsplex. Game will be broadcast on www.live.haligonia.ca. Mavs Gillis and Steve Betts will have the call.
Marauders Record: 5W 1L, first place in the Bent Division
Marauders Leading Scorer: #22 Justin Belanger with 11 points.
Interesting Factoid: The Metros have the top three scorers in the MHL with Belanger the leader, and John MacDonald and Dylan King tied for second with 8 points.

Meet the Miramichi Timberwolves
Record- 3W 1L, First Place in the Meek Division
Head Coach- Billy McGuigan

Key Players

#17 Matt Wilson: The Timberwolves Captain has 6 points on the season.
#11Nathan McQuaid: 20 year old Assistant captain is a big body and has 7 points on the season.
#9 Jesse MacIntyre : 20 year old Assistant Captain has 7 points on the season.

Recent Wolves News- Timberwolves won their home opener 3-1 over the Truro Bearcats this past Sunday. Goaltender Nathan Dunnett made 45 saves.

Marauders Notes

Wayne Bedecki is tied for 4th place in MHL scoring with 7 points…..all of Dylan King’s 8 points on the season have been assists…..the Marauders suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday night in Woodstock. The Slammers beat Metro 3-1 to improve to 2-0 on the season….Friday night’s game is a battle of first place teams. Troy Ryan said the Timberwolves are easily one of the best teams in the league this past Tuesday on Bill McLean Sports Show……Ryan also confirmed on Tuesday that Kyle Dilosa’s days with the team are officially over…..The Marauders have outscored their opponents 24-12 so far this season….the Metro’s Goaltender Alex Newman leads the MHL with 0.67 GAA and a .976 save percentage.

Picks to Click: Steve- Andrew Wigginton; Mavs- Wayne Bedecki

Coach Troy Ryan: "We’re learning what kind of a team we have really quickly with the road game at Woodstock yesterday and now Friday vs. a very good Miramichi team. This game will be an excellent measuring stick for us.”

Questions or Comments? Email us at haligoniasports@gmail.com. Follow us on twitter @haligoniasports

Brent Andrews QMJHL's Third Star of the Week

Brent Andews scored 4 goals in a Mooseheads 9-3 romp at Bathurst.

(Photo Credit: Richard Lafortune)

From the QMJHL

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, September 20, 2010 – Forwards Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Brent Andrews as well as defenseman Hugo Laporte today were named the TELUS three stars of the week for the period extending from September 13 to 19.

Quebec Remparts forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault gets the nod as the week’s first star following an incredible game on Friday in which he tallied two goals and five assists in a 12-3 victory over the Lewiston MAINEiacs at Colisée Pepsi. He also added an assist in a 4-1 win over the Screaming Eagles and finished the week with a +6 rating.

Hugo Laporte, the 20 year-old defenseman of the Gatineau Olympiques warrants the second star after collecting one goal and four assists in two games. The Ste-Julie native enjoyed his best outing on Friday, recording three helpers in a 6-0 victory over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Moreover, he posted a +2 rating.

Halifax Mooseheads winger Brent Andrews earns the third star. He became the first player in nearly a decade to record four goals in one game. His four-goal outburst helped the Mooseheads defeat the Titan 9-3. Andrews also added a goal in a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Follow Joel MacDougall on twitter @jmdougall. Joel's website is www.route19.wordpress.com.

Octagon to the Gridiron

TJ Grant speaks on UFC 119 and Football

You may have heard of the expression, live everyday like it was your last. With TJ Grant, his hard work that he puts in is like he is fighting his last fight. He will bring in that attitude with him this weekend at UFC 119 in Indianapolis against Julio Paulino. Everything seems to be going according to plan for Grant.


“It feels good, I am just looking forward to fight week,” says Grant,


“I am getting to be be able to rest up a little bit and just get to Indianapolis and get adjusted.”


With Grant, he is coming into this fight after a tough lose to Johnny Hendricks at UFC 113 in Montreal. While he may have lost, he still looked good in the match with his striking and was able to stay off his back against the two time NCAA wrestling champion. While watching him train at his gym Fitplus, the Cole Harbour native was looking good in all aspects of his mixed martial arts game. Coming off a lose, Grant has been in this position before and has come out on top. Even thou he knows he has done well in this area before, the pressure cooker is still on.


“There is a lot of pressure obliviously,” says Grant.


“I want to win man. I want to win every single time. I hate losing, even in training. The fight is just as important as every other fight but especially being on the ropes with a lost in the UFC. With my last lost, I don't want to go two in a row.”


With Paulino, Grant knows the kind of danger that he can bring into the octagon. While his only appearance in the UFC being a decision going the other way to Mike Pierce back in March. Paulino is a knockout artist with 10 of his 17 wins coming by ko in his mma career. He does have the ability to finish a fight early and has notable wins over the likes of Terry Martin. He does however seem to have trouble against wrestlers. While Paulino has the one punch power to end a fight, Grant sees this fight being more of a battle of wits.


“I just need to be more intelligent and not make stupid mistakes,” says Grant.


