It’s Thursday which means it’s Hockey Night in Meaford.
The Knights of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League play 6 consecutive Thursdays at home to conclude their inaugural season.
The second of that stretch of 6 games is tonight when the Rama Aces come to town.
This isn’t a first place showdown, but it is a pivotal match for both clubs.
The Aces are 12th in the league, 2 points up on the Knights who are 13th.
While not league contenders, the Meaford entry, at every level, is getting a working example of what needs to be done going forward and how virtually every night is a key night, especially at home.
Forget last Thursday’s lopsided loss to a very good Temiscaming team, to me, the subtle difference between 13th and potentially being in the top 6 has been losses on home ice.
Six of the teams in front of Meaford; that being Orangeville, Alliston. the Rattlers, Halton, Bracebridge and the Toronto Attack, have all beaten the Knights in Meaford.
A win at home tonight at the Castle of Pain will allow the Knights to tie Rama at 32 points, but a loss would be another example of why, in their expansion season, Meaford is 13th and not gunning for a top 6 finish
Game time tonight for the Aces & Knights is 7:30 at the Meaford & St Vincent Community Centre.
I’m Fred Wallace