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24-825: The Antigonish Bulldogs were founded in 1967 as members of the Antigonish-Pictou-Colchester Junior B Hockey League. After two seasons the league became the Northumberland Junior B Hockey League. In 1974, the Bulldogs became a founding member of what became the Eastern Junior A Hockey League , but returned to the Northumberland League in 1975. The Bulldogs would win league titles and provincial titles in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985. They would also win

48-810: The Don Johnson Cup as Atlantic Junior B Champions in 1983 and 1984, the first team to ever win the Cup back-to-back. In 1987 they jumped to the Metro Valley Junior A League, which became the MJAHL in 1991. The franchise was known as the Antigonish Bulldogs for 40 years. After it was decided that operating in Antigonish, Nova Scotia was no longer viable, the franchise was sold to a Metro Halifax group and then relocated to that city in

72-917: The Strait Pirates of Port Hawkesbury still exist and the Cape Breton Canadians who were formed as the Sydney Millionaires in the 1970s are still playing in the NSJHL. Cole Harbour Colts 2019 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. The franchise that would eventually become

96-595: The 2006–2007 season, the Mariners had a dismal season, mired in last place in the MJAHL's Bent Division basement. Paul Currie stepped down from the head coach/GM position in January, but continued behind the scenes work until the team was turned over in April. Finally, on April 3, 2007, the sale of the Mariners to East Hants Penguins (NSJHL) owner Jack Ross was completed and a new era of Mariners hockey would begin. Following

120-660: The Eastern Junior B Hockey League of Cape Breton Island to play at the Junior A level. The 1975 Champion Port Hawkesbury Strait Pirates and Antigonish Bulldogs refused to jump to Junior A and elected to play in the Northumberland Junior B Hockey League . The EJAHL expanded with a new team in New Waterford and continued on with four teams. Over the next two seasons, the Sydney Millionaires were

144-713: The MVJHL's Halifax Lions 4-games-to-none in the provincial final. In 1980, the Northside Trojans won the league. They lost to the MVJHL's Cole Harbour Colts in four straight games. In the early 1980s, the league was demoted to Jr. B and merged with the Northumberland Junior B Hockey League . In 1992, that league merged with the Mainland Junior B Hockey League to form the Nova Scotia Junior B Hockey League that exists to this day. Even now,

168-793: The Mariners saw its first year of action in 76' as the Cole Harbour Colts. The team would remain as the Colts until 1997, where the club would turn hands and become none other than the East Hants Penguins. In 2000, the Penguins were purchased by Paul Currie, moved to Dartmouth and named the Dartmouth DQ Blizzard. Currie ran the franchise for two seasons in Dartmouth. Although the club fared reasonably well in

192-716: The Valley Wildcats. Eastern Junior A Hockey League The Eastern Junior A Hockey League (EJHL, EJAHL) was a Junior "A" ice hockey league from Cape Breton Island , Nova Scotia , Canada. The Eastern Junior A Hockey League was in competition for the Manitoba Centennial Cup , the National Junior A Championship from 1975 until 1978. In the mid-1970s, the Maritime Amateur Hockey Association allowed

216-544: The Yarmouth MotorMart Mariners. In their first season, the team managed to place third in the Bent and enjoyed immense fan and community support. The 2003/2004 season was a memorable one for the team. The Mariners had a strong club and managed to plow through the playoffs with scoring from the likes of Jason Hedges, Steve Yetman, Grant Kenney, Matt Oxtoby and Justin d'Entremont. It was an exciting time for

240-902: The cream of the crop in the EJAHL. Winning both the 1976 and 1977 Regular Season and Playoff Championships, the Millionaires twice made it into the Centennial Cup playdowns. In 1976, the Millionaires were dropped in five games by the Charlottetown Colonels of the Island Junior Hockey League . A year later, the Millionaires first played the Corner Brook Jr. Royals of the Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League sweeping them in

264-474: The head coaching duties. Many key veterans had moved on from the previous year, and the Mariners would find that they were to face a stronger Bent division than in previous seasons. Although the club had plenty of highs during the year, they would finish in 5th place, resulting in a 3-game mini-series with Truro. The Mariners managed to edge the Bearcats and move on, but fell to Amherst in the next round. During

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288-761: The opening round of the playoffs, the Mariners defeated the rival Amherst Ramblers 4 games to 1. In round 2, the Mariners defeated the Weeks Crushers, who hosted the 2008 Fred Page Cup, 4 games to 1, to win the Bent Division Championship. On a roll, the Mariners faced stiff opposition in the Championship Finals versus the Woodstock Slammers. After a huge 4–0 win on home ice April 15, the Mariners traveled to Woodstock for Game 6 on April 17, defeating them 3–1 and winning

