The Novas open play at the 2020 Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League Provincial Championship in Antigonish.
They face the Gulls in the tournament opener.
The Novas (24-8-1) and Gulls (22-6-5) finished the regular season tied for top spot in the 12-team league with 49 points; the Novas swept Dartmouth in the first round of the league playoffs, while the Gulls were swept by the Cougars, but advanced to provincials based on the final league standings.
The teams met three times during the regular season; the Novas won two of those three games, including one in a shootout.
Puck drop at the Keating Centre in Antigonish is 12 p.m.
The Novas play Pictou Co. and the Rangers Friday; the top four teams from the seven-team preliminary round advance to the semi-finals Saturday night.
The championship game is Sunday afternoon; you can find a link to the full tournament schedule here.
StFX opens play at the 2020 U Sports Women’s Hockey Championship in Charlottetown.
They meet the Montreal Carabins in the quarterfinals.
The X-Women, who have won 16 straight regular season and playoff games and 20 of their last 21, are the tournament’s third seed after they swept UPEI and Saint Mary’s in the AUS playoffs on their way to the conference title; Montreal, the tournament’s sixth seed, lost to McGill in the RSEQ final.
Game time is 7 p.m.
The winner advances to Saturday’s semi-final against the winner of the Toronto-Mount Royal quarterfinal, while the loser moves to the consolation round.
Meanwhile, Tyra Meropoulis, a forward with the X-Women, has been named the 2019-20 U Sports women’s hockey player of the year; StFX blueliner Lindsey Donovan was named a first-team all-Canadian, while goalie Jamie Johnson was named to the country’s all-rookie team.
