When Jim Bottomley first thought of moving the Liverpool Privateers to Bridgewater and renaming them as the Lumberjacks he had an inkling they had a chance to win it all in their first season.
“We knew the team was good considering they made the semi-finals of the Don Johnson Cup last year, so working with what we had and bringing some talented local kids to the team has really helped us get to where we are now,” Bottomley said.
The Jacks are now gearing up for their first home games of the finals against the Antigonish Bulldogs, with the series tied 1-1. “We did what we wanted to do on the road,” Bottomley said. “We split the games and now get the chance to win two games in front of our fans this weekend,”.
Support for the team has been picking up since Christmas according to the Jacks owner, but he says in the playoffs it’s kicked into overdrive, with multiple sell-out games and plenty of electric moments for the fans to cherish. “The game seven in round one was amazing, the energy and support is exactly what we imagined when we brought the team to town, then we had to OT winner in game four of round two,”.
The success of the Jacks is also helping boost the local community, not just from an entertainment perspective but also economically. When the old Junior A Lumberjacks left town there were concerns about their void at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre (LCLC), however with the new junior B team filling the gap things seem to be going just fine. Bridgewaters Mayor David Mitchell who also serves as chair of the board for the LCLC said as much, ““It’s amazing not only to see the success the team is having but the excitement in the rink and community! The sell-out crowds fuel the team and we’re thrilled that the LCLC is home of the Jacks! ”.
The Jacks are hoping to win both home games this weekend, and Bottomley says the team is overall healthy, however university exams may result in some absences, “It’s exam season so we may end up missing some guys as a result, but the Bulldogs are dealing with that too so we will make due,”.
Game four gets underway Friday at 7:30 p.m. then Saturday the Jacks host a matinee at 3:00 p.m.
Updated schedule! pic.twitter.com/0LkG4u2a4I
— South Shore Lumberjacks Junior B Hockey Club (@lumberjackshky) April 3, 2024
