The Rockland Nationals are the inaugural Hamre Re/max Cup champions.
The Nats hosted the first-ever pre-season tournament, which took place from Sept. 6 until Sept. 8.
The tournament featured four Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL) teams battling to be crowned the first ever Hamre Re/Max Cup champions.
Aside from the hosts, the Carleton Place Canadians, the Hawkesbury Hawks and the Nepean Raiders were all vying for the cup.
But it was Rockland who came out on top in the end, defeating the Canadians 3-1 to take home the top spot.
Nathan Landriault, Jacob Charron and Gabriel Le Houllier all scored for the Nats while Sean Hogan backstopped the Nationals in the final game, stopping 17 of 18 shots he faced.
“As the games went on, we got better and better,” said Justin Pereira, head coach of the Rockland Nationals Junior A Hockey Club. “We started to play our game, and got the results we wanted.”
The tournament was part of the team’s exhibition schedule, which included a Sep. 2 home loss to the Renfrew Wolves.
New season is around the corner
Pereira said while it’s a great feeling to win the tournament, the team continues to prepare for a new CCHL regular season, which kicks off next weekend.
The Nats and the Canadians will clash on Sept. 14 at the Benson Centre in Cornwall before hosting the Cornwall Colts on Sept. 20 for their home opener.
The Nats enjoyed a turnaround season in 2023-2014 under Pereira’s first year as the team’s bench boss. The Nats won a playoff series, but their quest for a Bogart Cup and even a Centennial Cup came to a disappointing halt when they lost their second round playoff matchup to the eventual Bogart Cup champions, the Navan Grads.
Pereira said his focus is to lead this team to a Centennial Cup, and believes he has the players that can take that next step.
“It’s exciting to get back out there on the ice with the boys,” said Pereira. “We have had some great practices and I really like our depth. We have four lines that can come at you, and any one can put the puck in the net.”
For more information on the Rockland Nationals, visit www.rocklandnationalsjuniora.com.
