The Truro Bearcats are bound for their twenty-fifth postseason run since returning to the MHL in 1997
Granted, the last two years were without playoffs due to covid, but the Bearcats were destined to be there if things panned out.
Truro clinched their playoff berth last week, midway through a four-game stretch to wrap up their schedule.
The Bearcats picked up wins over Valley and Amherst, but last to the cellar dwellers in the North Division, Grand Falls and Miramichi.
An MHL decision last July was to go to the four-of-seven series for the top four teams in each Division. The hockey purists wholeheartedly agree.
Since all teams have not played the same number of games, math was employed to determine the placings in each Division.
Rather than win percentage, the MHL has gone with point percentage. Basically, the number of points accumulated would be divided by the possible number of points in games played.
For the Bearcats, they picked up 40 points out of a possible 72 (40/72 = 0.556). That’s the math.
In the South Division, Truro finished behind Yarmouth and Amherst for third spot, mere points ahead of Valley. Pictou County and South Shore are done for the year.
In the North Division, Campbellton, Fredericton and Edmundston finished in order behind the League’s top team, the Summerside Capitals.
Truro’s first-round opponent will be the Amherst Ramblers. They’ve played head-to-head six times, each winning three.
The Ramblers won the first three, the Bearcats the last three, Truro has outscored the Ramblers 18 – 12.
It’s an old rivalry that goes back to 1968 when both franchises got started in the Metro Valley Junior League.
While the Ramblers have remained, to be the MHL’s longest-serving franchise, the Bearcats were not in the League from 1983 – 1997.
Fans should expect the rekindling of the Rambler – Bearcat rivalry. It should be a dandy.
The series opens in Amherst, Thursday. Game Two will be played Monday in Truro. Both games start at 7:00.