Horton and Central Kings compete during last year’s inaugural Horton Memorial hockey tournament in Berwick. This year’s boys’ tournament has been extended to a three-day event Dec. 27-29 because the Kings Mutual Century Centre is also playing host to a girls’ hockey tournament Dec. 27-28. (File)
By John DeCoste
For a second straight year, the Kings Mutual Century Centre in Berwick will play host to the Horton Memorial invitational hockey tournament Dec. 27-29.
As an added wrinkle, not to mention an added bonus for fans of high school hockey, there will also be a girls’ tournament Dec. 27-28 at the same location.
In an unusual scenario, both tournaments will share the available ice time on both Dec. 27-28, making for some interesting scheduling. As a result, action in the boys’ tournament, traditionally a two-day event, will conclude Dec. 29.
The boys’ tournament will feature five teams – NKEC, Central Kings, Middleton, Barrington and the host Griffins – with each team playing the others once each.
The two teams with the highest point totals from the round robin will meet in the tournament final.
All games will consist of three 15-minute stop-time periods, with the ice surface flooded after every two periods.
A game MVP will be selected from each team after each game. At the close of the tournament, an all-star team will be selected in memory of former Horton players.
The full tournament schedule is as follows:
Dec. 27: 1 p.m., CK vs. NKEC;
2:45 p.m., Middleton vs. Horton.
Dec. 28: Noon, Horton vs. CK;
1:45 p.m., NKEC vs. Barrington;
6 p.m., Barrington vs. Horton;
7:45 p.m., Opening Ceremonies;
8 p.m., CK vs. Middleton.
Dec. 29: 11 a.m., Middleton vs. Barrington;
12:45 p.m., Horton vs. NKEC;
2:30 p.m., Barrington vs. CK;
4:15 p.m., NKEC vs. Middleton.
6 p.m., All-star and Tournament MVP presentations.
8:45 p.m., Championship game, followed by presentation of medals and
championship banner.
The girls’ tournament is the annual Peter Connell Memorial, hosted by the Central Kings girls’ hockey team.
The tournament field consists of eight teams – West Kings, Avon View and NKEC join the host Gators in Division A, while Park View, Horton, Barrington and Middleton make up Division B.
The girls’ action begins bright and early Dec. 27.
Dec. 27: 8 a.m. - West Kings vs. Central Kings
9:15 a.m. - Park View vs. Horton
10:30 a.m. - Avon View vs. NKEC
11:45 a.m. - Barrington vs. Middleton
4:30 p.m. - West Kings vs. Avon View
5:45 p.m. - Park View vs. Barrington
7 p.m. - Central Kings vs. NKEC
8:15 p.m. - Horton vs. Middleton
Dec. 28: 7 a.m. - West Kings vs. NKEC
8:15 a.m. - Park View vs. Middleton
9:30 a.m. - Central Kings vs. Avon View
10:45 a.m. - Horton vs. Barrington
The third and fourth place teams in the round robin will meet in the bronze medal game at 3:30 p.m. The top two teams then meet in the championship final at 4:45.
