SIX NATIONS – The 2017 Presidents Cup playoffs began this past weekend with teams representing Canada’s top Sr. B teams from Nova Scotia to British Columbia all vying for the Presidents Cup.
The Six Nations Rivermen secured the trophy in 2015, which was taken from them last year by the St. Albert Miners. The Kahnawake Mohawks won the silver while the Brooklin Merchants earned the Bronze.
This year, the list of qualifiers for the Cup includes Kahnawake, the Ladner Pioneers, Can/Am champion Native Sons, the Nova Scotia Privateers, the Saskatoon Brewers, defending Champs, the St. Albert Miners, the St. Regis Braves, plus the OLA Sr. B Champion Six Nations Rivermen and the host Can/Am Slash.
The Can/Am Six Nations Slash won the right to host the annual event for 2017 and as such will also compete as the host team.
The event opened at 9 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 27 with the St. Regis Braves against the Kahnawake Mohawks. St Regis won a close 10-9 decision over the Mohawks.
The opening game for the Sr. B Champion Rivermen ended in a 20-4 blowout over Nova Scotia in a game that featured Jr. B call up, Layne Smith scoring four goals and Alex Kedoh Hill two goals and five assists for Six Nations. Tom Montour scored three and assisted on two. Wayne Hill scored three.
The Rivermen easily took a 6-0 lead on goals by Stuart Hill, Tom Montour, Kedoh Hill, Greg Longboat J. Layne Smith and Jacob Crans. Chase Martin kept the door closed on Nova Scotia.
It was more of the same in the second period when Kyle Isaacs, Kedoh Hill, Tom Montour (2G), Layne Smith, and Wayne Hill added to the Rivermen’s lead before Nova Scotia’s Nick Mulligan beat the Six Nations net-minder to make it 13-1.
That was only a small bump in the road as the Rivermen continued to pile up the points. Dwayne Porter, Wayne Hill, Marty Hill Rodd Squire Jr. and Layne Smith closed out the period with the Rivermen holding an 18-2 lead. Nova Scotia’s Jeremy Vatour added a second goal at 13:13.
Six Nations began pacing themselves in the third period to conserve energy for the long haul and to avoid injuries.
Wayne Hill and Joel Shepley added third period goals while Drew MacDonald and Breton Penny scored for Nova Scotia.
The next game for the Rivermen had the OLA Sr. B Champions against the Can/Am Champion Native Sons.
The Rivermen got an early drop on the Sons and rode a 6-2 first period lead to the 11-9 final.
The August 30 Schedule has the Rivermen and the St. Albert Miners going toe-to-toe in the 9 a.m. game, and the Slash taking on Saskatchewan at 3 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 31, Nova Scotia and the Slash go at it at 3 p.m., and at 6 p.m., the Rivermen and St. Regis Braves face off.
Sept. 1, Kahnawake and the Rivermen meet at 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sept 2, the Can/Am Six Nations Slash take on the OSBLL Six Nations Rivermen at 9 a.m., then at 5 p.m., the Rivermen and Saskatchewan tango.
The last game slated will be the Slash and Ladner Pioneers at 8 p.m.
