Junior Blades’ Minor Hockey Night draws a crowd

By Mark Squibb

The Mount Pearl Junior Blades hosted a special Minor Hockey Night on Sunday, November 23. There was facepainting, a 50/50 draw, poster making, a photo booth, chuck-a-puck, along with an U9 Mark’s intermission game.
The organization handed out some 650 free tickets for Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Association players, coaches, and staff.
“It’s an opportunity for the minor hockey kids to come out, and to see players, the majority of whom have come through the Mount Pearl Minor Hockey program themselves, and get to see young men playing the same game and wearing the same jersey,” said media director Nicholas Hillier. “Last year we started it in recognition of Mount Pearl Minor’s 50th year. And this year we said, ‘You know what, we’re going to keep this going,’ because the atmosphere at last year’s game was just electric. So, we did it again, and took it up a notch, and had a lot more fun activities for the kids. And that’s why we do it, to engage the minor hockey kids, and give them a night out with their peers that isn’t a practice, or a game.”
Hillier said the fans who came out were treated to a good, hard-hitting junior hockey game that came right down to the final buzzer between the Blades and the Southern Shore Breakers.
“Southern Shore pulled their goalie, and it was 4-2 with about a minute left,” said Hillier. “And, sure enough about 20 seconds into a penalty they made it 4-3 in a six-on-four, and with 38 seconds left we hunkered it down and played a really solid, defensive game.”
Hillier estimates some 700 fans were in attendance.
On December 14, the Mount Pearl Blades will host a fundraiser and sock drive for the Salvation Army.
“Instead of a teddy bear, bring a pack of socks and throw them on the ice during the intermission, and we’ll donate those,” said Hillier. “And we’ll have the Mount Pearl Salvation Army Band there and do some fundraising with them for their local Christmas initiatives.”
That game will be against long-time rival CBN Stars.