Hallett stuck at 49

By Jonathan Riley

DIGBY COURIER

NovaNewsNow.com

Kyle Hallett broke 50 goals this season but you won’t see it in the record books.

The two goals he scored against Yarmouth, on Saturday, Feb. 10 have disappeared in a cloud of controversy.

The Harbour Crunch had won that game 6-4 until officials realized an illegible player had skated for the Crunch.

Evan Densmore received a match penalty for spearing the night before, Friday, Feb. 9, in Clare. The league constitution calls for at least a one-game suspension.

Yet Densmore played Saturday in Yarmouth for the Crunch. When league officials learned he had played, they handed Yarmouth the win and five goals.

If not for the suspension snafu, Hallett stats column would have read 51 goals, 34 assists and 85 points.

He ended up officially with 49 goals, 33 assists and 82 points. Both the goals and points totals were new records for the Nova Scotia Junior C Hockey League.

Alexandre Poirier had set the previous goal record of 35 just last year while playing with the Clare Lions. This year he plays for the New Waterford Jets and had 20 points in only 13 games.

Another Lions player, Ryan Gallant, set the previous points total record of 68 last year.

Gallant is an assistant captain with the Lions this year. He finished this year third best with 69 points, and 26 goals. His assists total of 43 was second best in the league.

Hallett’s linemate, Kyle Miller, was the top playmaker with had 44 assists. Miller was second in the league for points with 71.

Before the Nova Scotia Junior C in this end of the province, there was a Southwest Nova Junior C League. Cory McKinnon recorded an incredible 70 goals and 80 assists in his first year with Barrington eight years ago in 1999-2000.

Hallett started the past weekend at 48 goals and really wanted 50.

“I didn’t think I’d get this close,” said Hallett before the weekend. “But I got a couple more last weekend and now I’m wanting it so bad. It’s a nice little goal to be going for.”

He scored once in Clare Friday night. He also scored the winning goal in the overtime shootout but shootout goals don’t count in the stats.

Hallett had an average 3.15 points per game, 1.88 goals per game and 1.27 assists per game.

He had ten powerplay goals, second only to Matt Grant of the Thunder who had 13.

The best scorer on the Valley Keith’s was Mike Dauphinee (27-24-51 in 26 games). He was eighth in goals and eleventh in points.

Jacques Lombard (31-21-52 in 30 games) was the top marksman for the Lions. He was the fourth highest scorer and tenth in points.