Brad Sedore will be honoured before tonight’s Spirit game in Stouffville. He is retiring after serving as an OJHL equipment manager for 17 years. (Photo by Amy Deroche/OJHL Images)

The Spirit will honour some special people involved with the Jr. A hockey club before tonight’s Ontario Junior Hockey League game at the Stouffville Arena.

The Spirit hosts the Milton Menace in their final home game on the OJHL schedule. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

Brad Sedore had had a  lengthy and distinguished career as an equipment manager in Ontario junior hockey and lacrosse circles.

That includes 17 years in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, with the Spirit and Newmarket Hurricanes, and 10 years with the  Newmarket Jr. B lacrosse team.

This is Brad’s final season in the OJHL. He has announced he is retiring to spend more time with family.

Brad was serving as head of security with the Hurricanes when coaches Jim Wells and Tom Milne recruited him to join the equipment staff.

“It’s all for the love of the sport,” Brad said. “I like this level because the players aren’t here for a pay cheque. They just love to play. And it’s great to see them advance to the next level.”

He still hosts an annual reunion of Hurricane players at his home in Newmarket.

Brad also  served as equipment manager with  the Georgina Ice of the Jr. C Provincial Junior Hockey League before arriving in Spiritville

“The equipment managers are the unsung heroes of any team,” Spirit governor and general manager Kenny Burrows said. “They’re at the rink before anyone else arrives and well after everyone has left. We’ve been very fortunate to have Brad working with us. He’s dedicated and truly cares about the wellbeing of our players. We will miss him.”

Also being honoured tonight are billet families who opened their homes to the Spirit’s players from outside the region this season.

Those players – Carson Eagles, Charlie Vanhaverbeke and Dylan Hendrick – will present gifts to their billet families – the Palmers, Vincents and Patsy Palmer – before tonight’s game.

“These families provided more than a place to sleep for our players,” Burrows said. “They treated them like members of their families and we are so thankful for that. It’s another piece of a hockey operation most people don’t know about but it’s so critical to the success of any team.”

PUSH FOR THE PLAYOFFS

With 10 days remaining on the OJHL schedule, the Spirit could finish seventh, eighth or ninth in the OJHL’s North-West Conference.

The Spirit (17-26-1-6) is in the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference, nine points up on the Oakville Blades (15-32-1-1). The Spirit has four games remaining while Oakville has five.

The Aurora Tigers (18-26-2-5) are in seventh, two points ahead of the Spirit. Aurora has three games to play.

Oakville plays Brantford tonight.

THE SKED

Feb. 23, Milton at Stouffville, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 24, Stouffville at Markham, 7:30 p.m.

March 1, Stouffville at Georgetown, 7:30 p.m.

March 3, Stouffville at Pickering, 7:30 p.m.

End of regular season

THE SCORES

The Spirit held leads but lost both of its games on the long weekend.

Burlington 5, Spirit 2

Odaro Ewere and Cam Kosurko scored early in the third period to give the Spirit a 2-1 lead at home Saturday night. But the nationally ranked Cougars responded with four unanswered goals.

Pickering 6, Spirit 3

Goals by Ryan O’Dell and Peter Kioussis handed the Spirit an early lead before Pickering responded with four unanswered goals in front of 480 fans on Family Day in Stouffvllle. Ewere scored to make it 4-3 heading into the third period.

All three Spirit goals were scored on the power play.

NOTEBOOK 

Graduating players (born in 2002) would normally be honoured tonight, as well. But there are no 20-year-olds on the youthful Spirit roster. Markham will honour its 10 graduates before Friday’s game with the Spirit at Markham Centennial.

The Spirit is averaging crowds of 285 – eighth highest in the 21-team OJHL. 

Youth hockey players wearing their team jerseys will be admitted free tonight.

Spirit This Week is sponsored by Farmer Jack’s in Stouffville and Sharon