Gananoque’s Lou Jeffries arena hosts another successful annual OUA hockey game

In what has become tradition in Gananoque, the Queen’s men’s hockey team hosted a pre-season game at Lou Jeffries TLTI and Gananoque Recreation Centre.

This occurred last weekend, on Sept. 7, as the Gaels topped their crosstown rival Royal Military of College of Canada (RMC) 5-2 in the annual Lou Jeffries Scholarship game.

Derek Hamilton, Holden Katzalay, Logan LeSage, Lucas Peric and Nolan Hutcheson scored for the Gaels.

In a post-game interview, Queen’s head coach and Gananoque resident Brett Gibson said this annual game means a great deal to him personally.

“As the community I grew up in is the one that funds this scholarship,” said Gibson.

Gibson thanked the community for its continued support towards the Gaels program.

“Every year, when I ask the local businesses for support, there is zero hesitation,” said Gibson. “The citizens of Gananoque have helped numerous men’s hockey players at Queen’s financially and have continued to remember an incredible human being in Lou.”

The annual event honours Jeffries, who was a supporter of hockey in Gananoque and the Queen’s Gaels hockey program. Funds generated from this game go towards a scholarship.

Ethan Peters (Faculty of Applied Sciences) was this year’s recipient of the Lou Jeffries Scholarship. Peters is in his first year with the Gaels. Last season, Peters suited up for the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Jeffries helped the Gananoque Minor Hockey Association for more than 50 years. He’s also recognized as a contributor to bringing a Junior B hockey team to Gananoque in 1971. He served as coach, general manager, president and executive for the GMHA and Junior B Gananoque Islanders.

The puck officially drops on the 2024-25 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men’s hockey season on Oct. 3 and the women’s on Oct. 3.