19 Major Bantam AAA teams were in Charlottetown, PEI this past weekend competing for the annual SPUD Tournament Championship. 

In preliminary round action on Friday morning, your Hurricanes faced the Miramichi Rivermen in game # 1.  The Hurricanes dominated the Rivermen on route to an 8 -1 victory with solid play from start to finish.  In game # 2 on Friday evening, a match up with the Pownal Red Devils was in store.  The Red Devils thought they had an answer for the Hurricanes by trying to hit everything, forgetting that the Hurricanes could respond with the same physicality but also add speed, skill, puck movement and systems that the Red Devils could not handle.  When the game ended, it was another 8 - 1 Hurricanes win. 

Early Saturday morning brought game # 3 against a very big Mid Isle Matrix team.  Both teams played a careful game in the first period with back and forth action. In the second and third periods, the Hurricane attack took over resulting in the game being blown wide open.  When all the scoring was counted, Hurricane shooters put seven goals by the Mid Isle goaltender in a 7 - 3 win.

With the preliminary round complete, only 8 of the 19 teams would qualify for the quarterfinals.  With 3 wins and 23 goals for and only 5 goals against, the Hurricanes finished in first place among the 19 teams and grabbed the first overall seed heading into the quarterfinals.  This position had # 8 seed, Newbridge Academy Senators as the Hurricanes opponent.  As had been the case all tournament, the team got contrubutions in production and battle effort from the entire line up to beat the Senators 6 - 1 in the quarterfinal game.

With a late Saturday night win in the quarterfinals, Hurricane players had to get some immediate rest for an early Sunday morning semi final game.  The tournament now had 4 teams remaining and the Hurricanes had to face the Kennabacassis Valley Rangers from Saint John, NB area in the semi finals.  The Hurricanes came out hard and furious from the start and didn't let off in a dominating performance to win 4 - 0 and earn a berth in the championship game.

In the championship game, the Hurricanes squared off against the hard working Pictou County Crushers.  The Hurricanes again came out hard outshooting and outchancing the Crushers but the Crushers goaltender was red hot, not allowing anything to get by him.  Despite lots of shots, net traffic and chances off the attack and cycle, the Hurricanes could only find a 1 - 0 lead midway through the second period only to have the Crushers tie it up shortly after and the Crushers score another quick one to go up 2 - 1 after the second period.  In the third, the Hurricanes continued the pressure, but Crushers defenders and their goalie were up to the task until the Hurricanes pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker and jammed one home with 22 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.

The first overtime was 4 on 4 with numerous high quality chances and even breakaways from Hurricanes players but it resulted in nothing.  Off to the second overtime of 3 on 3 where again excitng chances, hit posts and crossbars by Hurricane shooters generated no results.  In the third overtime of 2 on 2, the Crushers ended it with a hard working rebound shot to win the well earned championship.  

A great weekend of consistent, high tempo hockey displayed by the Hurricanes resulted in a silver medal for the Hurricanes. Another great showcase of the Hurricanes Hockey Program.  Great job by the entire group.  Hurricane centreman, Keith Getson was named MVP of the tournament.  Congratulations Keith.

This weekend the Hurricanes get back to regular season NSMBHL action with a home and home series with the Valley Mutual Kings Wildcats.  Our home game of this series is on Saturday, February 11th at 4:00 PM at Queens Place Liverpool.  Come out to see great hockey and support the team.

GO HURRICANES !!!!