'It means a lot': Cape Breton Eagles receive warm welcome after season-ending semi-final loss
The Cape Breton Eagles received a warm welcome when the team landed at the JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport Friday after losing their Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League semi-final series against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
"This playoff run was special,” said Cam Squires, who led the Eagles in playoff scoring.
The Cape Breton Eagles shake hands with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. (Source: Drakkar de Baie-Comeau/X)
With a 2-1 overtime loss in Baie-Comeau, Que. Thursday night, a post-season that captivated the Island came to an end with a 4-1 series loss to the top-ranked Drakkar.
"Obviously, just a lot of emotions. It's been a pretty long run here,” said team captain Zach Biggar, one of three overage players who will now graduate from major junior hockey.
The Eagles playoff-run included four consecutive sellout crowds at Sydney's Centre 200, which marked a complete turnaround for a team that started the year playing in a half-empty rink.
"It means a lot,” Squires said of the fan support.
“Everybody's right behind us, they've been here with us the whole way. It's been a very special last month here in Cape Breton."
While Baie-Comeau proved too strong in the semi-final, this year’s Eagles team captivated fans with their grit and team play.
"It's awesome. We have a bunch of brothers here,” said Biggar.
“We're all close in the room, we all love each other, so it makes it a lot more special."
Looking ahead to the future, the team now has the first-overall pick in the Q-League draft next month.
As well, most of the players who were part of this playoff run are eligible to return next season.
"As sad as yesterday was, it's a bright future here on the Island,” said Eagles fan Wes Stubbert, one of four super fans, known as “The Unofficials,” who dressed as referees and rallied the home crowd throughout the postseason.
The team says season ticket sales for next year are already looking to outperform this year's numbers.
"Seeing that rink filled, seeing the excitement in the crowd, the excitement in the kids, I mean, that's why we do this,” said fellow “Unofficial” Brad Fraser.
While this season has come to an end for the Eagles, the hope is that the spark of excitement ignited by the team’s playoff run can be built upon next season.
"They can expect big things, and we're going to deliver a championship here to Cape Breton,” said Squires.
"It's sad to see it end, but I'm happy it happened,” Biggar added.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Woman in her 30s in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A woman in her 30s is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Five weeks stand between MPs and the BBQ circuit, here's what the Liberals want to pass first
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Britain slammed in inquiry for infecting thousands with tainted blood and covering up the scandal
British authorities and the country's public health service knowingly exposed tens of thousands of patients to deadly infections through contaminated blood and blood products, and hid the truth about the disaster for decades, an inquiry into the U.K.'s infected blood scandal found Monday.
What we know so far about the helicopter crash that killed Iran's president
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.