CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The Central Attack enter the P.E.I. Source for Sports Spud Minor Hockey Tournament playing some of its best hockey of the season.
The Charlottetown-based team took a seven-game win streak in the Prince Edward Island Major Bantam AAA Hockey League into Wednesday’s home game with the Prince County Warriors. Results were unavailable at press time.
The Attack went 3-2 and had five one-goal games before being eliminated in the quarter-final of The Chronicle Herald East Coast Ice Jam earlier this month in Bedford, N.S.
“The team is progressing quite nicely for this time of the year,” head coach Jeff Squires said. “We were very encouraged at the Ice Jam and see improvements in all areas. Hopefully, we can carry that forward into the Spud this weekend.”
The Attack won the 2019 bantam AAA division of the Spud and while they have graduated many players from 2018-19, they remain a strong squad. They open play tonight against the Mid-Isle Matrix in the final game of Day 1 of the Spud.
Tournaments are different than regular-season games with more contests in a condensed amount of time.
“You need to be able to survive to get to Sunday and it’s tough at the bantam level,” Squires said.
Central (17-6-0-0) and Eastern (16-6-0-0) appear to the be the class of the Island’s four-team bantam league this season. They have already split six games and will play twice more in February.
“Eastern is a very good hockey team and we’ve had good games with them this year,” Squires said. “The way the Spud is shaping up, we may have a chance to see one another in this tournament as well.”
The Spud has been a tradition for many AAA hockey teams for years and is a tournament teams mark on their calendar early in the season.
“It’s a great weekend of hockey in Charlottetown. It’s always been an exciting weekend and I don't see this weekend being any different,” Squires said. “On championship Sunday of the Spud, the rinks are traditionally full and when you get Island teams playing on Saturday night and Sunday, it’s great for hockey fans in the community.”
Related links:
• Spud hockey tournament website
• Charlottetown Hockey Memorabilia Room has close to complete set of Spud programs
• Central Attack up to the challenge heading to 2019 Monctonian
• Central Attack takes 2019 Spud title
• Prince Edward Island Major Bantam AAA Hockey League website
