SUDBURY, Ont. – In suiting up for the Cochrane Crunch Sunday evening vs. the Rayside-Balfour Canadians, Cochrane Crunch captain Connor Lovie became the 10th player in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League history to reach the 200-game plateau in NOJHL history.
Also taking part in that match-up was Rayside-Balfour forward Matthew Neault, who is the NOJHL’s all-time leader in games played as the Canadians’ captain took part in his league-best 267th contest.
Lovie, a 20-year-old London, Ont., product, also becomes the third NOJHL defenceman to skate in that many contests as well as be the second skater to suit up for the same team in that many games.
He joins forward Brian McGarry, who spent his entire career with the then Sudbury Northern Wolves from 2001-06.
Through his first 199 match-ups Lovie had registered 103 points on 26 goals and 77 assists.
Of note, current Powassan Voodoos forward Ryan Theriault also reached the 200-game mark in the NOJHL earlier this season.
He wrapped up the regular season at 228 games played, which puts him fourth all-time in the league.
| NOJHL: All-Time Games Played | |||||
| FIRST | LAST | POS. | GP | TEAM(S) | SEASONS |
| Matthew | Neault | F | 267 | Rayside-Balfour, Blind River, Sudbury | 2013-18 |
| Chris | Pontes | D | 243 | Abitibi, Timmins | 2004-10 |
| Kealey | Cummings | D | 231 | Abitibi, Timmins | 2011-16 |
| Ryan | Theriault | F | 228 | Powassan, Timmins, Espanola, Sudbury | 2013-14 |
| Matt | Brunet | F | 224 | Soo Thunderbirds, Abitibi | 2002-07 |
| Curtis | Johnson | F | 222 | Blind River, Manitoulin | 2001-06 |
| Brenden | Biedermann | F | 218 | Rayside-Balfour, Sudbury | 2003-08 |
| Brian | McGarry | F | 211 | Sudbury | 2001-06 |
| Dustin | Cordeiro | F | 200 | Elliot Lake, Cochrane | 2012-16 |
| Connor | Lovie | D | 200 | Cochrane | 2014-18 |
With files from NOJHL statistician and historian David Harrison
