SPRINGHILL – After winning both their games last weekend the Blues have a chance to win three inter-division games this weekend.
Tonight they host the Port Hawkesbury Strait Pirates, who they beat 3-1 last Friday in Port Hawkesbury.
Blues head coach Robert McLure said he’s expecting another close game as the Blues try to move ahead of the Antigonish Bulldogs in the chase for the last playoff spot in thei Sid Rowe Division. The Blues and the Bulldogs are presently tied at 19 points each.
The Pirates are hosting next year’s Don Johnson Cup and McLure said they are loaded with experienced players, as opposed to the young Blues team.
“We have beaten them three times this year and every game has been close,” said McLure. “We need to take an early lead in the game and build from there.”
McLure said the Blues are going to keep things simple like they did in their two wins last weekend.
“We need to work extra hard in their own zone, receive great goaltending, and work hard every shift,” said McLure. “We have been trying to keep our shifts short and everyone has bought into this.”
The Blues travel to Glace Bay for games on Saturday and Sunday against the Miners. The Miners are in first place in the Sid Rowe Division, with 40 points.
“We defeated them in an overtime shootout during our last trip to Glace Bay and they defeated us 4-3 in a overtime shootout in Springhill,” said McLure. “But we were blasted 12-3 in Springhill in a game where we were missing several regular players due to Christmas exams. We simply did not play hard against them in the third period and they ran up a score."
McLure has not yet said which goaltender will get the call to start Friday night in Springhill against the Pirates.
All three games start at 7:30 p.m.
The Blues host two games next weekend.
They host the Miners Friday night at 7:30 p.m., and then the Bulldogs on Sunday for a 2:30 p.m. contest.
