On Sept. 7, the men’s hockey teams from Queen’s and the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) will travel to Gananoque, ON, to take part in an annual exhibition game in honour of Lou Jeffries, a key figure in the development of youth hockey programs in Gananoque, as well as a strong supporter of the Gaels hockey program.
Throughout his 50 years of service to the Gananoque Minor Hockey Association (GMHA), Jeffries was able to bring Gananoque their own Junior B hockey team, of which he served as the Coach, General Manager, President, and League Executive for the GMHA and the Gananoque Islanders.
The memorial game and its scholarship were created in 2006 by the current Gaels’ Head Coach and Gananoque native, Brett Gibson. The scholarship, funded by money made from the game, was introduced when the Men’s Hockey team wasn’t receiving money from Queen’s Athletics and Recreation (ARC).
The award is given to a player who excels in both academics and athletics. Last year, Queen’s own Cole Shepherd, Comm ’27, won the scholarship for his outstanding performance on the ice and his character away from the rink.
Historically, the Gaels are 43-3 against the Paladins, having won 18 straight matchups against their rivals. Their last loss came in 2019.
The Lou Jeffries Memorial Game is usually quite competitive, but it is still an exhibition game, nonetheless.
It offers both coaches an opportunity to get a good look at their roster, figure out their lines, defensive matchups, and powerplay and penalty kill plans, and finalize who will be between the pipes when the regular season rolls around.
The matchup between the Gaels and Paladins is part of a historic 137-year rivalry, which is also celebrated through the Carr-Harris Cup.
During last year’s Carr-Harris Cup matchup, the Gaels dominated the Paladins, winning 6-0 in a physical game, embodying the true spirit of hockey’s oldest rivalry.
If you’re interested in supporting the memorial game and the scholarship, head to Lou Jeffries Gananoque Recreation Centre on Sept. 7.
Tags
gananoque, Hockey, Lou Jefferies, RMC Paladins
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