The CSSHL Featured Game Day Matchups for November 8-10, 2024 will focus on the U18 Prep showcase taking place in Winnipeg, MB.
You can catch all of the action live on FloHockey.
Friday, November 8, 2024 – 1:45pm CST at Hockey for All Centre – PCL
Yale Hockey Academy (4-4-0) vs Northern Alberta Xtreme (8-0-0) U18 Prep
The number 1 ranked Xtreme (Devon, AB) will take on the 12th ranked Yale Hockey Academy (Abbotsford, BC) Friday morning in our first Featured matchup of the 2024/25 season. This will be the first matchup of the season for the two squads after Yale won the only matchup last season 9-8 on February 2, 2024.
This season NAX has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach with their leading scorer Ben Deacon (4-14-18) sitting tied for 13th in league scoring. Seven different NAX skaters have double digit points on the season while Carter Ellsworth (8-8-16) leads the team with eight goals. Saskatoon Blades prospect Liam Eisnor (6-4-10) leads a blueline that includes 2024 WHL Draft second-round picks Harry Mattern (0-3-3) and Reid Soper (1-0-1) who are fresh off helping Team Alberta capture gold at the 2024 WHL Cup. Tyler Swanson leads the way in net with a 5-0-0 record, 1.80 GAA and .926 SV%.
Like NAX, Yale has had relied on depth scoring this season with Matthew Dowdall’s (6-5-11) 6 goals and 11 points leading a team that has four skaters in double digit points. The Yale roster consists of 12 players who have been selected in recent WHL Drafts, highlighted by Kelowna Rockets 2023 second-rounder Eli Barrett (3-7-10), and 2024 second round picks Shaun Hildebrandt (3-7-10) and Jacob Dumansky (3-2-5). Nathan Kam has played six of the eight Yale games going 3-3-0 with a 3.41 GAA and .910 SV%.
Saturday, November 9, 2024 – 6:30pm CST at Hockey for All Centre – Flynn
Prairie Hockey Academy (9-2-0) vs Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (8-4-1) U18 Prep
Saturday’s matchup will see the sixth ranked Prairie Hockey Academy (Caronport, SK) take on eighth ranked Pacific Coast (Victoria, BC). The two teams played just once last season with Prairie winning 3-2 in a shootout.
Netminder Cameron Beisal has went 4-1-0 for Prairie with 1 shutout, a .921 SV%, and sits fifth in the division with 1.84 GAA. Forwards Henry Thunderblanket (3-16-19) and Hubert Larose (8-10-18) lead a veteran roster that consists only of 2007 and 2008 born players. No stranger to finding his name on the scoresheet, Moose Jaw Warriors 2023 WHL Draft pick Benson Hirst (6-8-14) leads all U18 Prep defensemen with 6 goals while his 14 points is good enough for fourth in league scoring. Eight different Prairie skaters have double digit points this season, including two defensemen.
Like Prairie, Pacific Coast relies on a veteran roster that includes 13 2007 born players and just 1 2009. Now in his third U18 Prep season, Trace Anderson (10-12-22) leads PCHA and sits fourth in league scoring with 22 points, already a new career high. Sullivan Humeniuk (5-14-19) currently leads all U18 Prep defensemen with 14 assists and 19 points this season. Like Prairie, eight PCHA skatershave double digit points this season, including two defensemen. 2022 Spokane Chiefs draft pick Sam Saskiw (4-2-1) and Liam Russell (4-2-0) have split the time in net this season, posting a combined 3.46 GAA and .902 SV%.
Sunday, November 10, 2024 – 10:45am CST at Hockey for All Centre – Flynn
North Shore Warriors (7-3-0) vs Calgary International Hockey Academy (4-3-1) U18 Prep
The final featured matchup of the weekend sees the 15th ranked Warriors (West Vancouver, BC) take on the 11th ranked CIHA (Calgary, AB). The two teams played just once last season with North Shore winning a thriller 7-6 in overtime.
North Shore is led by standout forward Jonathan Lee (5-15-20) who has seven more points than his next closest teammate, Matteo Paradiso (9-4-13). Kamloops Blazers 2024 WHL Draft pick Liam Kilfoil (3-7-10) leads the Warriors blueline this season. Saskatoon Blades prospect Tristan Hoko (8-3-11) sits third in team scoring after leading his U15 Prep team with 26 goals and 39 points in 27 games last season. In net Brooke Davis (1-0-0) made history this season by becoming the first female to join a CSSHL U18 Prep team. Goaltending partner Georgi Milanov (6-3-0) has done the majority of the heavy lifting in net with a 3.58 GAA and .907 SV%.
The majority of the CIHA roster consists of members of the 2024 CSSHL U17 Prep Tier I Western Championship winning CIHA team, including head coach Tyson Soloski. CIHA is led by a trio of 2023 WHL Draft picks in Red Deer seventh rounder Noah Milford (8-6-14), Edmonton third rounder Cage Smith (4-7-11) and Prince George second rounder Townes Kozicky (3-6-9). Jack Wideman (0-7-7) paces a CIHA defensive core that includes 2023/24 U17 Prep Tier I Top Defenseman award winner and 2023 Calgary Hitmen second round pick Easton LaPlante (2-4-6), as well as Aden Bouchard (0-3-3) who was the 2024 WHL Draft third overall pick by the Tri-City Americans. Victoria Royals 2023 third round pick Cole Prelusky (2-2-1) and Sartaj Dhami (2-1-0) have combined for a 2.75 GAA and .905 SV%.
