CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The emphasis these days in minor hockey, and for that matter even in pro hockey, is to minimize injuries to all participants and everyone would agree that is a noble and wise road to take.
Most hockey experts will tell you injuries are usually sustained when players are tired, possibly because of shifts that are far too long or, at the minor hockey level, playing too tough a schedule for growing and young bodies. Proper rest is essential.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the provincial major bantam AAA finals, which pits the third-place Prince County Warriors (14-14-2) against the first-place Central Attack (21-6-3). Central advanced to the final by beating Mid-Isle in three straight games while the Warriors needed five games to down the Eastern Express. The Warriors-Express semifinal opened Tuesday, Feb. 27, with following games on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday in Montague because there was no ice available in Pownal or Charlottetown.
The Warriors, some of whom lived in North Cape on the western end of the Island, got home at 2 a.m., a tiring journey for bantam-age players and even for parents.
The final against the Attack opened less than 15 hours later in Charlottetown at 6 p.m., which means Prince County players with little or no sleep had to leave school early to play at Simmons Sports Centre in Game 1 of the best-of-five championship series.
Having to play four games in five days is a tough stretch but having to open the final series 15 hours after the semifinal ended is outrageous and unfair to the Warriors. There was no need to rush to start this series something like 10-12 days before the P.E.I. winner has to be named for the Atlantics in Newfoundland, so why the great rush?
If the safety of the players is paramount, why are they playing five games in six days? Perhaps in the future, common sense will prevail among Hockey P.E.I. officials and we will not have a repeat of this week's fiasco.
And by the way, the Warriors upset the Attack 5-1 in the opener with Game 2 scheduled for Sunday in O’Leary.
The schedule, however, is not the only issue that bothered me this past week.
The major midget series in underway and the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild leads the Charlottetown Bulk Carriers Pride 2-0 in the best-of-seven final.
If you're a fan of Kensington head coach Kyle Dunn you must be asking yourself what does he have to do to win New Brunswick-Prince Edward Island coach of the year honours? The kids love to play for him, the parents want their kids to play for him and all he does is win. I love Pride head coach Luke Beck and I know he is a top coach too, but this time around the honours could have gone Dunn’s way.
For those that vote, give your head a shake.
NHL
Bone-head hockey decisions are not limited to folks on Prince Edward Island, but some NHL GMs need to think more carefully about what they are doing.
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and GM Leo Lamoriello must be regretting the decision not to add defensive help at the trade deadline. Watching the inept Jake Gardiner in his own end tells me Leafs goaltending will have to be superlative if they are to do anything in the playoffs.
Oops, almost forgot, how about that Taylor Hall trade from Edmonton to New Jersey for a defenceman last summer — trading a battleship for a lobster boat. It was one of the dumbest trades in recent years by a management team that leads the way in horrendous decisions.
Basketball
The Island Storm have rebounded nicely and have just about locked up fourth place in the Atlantic Division of the National Basketball League of Canada.
The Storm's cancer awareness game, in partnership with P.E.I. Credit Unions, will take place at their next home game, Sunday, March 18, against Cape Breton. All players will wear purple uniforms to be auctioned off with all proceeds going to Canadian Cancer Society.
At last Saturday’s game, Andrew MacDougall and social worker Kaela Burchell had two vocal Storm supporters as guests in Bernie Wilson and Orville MacCabe, who work as volunteers and are part of a partnership between the basketball team and Prince Edward Home. It’s a great initiative by Storm management, Brett Poirier and Mitchell Robichaud. Well done boys.
Video
This week's video includes the UPEI Panthers women's basketball team, Island Storm and Holland College Hurricanes hoops squads, major midget series and the Paralympics.
Pool
The 8-Ball provincial championships scheduled for today at Dooleys in Charlottetown has been cancelled and re-scheduled to Saturday, March 24. Many of the province's top players like Kevin McGee, Paul Zhao, Ryan Grant, Andrew Sprague and Rob Arsenault will be trading shots. Kevin McGee has been ducking me for years. More on this next week.
Harness racing
No live harness racing but plenty of racing available via simulcast at the city track.
At Yonkers on Thursday, Pappy Go Go extended his win streak to two with a 1:57:3 victory in a $17,000 trot. On the same card, Wicked Nick was in to go but made a break. Ageless Foiled Again was bet down the favourite on Thusday at Yonkers but made a break in his attempt to reach the 100-win plateau.
Filly Forty Seven, last year’s top three-year-old filly, drew the 8-hole in a $25,000 class last night at the New York half-mile track.
At Woodbine, Island-bred trotter Glencove Zani ( by Bo W) has been racing well, second in 1:56:2 in her outing this past week in a $15,000 claiming trot.
Top Maritime-bred three-year-old Island Energetic was seventh in 1:56 versus $15,000-$18,000 claimers on the mid-week Toronto card. At Flamboro, Wade Peconi's Mr Shanahan was third in 1:58:4 in the $8,600 top class trot.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
