Hearst has the fan support
It figures to be like a home game for the Hearst Lumberjacks tonight when the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League champions face off against the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League in the Dudley Hewitt Cup title tilt.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. at the Tim Horton Event Centre in Cochrane and an over-flow crowd in the range of 900 spectators would not be a surprise.
Cochrane, which is the host site for the DHC tournament, is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Hearst, which is among the best supported teams in the NOJHL.
Hearst earned its way into tonight’s championship match against Oakville by virtue of a 6-0 blanking of the Cochrane Crunch in Friday’s semi-final match.
The Lumberjacks and the OJHL champs from Oakville met during the round-robin portion of the four-team DHC and the Blades emerged with a 4-2 victory.
Oakville earned an automatic bye into tonight’s championship game by finishing first during round-robin play with a record of 3-0.
Cochrane had placed second with a 2-1 record, Hearst had a 1-2 mark and the Superior International Jr. Hockey League champion Thunder Bay North Stars lost all three of their games.
When the Eskimos moved to Hearst I knew the team was going to a good home. I followed Hearst through the season and knowing Coach Marc Lafleur was at the helm it was a good bet this team would triumph. Marc Alain Begin remains the best Hockey player I have ever enjoyed watching and having him behind the bench must strike fear into the hearts of the opposition who knew Marc as a player. All you have to do is go to a game in Timmins with the Jacks visiting to see Hearst fan support. I would drive a long way to watch them.