Hockey season might be wrapping up in Whitehorse, but for some local players the season is at its zenith.
Whitehorse has a number of players on junior teams throughout the country, many of which are battling for division titles.
The British Columbia Hockey League junior A team the Powell River Kings, currently tied 2-2 with the Vernon Vipers in a best-of-seven series in the finals, has a contingent of three Whitehorse players on the team.
Whitehorse’s Andrew Pettitt, who recently signed an agreement to play for University of Alaska’s Anchorage campus in the 2011-12 season, is third on the team for points, registering 61 in 58 games. He is also tied for first in goals with 36.
“In his second year in our program Andrew is developing his raw talent into becoming a goal scorer,” said Kings head coach Kent Lewis, in a released statement. “As he continues to improve, the (University of Alaska) Seawolves will have a player who should help them with offense that can be hard to come by.”
Also on the team, which finished second in their division in the regular season, are defencemen Alex McDougall and Reid Campbell, who has eight post-season points in 16 playoff games.
In the finals of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Whitehorse’s Adam Henderson has been helping prop up the Spruce Grove Saints in seven-game series against the Ft. McMurray Oil Barons. Currently the series is tied at two games apiece.
Not only did Henderson lead his team in points during the regular season, he is currently leading the team in points in the post-season, with 13 goals in 13 games, plus three assists.
“He’s been good in the playoffs,” said Saints head coach Steve Hamilton. “He’s been leading our team in the playoffs, he’s a big strong guy and he’s been pretty good for us.”
Like Pettitt, Henderson has also committed to playing for University of Alaska, Fairbanks campus, starting next season.
Led by local Evan Campbell, the Peninsula Panthers reached the finals of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League where they lost to the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Campbell was the team’s top scorer with 26 goals and 39 assists in 46 games this season. Teammate Joe Densmore, also of Whitehorse, produced eight points in 10 games this season.
On verge of making the semifinals of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Moncton Wildcats, along with Whitehorse’s Ted Stephens, are up 3-0 in a seven-game quarterfinal series against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. So far in the post-season Stephens has one goal and four assists in eight games.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com