September on the Canadian festival circuit belongs to Michael McGowan.

The Toronto filmmaker will see his homage to Canada’s national pastime, Score: A Hockey Musical, open five film festivals, starting with the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9.

Distributor Mongrel Media then has McGowan taking Score on the road to launch the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax on September 16, Sudbury on September 18, Calgary on September 23 and Edmonton on September 24.

That’s all a prelude to the big game: Score opening theatrically in Canada on October 22.

Mongrel Media has good reason to bank on McGowan. The distributor released his last movie, One Week, a 2008 road movie that drew $1.3 million at the Canadian box office.