NICHOLAS MERCER
SPECIAL TO THE COMPASS
HARBOUR GRACE, N.L. — A pair of Tri Pen Osprey were recognized for their exceptional seasons in the Newfoundland and Labrador Major Midget Hockey League over the weekend.
Upper Island Cove’s Christian Reardon was named the league’s top freshman with the Rookie of the Year award.
Reardon registered 31 points — 13 goals, 18 assists — in 31 games with the Harbour Grace-based franchise.
Not to be outdone, Riley Mercer of Bay Roberts was named the Top Goaltender after he finished the regular season with a record of 10 wins, five losses and two overtime losses. Mercer also finished with a 2.34 goals against average and a .930 save percentage.
Both were given their awards during a pregame ceremony at the Danny Cleary Harbour Grace Community Centre on March 6.
Other award winners were Ryan Hoskins, Central Impact, who won the league’s Most Respectful and Effective award and Nathan Flynn, St. John’s Growlers, who was named the top defenceman. Tanner Humber Dredge, St. John’s Growlers, was the top scorer; and league Most Valuable Player, Evan Martin, St. John’s Growlers, had the top goals against average while Trevor Budgell, St. John’s Growlers, was named Coach of the Year.
The East Coast Blizzard and Western Kings were both shutout of the awards.
Meanwhile, the Osprey headed into the past weekend trailing the St. John’s AAA Growlers 2-1 in the best-of-seven semifinal series.
The Growlers won 6-3 Friday night to push their series lead to 3-1 and put the Osprey on the brink of elimination.
A winter storm hit the region Saturday evening and forced a cancellation of Game 6.
The game has yet to be rescheduled.
