A half dozen teams hockey teams from this province — three bantam, two midget and one peewee — open their schedules in AAA Atlantic hockey championships today.
In Clarenville, the host Tri-Pen Ice and Central IcePak, representing Newfoundland and Labrador, will compete in the AAA bantam female championship at the Eastlink Events Centre.
Tri Pen faces Nova Scotia’s Fundy Highland Selects today, while Central’s first game is until Friday, when it tangles with the Western Wind of P.E.I.
Bronze- and gold-medal games in the competition are set for 9 a.m. and noon Sunday.
In St. Margaret’s Bay, N.S., the St. John’s Hitmen are representing the province in the Atlantic AAA bantam boys’ championship.
The Hitmen open today with a game against Dieppe, N.B. The bronze- and gold-medal games are 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Ice Breakers are wearing Newfoundland and Labrador’s colours at the Atlantic female midget AAA championship in Bathurst, N.B., where they open their schedule against the Fundy Nationals of New Brunswick.
The bronze- and gold-medal games in the five-team event are 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. (both NT) on Sunday.
The Atlantic major midget competition is in Charlottetown, P.E.I., where the Western Kings are chasing the crown on behalf of this province.
The Kings, who defeated the Tri-Pen Osprey for the N.L. title in a Game 7 last weekend, start today with a game against the Halifax Macs.
The championship game is Sunday afternoon.
And in New Glasgow, N.S., the St. John’s Hitmen are looking to emulate Newfoundland's Tri-Com Thunder, who last year captured the Atlantic AAA peewee boys’ championship as the tourney's host team in Conception Bay South.
The Hitmen take on the Fredericton Caps in their opener this afternoon. Like the other tourneys, medal games are set for Sunday
ROSTERS
Tri-Pen Ice AAA bantam girls
Mackenzie Balsom, Jordan Chaulk, Taylor Clarke, Dominique Doucet, Aleah Drover, Cassie Drover, Paige Fleming, Olivia Flynn, Jayme Guy, Maggie Jones, Mackenzie Penney, Tianna Ryan, Aliya Sheppard, Maggie Shute, Jenna Snow, Tori Walsh, Madison Wareham, coach Derek Guy, assistant coach Mike Drover, trainer Betty Guy and director of operations Edgar Balsom
Central IcePak AAA bantam girls
Kennedy Barnes, Heidi Beson, Dawn Bungay, Allie Burton, Grace Goodyear, Anna Gosling, Norah Grant, Helena John, Kylea Keough, Dedra Lyver, Amber Maher, Avery Moulton, Jenna Pardy, Madison Shea, Jenni Simpson, Amelia Spencer, Hillary Taylor, Gabrielle Tizzard, coach Doug Keough, assistant coach Jeff Taylor and trainers Justin Pardy and Nancy Simpson, and directors of operations Kathy Pardy and Janice Goodyear
St. John’s Hitmen AAA bantam boys
Kirkland Edwards, Michael Fallows, David Fisher, Seamus Goodyear, Justin Hepditch, Cruz Loughlin, Jack Marshall, Luke Power, Luca Rotondi, Matteo Rotondi, Stephen Ryder, Will Scott, James Stamp, Andrew Veitch, Charles Walsh, Ronan Whitten, Owen Wright, coach P.J. Power, assistant coaches Andrew Pearcey and John Veitch, trainer Glen Fallows and director of operations Shawn Whitten
Eastern Ice Breakers Midget AAA girls
Rachel Abbott, Jennifer Bidgood, Gracie Brothers, Chelsea Byrne, Tyra Cable, Mackenzie Cahill, Shae-Lynn Clarke, Reese Faulkner, Grace Hatcher, Emily Hawco, Ella Hogan, Rachel Hopkins, Katie Ledrew, Olivia Lush, Katie Parsons, Sara Parsons, Katherine Penney, Katherine Reid, Desiree Snook, Catherine Summers, Holly Thistle, Claudia Walsh, Sydney Walsh, Olivia Webber-O'Neill, head coach John Fagan, assistant coaches Mike Abbot and Rebecca Babiak and Meghan Frizzell, manager Luke Bidgood and trainer Mike Summers
Western Kings Major Midget boys
Marty Bowers, Isaiah Caines, Mason Campbell, Jake Cornick, Luke Cornick, Jesse Hickey, William Keating, Nathan King, Drew Langdon, Noah Legge, Jack O'Neill, Jacob Oake, Jonathan Park, Lucas Park, Brady Parsons, Lucas Robinson, Riley Simms, Brett Urqhart, Jeffery Walsh, Lucas Wiseman, head coach Mark Robinson, assistant coaches Rob Robinson and Darren Langdon, trainer Brandon Crew, athletic therapist Heidi Tucker and managers Jason Oake and Craig Simms
St. John’s Hitmen Peewee AAA Boys
Nolan Avery, Sean Brown, Matthew Butler, Ryan Cullen, Ryan Dawe, Jehu Hawco, Sean Hogan, Carter Hynes, Andrew Knight, Jack Marnell, Luc Marnell, Elias Marner, Malachy Marner, Jacob McGrath, Carter Parsons, Luke Power, Noah Smith, Elliot Wright, head coach Ryan Brewer, assistant coaches Jon Caul and Nathan Hutchens and director of operations Keith Butler