A Great Hockey Thanksgiving: Remaining on Campus Over Break

Every year the St. Lawrence University Men’s Ice Hockey team must stay in Canton during Thanksgiving break. The break for students at St. Lawrence University is filled with only a few groups on campus. The SLU Men’s Ice hockey team being one of them.   

Cameron Smith ’27, a sophomore goalie from Westchester, N.Y, had a tough time remembering the last time he was home for Thanksgiving break. “I think sophomore year of high school,” Smith said. When reminiscing about the previous Thanksgiving he had been home, he began to smile. “My extended family, my cousins, we all go to my grandma’s house and have a big dinner,” Smith said.   

With hockey being an international sport and Canada being across the border from SLU, many Canadians are on the Men’s Ice hockey team. Junior defenceman Isaac Bandu ’26, from Montreal, Quebec, does not celebrate American Thanksgiving, unlike many players on the team. But was happy to attend the surprise Thanksgiving supper the team held at the Best Western on Thursday before the weekend of games being played in Lake Placid. “It was really nice to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal at the Best Western in Canton, the whole team was there, the coaches and their families, it was fun,” Bandu said.   

Being able to go home and see family during the break is something every player misses. However, having the whole team on campus when class is not happening can lead to cherished lifelong memories. Jake Lammens ’27, a sophomore defenceman from Norwalk, Connecticut, believes staying on campus for the break creates a closer bond between others. “You have a lot of free time with your team, you get to hang out a lot, and really know your teammates more,” Lammens says. When asked about the meal catered by the Best Western, Lammens chuckled, “It was a great spread of food,” he said with a smirk. 

The Skating Saints take on the Dartmouth Big Green, Friday at 7:00 p.m. in Hanover, N.H.