SPEAKER SPORTS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025
Cubs season ends after losses in the Soo
1B
PUCKHOUNDS TANGLE WITH STARS
Speaker Reporter
In U12 play at the Don Shepherdson Memorial Arena on March 8, the Rotary Club Puckhounds and Timmins AA North Stars played to a 1-1 tie in their first match-up of the day. Third-period action saw the North Stars’ Matteo Comé put pressure on Puckhound goalie Freddy Beaudry, with Bryce Holeksa, at left, and Malyk Lachapelle defending the crease. The North Stars defeated the Puckhounds 8-4 in the second half of the doubleheader. (Staff photo by Diane Johnston)
TEMISKAMING SHORES — After what the coach described as a “challenging” year, the New Liskeard Cubs’ season officially ended last weekend. The 2024-2025 Great North U18 AAA League held a play-in round for the fifth, sixth and seventh place teams in Sault Ste. Marie March 7-9.
AC15 supports community in memory of Alexa Corneil
Sue Nielsen
Sue Nielsen Speaker Reporter
The Cubs placed seventh overall in the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 19 losses and one overtime loss. The U16 Soo Jr. Greyhounds were fifth and the U16 North Bay Trappers sixth. The Greyhounds defeated the Trappers 5-2 on Sunday to advance to the Great North’s postseason tournament in Timmins March 12-16, where the top five teams will compete for the league championship. It was a “hard way to end the season,” noted coach Jonathan Blier in a telephone interview. The Cubs played each team once on March 8, losing 8-0 to the Trappers and then getting outrun later that day by the Greyhounds 5-2. New Liskeard’s season may be best detailed in the statistics where they tallied 108 goals for but allowed 145 goals against. The team played with a physicality that led them to acquire 535 penalty minutes, sixth out of the nine teams. Blier emphasized the challenging aspect of the team’s season Continued on 8b
TEMISKAMING SHORES — Sixteen women’s hockey teams are gathering in Temiskaming Shores from March 21-23 to celebrate the enduring legacy of a gifted female hockey player, Alexa Corneil. But it’s also an occasion to raise funds to support community improvements such as Shaver Park in North Cobalt. Corneil was a multi-sport athlete but hockey was her passion. She tragically passed away in 2017 at the age of 19 due to a heart arrhythmia, but her legacy of promoting women’s hockey locally lives on when the puck drops for the fifth edition of the AC15 Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Don Shep-herdson Memorial Arena. Corneil began playing minor hockey for the Temiskaming Shores Minor Hockey Association Pinkhounds, always wearing sweater #15. “It’s going to be an unforgettable night with great live music, dancing, and plenty of fun,” said AC15 tournament organizer Emily Hall, who was also a friend and teammate of Corneil. “Our goal is to continue to grow and keep the momentum going for years. We believe we can get 20 teams next year.” The organizing committee is thrilled to invite all teams, friends, families, and sponsors to join them for the weekend. TOURNAMENT GROWTH New this year: games will take place at The Shep in New Liskeard and at the Shelley Herbert-Shea Memorial Arena in Haileybury.
“We are excited to be granted access to both arenas this year, which has really helped us grow the tournament. We’re also welcoming 16 women’s teams which is the largest group we’ve had so far. We are excited to have teams coming from all over Ontario and Quebec.” EVENT LIST She wants people to know that, besides the great hockey, there are several key initiatives taking place during the weekend. There is an online auction being offered via the AC15 Facebook page, a 50/50 draw will take place, a raffle featuring Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild jerseys donated by Justin Brazeau, a raffle table with prizes donated by local sponsors, and a celebrity hockey game takes place featuring the Mighty Docs (local health care professionals) and the local members of the Ontario Provincial Police on March 21 at 7 p.m. There are also AED/CPR training sessions, a social and dance at the Bun Eckensviller Memorial Community Hall, a beer garden will be available in lobby at The Shep hosted by Tri-Town Ski and Snowboard Village volunteers, and AC15 merchandise will be for sale. There is a more in-depth one hour AED/CPR skills program being offered this year, which to the Corneil family is an important part of the weekend’s activities and could help save a life in a critical situation. If people can’t make it to the games they can still help the cause by taking part in the
silent auction or donating directly via e-transfer to ac15hockey@gmail. com. Charitable receipts will be provided for any amounts over $20. The Saturday night dance features the talents of local musicians Richard Benoit and Carl Falls. “Last year’s dance was a huge success and it was wonderful to see everyone come together to have a great time off the ice,” said Hall. BRAZEAU JERSEY The area’s favourite National Hockey League star, Justin Brazeau, and his family are back to support the AC15 fundraiser again this year. He was traded at the deadline to the Minnesota Wild and he’s donated a jersey to help raise funds for the tournament. Brazeau will sign both jerseys when he comes back home this summer. To get your tickets, private message or text 705-648-5666 with your name and phone number. All e-transfer are sent to ac15hockey@gmail.com. Last year the tournament scored $24,000 for the North Cobalt Shaver Park upgrades, part of a $50,000 commitment from tournament organizers to the City of Temiskaming Shores. “All the money raised during the weekend will go back into the community to support initiatives that Alexa would have cared deeply about,” added Hall.
Local Loon making waves in the pool Sue Nielsen Speaker Reporter
TEMISKAMING SHORES — Colton Flaxey and his teammates from the Temiskaming Northern Loons Swim Club (TNLSC) are making big waves in the pool this year with their swimming prowess. The TNLSC is a competitive swim club for children and youth ages six to 18, using the Waterfront Pool and Fitness Centre in New Liskeard as their base. Flaxey, 11, is a Grade 6 student
at New Liskeard Public School in his fourth year swimming with the Loons. As soon as he was old enough to swim his parents say he was interested in being part of the local swim club. His strong events include the backstroke and freestyle. He dove into his season with a great showing in the Canadian rankings including placing seventh in the 200-metre (m) freestyle, eighth in the 400m freestyle and 13th in the 100m freestyle for his age bracket.
Colton Flaxey His most rewarding accomplishment came when he
competed at the Ontario Age Groups meet held in Markham two weeks ago and placed fourth in the 200m freestyle. There were 89 clubs competing in the Markham meet. The Loons achieved eight Ontario Swimming Championship qualifying times and nine personal best times. Flaxey loves swimming in competitions and he is grateful to his fellow teammates and coaches for their support of himself and all the swimmers in the club.
Teammates Jada Utas and Sophia Mayhew also attended the Markham meet where they represented the club very well. Colton is a multi-sport athlete who plays basketball and he loves to downhill ski. His swimming hero is American swimming legend Michael Phelps. He and his fellow Loon swimmers will be back in the pool for a competition in July in Etobicoke for the Ontario Youth Championships.