A hockey player who once played with the Summerland Steam and the Nelson Leafs is now on a Division III hockey team in Massachusetts.

Matthew Byrne is a forward who played in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League before moving to the Anna Maria College AMCATS, a team based out of Paxton, Mass.

Byrne, from Penticton, is a business administration student at the college. On the ice, he's posted five goals and seven points in 10 games this season. Last year, he had five points in seven games, in a season that ended due to injury.

The team is in its first year in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASAC) and has a record of seven wins, three losses and no ties this season.

鈥淚 want to make sure I鈥檓 doing all I can to have the best individual season, but overall, I want our team to do well this year and winning the MASCAC would be awesome,鈥� he said in an interview with the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a lot of fun with the guys and I think we have a good opportunity to do something special.鈥�

At the college, Byrne is in class from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with hockey practices beginning at 1:30 and gym sessions every week.

He said his time with the Summerland Steam and Nelson Leafs has helped him on the ice this year.

鈥淚t was definitely a lot of fun and I had great teammates there, great teams there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t helped me play with more confidence. The physicality got me ready for college, which has older players and is definitely a physical league.鈥�

During his time in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, Byrne had 37 points in 23 games.

He played with the Summerland Steam in the final half of the 2019-2020 season and joined the Nelson Leafs in the 2021-2022 season.

During his time in Summerland, Byrne contributed 18 goals and 26 points during 15 regular season games. In playoff action, he contributed three points in four games.

In Nelson, Byrne had five goals and 11 points in three games.

Byrne is not the only Kootenay International Junior Hockey League player on the AMCATS. Others from the league are Brandon Della Paolera of the Osoyoos Coyotes, Adam Redding of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats and Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Owen Barrow of the Kamloops Storm.