Another local hockey talent will be taking his game south of the border at the university level this year as Connor LaCouvee has committed to the University of Boston.
LaCouvee, a 20-year-old from Qualicum Beach, was a member of the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs last season and did pretty much everything he could except score goals to help backstop his team in to the BCHL playoffs. LaCouvee put up some big numbers in between the pipes for the Bulldogs.
In the 2013–14 season, LaCouvee led the BCHL in shutouts (four), was tied for fourth in the league in wins (23) and posted a 2.77 goals against average which landed him a top 10 finish in that category as well. He was third in the BCHL in save percentage (.920) and was fifth in games played. It was good enough to earn LaCouvee MVP honours with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
The season didn’t start off that well for LaCouvee, who was bouncing from team to team, eventually landing in Port Alberni after being traded three times in the first month of the season.
“It was tough, for sure, to have that happen and not really have the feeling of being able to settle in,” LaCouvee said. “I was happy when I wound up in Port Alberni though and once the trade deadline passed, I knew I wasn’t going to be going anywhere.”
It turned out to be the move that both the Bulldogs and LaCouvee were happy with, as the Bulldogs went on a tear with LaCouvee standing on his head every night the team made the playoffs.
“It was a great year all in all. Getting there and being able to help turn things around with the team was huge,” LaCouvee said. “It was pretty tough at the start with the losing and practices weren’t that fun but we all stuck with it and turned it around to make the playoffs.”
LaCouvee heads to Boston this Saturday to take part in a summer semester and joins the group of freshman coming to the Boston University Terriers hockey program for the upcoming season.
“It’s gonna be good, getting in there early and meeting the teammates,” LaCouvee said. “I think it will help out in terms of building a bond with the guys and give us a leg up before the season starts. I’m really excited about being able to continue hockey at the University level and being able to play at Boston University was something that I had been working hard for.”
With the hard work ethic he’s shown, LaCouvee will be looking to continue to impress those watching, including the pro scouts who will be keeping an eye out for the talented goalie who set the BCHL on fire in the last half of the 2013–14 season.
