James Bay Beavers Pee Wee CC
The James Bay Beavers Pee Wee CC concluded their road trip to Quebec City with a run to the quarterfinals of the 37th edition of the International Pee Wee BSR tournament. The Beavers defeated a Swiss team and two teams from France before falling 3-0 to eventual champions Pro-Lac, from des Etchemins, Quebec. Grant Kakabat was the Beavers’ leading scorer in the tourney, and seventh overall, picking up two goals and four assists in four games.

University of Ottawa Women’s Hockey Playoffs
Wemindji product Sara Morrison’s season ended February 26 after her Ottawa Gee Gees squad fell to the McGill Martlets, Canada’s number-two ranked female university hockey team. The Gee Gees were a heavy underdog, but shocked McGill 1-0 to win game one of the best-of-three series. McGill rebounded to win the following two games, however, hammering the Gee Gees 9-1 in the final.

Amos Forestiers Midget AAA
Alex Hester’s game-winning tally in game four against the Jonquiere Elites propelled his Midget AAA Amos Forestiers into the quarterfinals. The first-round series was unusually scheduled, with the first three matches taking place in Jonquiere before moving back to Amos. Unfortunately, division rival Collège Esther-Blondin quickly ended the Forestiers’ season in three straight games during the quarterfinal best-of-five series.

Hester, a 16-year-old left-winger from Waskaganish, is expected to get a long look from QMJHL teams next season – especially after scoring two goals and four assists during seven post-season games.

Off-ice violence ends Kahnawake’s hockey season
An inexcusable attack on referees by members of the Kahnawake Midget A Mohawks led to the suspension of the entire team and has placed the seasons of other teams in the Kahnawake Minor Hockey Association at risk.

“Five or six Midget A players from Kahnawake went into the referees’ room after the game and seriously and viciously attacked one of the referees and prevented the other referees from intervening,” said Kahnawake Minor Hockey Association President Peter Jacobs in a statement. “The referee sustained cuts and bruises on his face and a black eye. Two more kids who no longer play hockey stood in front of the door as a lookout.”

One of the players had apparently been assessed a game misconduct by the referee who was attacked. The incident has made it difficult to find referees to officiate upcoming games. Scheduled games of boys’ and girls’ teams at other levels in Kahnawake were as a result moved or cancelled.

“Our kids will feel the ripple for a long time to come,” said Jacobs. This kind of behaviour gives Kahnawake a bad name and embarrasses us all. The referees that were attacked were some of the few referees who had no problem to ref in Kahnawake and unfortunately, we no longer have them.”

Contrary to some reports, the schedule of the Kahnawake Condors of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League is not affected. The Condors will play the remainder of the regular season and playoffs without interruption.

Jonathan Cheechoo on fire in February
Jonathan Cheechoo of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen is making a strong case for a late-season call-up to the St. Louis Blues. Cheechoo has struggled at times this season, but turned it around in February with four goals and seven assists in eight games. Cheechoo is fourth in scoring on the Rivermen and leads in shots on goal. His recent play has given Peoria hope for a home-ice advantage in the playoffs.

St. Louis, the Rivermen’s parent club, sits atop the NHL’s Central Division and is second in the Western Conference. However, the Blues’s offence is eleventh in the Conference. Could the Blues anemic attack be an opportunity for Cheechoo to return to the NHL before season’s end?

Deverick Ottereyes’ Val-d’Or homecoming
When the PEI Rocket of the QMJHL made their only visit this season to Val-d’Or February 25, it was a reunion of sorts for rookie Deverick Ottereyes of nearby Waswanipi. Friends and family made the four-hour drive to see Ottereyes play, and the 17-year-old left-winger responded by setting up the game’s first goal just 38 seconds in to the first period. The Rocket exchanged markers with the Foreurs before Val-d’Or pulled away with four unanswered third-period goals to win 7-3.

Ottereyes’ rookie season has been a positive experience, both personally and in terms of his hockey development. “I definitely have adjusted well. Lately, I’ve hit bodies, (blocked a lot) of shots, used my teammates well,” Ottereyes told reporters recently. “Overall, I think I need to shoot the puck more often, use my speed more often, do the details right.”

The Rocket is a young team that is destined to miss the playoffs. However, Ottereyes has turned heads playing a two-way role in his 36 appearances, compiling a goal, four assists and 14 penalty minutes.