CANADIAN CONNECTION: Hun School boys’ hockey player Guillaume Hebert heads up the ice in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior forward and assistant captain Hebert, a native of Quebec City, Quebec, picked up two assists as Hun fell 9-5 to the Portledge School (N.Y.). The Raiders, who lost 6-2 to Gloucester Catholic last Monday to fall to 9-8-2, play at St. Augustine on February 9 before starting action in the Mercer County Tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was Guillaume Hebert’s dream to play ice hockey at an American prep school.

The Quebec City, Quebec native found a home in New Jersey in 2016 after crossing paths with Hun School hockey coach Ian McNally.

“I did a showcase in Montreal and coach McNally saw me there,” said Hebert, who previously attended the Academie Saint-Louis in Quebec and played for its hockey program.

Upon arriving at Hun, Hebert struggled in the classroom as he only spoke French.

Bonding with his hockey teammates helped Hebert gained a comfort level in his new surroundings.

“Last year the group of seniors helped,” said Hebert. “There were nine seniors and we were good friends.”

When the Hun program held its Senior Night last Wednesday as Hun hosted the Portledge School (N.Y.), Hebert enjoyed sharing the moment with his Hun family.

“I was thankful for my parents and the coach and hoping that we win this game,” said Hebert, who has served as an assistant captain this winter.

But a day after rallying from a 3-1 deficit to tie Princeton Day School 4-4 through regulation and overtime before losing in a shootout, the Raiders didn’t get the win as they fell 9-5 to Portledge.

“The guys were probably tired,” said Hebert. “The penalties were bad tonight, I think that was the worst game of the year for sure.”

For Hebert, playing on a line this winter with junior star Kyle Mandleur and freshman standout Matt Argentina has been one of the best things about his senior campaign.

“They are probably going to be NHL players; they will be D-I for sure,” said the 6’0, 190-pound Hebert, who picked up two assists in the loss to Portledge.

“I just hope I can play D-III next year or in two years. My job was just to be big man on their line trying to pass the puck and make them score.”

Hun head coach Ian McNally likes how Hebert has grown into being a key man for the Raiders,

“Guillaume has contributed offensively this year so he has been a big part; he has been a necessary secondary scorer for us this year,” said McNally.

“Even his English has vastly improved in two years. He has come to very much love Hun to the point where he has a younger sister who wants to come.”

The team’s love for its seniors was expressed in the pregame ceremony as Joseph Corcoran, Kyle DePalma, Nicholas Aubry, and Joseph Hoffman were honored along with Hebert.

“It is a neat group because there were five kids that played today and four of them I have known since they were little kids,” said McNally. “It is not just the four years of high school; I have gotten to know them all the way through.”

The Raiders, though, didn’t get a lift from the Senior Night celebration.

“We came out incredibly flat, there was no emotion on the bench,” said McNally.

“It was a very disappointing stretch. If we score five goals on a team, you know you can score on them. It would have been nice to have won 5-2 but we chose a different path and took penalties.”

After falling behind 6-2 late in the second period, Hun trimmed the margin to 6-4 with 17:09 left in regulation, appearing poised to make its second rally in two days.

“I did think maybe we could come back and then we took another penalty and they scored a goal; that has been the story of all the blowout losses,” said McNally.

“We were hopeful, even in the third period with 10 minutes left. I never doubted that we could score more goals; we just kind of kept cutting our leg off there.”

McNally is hopeful that Hun can make another championship run in the upcoming Mercer County Tournament as it goes for a fifth straight title.

“Guys who have been here two, three years, they only know winning the Mercer County Tournament,” said McNally, whose squad lost 6-2 to Gloucester Catholic last Monday to fall to 9-8-2 and will play at St. Augustine on February 9 before starting action in the MCT.

“I assume the goal will be to want to continue that. Once you win a couple in a row, no one wants to be the class that doesn’t win. We will shoot for that.”

Hebert, for his part, has some unfinished business in connection with the MCT.

“Last year, I broke my collarbone in the final so I couldn’t celebrate with the guys,” recalled Hebert.

“They came to the hospital with the trophy. This year hopefully I will be there to celebrate for the final.”