COXHEATH, N.S. — It was a Red Cup-like atmosphere for the Riverview Redmen at their season opener on Monday, and they didn’t disappoint the home crowd.

The Redmen held on for a 5-4 win over the Glace Bay Panthers in Riverview’s first game of the Cape Breton High School Hockey League season on Monday in front of about 900 fans at the County Recreation Centre. Many of the Riverview students were clad in red and white and crowded in the stands behind the Redmen bench.

Riverview held a 5-1 lead in the third period, but Glace Bay stormed back to pull within one, but couldn’t tie things up before the final buzzer.

“We took a couple of bad penalties and they got back into the game,” said Redmen head coach Jim Smith. “They really pressed hard for the equalizer. We bent, but we didn’t break.

“It was a great game. The kids played well at both ends.”

Dustin Sudds paced the Redmen with a hat trick, while Josh MacKay and Logan Beaton added singles. Owen MacPhee stopped 32 shots between the pipes in the victory.

For Glace Bay, Robbie Harroun scored a trifecta of his own, while Brett Strong scored a single tally. Colton Boutilier started the game for the Panthers in goal, and allowed three goals on nine shots. Nick Bigley entered the game in the second period and shouldered the loss, allowing two goals on 31 shots.

The Panthers opened their season on Sunday at the Canada Games Complex and skated to a 4-1 victory over the Memorial Marauders.

On Thursday, the Marauders will play their home opener in the three-team league. They’ll host the Panthers at 7:10 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

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