Jason La Rose
Despite opening the season on a 15-game unbeaten run and losing just once, the Northern Selects were challenged right down to the final game of the regular season, edging out the Metro Fire by two points to make it back-to-back regular-season titles in the NSFMHL. Northern was dominant at both ends of the ice, finishing atop the NSFMHL in goals for (156) and sitting second in goals against (39), just one more than Metro. It put six players in the top 13 of league scoring, led by Landyn Pitts (fourth with 24-25—49), and goaltenders Kristen MacNeil and Erin Sullivan both posted sub-1.65 GAAs.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS Nova Scotia 1) Northern Selects vs. 7) East Hants Penguins 2) Metro Fire vs. 3) Cape Breton Panthers
New Brunswick 1) Northern Lightning 2) Fundy Nationals 3) EDZA West Reds
New Brunswick teams will compete in provincials from March 22-24.
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-T) Northern Selects – 42 points (19-1-4) Metro – 40 points (18-2-4) Cape Breton – 31 points (13-6-5) Northern Lightning – 30 points (13-7-4) Fundy – 14 points (6-16-2) EDZA West – 6 points (2-20-2) East Hants – 5 points (1-20-3)
LEADING SCORERS Ellen Laurence (Metro) – 46G 24A 70P Erica Plourde (Northern Lightning) – 38G 16A 54P Aimee O’Neill (Cape Breton) – 30G 20A 50P Landyn Pitts (Northern Selects) – 24G 25A 49P Jillian Duggan (Metro) – 23G 26A 49P
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2018 (Northern Selects – fifth place; Metro Boston Pizza – sixth place)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES 5 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2018 (host))
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP none
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS none