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Rockies alum finding offence with Southern Maine Huskies
Columbia Valley Rockies alum Kayde Kinaschuk (2021-23) is in his second season with the University of Southern Maine Huskies in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III.
In his two seasons in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), the Calgary, Alberta native was an offensive force – a two-time 30-goal scorer (65 career goals) and recorded 119 points in 80 career regular season games. He added 21 points in 18 KIJHL Teck Cup playof games.
This season, Kinaschuk is third on the Huskies with seven points in 14 games. Last season he registered two assists in eight games.
KIJHL communications director Emanuel Sequeira connected with Kinaschuk to talk about his season with the Huskies and his time in the KIJHL.
KIJHL: What has your season been like and how do you feel you have been playing?
KK: I think I’m doing alright. I’m picking up offensively a little bit, playing more and well.(Kinaschuk recorded a goal and an assist in their last three games.)
KIJHL: What has it been like playing at this level?
KK: It’s been awesome. I’ve had a lot of fun and it’s definitely a big jump from the KIJHL. I definitely wanted to challenge myself to see how far I can go. I’m enjoying it so far and looking to keep building these next couple of years.
KIJHL: Coming into the season, what did you want to accomplish personally that will help your team win?
KK: I want to contribute offensively, create chances and help out defensively as well.
KIJHL: What has it been like for you to be teammates with Ethan MacDuff after battling each other in the KIJHL?
KK: Yeah, we definitely had our battles, probably played against each other 20 times – big rivals. Coming here, he was the only guy I knew. We were going through it together and now being roommates, it’s pretty cool.
KIJHL: How did your time in the KIJHL help you make the transition to college hockey?
KK: The KIJHL was awesome and definitely helped me develop as a person and player. It helped me find confidence as a player and was a lot of fun.
KIJHL: What did you enjoy about your time in the league?
KK: The location was great. There are definitely lots of fans, especially in our division. It gets pretty rowdy at a lot of games. It was great.
Images submitted by KIJHL
