Wolves to honour players who died in crash

Slowly, the Renfrew Timberwolves are resuming hockey action following a tragic car accident involving four of their players.

The Timberwolves, who play in the CCHL2 league, cancelled five of their scheduled games out of respect to the two players killed in a car crash on Calabogie Road on Oct. 27.

On Friday, the Timberwolves will return to the ice with a game against Alexandria, but not before raising the home jerseys of No. 88 Alex Paquette and No. 65 Brandon Hanniman in a pregame ceremony at MaTe-Way arena in Renfrew.

The initials and numbers of Paquette and Hanniman have been stencilled onto the ice at Ma-Te-Way. On Friday evening, as the jerseys are raised, players will stand around the initials and numbers in tribute to their fallen teammates, both 18.

Two other players, Ben Scheuneman and Jake McGrimmon, also 18, were injured in the single-vehicle crash. Scheuneman, whose father, Derek, is past president of the Renfrew minor hockey association, remains in an Ottawa hospital, listed in stable condition.

Scheuneman has been out of the intensive care unit for several days now, no longer needs a respirator and has started speech therapy. It’s expected he is in for a lengthy rehabilitation period.

McGrimmon, whose father, Derek, is president of the Timberwolves, has been out of hospital for more than a week.

Proceeds from the game will go to the Scheuneman family to help cover some of their expenses.

Throughout the region, the tragedy to the Timberwolves has been the subject of tributes in honour of Paquette and Hanniman.

“Our town, the CCHL2 and all the other hockey leagues out there have been absolutely amazing and nobody could feel the love and support more than this team right now,” the Timberwolves said in a recent statement.