Cape Breton West goaltender Shayla Tatum directs a rebound to defenceman Ryder MacLean while his D-mate Eli LeBlanc takes care of the Northside Vikings shooter during U15 AA action in Port Hood on Saturday.
December 3, 2025
-by Bill Dunphy
When it comes to developing team chemistry, slow and steady wins the race.
Three steady lines, tight D, two solid goaltenders, and a coaching staff focussing on development have the Cape Breton West Islanders moving in the right direction in the nine-team U15 AA North Conference Hockey League.
The Islanders won a pair of games on the weekend to move into third place in the nine-team league with a 4-3-1 record.
On Saturday, in Port Hood, the Islanders defeated the Northside Vikings 3-1 and on Sunday, in Port Hawkesbury, they doubled the Strait-Richmond Pirates 4-2.
In Saturday’s tilt, Ashton Hawley caught a beauty pass through the crease by Colin MacDougall and released a shot into an open side of the net with one second left in the first period.
Mac MacLellan scored the only goal of the second period, which proved to be the winner. Set loose on a right-wing rush by passes from Malcolm MacInnis and Bentley Cameron, MacLellan avoided a hit by a Vikings’ defenceman, rounded the net, and fired a wrister home while falling.
In the third, Shayla Tatum’s shutout bid was spoiled at 12:11 by a goal that might have been kicked in during a scramble at the side of the net.
Northside pulled their goaltender at 13:40 for an extra attacker, but Cameron secured the win with an empty-net goal at 14:12.
And in Sunday’s game, the Islanders and Pirates were tied 1-1 and 2-2 by periods before Cape Breton West took over in the third with two unanswered goals.
R.J. Ryan had the first-period goal on a powerplay with Gradin Spears and Neil MacEachern.
Rossi MacKinnon had the second-period marker, assisted by Luke Calder and Brier Nadasdi.
MacLellan scored the game-winner again in the third on a play with Spears and Eli LeBlanc.
And Ryder MacLean added the insurance goal on a powerplay with MacLellan and MacKinnon getting the helpers.
Reid Anstey picked up the win in goal.
Islanders coach Ross Mullins said it took a few games for the players just up from U13 to get used to the checking game.
“Coming up from U13 is tough, but we’re coming together more with each game we play,” he said.
“All the teams in this league are pretty equal, and we’re at our best when we’re on the hunt. Getting pucks deep and being strong on the puck. We have three solid lines capable of doing that, we’re strong in our D-zone, and have two of the best goaltenders in the league.”
The Islanders have just one game on tap this weekend and that’s on Sunday, 2:30 p.m., when they host the 7-1-0 Antigonish Bulldogs at the Dr. Bernie MacLean Cultural and Recreation
