land ▁attempted ▁to ▁follow ▁his ▁father ' s ▁military ▁foot steps , ▁and ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁Mid and ▁Regiment ▁for ▁the ▁North - West ▁Reb ell ion , ▁but ▁was ▁rejected ▁for ▁being ▁too ▁young . ▁S uther land ▁attended ▁King ston ▁Colleg iate ▁and ▁V oc ational ▁Institute , ▁and ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁book keeper ▁for ▁a ▁family - owned ▁hardware ▁store . ▁He ▁was ▁accepted ▁for ▁military ▁service ▁into ▁King ston ' s ▁ 1 4 th ▁Regiment ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁cast ▁as ▁ch orus ▁member ▁in ▁the ▁opera , ▁Leo , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Cad et . ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 0 , ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁died ▁two ▁years ▁later , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁playing ▁hockey ▁on ▁the ▁fro zen ▁Cat ara qui ▁River ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁King ston . ▁S uther land ▁witness ed ▁the ▁first ▁recorded ▁hockey ▁game ▁in ▁Canada , ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁between ▁Queen ' s ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁College ▁of ▁Canada . ▁S uther land ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁hockey ' s ▁first ▁capt ains , ▁and ▁he ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁def enc eman ▁for ▁the ▁Athlet ic ▁Club ▁of ▁King ston ▁in ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 0 – 9 1 , ▁during ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁season ▁of ▁the ▁Ontario ▁Hockey ▁Association . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁S uther