Akweks hockey looking forward to playoffs

The Kahnawake Survival School (KSS) U14 hockey team is already guaranteed a spot in the Greater Montreal Athletics Association (GMAA) playoffs starting next week, and head coach Nicholas Lesperance is hoping they will have everyone available for their semifinals game.

“We’re excited to get to the playoffs with a full squad, so we can go back to what we do best and win some games,” said the Akweks’ head coach.

KSS has not had a full squad for a few games now, which Lesperance blamed for their current three-game skid.

It started on February 4 against Lower Canada College (LCC), during a special outdoors game in frigid temperatures. KSS lost that game 4-1. They were shut out the next day to St. Thomas High School 2-0 and dropped their most recent game 6-2 in a rematch against LCC.

“We’ve really been affected by this on the ice,” said Lesperance.

“We really suffer when our numbers are low and do extremely well when everyone’s present. Hopefully, we can get some good training in before our next game to prepare ourselves for the playoffs and ready ourselves as much as possible.”

Their skid has left them with a 6-4-1 record after a scorching 6-1-1 start, still good for fourth place overall.

“When things are going well, we are unstoppable,” said Lesperance.

It’s been a great season even with the three-game losing streak, and a marked improvement over last season, when the team went 2-7 and lost in the semifinals 8-1 to Beaconsfield High School.

Lesperance said that many players have improved a lot compared to last year, and as a result the Akweks have started to show that they need to be taken seriously as a team.

“We still have a lot to work on to make sure that all of our players are dressed for every game, but in general, I think things went pretty well,” said Lesperance.

“KSS’s success really comes down to hard work and dedication to helping the team as a whole this year. We focus a lot on team strategy, and we will continue to work on that.”

KSS goes into their last game of the regular season - taking place on the road today (Friday), at 2 p.m. against last-place Selwyn House - knowing that they will face the top-seed St. Thomas High School on the road no matter what the outcome of Friday’s game.

KSS has won one of their three meetings, a 3-2 victory at home on December 1.

With a full team, Lesperance thinks they can compete with anyone, including their first-round opponent.

That matchup will be played either February 19 or 20, depending on scheduling availability.

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