Bantam AAs eye Memorial tourney

Bantam AA Crushers forward Keil MacDonald backhands a shot on goal against Steven Conway during a practice Thursday in Trenton. (Goodwin photo)

TRENTON – The Pictou County Wonder Muffler Bantam AA Crushers are looking forward to competing in the 28th annual Pictou County Memorial Bantam hockey tournament.
They will be among eight teams in the Bantam AA Division to go with 12 Major Bantam teams in this year’s event that includes the Pictou County Scotsburn Crushers in a schedule that starts Thursday and ends Sunday.
The tournament is played each year in memory of three young hockey players, Donald Gladwin, John Allan MacDonald and Shawn McKay and Shawn’s mother, Lee Marie McKay, who died in a motor vehicle collision while returning home from a game February, 1984 in Amherst.
The first tournament was played the following year.
The Bantam AA Crushers will meet TASA at 4 p.m. Friday before the opening ceremonies that will take place at 6 p.m. at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium in New Glasgow.
The Major Bantam Crushers meet the Bubba Rays immediately following the opening ceremony.
Head coach John Coffin says the Bantam AAs are looking forward to the tournament.
“From the kids’ perspective, this is the highlight for these guys,” Coffin said. “They all know about it, and how it’s the highlight of Pictou County hockey. Teams come each year to play in the tournament.”
The Bantam AA Crushers stood in fourth place entering their game Sunday in Trenton, which was postponed due to poor weather, and there is little room among the teams between third and sixth place.
The Crushers’ combination of size and speed has been turning opponents’ heads this season.
“What other teams talk about is that we’re big and fast, and it is unusual to have so much size on one team in Pictou County,” Coffin said. “We do have a big team and the ability to put the puck in the net, and our goaltending has been pretty consistent. We have a great team and when we come to play and play hard we’re competitive.”
Tournament passes are $15 and daily passes are $7. There is no charge for students.
All the proceeds from the tournament go directly back to the Pictou County Minor Hockey Association to keep the yearly costs for hockey as low as possible.
Members of the community, as well as every rep team in the minor hockey association volunteer in every aspect of the tournament, including hospitality, score keepers, 50/50 ticket sales and rink co-coordinators.
Volunteers are always welcome and those interested can contact Lee Ann Burrows at 695-2839.