“I need to lead out more with my footwork because he is a strong puncher and you just don't want to leave yourself out of position. He has lost to some really good wrestlers, I am not saying there is any shame in that but he is more of a striker obliviously. I feel like I am very well rounded and I am going into the fight with a open mind.”


While Grant has put a lot of his attention on this match up on Saturday, he can't help him himself into watching some NFL. He loves a good game of football on Sunday and we couldn't help but ask him his thoughts on the season after week one. With Grant, he likes cheering on a veteran quarterback who wears the number four to win the Super Bowl one more time.


“I want to see the Vikings (Minnesota) do it,” says Grant.


“There are a lot of good teams, like the Patriots (New England) looked good. Every season is crazy man, its still early but the Packers (Green Bay) looked good. They are just going to keep building and they got so much talent. I am going to pick the Vikings but the Saints (New Orleans), you can't count them out either. I wanted to see the Vikings win last year, they should have , they were the better team but they didn't.”


While he not be playing at Lucas Oil stadium this weekend in Indy, Grant will be like a football player and be a workhorse win or lose when the cage door closes at Conseco Fieldhouse Saturday night.

Derek Leblanc is a sports broadcaster and writer living in Halifax. Email him at derekleblanc34@gmail.com

Marauders Have No Problems with Commandos; Improve to 5-0 on Season

Justin Belanger had two assists to increase his MJHL scoring lead to ten.

(photo credit: Michael Fines)

by Bill McLean

Looking for a dominant junior hockey team to watch in Halifax?
Ladies and gentleman…… I give you the Metro Marauders.
I’m sure Marauders Head Coach and General Manager, Troy Ryan, would implore us to hold off on any such salutations.
But after reeling off five wins in a row to begin the MJHL season, you can hardly blame Metro fans for being a little giddy about the team’s hot start to the 2010/11 season.
The Marauders made easy work of the Dieppe Commandos tonight at the Dartmouth Sportsplex, improving to ten points in the standings, six ahead of their nearest competitors.
The Marauders have outscored their opponents 24-9 so far this season. The only possible blemish for the team has been a 7-6 loss to Bridgewater, which was overturned this week by the league due to a rules infraction by the Lumberjacks.
It’s good times for Ryan and the Marauders.
In a week where the team bid adieu to President Matt Hill and talented but troubled forward Kyle Dilosa, the Marauders have easily stayed on course, outplaying their opponents in every facet of the game.
On Friday night at the Plex, the Marauders had four different players score to pace the team to a 4-1 victory over the Commandos. Former Yarmouth Mariner, John Hubley, tapped in a rebound to tie the game in the first period. Brad Macdonald scored the game winner early in the second, followed by a short handed goal by Chris Riguse to give the Metros all the separation they would need.
Wayne Bedecki rounded out the scoring in the third period to seal the win. MJHL scoring leader, Justin Belanger, tallied two assists to boost his points total to an even ten.
The next Marauders home game is Friday, September 24th vs. the Miramichi Timberwolves. Game time from the Dartmouth Sportsplex is 7:00.

Metro Notes:
Tanner Manson was assessed a 5 minute minor and game misconduct for a hit from behind on the Commando’s Jordan Court in the second period…..Commandos are really going to struggle to score this season. They had several chances but just couldn’t finish…..decent crowd at the Plex tonight, attendance announced at 480…..I love the Sportsplex, but the automatic locked doors up until 30 minutes before game time has to go……Wayne Bedecki is a great 20 year old for the Marauders. Great special teams player who is putting up some points in the early going…..Troy Ryan has officially closed the book on the Kyle Dilosa era, he will not dress for the Marauders again. Dilosa had been in and out of Ryan’s doghouse throughout his time with the team……looks like we have our first BIG game of the season. This Wednesday the undefeated Marauders will play the 2010 MJHL champion Slammers in Woodstock.

Comments or questions? Email us at haligoniasports@gmail.com. Follow us on facebook via “haligonia sports”, and on twitter, @haligoniasports

(photo credit: Michael Fines)

The undefeated Marauders will face their biggest challenge of the season in Woodstock vs. the 2010 champion Slammers on Wednesday night.

Mooseheads, Eagles, and Sea Dogs bid for 2012 Memorial Cup

by Joel MacDougall

The Memorial Cup may be coming to the Maritimes in a couple of years. Halifax, Cape Breton and Saint John all submitted bids, along with the Shawinigan Cataractes, to host Major Junior hockey’s national championship tournament in 2012.

The host team is will be picked on a number of criteria, but one important factor is being able to ice a contending team. The host team is typically one projected to have a very good shot at making it to the tournament even if they were not the host. The remaining three teams earn their spots by winning their individual leagues.

At first glance it might be difficult to project who will be a contender because so much is based on how prospects will develop. However, at least one team is looking to string together three consecutive contending seasons.

The Saint John Sea Dogs are currently ranked second in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), behind this year’s Memorial Cup host, the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. The Sea Dogs spent 23 weeks in the rankings last season before falling to the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL finals. Despite being contenders this year and last, the Sea Dogs will have a strong returning core next season.

