The Truro Bearcats became a household name in 1998, when the senior hockey team became only the second Nova Scotia team to win the prestigious Allan Cup (following the Halifax Wolverines’ win in 1935), securing the tournament title with an epic 6-1 win in the final game at Colchester Legion Stadium. “To win it at home with all your friends and family was priceless,” says Bearcats forward Dwight Lucas. Many players on the championship team, including Lucas, had played with the Truro club for eight or more years, starting out when the team was known as the Truro Shubie Colonels before they gained sponsorship from TSN in 1991. Throughout the ‘90s the Bearcats accumulated a roster of strong players and dedicated management, including owner Stu Rath and general managers Larry Anthony and Jim Foley. “People still come to me today wishing they [the 1998 Bearcats] were together again,” says Foley.

The Bearcats had made three previous trips to the Allan Cup championships without a first-place finish and were unable to make their fourth attempt in 1994 even after winning their league, due to not having another team to play against in order to go to the tournament in Minnesota. Hockey Canada asked the team to represent their country at an international tournament in Tilburg, Holland in 1995 instead, where they made it to a silver-medal finish. Planning to disband from senior hockey after the 1997-98 season, the Bearcats were guaranteed a final shot at the Allan Cup as the hosts of the 1998 tournament, but they entered the tournament after a disappointing loss to Miramichi in the Maritime senior championship playoffs. Prior to the Allan Cup tournament, the Bearcats had to find competition in the Northern New Brunswick league, travelling long distances for games. “Every second weekend we would leave our homes in Dartmouth at 7 a.m. and not get back until after midnight Sunday night,” says Bearcats team member Kelly Kolke. “The boys were determined,” says Foley, who credits the team’s excellent defence and ability to work together as reasons for its success. The players are quick to praise each other and their coaches and management, demonstrating the Bearcats’ strong sense of camaraderie. “The laughter was priceless on the ice,” recalls Lucas. “Success means being able to work through adversity and this showed me that Coach [John Kibyuk] was the perfect man for leading us to the cup.” The Bearcats powered through round robin play undefeated, guaranteeing a spot in the Allan Cup finals on home ice. They scored a 5-1 victory over the Powell River Regals, tied the Ile-des-Chênes North Stars 1-1, and finished the round robin by beating the London Admirals, the team they would face in the Championship game, 5-3. “That stadium the last game—I think it only holds 2,200—but there were about 2,660 people there,” says Foley. “They were standing in the aisles.” The enthusiastic over-capacity crowd posed a threat of a fine from the fire marshal. “I said I would pay it,” laughs Foley, who was thrilled with the energy and support provided by Truro fans. The Bearcats did not disappoint their loyal fans and claimed the Allan Cup with an impressive 6-1 win over the London Admirals. The Bearcats took a 3-0 first period lead with Darren Welsh, Sandy MacKenzie, and Barry Harrietha all scoring by 15:09. A second goal for MacKenzie, combined with goals by Jason DeCoste and team captain Brian Melanson, sealed the deal for the Bearcats’ Allan Cup win.

The Bearcats’ National Senior AAA victory in 1998 ended the 63-year drought since a Nova Scotia team had earned the coveted cup, and the club members commemorated their long-awaited win by engraving a quote from teammate Gary Thomas on their championship rings: “Sweat plus sacrifice equals success.” And the success was, without a question, well earned by all, after sweating through hours of practice and stiff competition, and sacrificing earlier chances at the cup. “The hockey fans still talk about senior hockey and the 1998 Allan Cup,” says Kolke, who lives and works in Truro today. “The win has given the Bearcat organization a winning attitude, which has continued today with the Junior A Bearcats.” 

“The Bearcats are a part of the community and the support was awesome,” says Lucas. “I hope that we gave them as much as they gave us and I would not trade that time of my life for anything.”

1998 Truro TSN Bearcats Hockey Club:
PLAYERS: Tom Beaton, Craig Booker, Reggie Bowes, Mike Boyd, Chris Brassard, Bruce Campbell, Jason DeCoste, Stephen Gordon, Brian Grouchy, Chris Hale, Barry Harrietha, Ryan Isenor, Craig Jenkins, Kelly Kolke, Jim Laing, Dwight Lucas, Rodney MacIntosh, Sandy MacKenzie, Randy MacNeill, Kevin MacRae, Brian Melanson, Todd Parker, Steve Ryan, Gary Thomas, Darren Welsh, Jason White.

COACHES AND MANAGEMENT: Larry Anthony (general manager), Ron “Doc” Chalmers (team doctor), Jim Foley (general manager), Kelly Johnson (medical trainer), John Kibyuk (coach), Richard MacKenzie (assistant coach), Gerald Marshall (assistant coach), Stu Rath (owner), John Thoms (equipment manager), Shawn Thomson (trainer).

Bio courtesy of by Katie Wooler