SYDNEY — It should come as no surprise that the Cape Breton High School Hockey League championship series is down to a best-of-three affair.

After all, the Riverview Redmen only just edged out the Glace Bay Panthers to win the regular season title. And given the number of games they’ve played against each other this season and that the two teams are equally matched, it’s only fitting that the battle for local bragging rights appears to be heading right down to the wire.

On Sunday, the Redmen parlayed a gritty effort into a 4-1 win over their new archrivals. The game, played before a crowd of about 300 at the Canada Games Complex, was closer than the score might indicate.

The visiting Redmen, who entered the game trailing the series 2-1, opened the scoring in the first period on a power-play goal by Logan Beaton. Riverview took a 2-0 lead in the second on a second goal with the man advantage that saw Andrew McCarron get credit for the marker.

But the Panthers fought back and entered the third period trailing by just one after Robbie Harroun scored on the power play. However, just when it looked like the game would go down to the wire, Riverview defenseman Dylan MacDonald finished off a nifty passing play to give his team an insurance marker.

Glace Bay’s comeback chances diminished further when a cross-checking penalty left them shorthanded with two minutes to play. The Panthers pulled goalie Cody Smith in favour of an extra attacker, but to no avail as Redmen captain Josh MacKay cemented the affair as he scored into the empty net.

Riverview outshot Glace Bay 26-25.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the County Recreation Centre in Coxheath, while Game 6 is slated for the following night back at the Canada Games Complex, a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.

Earlier this season, the Redmen captured the Memorial High School-hosted Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold tournament, while Glace Bay won its own Panther Classic. Riverview made it to the final of their own Red Cup but lost to Halifax West.

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COXHEATH, N.S. — Trenton Gove’s overtime heroics led the Glace Bay High School Panthers to a 2-1 win over the Riverview Redmen at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre on Friday.

Gove’s overtime goal came at 10:30 of the extra frame, giving the Panthers a 2-1 series lead in the Cape Breton High School Hockey League best-of-seven championship series.

The forward also scored in regulation time with a backhander, beating Redmen netminder Michael MacMullin at the 11-minute mark of the first period.

The hometown Redmen answered minutes later with regular-season scoring champion Dustin Sudds finding the back of the net to tie the game.

The game would remain tied through the final 35 minutes of regulation time, before the game was finally decided in overtime.

Cody Smith made 30 saves for Glace Bay. MacMullin stopped 39 of 41 shots for Riverview.

Riverview opened the series with a 4-3 win over Glace Bay on Feb. 23 in Coxheath. The Panthers would even the series with a 3-1 win over the Redmen on Feb. 25 at the Canada Games Complex in Sydney.

Game 4 of the series takes place on Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Canada Games Complex.

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SYDNEY — The Glace Bay Panthers held off the Riverview Redmen 3-1 on Sunday to even their best-of-seven Cape Breton High School Hockey League championship series at one game each.

Ironically, the same trio of Glace Bay players who scored in the team’s Game 1 loss scored again on Sunday as the Panthers reversed their fortunes before about 150 fans at the Canada Games Complex at Cape Breton University.

Glace Bay’s Dylan MacDonald opened the scoring early in the first period before a Trenton Gove tally just three minutes later gave the Panthers a two-goal lead. But then Riverview’s Dylan MacDonald scored less than a minute after the Gove goal.

Colin Rosta scored the Panthers’ insurance goal in the second period to mark the end of the game’s scoring. The Redmen played the final 1:56 of the contest with an empty net in favour of an extra attacker, but to no avail as Glace Bay’s Cody Smith kept the door shut. Smith stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced, while Riverview’s Owen MacPhee was a bit busier as he faced 32 shots.

Game 3 is set for Friday evening at the County Recreation Centre in Coxheath, a 7:30 p.m. start.

SYDNEY, N.S. — Christian Jackson led the Glace Bay Panthers with a pair of goals in a 5-2 win over the Memorial Marauders in the opening game of their Cape Breton High School Hockey League playoff series, Tuesday.

Connor McIntyre, James Hayes and team captain Cameron Yates also struck for the second-place Panthers in front of about 200 fans at the Canada Games Complex. Trenton Gove finished with three assists, while Yates also chipped in two helpers.

Evan Hiscock scored both goals for the third-place Marauders. Hiscock scored short-handed with only 59 seconds left in the first period to open the scoring, but the Panthers replied with three goals in the middle stanza.

In goal, Nick Bigley turned aside 18 shots for the win, while Spencer Shebib deflected 32 pucks sent his way in the loss.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Thursday at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney starting at 7:10 p.m. The series winner will play the first-place Riverview Redmen for the league championship.

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COXHEATH, N.S. — A long-standing high school hockey tournament with a rich tradition will mark its 40th edition this weekend.

The Red Cup Showcase is back on the ice after the tournament was cancelled in 2017 during the teachers’ work to rule job action. The importance of the event’s return wasn’t lost on Riverview Redmen team captain Josh MacKay, a Grade 12 student playing in his final Red Cup tournament.

“It’s really exciting. The guys are really pumped up,” said the 17-year-old from Sydney River. “Especially with a lot of rookies on the team who didn’t get to play yet with it being postponed last year, it’s going to be really exciting.

“The fans will be pumped up. There’s a lot of hype around the school about it.”

