Upcoming home ice hockey games in and around Glengarry
Primer on puck drop for Senior A and Junior A/B/C clubs
It’s that time of year again, as our hockey warriors are set to take to the ice. Here is your primer for the season starts at the Senior A (EOSHL), Junior A (CCHL), Junior B (EOJHL), and Junior C (NCJHL) levels.
Senior A - EOSHL
The county’s lone entrant in the region’s Senior A hockey loop, the Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League, is the Glengarry Pipers, who are based in Alexandria at the Glengarry Sports Palace.
New this year, the league has renamed its divisions, with the Pipers playing in the Seaway Division.
The North Dundas Rockets play their home games in Chesterville, while the South Grenville Rangers skate in Prescott, and the South Stormont Mustangs host games in Long Sault.
For 2024-25, teams in the EOSHL are grouped in one of four divisions. The others are Capital, Highlands, and Lakes. Each division includes four teams, for a total of 16 clubs this season.
That’s an increase of one from the 2023-24 campaign where teams were split into two divisions.
The 2024-25 season opener for the Glengarry Pipers is booked for home ice in Alexandria, on September 28, starting at 4 p.m. The Pontiac Senior Comets will provide the opposition.
See this page for the team’s full schedule.
In other news from the Pipers, the team recently announced its head coach for the season will be Tristen Elie.
Elie is a product of Alexandria Minor Hockey. Now 28, Elie, who hails from Green Valley, spent the last four seasons playing in the EOSHL, most recently as a member of the Pipers. His hockey career also included stints in the CCHL and OHL, along with U-Sports and others.
Junior B - EOJHL
The biggest change in hockey that the county will see is at the Junior B level, with the new Glengarry Brigade team hitting the ice. Earlier in the summer, the former clubs Char-Lan Rebels and Alexandria Glens merged to create a new entity that will split its home games between rinks in Alexandria and Williamstown.
The Brigade is one of 13 teams skating in the EOJHL for the 2024-25 season. The team will open its season this weekend on home ice, with a double bill in Glengarry.
First up, on Saturday, the Brigade will skate in Williamstown at the Char-Lan Rec Centre. Game time is 8 p.m. versus the Athens Aeros.
On Sunday, starting at 4:30 p.m, the Brigade will play in Alexandria at the Glengarry Sports Palace, with the Embrun Panthers visiting.
The team’s full season schedule can be seen here.
Last winter, the Rebels and Glens took the bottom two spots in their division. The hope this year will be that the combined effort in one club will improve upon those results.
Grant Cooper, aged 28, is tagged as the Brigade’s head coach for the 2024-25 season. Last season, he helmed the Rebels. His playing career wrapped up with the 2023-23 season when he skated for clubs in England and Ireland.
Junior A - CCHL
While there are no Junior A clubs in the county, there are two nearby: the Hawkesbury Hawks and the Cornwall Colts.
The first scheduled regular-season game in Hawkesbury goes tonight for the Hawks, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Pembroke Lumberkings will provide the opposition.
The club has already completed three games, winning in regulation time 4-2 over Ottawa, losing in overtime 4-3 to Nepean, and falling in regulation 5-2 to Cornwall.
That aforementioned Cornwall game was played last night in the Seaway City and was the Colts’ home opener. The victory maintained the team’s perfect 3-0 record thus far, as Cornwall previous beat Nepean 8-1 and Smith Falls 4-3.
The Colts’ next home game is slated for September 26, starting at 7:30 p.m., with the Carleton Place Canadians visiting.
A week into the 2024-25 season, the Cornwall Colts top the league with 6 points, while the Hawkesbury Hawks sit in the middle of the pack with 3 points.
The full CCHL schedule can be seen on this page.
Junior C - NCJHL
The region’s Junior C hockey league has its closest club playing out of Vankleek Hill. There are also teams nearby in Winchester and St. Isidore.
The Cougars (VKH) are one of 10 teams competing this season in the NCJHL. Thus far, the club has three exhibition games in the books: a 4-3 loss to the North Dundas (Winchester) Rockets, a 7-2 win over the St. Isidore Eagles, and a 5-5 tie with the Almonte Inferno.
Vankleek Hill’s next home game, its regular-season opener, is booked for Saturday, September 21, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles will provide the opposition.
The complete NCJHL schedule can be found here.