SLEMON PARK – The Charlottetown Abbies are the 2018 champions of the 20th annual Edd McNeill Memorial hockey tournament.
The Abbies scored two unanswered third-period goals 44 seconds apart to edge the Acadia Axemen 5-4 in an entertaining championship game played at The Plex on Sunday afternoon.
The Abbies led the final 2-0 after one period, but the Axemen stormed back with three goals in the middle frame to take a 3-2 advantage into the final frame. Creegan Tompkins scored with 10:58 remaining in the third period to tie the game, and Cam Squires’s unassisted power-play goal with 10:14 showing on the clock sent the Abbies to the title.
Brennan Murphy scored the Abbies’ first two goals while Squires, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, and Brett Arsenault each contributed a pair of helpers. Single assists went to Finn Morris and Jack Rowell.
The Charlottetown Abbies won the 20th annual Edd McNeill Memorial hockey tournament at The Plex in Slemon Park on Sunday afternoon. The Abbies edged the Acadia Axemen 4-3 in the championship game. Dwayne McNeill, third right, son of the late Edd McNeill, and Seth McNeill, right, grandson of Edd McNeill, congratulate the captains of the Abbies, from left: Brennan Murphy, Cam Squires, Nathan Mossey and Brett Arsenault.
The Charlottetown Abbies won the 20th annual Edd McNeill Memorial hockey tournament at The Plex in Slemon Park on Sunday afternoon. The Abbies edged the Acadia Axemen 4-3 in the championship game.
Jacob Gerhardt (1-2), Cole Burbidge (1-2) and Porter Crowell replied for the Axemen.
Sam Casford earned the goaltending win, and Chase Crowell was between the pipes for Acadia.
In other playoff action Sunday, the Riverview Blues defeated the South Shore Ice Sharks 6-1 in one quarter-final game while the Kings County Kings edged the Summerside Capitals 3-2 in the other. The semifinals featured the Abbies topping Kings County 8-3, and Acadia doubling Riverview 4-2.
The tournament, which attracted 10 peewee AAA teams from across the Maritimes, honours the late Edd McNeill, who was a strong supporter of minor sports in a number of capacities, including as a fan, sponsor, parent and driver to name a few. A “sports enthusiast,” McNeill truly believed children developed necessary life skills through participation in sports.
The teams are divided into two divisions – Conor Shea and Kameron Cooke – which honours the memory of two young hockey players from West Prince.
Abbies 8 Kings 3
Squires had a goal and five assists for a six-point effort while Max Sentner, with two goals and three assists, had five points to pace the Abbies. Arsenault (3-1), Rowell and Murphy also scored while Nathan Mossey was credited with three assists.
Harry Clements (2) and Jesse Foote answered for the Kings. Caleb MacDonald and Mason Power each added two helpers.
The period scores were 2-0 in favour of the Kings, and 4-2 for the Abbies.
Ethan Clark earned the goaltending win.
Cam Squires scored a power-play goal in the third period to break a 3-3 tie, and lift the Charlottetown Abbies to a 4-3 decision over the Acadia Axemen in the championship game of the 20th annual Edd McNeill Memorial hockey tournament in Slemon Park on Sunday afternoon.
Kings 3 Capitals 2
Ryan Steadman’s goal with 9:46 left in the third period broke a 2-2 tie as the Kings overcame a 2-0 deficit after one period. Dawson Sharkey (1-1) and Ross Campbell also scored for Kings County, which received three assists from Mason Power.
Clark Allain and Beau Dawson countered for Summerside.
The score was tied 2-2 after the second.
Goaltenders were Micah Pollard (Kings) and Kiefer Thompson (Caps).
Axemen 4 Blues 2
Burbidge (2-1), Eric Sweetapple and Makai Mahaney accounted for Acadia’s scoring.
Jonah Leard (1-1) and Alex Lam answered for Riverview.
The Axemen held period leads of 2-0 and 3-2.
Winning goaltender was Sam Sinclair.
Blues 6 Ice Sharks 1
The Blues built period leads of 1-0 and 3-0, before putting the game out of reach in the final frame.
Will Allen (3-1), Dylan MacKinnon (2) and Leard (1-2) scored for the Blues.
Owen Fitzgerald answered for South Shore.
Alex Whelan picked up the goaltending win.
All-Stars
Edd McNeill Memorial hockey tournament all-stars:
Goal
Kiefer Thompson, Summerside.
Defence
Harry Clements, Kings County.
Dylan MacKinnon, Riverview.
Forwards
Brett Arsenault, Charlottetown.
Cole Burbidge, Acadia.
Porter Crowell, Acadia.
