After enduring a “frustrating” debut season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League last year, power forward Alex Cunningham is enjoying a stellar breakout campaign with the Haliburton County Huskies.
The 20-year-old native of Windsor, ON moved north to the Highlands in the summer after splitting time last season playing for the Pickering Panthers and Brantford 99ers. He’s scored 17 goals and tallied 25 assists across 48 games in blue and white this season, becoming an increasingly influential presence for the Huskies at both ends of the ice.
“I was so excited to get the call in the summer – I had a good start to the season last year in Pickering, I had 13 points in 10 games with them, but things dropped off after moving to Brantford… I knew I wanted to play on a winning team that could go far in the playoffs, so I jumped at the opportunity to move up here,” Cunningham told The Highlander.
It’s been a slow burn for the 6-foot-2, 200-pound wing, who had to play his way into prominence in Haliburton County. He started the season on the fourth line, but as he became more familiar with his teammates and coach Ryan Ramsay’s system, he’s flourished.
Now operating as a middle-six winger who also sees time on the powerplay and penalty kill, Cunningham has been a regular feature on the scoresheet. He’s put up 10 points over his last four games, including a team-record six points Feb. 7 in an 8-3 win over the Markham Royals.
“On the way to the rink for that game, I just felt so locked in. I knew we needed to get the win, so I was laser focused. Once I got out there on the ice, everything seemed to go right – every shot I took went in,” Cunningham said. “It was my first ever hattrick, so definitely an exciting moment.”
With playoffs right around the corner, Cunningham said he’s excited to get his first taste of OJHL post-season action.
“Hockey playoffs is the best playoffs in pro sports. I can’t wait to experience it,” Cunningham said. “I think it’s going to suit my game well – I’m a big body that likes to hit, but I also thrive in those pressure situations. Whether it’s going forward and trying to score or being defensively responsible. I’m ready to go in all situations.”
With one more year of junior eligibility, Cunningham said he’d love to return to Haliburton County for his final season – preferably with an OJHL championship under his belt.
“We have the oldest, most experienced team in the league – we can roll any of our lines out and know they can make a difference. If we play as I know we can, with confidence, we should be able to beat any team in this league,” he said.
Alex Cunningham has become a key contributor for the Haliburton County Huskies.
