After a long break due to COVID-19 measures, U18 Major hockey returned to Port Hood yesterday evening.
The Al MacInnis Sports Centre saw the Cape Breton West Islanders take on the Weeks Majors.
In the first game back for both teams, Logan McGrath and Tully Grant had goals but it wasn’t enough as Cape Breton West fell 6-2.
Islanders Assistant Coach Micheal MacDonald said the message to the team is simple.
“Have a short memory and be ready for tomorrow. Obviously not the result you want but after having a two and a half month layoff, you kind of expect things are going to happen, things aren’t going to go your way and at the end of the day it comes down to a bounce here or there. Short memories, forget the game by midnight and be ready to go tomorrow.” MacDonald said.
The Islanders are set to take on the Weeks again today at noon in Pictou.
MacDonald also said that although they faced adversity in their return to home ice, getting the opportunity to have regular season hockey back felt great. He added that hitting bumps in the road at this time of the year gives the team an opportunity to work through them before the start of playoff hockey.
“I think for a lot of us, for us as a coaching staff, the players and everybody involved, waking up even Thursday morning was almost like Christmas morning because you’re excited to get back going and it’s just something that everybody loves doing and looks forward to. So with that game getting canceled, that was disappointing but then again you had that same kinda jittery feeling waking up this morning.” He said.
Cape Breton West currently sits at 11 wins and 17 loses while the Weeks have a record of seven and 21.
