The captain has himself a scholarship.
Ben Matthews, leader of the Prince George Spruce Kings during the 2011-12 B.C. Hockey League season, has reached an agreement with the University of Alaska Anchorage. He'll begin play for the Seawolves, a Division 1 team in the NCAA, this fall.
"Ben is very deserving of this," said Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes. "As an organization, we are very excited and happy that he will get to continue his hockey career at an outstanding school. Ben played a huge role for us last season, on and off the ice."
Matthews, a defensive-style defenceman with some offensive flair, was acquired by the Kings in an off-season trade with the Trail Smoke Eaters. He stepped into the Prince George lineup and immediately became a stalwart on the blueline. He played all 60 regular-season games and finished with six goals and 23 points. Four of his goals were on the power play and one was a game-winner.
In two seasons with the Smoke Eaters, Matthews scored eight goals and added 23 assists, good for 31 points.
The 21-year-old Matthews is six-foot-three and weighs more than 225 pounds.
He won't have to travel far to go to school because his hometown is Chugiak, Alaska, about 40 kilometres northeast of Anchorage.
