The Yarmouth Bee Fisheries Bantam AA Mariners are the 2011-2012 Nova Scotia Bantam AA Provincial Champions.
The Mariners, who were seeded #1 heading into the tournament, which was held in Cole Harbour March 29 to April 1, opened the tournament with a 7-1 victory on Thursday, March 29 versus Dartmouth. Goals were scored by Jessy Lennox (2), Brogan Fitzgerald, Jered Scott, Ben Deveau, Tristan d’Entremont and Stephen Shaw. Assists came from Quinten Johnson, Stephen Shaw and Ethan Reashore with 2 each, and singles from Wesley Nickerson, Matthew Barron, Joel Cottreau, Fitzgerald, d’Entremont, and Scott. Colby Muise had the win in net and Fitzgerald was named MVP.
On March 30 the Mariners continued round robin play with a 3-0 win over Cole Harbour. Goals were scored by Lennox, Barron, and d’Entremont. Assists came from Luke Emin, Brayden Donaldson, Shaw, Johnson and Nickerson. Luke Emin had the shutout win in net and Lennox was named MVP.
The Mariners then moved on to play Bedford in an evening matchup and skated to a 6-4 victory. Goals were scored by Cottreau, and Lennox with two each and d’Entremont and Barron with one each. Assists came from d’Entremont (2), Deveau (2), Sam Moses, Shaw, Fitzgerald, Reashore and Scott. Colby Muise was in net for the win and Joel Cottreau was named game MVP.
On March 31 the Mariners finished off their round robin with a 7-2 victory over Sydney. Barron, Donaldson, Nickerson, d’Entremont, Scott, Fitzgerald and Reashore each scored the goals for the Mariners. Assists came from Carman Shaw (2), Barron (2), S. Shaw, Donaldson, Reashore, Cottreau, Johnson, Scott, Lennox and d’Entremont. Brayden Donaldson was game MVP and Emin was in net for the win.
On the morning of the championship game on April 1, the Mariners started off the day in one of two semi-final games with a re-match versus Bedford in what turned out to be toughest battle of the tournament for the Mariners. The winner of this game would advance to the championship game. Yarmouth found itself down 2-0 midway through the second period, but with 45 seconds left in the second the Mariners cut the lead to one with a powerplay goal by Cole Jacquard on a nice tip from a shot from Quinten Johnson from the point. In the third period the Mariners fought hard to get one by Bedford goalie Colin Murney (who was named top goaltender of the tournament) but it wasn’t until there was one minute and 38 seconds remaining in the game that Ethan Reashore (assisted by Lennox and Muise) slid a goal five hole on Murney.
The Mariners fought hard to try and end the game in regulation but Murney made some big saves in the final seconds of the third to send the game to overtime. With the momentum in favour of the Mariners they came out strong in OT strong, and on the seventh shot in the first 30 seconds of overtime Reashore (assisted by Lennox and d’Entremont) found the back of the net to send the Mariners to the championship game versus Cape Breton County. Reashore was named MVP and Muise had the win in net.
The Cape Breton County team that Yarmouth would play in the championship game had handed Yarmouth one of its only two losses of their 2011-2012 season.
In the championship game The Mariners knew it was theirs for the taking and came out strong out the gate and didn’t look back scoring five times in the first 10 minutes of the game. Goals were scored by Barron (2), Donaldson, Lennox and Fitzgerald. Cole Jacquard had three assists, while Johnson had two, and Scott, Reashore, S. Shaw, and d’Entremont had singles. Jacquard was named MVP while Emin had the win in net.
In the provincials skills competition Joel Cottreau won the shooting accuracy competition, and Lennox and d’Entremont were second in their events, the puck handling and shootout.
Jessy Lennox was named all-star forward and Quinten Johnson was all-star defence for the tournament. Tristan d’Entremont was leading scorer for the tournament and Joel Cottreau was named tournament MVP.
Provincials capped off an incredible season for the Bee Fisheries Mariners in which they finished the season with 59 wins, two losses, and four ties which also included five tournament wins (out of a possible six), a Mainland League Championship Title, an undefeated regular season and provincials tournament, and most importantly, the provincial title.
Big congrats to the Bee Fisheries Yarmouth Bantam AA Mariners from the Yarmouth County Minor Hockey Association.