312-792: The process. In the second round of the playoffs, the Millionaires met Charlottetown again and were swept again. In the 1977–78 season, the New Waterford Jets found their legs and took both the regular season and playoff crowns. In an anticlimactic ending to the league, the Jets took on the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League 's first ever Junior A champion in 1978, the Cole Harbour Colts from Nova Scotia 's mainland and were defeated by them. In 1979, New Waterford repeated as champions. They lost to

336-410: The sale of the team, the new organization quickly began to demonstrate its eagerness to return to winning form and its dedication to bringing quality Junior A Hockey back to Yarmouth and its loyal fans and sponsors. The new Mariners quickly unveiled a brand new logo and jersey and announced, to the surprise and extreme delight of many, that NHL legend Steve Kasper would take on the job of head coach with

360-910: The series 4 games to 2, in the process clinching the Mariners first MJAHL Championship, the Kent Cup. At the 2008 Fred Page Cup, two losses on consecutive nights to eventual Champion Weeks Crushers ended the season for the club, its most successful to date. In the 2014-15 MHL season the Mariners drew the largest average attendance. 2nd of 12 MHL 3rd of 12 MHL 1st of 12 MHL 2nd of 12 MHL 1st of 12 MHL Canadian Jr. A National Championships Maritime Junior Hockey League , Quebec Junior Hockey League , Central Canada Hockey League , Ontario Junior Hockey League , Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League , Superior International Junior Hockey League , Manitoba Junior Hockey League , Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League , Alberta Junior Hockey League , and Host . The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there

384-476: The squad, which led to a very strong team. At the trading deadline in January, the Mariners only got stronger by acquiring league-leading scorer Itan Chavira , a pick-up which paid tremendous dividends for them. On February 24, 2008, with a 6–3 victory over the Halifax Wolverines on home ice, the Mariners clinched 1st overall in the MJAHL, and completed their worst-to-first turnaround in one season. In

408-411: The standings, attendance was poor and sponsorship support was thin as the team competed heavily with Major Junior and University hockey for attention. Currie quickly made a decision to relocate the team. Although it was not the only location considered, Yarmouth quickly became the front-runner and in 2002 Currie secured league approval and moved his team to Southwestern Nova Scotia where they would become

432-683: The summer of 2008. The team's nickname, then, as the Halifax Lions was announced on August 22, 2008. The name is a tribute to the successful Halifax Lions teams of the 1980s. In 2010, the team was relocated to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and renamed again as the Metro Marauders. Two years later, it was renamed the Metro Shipbuilders. In 2013 it was announced that the Halifax Regional Municipality

456-530: The team and their fans. However, the Mariners faced a very well coached Campbellton Tigers in the league final. Yarmouth split the first two games at home with the Tigers, but lost two in Campbellton. Returning to Yarmouth, the Mariners surrendered the championship to Campbellton. But even with the loss, fans stayed loyal and were delighted with the hockey they were treated to over that great season. 2004/2005

480-479: The very popular Laurie Barron as his assistant. But they didn't stop there. Over the spring and summer months, General Manager Jack Ross made numerous player movements, determined to bring in high-caliber players and instill a new belief that Yarmouth will again find itself at the top of Junior A hockey, not just in the Maritimes, but across Canada. During the 2007–2008 season, the Mariners had many name players on

504-522: Was losing Junior A hockey, due to low attendance rates in the area. The Metro franchise's move to the valley area of Nova Scotia was confirmed by the league's board of governors ahead of the 2013 MHL draft on June 15. The franchise was renamed the Valley Wildcats and was based in Kentville, Nova Scotia . On April 5, 2014 it was announced that the franchise would be relocating once again, this time from Kentville to Berwick, Nova Scotia but will remain as

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528-497: Was ousted from play with a knee injury. Soon after, his backup, Matt Bracegirdle would injure his groin. Losing both goalies, coupled with other injuries to key forwards, would prove too difficult to overcome as the Mariners fell to a strong Truro Bearcats in round two. Truro would go on to take the league title that season from defending Champions the Campbellton Tigers. With a month to rest, heal and re-organize Yarmouth

552-620: Was ready for the Fred Page Cup. After defeating the Hawsbury Hawks in their first game, Yarmouth went 3–0 in round-robin play, much to the delight of their fans. A key component to the three wins was the return of both Matt Anthony and Matt Bracegirdle. But in the championship game, Yarmouth came up short one goal and the Hawks would leave town with the Fred Page Cup. In 2005–2006, long-time assistant coach Laurie Barron would take on

576-492: Was the year Yarmouth hosted the Fred Page Cup . The Mariners dominated that season, ending up with 38 wins and just 14 losses, good for first overall in the league. The plan? Take a league title and carry the momentum into the Fred Page Cup. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. In a strange turn of events, the Mariners were hit by a number of injuries at the worst time. In the first round of the playoffs, star goalie Matt Anthony

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