PHOTO COURTESY SJHL/HUMBOLDT BRONCOS
Humboldt Broncos defenceman Layne Matechuk is pictured in this undated team photo. Matechuk, also a Medicine Hat Tigers bantam draft pick and a Broncos bus crash survivor, won’t attend the Hockey Hounds Major Bantam Hockey Tournament this weekend as was hoped
Medicine Hat News
The Humboldt Broncos logo is front and centre on the poster but that’s as far as the Hockey Hounds Major Bantam Hockey Tournament’s connection with the team will be when the event starts today at various rinks in Medicine Hat.
Hounds president George Hamel said Wednesday that Broncos bus crash survivor Layne Matechuk won’t attend the 16-team tournament as was hoped after the organizing committee reached out to him in hopes of dropping the first puck after the opening ceremonies tonight.
Hamel said Matechuk — who spent months in a coma after the April disaster — isn’t feeling well enough to travel. Matechuk was a bantam draft pick of the Medicine Hat Tigers and now faces tremendous health challenges.
The hometown South East Athletic Club Tigers begin their quest for a title against one of the tournament favourites, the Martensville Marauders, at 8:30 p.m. at the Kinplex. While the Hounds are first place in their Alberta bantam AAA league division with a 7-4-2 record, Martensville is 9-0 in Saskatchewan league play.
Defending champion St. George’s Academy opens against Prince Albert at 5 p.m. at Hockey Hounds. Round robin games go on through Friday with playoffs starting Saturday afternoon. The final is slated for 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
