S P O R T S
NO SEASON FOR COUGARS AS NCJHL ABANDONS PLANS
STEPHEN JEFFERY stephen.jeffery@eap.on.ca
The National Capital Junior Hockey League (NCJHL) has called it quits on trying to host a season during under COVID-19 restrictions. Late last month, the league, which in- cludes the Vankleek Hill Cougars and the Saint-Isidore Eagles, confirmed that there would not be a regular season in any form. In a statement, the NCJHL said the best-case scenario under the post-lockdown restric- tions was a modified scrimmage against a single partner team for the remainder of the season. “With the uncertainty of this continuing until the end of March in case there is an- other shutdown, the high cost to operate such a bubble and the safety concerns for players and coaches, it was felt that this was the proper way to go,” the statement read. “Some teams may continue to hold weekly try out get togethers within their own group.” In December, teams in the NCJHL had tentatively agreed to start the regular season on January 8. The shortened season would have featured 18 games, followed by playoffs in late March or early April. But the Ontario government’s lockdown in late December, followed by a new state of emergency and stay at home order in January, meant arenas were closed and teams were unable to meet, even for training sessions.
Justin Chaumont est l’homonyme de l’une des deux équipes des Cougars de Vankleek Hill qui ont joué dans un camp de conditionnement le 24 février. La National Capital Junior Hockey League a annoncé à la fin du mois dernier qu›il n›y aurait pas de saison régulière pour 2020/21. — photo fournie
The Cougars have spent the non-season running conditioning camps when arenas were open. The club divided players into “black” and “white” teams, and encouraged fans to guess who would win with some prizes
the end of March, the council extended the period to April 18 in order to allow skaters to spend more time practising after arenas were unable to open during the lockdown between December 26 and mid-February.
available. The next conditioning camp was due to be held on Thursday. Last month, Champlain council approved the extension of ice time at the Vankleek Hill arena by two weeks. While the ice would usually be removed at
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