In NCAA hockey, Montrose’s Conner and Kellen Jones have been major contributors to Quinnipiac University’s torrid start.
The Quinnipiac Bobcats have won six of eight games and are ranked 20th in the NCAA Div.1 national rankings, the first time they’ve breached the top 20 in almost a year.
Connor and Kellen sit in second and third in scoring on the Bobcats with Connor netting three goals and seven assists, for 10 points in eight games while Kellen is close behind with three goals and five assists.
Even more impressive is their plus-minus ratings of plus-5 and plus-6 respectively.
In their most recent series against Robert Morris University, Connor scored a goal in the 4-1 win. Former Trail Smoke Eater, Scott Jacklin plays for Robert Morris but Jacklin has had limited playing time in his rookie season and has yet to garner a point.
Another former Smokie, Sam Mellor picked up his first goal of the season for the University of Alaska, in a 6-2 win over Mercyhurst last week.
Meanwhile Paul Mailey’s SAIT Trojans are undefeated in six games and lead the league in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
Castlegar product, and Vernon Vipers forward Aaron Hadley has committed to the NCAA Div. 1 Western Michigan University Broncos.
Hadley is in his second season with the Vipers after spending the 2009-10 campaign with the KIJHL’s Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
He put up 24 points (9-15) in his rookie BCHL season in Vernon last year, a season that resulted in a third consecutive BCHL title and an RBC Cup final berth for the Vipers.