56 OHL grads in action at 2020 U SPORTS University Cup
The Canadian Hockey League is proud to announce that 166 alumni from the Western Hockey League (59 players), Ontario Hockey League (56 players), and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (51 players) will compete in the 2020 U SPORTS University Cup in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
This year’s tournament sees eight teams compete for the national title including the three conference champions in the Saskatchewan Huskies, Guelph Gryphons, and the UNB Reds, as well as the Western Mustangs, SMU Huskies, UBC Thunderbirds, Ottawa Gee-Gees, and host Acadia Axemen.
The top ranked Reds return to the national spotlight after winning it all last year when the club downed the Alberta Golden Bears by a 4-2 score in the championship final in which CHL graduates Samuel Dove-McFalls (Rimouski Oceanic), Olivier LeBlanc (Cape Breton Eagles), Alexandre Goulet (Victoriaville Tigres), and Joe Gatenby (Kamloops Blazers) provided the offense, all of whom return for this year’s edition. Earlier this month, the Reds captured their third consecutive conference championship after the club topped the Axemen in the Atlantic University Sport final.
Among the other conference champions, the second ranked Saskatchewan Huskies will shoot for national glory after the club downed the UBC Thunderbirds to claim the Dr. W.G. Hardy Trophy, awarded to the Canada West playoff champion, while the third ranked Guelph Gryphons came away with the Ontario University Athletics title after defeating the Ottawa Gee-Gees in triple overtime to claim supremacy. All three runners-up earned a spot in the 2020 U SPORTS University Cup – with the Axemen doubling as host – while the Mustangs, the third-place finishers in the OUA, and SMU Huskies, who fell to the Axemen in the AUS semi-final, round out the group of eight qualifiers.
Tournament action begins Thursday, with quarterfinal play occurring in the first two days before Saturday’s semi-finals and Sunday’s bronze and gold medal games.
2019-20 U SPORTS UNIVERSITY CUP – 56 OHL GRADUATES
No. 1 Ranked UNB Reds (8):
Kris Bennett, Saginaw Spirit 2017
Noah Carroll, Soo Greyhounds 2018
Brady Gilmour, Saginaw Spirit 2019
Connor Hall, Kitchener Rangers 2019
Ben Hawerchuk, Barrie Colts 2019
James McEwan, Guelph Storm 2018
Marcus McIvor, North Bay Battalion 2015
Patrick Watling, Soo Greyhounds 2014
No. 3 Ranked Guelph Gryphons (11):
Mikkel Aagaard, Sudbury Wolves 2016
Cole Cameron, Kitchener Rangers 2019
Justin Lemcke, Hamilton Bulldogs 2018
Ted Nichol, Kingston Frontenacs 2018
Ryan O’Bonsawin, Sudbury Wolves 19
Zachary Poirier, Owen Sound Attack 2019
Zach Roberts, Guelph Storm 2019
Jesse Saban, North Bay Battalion 2018
Marc Stevens, Guelph Storm 2016
Matthew Timms, London Knights 2019
Ryan Valentini, Sudbury Wolves 2018
No. 4 Ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees (3):
Nicolas Mattinen, Oshawa Generals 2019
Medric Mercier, Oshawa Generals 2017
Connor Sills, Flint Firebirds 2016
No. 5 Ranked Acadia Axemen (11):
Dawson Carty, Hamilton Bulldogs 2017
Maurizio Colella, Flint Firebirds 2018
Johnny Corneil, Niagara IceDogs 2018
Cristiano DiGiacinto, Windsor Spitfires 2017
T.J. Fergus, Barrie Colts 2018
Stephen Harper, Niagara IceDogs 2016
Eric Henderson, Hamilton Bulldogs 2019
Alexander Lepkowski, Oshawa Generals 2014
Liam Maaskant, Kitchener Rangers 2015
Owen MacDonald, London Knights 2017
Garrett McFadden, Guelph Storm 2018
No. 6 Ranked SMU Huskies (5):
Logan DeNoble, Peterborough Petes 2018
Dylan Di Perna, Kitchener Rangers 2017
Jacob Friend, Owen Sound Attack 2018
Connor McGlynn, Kingston Frontenacs 2016
Alexander Peters, Flint Firebirds 2017
No. 7 Ranked Western Mustangs (18):
Zach Core, Sarnia Sting 2016
Stephen Desrocher, Kingston Frontenacs 2017
Alex Di Carlo, Oshawa Generals 2018
David Eccles, Soo Greyhounds 2015
Mitchell Fitzmorris, Niagara IceDogs 2015
Brendan Harrogate, Oshawa Generals 2018
Kenny Huether, Oshawa Generals 2018
Cordell James, Owen Sound Attack 2017
Kyle Langdon, Niagara IceDogs 2018
Austin Osmanski, Peterborough Petes 2019
David Ovsjannikov, Barrie Colts 2017
Luke Peressini, Kingston Frontenacs 2016
Kyle Pettit, Erie Otters 2017
Franco Sproviero, Sarnia Sting 2019
Anthony Stefano, Barrie Colts 2017
Ethan Szypula, Owen Sound Attack 2018
Alex Turko, London Knights 2019
Matthew Watson, Peterborough Petes 2016
Livestreaming in English is available for free worldwide on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem, the CBC Sports App for iOS and Android devices, with French digital coverage carried on USPORTS.LIVE.
For schedule and information visit usports.ca.