It’s been an up-and-down month for two Williams Lake hockey players.
Both Colton Thomas and Chase Dubois, third- and final-year players with the Prince George-based, BC Major Midget League’s Cariboo Cougars, learned recently their seasons would be coming to an abrupt end with just 12 games left in the regular season.
Thomas suffered a dislocated knee during the Mac’a AAA Midget Hockey Tournament over the Christmas break, while Dubois broke his ankle in a regular season game last weekend against the Vancouver North East Chiefs.
The news isn’t all bad, however, as Dubois was named the BCMML player of the month for December of 2015 and has committed to play junior A hockey next season for the West Kelowna Warriors, an opportunity the young player said he’s looking forward to.
Dubois amassed a total of 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 25 games this season and sits seventh in league scoring currently. Thomas, meanwhile, put up 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 26 games played.
Both players are considered leaders on the team by Cougars’ head coach Trevor Sprague.
In three seasons with the club Dubois and Thomas were an integral part of the team’s success. The Cougars are currently first place in the BCMML with a 19-6-3 record.
Last season, the duo helped the Cougars win the 2014 Mac’s Midget AAA Tournament championship.
“Chase has been a good role model for our younger players this season in demonstrating the competitiveness necessary to have success game in and game out,” Sprague said.
“Through the month of December Chase was a dominant player for our team and he’s a player that is counted on to play in all situations.”
Dubois said despite his injury, earning player of the month is a huge honour.
“I’ve always wanted to get player of the month and to get it in my last month of my BCMML career feels great,” he said.
“It feels good to know where I’m going to be playing next season and with a great organization in a good city.
“I’ve always wanted to play junior hockey and to know I will in the 2016/17 season means a lot.”
Dubois noted his ankle injury came after he was blindsided by a Chiefs player into the boards while falling awkwardly on his ankle.
“I was instantly in pain and had to be carried off the ice,” he said.
Thomas said the plan for his recovery is to come back strong and healthy for next season to join Dubois to play junior hockey next year.
“Playing for the Cougars the past few years really helped with my hockey development and the challenges of living on my own away from home made me a better person all around,” Thomas said.
Dubois noted playing for the Cougars were the best years of his life.
“I learned many life skills, met many great friends and it’s hard to go out like this,” he said. “I’ll always look back on my Cariboo days — the best years of my life so far.”