Three local hockey teams open play at the 2019 Monctonian AAA Challenge.
The Cape Breton West Islanders take on Newfoundland’s Tri-Pen Osprey in the major midget division at 1:45 p.m.
The Cabot Highlanders face the Valley Wildcats in the minor midget division at 6:30 p.m.
The Novas have a pair of games in the major bantam division on the opening day of the tournament; they play PEI’s Prince Co. Warriors at 12:45 p.m. and the Port City Sharks from Saint John at 7:15 p.m.
There’s one game in the Cape Breton West High School Hockey League.
The Richmond Academy Hurricanes host the Eskasoni Warriors.
The Hurricanes (2-1-1), who have split their first four games of the 2019-20 season, are tied with Dalbrae for second in the five-team league with six points, two points behind SAERC for top spot, and two points ahead of the fourth-place Warriors (1-0-1), who have split their first two games.
The teams have met once so far in their four-game season series- Richmond Academy edged Eskasoni 5-4 in a shootout on the road in the season opener for both teams in October.
Puck drop at the Richmond Arena in Louisdale is 7:30 p.m.
The Cape Breton Eagles play the first of three road games in as many nights in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
They visit the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
The Eagles (13-6-1), with one win in their last four, are tied with Charlottetown for third in the 10-team Eastern Conference with 27 points, a point behind second-place Chicoutimi, and a point up on fifth-place Rimouski; the Phoenix (17-1-2), lead the eight-team Western Conference- and the entire league- with 36 points.
It’s the second and final regular season game between the teams- Sherbrooke slipped by Cape Breton 3-2 in Sydney in October.
Game time is 8 p.m.