The inaugural Red Cup was played in 1978 and was won by Sydney Academy, the first of seven straight tournament victories for the blue and white. The host Redmen have won their event eight times, and are looking to win their first title since winning three straight from 2011 to 2013. The Glace Bay Panthers enter as the defending champions, winning back-to-back Red Cups in 2015 and 2016.

“The fans are just insane. There are so many people around, it’s unreal,” said MacKay. “I think there’s going to be a lot more people here this year with it being cancelled last year. Around the community, it’s going to be bigger and people are more excited to come and watch.”

The Redmen will be joined in the Red Division by the Mathieu-Martin Matadors of Dieppe, N.B., L’Odyssee Olympiens of Moncton and the Millwood Knights of Middle Sackville. The White Division includes Glace Bay, Memorial, Harrison Trimble Trojans of Moncton and the Halifax West Warriors.

The host Redmen finished atop the Cape Breton High School Hockey League standings with a 12-2-1-1 record and have earned a first-round bye in the upcoming league playoffs. Riverview captured the Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold tournament back in November and reached the final in two others: the Panther Classic in December and the Moncton Classic in early January.

“We have a good group. We have a realistic shot at it,” said Redmen head coach Jimmy Smits, in his first season behind the bench. “When we went to Moncton, we played seven games in three or four days and got the final with the best teams the Maritimes had to offer. We played some really good hockey up there.

“The format here, we have no room for error. If you have a bad game, you’re not winning it.”

The tournament was set to openThursday night but due to school cancellations and exams, Thursday’s games will now be played on Saturday.

The Red Cup opens on Friday afternoon at the County Recreation Centre in Coxheath. The host Redmen open play against Mathieu-Martin at 7:30 p.m. Round-robin play runs all day Saturday.

The teams with the best record in each division advance to the final on Sunday at 3 p.m., which will follow the consolation at 1 p.m.

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Red Cup Past Champions

2016 – Glace Bay Panthers

2015 – Glace Bay Panthers

2014 – King’s Edgehill

2013 – Riverview Redmen

2012 – Riverview Redmen

2011 – Riverview Redmen

2010 – King’s Edgehill

2009 – Glace Bay Panthers

2008 – Riverview Redmen

2007 – Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals

2006 – Memorial Marauders

2005 – King’s Edgehill

2004 – Riverview Redmen

2003 – Glace Bay Panthers

2002 – Millwood Knights

2001 – King’s Edgehill

2000 – Riverview Redmen

1999 – Glace Bay Panthers

1998 – King’s Edgehill

1997 – King’s Edgehill

1996 – King’s Edgehill

1995 – Auburn Eagles

1994 – King’s Edgehill

1993 – C.P. Allen Cheetahs

1992 – Riverview Redmen

1991 – Moncton High

1990 – C.P. Allen Cheetahs

1989 – St. Jeromes

1988 – Riverview, N.B.

1987 – Mathieu Martin

1986 – Mathieu Martin

1985 – Riverview Redmen

1984 – Sydney Academy

1983 – Sydney Academy

1982 – Sydney Academy

1981 – Sydney Academy

1980 – Sydney Academy

1979 – Sydney Academy

1978 – Sydney Academy

40th Red Cup Showcase

Red Division – Riverview Redmen, Mathieu-Martin Matadors, L’Odyssee Olympiens, Millwood Knights

White Division – Glace Bay Panthers, Memorial Marauders, Harrison Trimble Trojans, Halifax West Warriors

COXHEATH, N.S. - Brandon Grant’s hat trick helped power the Riverview Redmen to a 10-0 win over the Memorial Marauders in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre, Friday.

With the win, the Redmen head into the Christmas break with a 10-2-1-0 record, leading the three-team league with 30 points, followed by the Glace Bay Panthers (8-3-1-0) and the Marauders (1-12-0-0).

Riverview opened the scoring at 7:27 of the first period with Grant firing a shot past Memorial netminder Gavin Rudderham.

The hometown Redmen poured on the offense late in the opening frame with three goals in 19 seconds by Blake Cox on the power play, Brady MacLean and Jacob Denny, giving Riverview a 4-0 lead after 15 minutes.

In the second period, Riverview added to their lead with goals coming off the stick of Dustin Sudds, Andrew MacCarron and Grant on the power play, making the score 6-0.
The Redmen would find the back of the net three more times in the final stanza with a power play goal from Grant to complete the hat trick, followed by shorthanded markers from Dylan MacDonald and Denny.

Michael MacMullin stopped all 16 shots he faced for Riverview. Rudderham stopped 13 of 19 shots before being replaced by Spencer Shebib, who turned aside 42 of 46 shots in relief for Memorial. Rudderham was tagged with the loss.

In Cape Breton West High School Hockey League action, the Dalbrae Dragons edged the Inverness/Baddeck Rebels 4-3 at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Recreation Centre in Inverness, Friday. Goal scoring information was not available at press time.

Cape Breton High School Hockey League action continues next week when the Marauders host the Redmen on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.
Meanwhile, Cape Breton West High School Hockey League action resumes Friday with Inverness/Baddeck hosting the NDA/CBHA Huskies at 7 p.m. in Inverness, and the Eskasoni Coyotes facing Dalbrae at 7 p.m. at the Al MacInnis Sports Centre in Port Hood.

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