Truro Bearcats (1977–1983)

Last updated
Truro Bearcats
City Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
League Metro Valley Junior Hockey League
Founded1967 (Kentville Riteway Rangers)
Operated1967–77 (Jr. B)
1977–83 (Jr. A)
Home arena Colchester Legion Stadium

The Truro Bearcats were a Junior "A" Hockey team based in Truro, Nova Scotia, that played out of the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League. [1] Originally a founding member of the league, and then known as the Kentville Riteway Rangers in 1967, the franchise later moved to Truro and became the Bearcats in 1968. The Bearcats competed until 1983 when they folded mid-season.

Contents

History

Relocation and success

The Truro Bearcats were founded in 1967 as the Kentville Riteway Rangers along with the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League. At this time the league was leveled at Junior "B". The following season the Rangers were relocated to Truro and renamed the Bearcats. The move to Truro proved successful for the franchise as the Bearcats captured five MVJHL championships - three back to back from 1969-70 to 1971-72. The Bearcats would add two more championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76 respectively.

League promotion and folding

In 1977 the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League was promoted to the Junior "A" level. The Bearcats made the jump to the next level, but did not find success. Six years later in 1983 the team ceased operations mid season. The Bearcat legacy lived on, and in 1997 the Maritime Junior "A" Hockey League awarded Truro with a new franchise, thus marking the return of junior hockey to Truro after a fourteen-year absence.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Junior Hockey League</span> Association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues

The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior Hockey League wins the Centennial Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia Hockey League</span> Junior hockey league

The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 22 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior 'A' league within the Hockey Canada framework until it became independent in 2023. Since becoming independent, the league characterizes itself simply as a Junior ice hockey league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Canada Hockey League</span> Canadian ice hockey league, founded 1961

The Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by Hockey Eastern Ontario and Hockey Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The winner of the CCHL playoffs competes for the Fred Page Cup — the Eastern Region championship of the Canadian Junior Hockey League — with the winners of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League and the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. The winner of the Fred Page Cup then moves on to compete for the national Centennial Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior International Junior Hockey League</span> Junior A ice hockey league

The Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) is a junior A ice hockey league and a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and Hockey Canada. The league operates in the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Winners of the SIJHL playoffs compete for the Dudley Hewitt Cup against the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup then moves on to compete for the Centennial Cup, the Canadian Junior A championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maritime Junior Hockey League</span> Canadian Junior A ice hockey league

The Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of six teams from New Brunswick, which make up the EastLink North Division, five teams from Nova Scotia, and one team from Prince Edward Island which make up the Eastlink South Division. The winner of the MHL playoffs competes for the Centennial Cup against the winners of the 8 other tier 2 junior A leagues across Canada. Prior to the pandemic the MHL champions would participate in the Fred Page Cup. This tournament involved the Bogart Cup champions from the CCHL(Ontario), the Kent Cup champions from the MHL(Maritimes) and the winner of the La Coupe Napa of the QJHL(Québec) as well as a pre determined host. The winner would move on to compete for the Canadian National Junior A Championship. However with the departure of the BCHL whom ended affiliation with the CJHL in March 2021 as well as Hockey Canada in June 2023 becoming an independent league. No Centennial Cup qualifying tournaments such as the Kent Cup have been played since 2022 and instead all the league champions have directly advanced to the Centennial Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Junior Hockey League</span>

The Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), is a Junior A Tier 2 ice hockey league which operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Although the PJHL has included American teams in the past, the league's fifteen franchises all currently reside in the districts of Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and the Sunshine Coast. Several National Hockey League stars began their junior hockey careers in the PJHL, but the main focus of the league is player development and education with strong ties to the local hockey community. The PJHL Championship is awarded annually to the league playoff champion and the winner moves on to compete against the champions of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League for the provincial title, the Cyclone Taylor Cup. From 1983 to 2017, the winner of the Cyclone Taylor Cup moves on to compete for the Western Canada Junior "B" Crown, the Keystone Cup.

In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate independently of the OHA. Finally in 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truro Bearcats</span> Hockey team

The Truro Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Truro, Nova Scotia. The Bearcats are one of six Nova Scotia teams in the Maritime Junior Hockey League.

The West Kent Steamers are a Junior A Ice Hockey team from Bouctouche, New Brunswick. They play their home games at the 1,100 seat J.K. Irving Regional Centre in Bouctouche, New Brunswick. The team is a member of the Maritime Hockey League and play in the Eastlink North Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarmouth Mariners</span> Ice hockey team in Nova Scotia, Canada

The Yarmouth Mariners are a Junior "A" team based in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. They play in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. All home games are played out of the 1,501 seat Mariners Centre. The season usually runs from mid-September to early March every year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miramichi Timberwolves</span> Ice hockey team in New Brunswick, Canada

The Miramichi Timberwolves are a Junior "A" hockey team based in Miramichi, New Brunswick. They play in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. The team was founded in 2000 and plays their home games at the Miramichi Civic Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summerside Western Capitals</span> Ice hockey team in Prince Edward Island, Canada

The Summerside Western Capitals are a Junior "A" hockey team based in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They are members of the Maritime Junior Hockey League, and they play their home games at the Consolidated Credit Union Place. Until 2007 the team played at the former Cahill Stadium.

The Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League is an amateur baseball league located in Nova Scotia. The league is the highest level of amateur baseball in the province, it is for players 18 and over. The league champion traditionally represents Nova Scotia at the following year's Canadian Senior Baseball Championships. An exception was in 2005 when the league sent an all-star team to the Nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley Wildcats</span> Ice hockey team in Berwick, Nova Scotia

The Valley Wildcats are a Canadian junior ice hockey franchise from the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia. The team is a member of the Maritime Junior Hockey League and plays in the EastLink Division. They play their home games in the Kings Mutual Century Centre in Berwick, Nova Scotia.

The 2013 Royal Bank Cup was the 43rd Junior "A" ice hockey National Championship for the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The 2013 Royal Bank Cup marks the 43rd consecutive year a national championship has been awarded to this skill level since the breakaway of Major Junior hockey in 1970.

The 2013–14 Maritime Junior Hockey League season was the 47th season in league history. The season consisted of 52 games played by each MHL team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rath Eastlink Community Centre</span>

The Rath Eastlink Community Centre is a multi purpose sporting facility located in Truro, Nova Scotia. The facility features an NHL sized arena, a competition-sized (25m) swimming pool, a water slide, a fitness centre and, a rock climbing wall. The facility opened on March 2, 2013.

The 2012–13 Maritime Junior Hockey League season was the 46th season in league history. The season consisted of 52 games played by each MHL team.

The 2014–15 Maritime Junior Hockey League season was the 48th season in league history. The season consisted of 48 games played by each MHL team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fredericton Red Wings</span> Canadian junior hockey club

The Fredericton Junior Red Wings are a Canadian junior ice hockey franchise from Fredericton, New Brunswick. The team is a member of the Maritime Junior Hockey League and plays in the EastLink North Division. They play their home games at the Grant-Harvey Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

References

  1. "Truro Sport Heritage Society" (PDF). 29 December 2022.