SLEMON PARK, P.E.I. — The Mount Academy Saints are looking to bring a bit of normalcy to an unusual hockey season.
The Charlottetown-based private school’s under-15 boys’ hockey team has organized a six-team event for this week at The Plex in Slemon Park. Dubbed The Big M Showcase, it will see each team play one game a day from today to Sunday, following COVID-19 restrictions.
“I think the kids kind of miss a short-term event where you can kind of see the beginning, middle and end,” said Chris Aiken, who coaches the Saints with Tim MacPhee.
“We’re going to have a champion; we have a banner, some T-shirts and prizes, players of the game – just kind of your traditional (event). We have pizza and chocolate milk on the last day, just to have some fun.”
In the fall, the academy had planned an eight-team event, with three squads coming from New Brunswick, for January. But with the travel not permitted, it was postponed.
With New Brunswick teams still not allowed to travel, the Mount created this week’s event. It includes three squads from the P.E.I. Major Under-15 AAA Hockey League, the Mount’s under-18 girls’ team and the UPEI Panthers varsity women’s squad.
“We’re really excited that we’re able to host this,” Aiken said. “I am really impressed with the teams coming on board that agreed to be a part of it. …
“The u-15 league has been really good and supportive of us, and I think we’ve developed a lot of real good relationships with them this year.”
With no conference play this season, the Panthers have played about a dozen games against the Mount squads and the under-15 boys’ league-leading Eastern Express. UPEI head coach Bruce Donaldson said this week’s showcase gives his team something to work towards.
“It’s great to have the practice time, but at the end of the day everybody wants to play,” he said. “It’s motivational for them. It gives them an opportunity to kind of work on some of the things that we’ve been working on in practice.”
Need to know
The Big M Showcase
What – A six-team hockey event organized by the Mount Academy’s under-15 boys’ hockey team.
When – Thursday to Sunday.
Where – The Plex in Slemon Park.
Who – Mount Academy under-15 boys, Eastern Express, Prince County Warriors and the Mid-Isle Matrix from the P.E.I. Major Under-15 AAA Hockey League, Mount Academy under-18 girls squad and the UPEI Panthers varsity women’s team.
Schedule
Thursday’s Games
11 a.m. – UPEI Panthers vs. Mount Academy under-18 girls.
12:45 p.m. – Prince County Warriors vs. Eastern Express.
2:30 p.m. – Mid-Isle Matrix vs. Mount Academy under-15 boys.
Friday’s Games
12:45 p.m. – Mount Academy under-18 girls vs. Mid-Isle Matrix
2:30 p.m. – Mount Academy under-15 boys vs. Prince County Warriors.
7 p.m. – Eastern Express vs. UPEI Panthers.
Saturday’s Games
12:30 p.m. – Prince County Warriors vs. Mount Academy under-18 girls.
2:15 p.m. – Mount Academy under-15 boys vs. UPEI Panthers.
4 p.m. – Eastern Express vs. Mid-Isle Matrix.
Sunday’s Games
1 p.m. – Fifth place vs. sixth place.
2:45 p.m. – Third place vs. fourth place.
4:30 p.m. – First place vs. second place.
Mount Academy Saints under-15 boys co-coach Chris Aiken said: “(We’re going to) have some fun and get that competitive spirit going and see if we can win a banner. I think that the kids miss that a little bit.”
Aiken said his team has been fortunate to play the other five teams involved in The Big M in exhibition play this winter and has had games with some under-15 AA teams as coaches look to get games for their teams.
“It’s been very collegial and very friendly this year,” he said. “If anything good comes out of this year, I think it might be that – just to help strengthen relationships through hockey.”
Showcases normally will see some scouts in attendance. While there may be some at The Big M, there are restrictions on the number of people able to attend. The games, which consists of three 15-minute periods, will be live streamed by Universum Media Inc.
“Having the opportunity for Universum to be taping these games provides that extra learning element to it,” Donaldson said.
“We all know it is a very quick game and there’s things that get missed by both coaches and by players, so when you have video that you are able to sit back and take a look at … it’s a great visual for (us) to … say, ‘Yes, there was an opportunity here or no, there wasn’t’.”
The Mount plans to make the showcase an annual event.
“I think it’s a great way for us to start and figure out what went well and what we can make better for next year,” Aiken said.
Jason Malloy is The Guardian's sports editor. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @SportsGuardian .
