The host Kameron Junior Miners proved to be too much for the Mark’s Mount Pearl Blades, defeating the St. John’s Junior Hockey League champs 4-1 in the championship game of the Don Johnson Cup Atlantic junior B hockey championship Sunday in Membertou, N.S., just outside Sydney.
The Junior Miners sailed through the tournament, named after a long-time St. John’s resident and former Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association and Canadian Amateur Hockey Association president, going 6-0.
The Blades, representing Newfoundland and Labrador, enjoyed a magical run in Nova Scotia, going 4-2 in the tournament. Of the three round-robin wins for Mount Pearl, two came in overtime and the other via a shootout.
James O’Brien had the only Mount Pearl goal in the final, at 14:46 of the second period tying things up. However, the Miners would score two more late in the second for a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Brandon Short made 22 saves on 25 shots.
In semifinal play, the Blades thumped the Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings from P.E.I. 5-0. Adam Nolan led the way with a goal and two assists. Daniel Toope, Michael Broders, Mitch McGrath and Bobby Upshall also scored for the winners. Colin O’Neil registered two assists and Short made 22 saves for the shutout.
Broders led the Blades in scoring in the round-robin with a goal and six assists in four games.
It’s now nine years and counting since Newfoundland and Labrador has won the Don Johnson Cup. The last time came in 2009 when the St. John’s Caps turned the trick. From 1985-88, the province won four straight championships — three by the Junior 50s (1985, ’87 and ’88) and one by Mount Pearl (1986).
