Moncton looking world juniors ready

MONCTON - It's quite obvious that the World Junior Hockey Championship is beginning soon in Moncton.

Signage, posters, flags and banners can be spotted all over the city promoting the event. From the airport baggage carousel to lamp posts downtown, you can't miss the world junior signs.

Here's a quick look around the downtown.

Like during this year's Memorial Cup in uptown Saint John, many of the empty storefronts in downtown Moncton have been covered with tournament signage.

The World Junior Hockey Championship trophy was available for photos with fans before this weekend's Canada/U Sports games at Avenir Centre.

There's a giant Team Canada jersey greeting fans as they enter the Avenir Centre.

Avenir Centre's outdoor plaza will host Moncton's "community festival" during the tournament, which will include live music, viewing parties, food vendors and skating.

Compared to Moncton, things were looking much more low key in Halifax last week.

These signs were spotted around Scotiabank Centre and on some walls across the street from the rink.

Like during the 2019 Memorial Cup, the Halifax Convention Centre will host the #ExploreNB Fan Fest, which will "include live entertainment, viewing parties on big screens, hot stoves, bouncy castles, face painters, mascots, merchandise and more."

Some other notes...

• Team Canada head coach Dennis Williams gave a nice shout out to Moncton and New Brunswick when speaking at Monday's roster unveiling.
• The Wildcats store already has some Team Canada and World Junior Hockey Championship merchandise on sale.
• The Avenir Centre is one of the finest junior hockey rinks in the country, but it has earned a reputation as being one of the quietest. Despite large crowds for both Canada/U Sports games, there wasn't much of an atmosphere. Next week's Team Canada pre-tournament games, which will be two of the biggest sporting events to be held in the venue, will be interesting.
• Speaking of those Canada pre-tournament games in Moncton, it looks like only single seats are available for both games. For Monday's game against Vincent Despont and Switzerland, there are pairs of tickets being resold through Ticketmaster for over $350 per seat.
• Explore NB was handing out cups of hot chocolate to fans outside Avenir Centre before the Canada/U Sports games. Many fans tried to bring the drinks inside, which resulted in the security tables being filled with cups.
• Team Canada is practicing in St. Stephen all week. They begin on-ice sessions at the Garcelon Civic Centre on Wednesday at 11 a.m.