The Hawkesbury Hawks have been without one of their top forwards for the past two weeks, as Landon Brownlee has been playing with the Canada East squad at the World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ontario.

The World Junior A Challenge was founded in 2006 to give more exposure to players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). Held in Cornwall this year from December 8 to 18, the event featured some of the best Junior A players in the world.

Two teams represented Canada, with Canada East selecting players from the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s five eastern leagues – the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL). Canada West selected its players from the CJHL’s four western leagues – the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

Brownlee had a goal and an assist in six games for Canada East, as the team made it all the way to the gold medal game, where they lost 5-2 to to the United States.

Canada East actually had a tough time in the round-robin portion of the tournament, finishing in fourth place with a 1-3 record, behind Canada West, the United States and Sweden. But the team came alive in its elimination game against first-place Canada West, winning 4-1 to avenge a 6-3 loss earlier in the tournament.

Still just 18 years old, the 6’1”, 191-pound Brownlee, from Finch, Ontario, is in his second season with Hawkesbury in the CCHL. He has made a huge jump this year, scoring 14 goals and adding 11 assists, for 25 points in just 22 games so far in 2022-2023 – on pace to challenge for 30 goals. Brownlee had nine goals and seven assists in 53 games for the Hawks during the 2021-2022 season.

Nine Eastern Ontario Cobras named to HEO U18 AA All-Star team

Nine members of the Eastern Ontario Cobras U18 squad were playing for the U18 All Star home team, as Hockey Eastern Ontario held its 2022-2023 All-Star games on December 11 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville.

Goaltender Brayden Prevost; defensemen Mathis Gadoua, Nathan Williams, and Dylan Mitchell; along with forwards Bruno Laframboise, Mike Fournier, Nicolas Staples, Adrien Mitchell and Garrett Cunning, were all named to the team from the EO Cobras U18 squad.

I am of course particularly proud of Garrett, who is my nephew.

Glens close out 2022 this Friday

The Alexandria Glens will wrap up 2022 this Friday, December 23, when they host the Ottawa Junior Canadians at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria. Game time is 8 p.m.

Folowing Friday’s game, Alexandria will join the rest of the teams in the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League in enjoying the Christmas break. The Glens will take to the ice for the first time in 2023 on Saturday, January 7, when they will host the Ottawa West Golden Knights.

CCHL Winter Showcase in Kemptville January 10

The Central Canada Hockey League’s (CCHL) 2023 Winter Showcase will take place Tuesday, January 10, 2023, in Kemptville, at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. All 12 CCHL teams will be in action with the event, which is set for a 12:30 p.m. start.

For area fans, the big game of the Winter Showcase will be the evening matchup between the Hawkesbury Hawks and Rockland Nationals. Game time for that contest is 8 p.m.

The January 10 schedule of the CCHL Winter Showcase in Kemptville is below. The second team listed in each game will be the home team and have last change:

Pad 1

  • 12:30 p.m. – Smiths Falls vs. Ottawa
  • 3:00 p.m. – Renfrew vs. Navan
  • 5:30 p.m. – Carleton Place vs. Kemptville
  • 8:00 p.m. – Hawkesbury vs. Rockland

Pad 2

  • 1:30 p.m. – Pembroke vs. Cornwall
  • 6:00 p.m. – Brockville vs. Nepean