Composed of players averaging 12 and 13 years of age, the EHL is made up of teams from LaSalle, Verdun, Côte St. Luc, Montreal West/Hampstead, Outremont/TMR, St. Laurent and Westmount.

The two previous games between the Knights and the Predators had been hard-fought and exciting matches. Westmount had finished the regular season with the sixth most points, while its opponent ranked first. Montreal West/Hampstead was also considered the favourite, as they scored 48 more goals than the second-highest team this year.

The Knights were 91 goals ahead of the Predators in 22 games. Westmount arguably played better in the two games leading up to Wednesday's showdown, but had managed to reach the final with only one win. The Knights won the first, the Predators the second game.

Despite the defeat for the Predators, Westmount's minor hockey teams had a good year overall, according to Andrew Maislin, a coordinator with the City's department of Sports and Recreation.

"It's one of our strongest years, actually, with regard to hockey within Westmount," he told The Examiner, noting that local teams competing in various tournaments, including Pee-Wee 'A,' won a total of nine banners.

"Overall, it's just been a great couple of weeks with the EHL playoffs," he added. "They worked so hard to reach this outcome, and I'm very happy that we even got to be here. A sixth place team in the EHL final season going all the way to the final playoffs is great."

Since one of the mandates of the EHL is to increase player participation, all teams that made it to the finals got a banner. As a result, the Predators received a consolation banner for their season finish. In addition, the champs received commemorative caps proclaiming their number-one status. There were finalists' caps for the second-place team.

Photo: Martin C. Barry

.