Saint John boasts a number of players that are looked upon as quality prospects for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. As they have a number of players already drafted that could return, some as overagers.

The Halifax Mooseheads are prime example of the difficulty in projecting a contending team. The Mooseheads are entering a rebuilding year with a number of young talent players that could have them contending by 2012. They’re led by Martin Frk, who isn’t eligible for the upcoming draft, but is already getting consideration as a top pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Think of the excitement if Halifax hosted the Memorial Cup with the potential #1 overall pick leading the way.

A double-edged sword for the Mooseheads will be that they hosted the Memorial Cup in 2000. While it will demonstrate how well Halifax can successfully pull of the event, there is a natural disposition to award it to markets that have not had the opportunity to host the event. Halifax can also point to a number of international hockey tournaments as proof of the success they will have. Halifax hosted 2003 World Junior Championship, the 2004 Women’s World Hockey Championship and co-hosted the 2008 IIHF World Hockey Championships with Quebec City.

“I think the only challenge is the fact that we hosted the Memorial Cup in 2000 and whether or not people think somebody else should have a turn,” said Mooseheads owner Bobby Smith earlier this summer. “It certainly isn’t one of the listed criteria, to be on some kind of a rotating system. I don’t think that should work against us.”

Sydney, the Screaming Eagles hometown, was also part of the 2003 World Junior tournament and that will surely be mentioned in its bid. Cape Breton has never hosted the Memorial Cup, and has a team that will compete hard this year and the potential to be better next year.

Shawinigan looks to also be a strong competitor for the 2012 Cup. The Cataractes were the hosts in 1985, but only the first two games were played in Shawinigan. The Aréna Jacques-Plante (AKA Shawingian Municipal Auditorium) has a number of support columns in the seats, and televising games from the building proved impossible. Drummondville was chosen as an alternate venue, although the Voltigeurs did not participate in the tournament. Addressing this issue with a new building is now one of the strengths of the Cataractes bid along with their long history in the league.

A brief which underlines the ability of bidding franchises to host the event must be forwarded to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s head office prior to November 30. The independent committee will then begin touring potential sites in early 2011 with a decision coming in April.

If I had to put money on it, my early favourite is Saint John. They have top-notch facilities and a team that looks to be very competitive this year and next. Certainly, as a Cape Bretoner living in Halifax, I will be rooting for the two Nova Scotia bids.

Whether hosting or hoisting it, hopefully one of the Maritime teams will get the Memorial Cup in 2012.

Joel MacDougall lives in Halifax and is devoted to covering sports in the Maritimes. Follow Joel on twitter @JMDougall

Metro Marauders Game Day Preview

The Marauder's Justin Belanger leads the MHL in scoring with 8 points.

(Photo Credit: Michael Fines)

Tonight's Opponent- Dieppe Commandos
Game Time: 7:00
Where: Dartmouth Sportsplex. Game will be broadcast on haligonia.ca. Mavs Gillis and Bill McLean will have the call.
Marauders Record: 4W 0L
Marauders Leading Scorer: #22 Justin Belanger with 8 points, which also leads the MHL.
Interesting Factoid: The Bridgewater Lumberjacks had their victory over Metro this past Sunday revoked due to use of ineligible players. The Marauders were given the victory and two points as a result.

Meet the Dieppe Commandos
Record- 1W 2L
Head Coach- James Arsenault
Key Players- #4 Dillen Theriault: 20 year old high scoring defenceman and team captain.
#17 Ryan Macdonald: 20 year old assistant captain. Scored 37 points last season.
#3 Joslin Gallant: Commandos #1 pick in 2010.

Recent News- The Commandos acquired Nicholas Cyr and a 4th round pick in 2012 from the Summerside Western Capitals for 20 yr old and former Moosehead, Chuckie Schembri. Schembri was released last year from the Moose for disciplinary reasons. Cyr scored 24 points in only 35 games last season for the Capitals as a rookie.

Marauders Notes: The Marauders have six players in the Top 10 MHL scoring leaders

(Belanger, John Macdonald, Dylan King, Wayne Bedecki, Stuart Lenehan, and Stephen Popovich)........Metro has scored nineteen goals in their first four games. Not bad for a team that really struggled to score last season.....the game is the second of a back to back. Metro defeated Dieppe 5-0 last night in Dieppe....this game will be the Marauders 5th in 8 nights....Stefan Dumaresque and Alex Newman have split time so far at goaltender. Newman is leading the MHL with a .50 GAA and save percentage of .984.

Picks to Click: Bill- Stuart Lenehan; Mavs- John Macdonald

Coach Troy Ryan: "We seem to have all the lines rolling and were playing with a great deal of intensity. Winning streaks don't happen all the time so hopefully we can keep it going tonight vs. a very tough Dieppe Commandos team."

Questions or Comments? Email us at haigoniasports@gmail.com. Follow us on twitter @haligoniasports.