Jason La Rose
The defending champions are back. Moncton will go for back-to-back regional titles and look to become the first Atlantic team since the 2006-07 St. John’s Maple Leafs to make consecutive trips to the TELUS Cup.
Unlike a year ago, when the participants combined for 31 appearances at Canada’s National Midget Championship, this year’s fab five is considerably less experienced – Moncton leads the way with its eight appearances, followed by Halifax (5), Charlottetown (3), Kensington (1) and Western (0).
The four provincial champions bring plenty of postseason dominance to Charlottetown, and more than a little momentum – the Flyers, Macs and Wild combined for just two playoff losses in 23 games, while the Kings erased a 3-1 deficit in the NLMMHL final to book their spot.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH) 2018 – Moncton Flyers (fifth place) 2017 – Cape Breton West Islanders (gold medal) 2016 – Dartmouth Major Midgets (fifth place) 2015 – Newbridge Academy Gladiators (sixth place) 2014 – Halifax McDonald’s (fifth place)
CHARLOTTETOWN PRIDE HOST
Regular season record: 17-17-1 (4th in NSMMHL) Goals for: 97 Goals against: 130 Leading scorer: Declan MacEachern (15G 9A 24P)
Playoff record: 0-4 Goals for: 7 Goals against: 20 Leading scorer: Nick Reeves (2G 1A 3P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL P.E.I. championship: lost to Kensington 4-0 (1-4, 2-6, 1-5, 3-5)
Last national championship appearance: 2006 (sixth place) Total national championship appearances: 3 (1977, 1997, 2006)
HALIFAX MACS NSMMHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 24-7-5 (2nd in NSMMHL) Goals for: 166 Goals against: 95 Leading scorer: Cameron Brown (22G 19A 41P)
Playoff record: 9-1 Goals for: 44 Goals against: 20 Leading scorer: Mitchell McLeod (7G 6A 13P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Quarter-final: defeated South Shore 3-0 (5-0, 3-2, 7-0) Semifinal: defeated Dartmouth 3-0 (6-4, 6-4, 5-1) NSMMHL championship: defeated Cole Harbour 3-1 (4-3, 0-3, 2-1, 6-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2014 (fifth place) Total national championship appearances: 5 (1980, 1983, 1994, 2011, 2014)
KENSINGTON WILD PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 27-6-2 (2nd in NBPEIMMHL) Goals for: 199 Goals against: 87 Leading scorer: Colby MacArthur (21G 35A 56P)
Playoff record: 4-0 Goals for: 20 Goals against: 7 Leading scorer: Colby MacArthur (2G 3A 5P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL P.E.I. championship: defeated Charlottetown 4-0 (4-1, 6-2, 5-1, 5-3)
Last national championship appearance: 1976 (13th place) Total national championship appearances: 1 (1976)
MONCTON FLYERS NEW BRUNSWICK CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 31-3-1 (1st in NBPEIMMHL) Goals for: 184 Goals against: 75 Leading scorer: Patrick LeBlanc (22G 52A 74P)
Playoff record: 8-1 Goals for: 56 Goals against: 18 Leading scorer: Cole Cormier (17G 7A 24P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Semifinal: defeated Northern 4-0 (5-1, 5-0, 9-1, 7-1) N.B. championship: defeated Saint John 4-1 (10-1, 2-6, 7-2, 7-5, 4-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2018 (fifth place) Total national championship appearances: 8 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 2009, 2012, 2018)
WESTERN KINGS NLMMHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 21-9-2 (2nd in NLMMHL) Goals for: 133 Goals against: 86 Leading scorer: Drew Langdon (16G 11A 27P)
Playoff record: 8-5 Goals for: 40 Goals against: 36 Leading scorer: Drew Langdon (3G 10A 13P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Semifinal: defeated St. John’s 4-2 (3-1, 3-5, 5-1, 4-2, 2-3, 2-1) NLMMHL championship: defeated Tri Pen 4-3 (1-4, 2-4, 4-3 OT, 3-6, 3-2 OT, 4-1, 4-3)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none