Longest Game In Nova Scotia’s History

Most sports start with a set game time frame which includes a format for any possible overtime that might incur.

Personally, I have officiated in a Bantam Provincial Championship game (albeit years ago) that ended after seven periods with a clean after each period and eventually we had a winner.

Ironically it was also played on Easter Sunday, where the Family supper was eventually put on hold till the next time I had no game.

This was simply something new that the Nova Scotia hockey officials have never seen or experienced anything like it: – seeing a Provincial Championship game still undecided after 10 periods.

And so, after what is thought to be the longest hockey game in Nova Scotia history, the province’s female championship was declared a 1-1 tie on Saturday, and co-champions declared.

Peter Twohig, regional director for female Hockey Nova Scotia stated “The game went on and on and I’ve seen a lot of triple overtime games, but never seen anything like I watched today.”

This Peewee AA Championship game was played between the best 10 and 11 year-old girls in Nova Scotia and was played between the TASA Ducks of Tantallon and the Pictou County Selects.

The game started at 11 am and ironically the only scoring was in the second period of play.

Barring that the young players were given oranges and other sustenance to keep them going through this hard fought match-up, which eventually ended at 3:30 pm.

The game consisted of 15-minute periods and eventually it became a concern (so we are told) to the parents and coaches as they all began to worry about the girls’ safety Twohig said.

Twohig went on to mention “By the time it got to the 7th overtime, it was getting clear to me a lot of the girls were at their limit – their physical limit, and also their psychological limit too.”

Twohig consulted with league officials, and they decided to end the game after 10 periods.

Stephen Murray Director of Female Hockey said “they initially thought they would schedule another championship game and were simply not going to settle it by way of a shootout, it just doesn’t seem fair to the kids.”

Both Coaches raised the prospect of declaring co-champions and the idea appealed to Garth Isenor President of Hockey Nova Scotia.

Isenor stated “We have to look at what it is the girls have accomplished. For them to battle that long, we have to acknowledge it.”

“We’ve always had a provincial champion and in my mind we have co-champions this year.”

Currently Hockey Nova Scotia has no rules on how to handle such circumstances and you can only guess this will be on the next agenda for the Annual AGM.

A fitting end to the story!

Ironic that this game was played on the same day where the South Coast Female Amateur Hockey league was playing the annual All-Star game.