The high-flying Mount Pearl Mark’s Blades are looking sharp as they carry a 33-2 record into the St. John’s Junior Hockey League final which opens this week.
The Blades and CBR Assante Wealth Management Renegades will clash for the junior league crown after wrapping up their respective semifinal series over the weekend.
The Blades last won the junior league championship in 2009, while the Renegades are seeking Conception Bay South’s first St. John’s junior league title.
Mount Pearl was the class of the junior loop during the regular season, going 26-2. The Blades swept the Northeast Eagles 3-0 in their best-of-five quarter-final, and finished off the C.B.N. MoorFrost Stars over the weekend for a semifinal series sweep.
The Renegades, who finished second to Mount Pearl in the regular season at 21-7, needed five games to beat the Southern Shore Breakers,
Friday night at the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts, Colin O’Neil, Jacob Tavenor and Grant Thompson each scored twice as the Blades beat the Stars 9-2. Noah Anthony, Mitch McGrath and Adam Nolan each had singles. The Stars got goals from Cameron Simms and Michael Mason.
At the C.B.S. Arena Saturday night, Nick David and Blake Fudge each had a pair of goals, while Drew Stonehouse, Lucas Lush, Tyler Wall, Andrew Barron had singles in the Renegades’ 8-4 win.
Brandon Arbour, with two, Donovan Warren and Robert Kavanagh scored for the Breakers.
The Renegades took a 3-1 series lead Friday night with a 5-3 win at the Southern Shore Arena. Wall scored twice for the winners, with singles coming from Lush, Colin Chafe and Tyler Nickson.
Shamus Sloane netted a pair of goals in a losing cause, and Liam Hynes scored once.
The final could start Wednesday night at The Glacier in Mount Pearl. If so, Games 2 and 3 are set for Saturday and Sunday. If not, the first two games of the series are Saturday and Sunday.
Twitter: @telysports
