Leblanc part of under-18 gold-medal team

Kirkland resident Louis Leblanc was part of the Canadian men’s under-18 squad that recently captured gold at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament in Piestany, Slovakia. Leblanc, who learned his skills in the Lakeshore Hockey Association before going to spend two consecutive successful seasons with the Dollard des Ormeaux-based Lac St. Louis Lions, did not look out of place in the elite tournament, consisting of many of the finest u-18 players in the country, some of whom are projected to be top-five draft prospects in the National Hockey League. He had an assist during their key 6-3 win over Russia during the championship game, and had two goals a day earlier against Slovakia. Leblanc, who scored an overtime goal as an atom-level player to give the Lakeshore Panthers a provincial title several years ago, ended up with three goals and an assist during the tourney.

It’s been quite a ride for the past 12 months for West Island resident Jon Goyens on the highway that is coaching hockey, and the latest turn has seen him end up south of the border. Goyens started out the 2007-08 season as an assistant coach with the midget espoir Lac St. Louis Tigers, but was dismissed of his duties a little over a month into the regular season. He didn’t stay idle long though, as Danny Dupont, head coach of the Dollard des Ormeaux-based Lac St. Louis Lions asked him to come on board as an assistant coach a couple of weeks later. After finishing the season with the Lions, Goyens recently accepted an assistant coaching position with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Goyens served an earlier stint as an assistant coach with the Lions under then-head coach Karl Svoboda.