WINDSOR, N.S. — One of Nova Scotia’s premiere Division 1 boys’ hockey tournaments is being held in Windsor and area residents have front row seats for the action.
Andrew Rogers, manager of the Avon View Avalanche, said the annual Birthplace of Hockey Tournament gets underway Nov. 8 and offers four days of quality hockey.
“It’s a high calibre tournament. It’s all Division 1 high schools. It’s probably one of the better high school tournaments going in Nova Scotia right now,” said Rogers.
The tournament was started in 1992 by King’s-Edgehill School and, in 2013, Avon View began hosting it. The tournament draws in teams from across the province, plus New Brunswick.
Playing in the Howard Dill Division are: Avon View, Woodstock, Cole Harbour and Northumberland; playing in the Chook Smith Division are: Horton, Sussex, North Sydney, and Glace Bay.
“Both teams from Cape Breton are always strong — Glace Bay and Memorial. Those guys always come ready and put on a good show. The teams from New Brunswick are always strong,” said Rogers.
Avon View is expected to hold their own in the tournament as they have a number of veteran players.
“There are a lot of guys who have played three years on this AV team – guys like Hayden Burgess, Will Caines, Ethan Salsman, Dan Lord, and Keegan Turnbull,” said Rogers.
“This will be their third year playing in this tournament and they really know what it takes to win. Our goal is to make one of those semifinal games on Saturday night.”
The event runs Nov. 8-11 at the Hants Exhibition Arena, with the championship final being held in the afternoon. Last year, it was an all-New Brunswick final that was decided in a shootout. Rogers hopes this year’s final will have another exciting conclusion.
He said the organizing committee is especially thankful for the support received from area businesses and groups and hopes to see a healthy crowd checking out the tournament.
If you go
What: Birthplace of Hockey Boys’ High School Tournament
Where: Hants Exhibition Arena, Windsor
When: Nov. 8-11
Cost: Students ($4 per game; $10 for tournament pass); adults ($6 per game; $15 for tournament pass)
The following is the Birthplace of Hockey Tournament schedule.
Nov. 8
7:30 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
7:40 p.m. — Avon View versus Northumberland
Nov. 9
10:30 a.m. — Glace Bay vs. Horton
Noon — Woodstock vs. Cole Harbour
2 p.m. — Memorial vs. Glace Bay
4 p.m. — Woodstock vs. Northumberland
6 p.m. — Horton vs. Sussex
7:30 p.m. — Avon View vs. Cole Harbour
Nov. 10
8:30 a.m. — Horton vs. Memorial
10:30 a.m. — Sussex vs. Glace Bay
12:30 p.m. — Avon View vs. Woodstock
2:30 p.m. — Sussex vs. Memorial
4:30 p.m. — Cole Harbour vs .Northumberland
7:30 p.m. — Semi-final 1
9 p.m. — Semi-final 2
* Note: If either of the teams playing at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 10 make playoffs, the higher-level team will not play until 9 p.m.
Nov. 11
1 p.m. — Championship game
