The Glace Bay Panthers claimed the 2023 Panther Classic high school hockey tournament championship on Sunday, defeating the Dalbrae Dragons 7-2 at Miners Forum in Glace Bay. Members of the team are shown with the championship trophy and banner. Not in order: Ryan Aucoin, Tyson Boland, Jesse Cathcart, Hudson Clarke, Brandon Cole, Joshua Gottwald, Pierce Hutchings, Kale MacDonald, Garrett MacIntosh, Landon MacIsaac, Kristian MacKenzie, Dylan MacLean, Cohen McNeil, C.J. McNeil-Peach, Kyle Nearing, Morgan Neville, Ty Oliver and Dylin White. Team staff: Dwayne Doucet (head coach), Michael Doucet (assistant coach), Jack Summerell (assistant coach), Matt O’Brien (assistant coach) and Bill Smith (trainer). CONTRIBUTED

GLACE BAY, N.S. – The Glace Bay Panthers are once again Panther Classic champions.

The host Glace Bay defeated the Dalbrae Dragons of Mabou 7-2 in the Panther Classic high school hockey championship game in front of a jam-pack crowd at Miners Forum in Glace Bay on Sunday.

The tournament title was the club’s first since 2017. It also marked Glace Bay’s seventh Panther Classic championship win since 1997.

Kale MacDonald and Ty Oliver each scored twice while Kyle Nearing, Tyson Boland and Garrett MacIntosh also added goals for the Panthers.

Ethan MacLean had both goals for the Dragons, a Division 2 team that stunned many by making it to the championship game.

Glace Bay’s Brandon Cole made 15 saves. Dalbrae’s Neil MacLean stopped 30 of 37 shots.

The Panthers outshot the Dragons 37-17 in the contest.

Glace Bay, who finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, earned their spot in the championship game with a 5-3 win over the Halifax West Warriors in the semifinal on earlier in the day on Sunday.

Nearing and MacIntosh both scored twice while Dylin White added a single marker for the Panthers.

Luc Bouffard, Mack Bursey and Brody Fitzpatrick had goals for the Warriors.

Glace Bay’s Cole made 25 saves. Halifax West’s Issac Manette stopped 27 of 29 shots.

Meanwhile, Dalbrae (3-2) edged the Cobequid Educational Centre Cougars of Truro 3-2 in their semifinal game.

Angus Beaton, Kenzie Batherson and Callum Chisholm had the goals for the Dragons.

Alexander Field had both goals for the Cougars.

Dalbrae’s MacLean made 44 saves. CEC’s Bob Williams-Henderson stopped 14 of 17 shots.

Sydney Academy (0-3), Riverview (0-2-1-0) and Memorial (1-2) also competed in the tournament along with the Auburn Drive Eagles of Cole Harbour (2-1).

- Jeremy Fraser is the sports reporter for the Cape Breton Post. Follow him on X (Twitter) @CBPost_Jeremy.