Road to the 2019 Esso Cup: NSFMHL

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