The Truro Bearcats Maritime Hockey League season will reach the 20-game mark Thursday night in New Glasgow when they meet Pictou County Weeks Crushers.
The Bearcats (12-5-1-1), highly competitive again this season, are in a battle with Amherst Ramblers for second place in the Eastlink South Division. Pictou County (3-12-3-2) has a better team than their early-season record indicates.
“We’re looking forward to the game in New Glasgow,” Bearcats Gavin Hart, 17, of Bible Hill, said. “Every year there’s a good rivalry between Pictou County and our team. It’s hard to say why but probably it has something to do with the two towns being pretty close to each other. It’s a good thing as quite a few fans travel back and forth from one county to the other.”
Hart (eight goals and one assist) is in his second full season in the league. He broke in last year as a 16-year-old rookie. Deadly around the net, he’s one of the Bearcats top scorers.
“This season has been one of my quickest starts in hockey,” Hart said. “I’ve had lots of good opportunities to score, thanks to my teammates. Our team is really a hard-working group; if each of us keep focusing on our jobs, I think we’ll find a way to win and we’ll have a real good season. The team spirit is good, we all get along well in the dressing room and during games.”
The colourful young forward has a knack for scoring big goals. During a recent northern road trip he scored the shootout winner against Campbellton and the next night he banged home the winning goal in overtime against Miramichi.
Hart also enjoyed a couple of stints in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Halifax Mooseheads.
“I’ve played about five games with the Mooseheads over two seasons. It was nice to get a goal in major junior, I’m still a Halifax affiliate player.”
Before joining the Bearcats last season, Hart played with Pictou County Weeks Major Midgets in the Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League.
“One of my first hockey memories would be my dad (Dale Hart) bringing me to the rink,” Hart told me. “He put my skates on and he let me go. I was probably five when I started in the Truro and Area Minor Hockey Association. Dad played junior but I don’t remember going to any junior games. I do remember him playing in the Debert League.”
Hockey history crowded my mind in Interviewing Gavin. It stood out that he was a third generation Hart getting to wear the coveted Truro Bearcats hockey jersey.
Gavin's grandfather, Ted Hart, played his minor hockey in his hometown, Gander, NL. A fast, rough and ready prospect, he played for Gander Junior Flyers when he was 13. Later, he would play for Enfield in the Lantz Border Hockey League.
In 1967-68, Truro Bearcats entered a team in the APC Junior B Hockey League. Hugh Matheson coached the team, assisted by Ron Conrad. Ted Hart played for that team. In fact, he was the league bad man with 262 penalty minutes.
John Yuill captained the team and star players included Randy Crowell, Al Campbell, Owen Deuville, Leroy MacCallum and Scotty Maxwell. The Dickeybrothers, Jim, Jeff and Glendon, played an important role as did brothers Harold and Bruce Ross. In goal were Herb McCallum and John Bell. The Bearcats advanced to the mainland finals before losing out to the Windsor Royals.
Ted would later play for the Lantz All-Stars in the Truro District Hockey League.
Dale, Gavin’s father, came up through the TAMHA. Recalled as an outstanding junior player, Dale played for the Truro Bearcats under coach Danny Lombard.
A fierce competitor, around the net (using Win Langille terminology), Dale could
really thread the needle.
Besides playing junior hockey for Truro, Dale suited up with the Sackville Blazers. Later, in Nova Scotia senior hockey he played for both the Dartmouth Moosehead Mounties and East Hants Penguins. Dale would later star for Hero’s Pub and the Engine Room in the West Colchester District Hockey League.
A former scoring champion in the Debert league, he played approximately 15 seasons up until age 37. Dale played for several league champions.
Lyle Carter’s sports column appears weekly in the Truro News. If you have a story idea, contact him at 902 673-2857.
