Wins were tough to come for Newfoundland’s major midget teams on Friday, the second day of play at the Monctonian Challenge hockey showcase tournament in southeastern New Brunswick.
In fact, they couldn’t be found at all.
Only the East Coast Blizzard, who came up with a 2-2 tie against Nova Scotia’s South Shore Mustangs, generated any points.
The Western Kings lost 4-3 to another Nova Scotia team, the Weeks Major Midgets, while the Pinnacle Growlers, who are the first-place team in the N.L. Major Midget Hockey League, lost for a second straight day, getting edged 3-2 by New Brunswick’s Northern Moose.
The Tri-Pen Osprey and Central Impact were both shut out by the same 5-0 score by the Quebec’s College St-Hilaire Montagnards and Kensington, P.E.I., Wild, respectively.
All five Newfoundland teams are back on the ice today to play their final preliminary-round games.
The 28 major midget teams in Moncton, which are divided into seven four-team sections, play three preliminary games as they look for a position to put them in the round of 16 that opens the playoff portion of the tourney.
The Newfoundland teams were all slotted in different pools.
The Blizzard (1-0-1) are actually in first place in their section, while the Osprey and Kings have 1-1 records and can guarantee advancement with wins today.
The Growlers and Impact (0-2) would need wins today and for a lot of things to go right in order for them to move on.
To accommodate a schedule of 42 preliminary contests over three days, these opening-round are 45 minutes long, with three 15-minute periods.
Another reason for the abbreviated games is because the Monctonian, which is played at the four-pad Supreme Propane Centre, Kay Arena and Moncton Coliseum, also involves minor midget and bantam divisions.
The Pennecon Eastern Flyers, Newfoundland’s lone entry in the minor midget competition and which defeated the Cabot Highlanders of Cape Breton 4-1 to even their record at 1-1.
There are no teams from this province in the bantam division.
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On Friday, the QMJHL Prospects game held annually as part of the tournament was played at the Superior Propane Centre.
The game, which features top draft-eligible midget prospect, included three Newfoundlanders — goaltender Riley Mercer and forward Christian Reardon of the Osprey as well as forward Liam Bridger of the Growlers.
Team White, with Mercer and Reardon on the roster, defeated Bridger and Team Blue 7-5.
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