The Strait Pirates kick off a weekend home-and-home series with the Cumberland Co. Blues in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League.
The Pirates (8-1-1), winners of three straight and four of their last five, lead the Sid Rowe Division- and the entire league- with 17 points, a point up on Sackville and East Hants for top spot overall.
The Blues (1-7-0), with just one win in eight games, are tied with Eskasoni for fourth in the division with two points.
Taylor Lambke, the head coach of the Pirates, tells The Hawk they won’t take the Blues lightly, despite how far apart they are in the standings.
“Our leadership group does a good job keeping our guys focused- we’ll prepare properly, the way we would for any other team,” he says. “Our maturity as a team allows us to be ready for these games.”
It’s the first game of the season between the teams.
Puck drop at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre is 7:30 p.m.
The teams square off again in Springhill Saturday night.