C2

By Cole Hobson
Canadaeast News Service

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It's Monctonian time.

Atlantic Canada's midget hockey showcase is back for its 28th year as 44 teams meet in the four-day tournament, which begins Thursday at the Tim Hortons 4-Ice Centre.

From its meager beginnings at the old Carroll Arena on MacLaughlin Road in 1982, the event is now Canada's largest midget AAA tournament and features teams from five provinces and one U.S. state participating at the major midget and minor midget levels.

"I know there are a lot of communities that would just love to have an event like this," spokesman Bob Malone said yesterday.

"It's hard to believe that here we are at the 28th annual midget AAA challenge."

Players and coaches from the two host teams — the Moncton Hawks and Moncton Mark's Work Wearhouse Flyers — were also on hand yesterday. Both teams are eager to get the tournament under way and to try to keep the championship in Moncton.

"It's a really important tournament. You feel a little bit of pressure in the community to play well, you never want to be out the first round," said Matthew Blanche, a defenceman for the Hawks. "There's more teams, more pressure, there's a lot of media and the scouts. You feel the pressure to do well and you want to represent Moncton well."

His third time in the Monctonian, Blanche is hoping experience plays a factor in helping his team navigate through the 24-team field to the championship game.

In the six-team N.B. Midget AAA Minor League, the Hawks are in third place with a record of 5-3. Last year's winner of the minor midget division were the Charlottetown Abbies, who have returned to defend their title.

Meanwhile, the red-hot Flyers, who lead the N.B.-P.E.I. Major Midget AAA league with a 12-1-1 record, will have to battle 19 other teams from around Atlantic Canada, Quebec and New England to take the top prize.

Last year, it was the Fredericton Canadiens who came out on top of the field. The last time a team from Moncton won the major midget division was in 1984.

Miramichi will also take part in the tournament.

Malone says the tournament generates over $1-million in revenue and is not only a big event for the city, but also for the hockey community. As well as over 900 players, there will be over 150 scouts in attendance.

While all players get a chance to showcase their skills, the cream of the crop will be showcased in a Friday game featuring the top 40 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft-eligible prospects from around Atlantic Canada, as picked by the league's scouts.

Games begin Thursday and run until the championship games on Sunday. Tournament passes are $20 for adults and $15 for students. A day pass costs $8 for adults and $6 for students. Single-game tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.