SIX NATIONS – The wait is over for the Six Nations Jr. A Arrows and now they know who it is they will face in the OLA Quarterfinals. It will be the St. Catharines Athletics who finished eighth overall in the regular season that concluded last Wednesday.
The defending Minto Cup national champs for the past two years, the Arrows finished first after successfully appealing a four game forfeit, which put them out of first place.
They have be reinstated by the league after unknowingly being involved in a player’s eligibility scandal involving the London Jr. B Blue Devils, the Six Nations Rebels and the Arrows. The Devils dealt a player to the Rebels who was called up to the Arrows for five games. As it turns out, the Devils did not own the rights to the player in the first place and tried to get league transfer money from the Rebels organization after their season ended.
Four of the five games Oliver Bolsterli appeared in as an Arrow were initially forfeited by order of the league even though he did not contribute a point and had little floor time with the Arrows.
The league reversed the decision after the Arrows appealed restoring their first place finish and home floor advantage.
“There will be the perception that the Arrows cheated, but they did not,” Commissioner McLeod said of the incident.
Following the restoration of forfeited games, the Arrows season record was restored to 17-3-0 for first place and playoff home floor advantage.
With things being put back in order, the playoff schedule was completed and the Arrows open their quarterfinal round Monday, July 18th at the ILA in Six Nations at 8 p.m. against the Athletics. Game 2 is at the Jack Gatecliff Rink in St. Kitts Wednesday July 20 with Game 3 returning to the ILA Thursday, July 21st. Game 3 will be back in St. Kitts July 22, if necessary and if there is a Game 5 it will be at the ILA Sunday, July 24th at 7 p.m.
