Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (7) vs South Alberta Hockey Academy (4) U18 Prep
Brendon Hall’s (3G) hat-trick made the difference in a high scoring affair as PCHA and SAHA opened the 2024 U18 Prep Western Championships. However, it was SAHA that got the boat rocking early on, scoring the game’s first three goals in the latter half of the first period. Late in the frame, Trace Anderson (1G, 1A) got PCHA back into the contest, scoring with 1:07 left on the clock. The momentum would shift an entire 180* once the second commenced, PCHA scored three straight of their own to eventually take the lead. SAHA’s Bruno Petrovics would tie everything back up once again, but another late goal from PCHA, this time off the stick of Aangid Manhas, would strip SAHA of their recent accomplishment. Hall would add another two in the third, sealing up his hat-trick and the overall victory to start PCHA off on the right foot to the postseason.
Pilot Mound Hockey Academy (5) vs Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (3) U15 Prep Consolation
Pilot Mound and Pacific Coast would split the scoring in the opening frame. PMHA had the edge later in the first with a shorthanded goal from Cohen Reckseidler (2G, 1A). However, Sloan Harder (2G) brought back things to within even with a few minutes left on the clock. Scoring would slow down in the second as we only saw Maddox Ramage pierce the net late in the frame to put Pilot Mound ahead. They would add another two in the third, wrapping up their season with a win in the consolation bracket.
Northern Alberta Xtreme (6/OT) vs Edge School (5) U15 Prep Finals
With a 6-5 overtime win over Edge School, the Northern Alberta Xtreme successfully defended their title, capturing the 2024 Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U15 Prep Western Championship.
Thayne Wasyluk opened the scoring 2:36 into the game with his sixth goal of the playoffs for NAX. Edge School, who finished first during the regular season and was 6-2-0 against NAX on the season, tied the game 1:23 later as a Brock England wrist shot beat Cam Hoose (39/44) low blocker. Reeve Waugh scored late in the second to give Edge the lead heading into the second.
Defenseman Kayne Wright scored 7:33 into the second to tie the game. Matthew Hilderman restored the Edge lead minutes later with a power play goal, jamming home a rebound in front. Four minutes later Ben Oliverio would spring Luke Jamieson for a partial breakaway, where Jamieson made no mistake with a move to his backhand, giving Edge a 4-2 lead.
With Edge having taken control of the game, Ben Harvey brought NAX within one 2:34 later with a tremendous individual effort.
Tyrie Ehrenberg tied the game on the power play with 4:57 remaining, firing home a rebound in front. NAX would claim the lead 1:29 later as Jaggar John was denied on the breakaway but Blake Chorney was there to clean up the rebound.
Holding a lead late, NAX got into penalty trouble and found themselves shorthanded for the last three minutes of regulation, including down 5-on-3. With the goalie pulled, Edge held a 6-on-3 for the final minute. One NAX penalty expired with 10 seconds left, bringing it to 6-on-4, but Edge found the back of the net with just 3.4 seconds left as Mirco Dufour found Aden Bouchard all alone in front.
After a few overtime chances by both teams John grabbed a puck in his own end before driving the lane to create a partial 2-on-1. He would keep the puck, making a move to his forehand and beating Leif Oaten (36/42) blocker side to send the visiting crowd into a frenzy.
NAX won both the U15 and U15 Prep Western Championships in 2023. This was the program’s 10th CSSHL Championship and the third under the guidance of head coach Brayden Toma who captured a U16 Prep Championship in 2019 to go along with his back-to-back U15 Prep Championships.
Delta Hockey Academy Black (8) vs Shawnigan Lake School (9) U15 Prep Consolation
A high scoring affair saw Shawnigan come out on top 9-8. Darwin Ketch (2G, 3A) and Carson Peet (2G) scored twice while Charlie Kittleson (1G, 2A) and Ellis Thurmeier (1G, 2A) each had three points. Kesler Curtis (4G, 1A) and Christian Sum (4A) provided the majority of the offence for Delta Black in the loss.
St. George’s School (3) vs Yale Hockey Academy (7) U15
Liam McLean (1G, 1A) opened the scoring for St. George’s as they grabbed an early 1-0 lead. Matteo Zenone (2G, 1A) tied the game, Michael Kuzik gave Yale the lead 1:34 later and Matthew McGuinness scored 18 seconds after that as the game quickly shifted in Yale’s favour. Freddie Brooks-Hill and Alexander Rode scored 1:33 apart late in the second to tie it, but Jaxen McFegan (2G) managed to restore the lead on the power play with 3 seconds left in the period. Lucas Ward (1G, 2A), McFegan and Zenone all scored third period goals as Yale pulled away for a 7-3 win. Nevin Connor (39/42) made 39 saves in the win.
Shawnigan Lake School (1) vs RHA Kelowna (5) Female U18 Prep Finals
For the third straight year RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna has captured the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Western Championship.
Having gone 28-2-0 and finishing the regular season on top, RHA Kelowna defeated Shawnigan Lake School 5-1 in a rematch of last year’s Championship Final.
Emery Twardochleb opened the scoring late in the first period as RHA Kelowna grabbed the lead and didn’t look back. Sage Babey added to the lead 1:16 into the second before a Gracie Graham power play marker put her team ahead 3-0 late in the second.
Morgan Jackson got Shawnigan on the board early in the third with a power play goal of her own. But Chloe Primerano, who set the points record at a single Female U18 Prep Championship with 19, scored just minutes later before adding a goal late in the period to secure the 5-1 win.
Farah Walker (17/18) made 17 saves in net for the win while Alexandra Nelson (31/36) faced 36 shots in the loss.
This was RHA Kelowna’s third straight CSSHL Female U18 Prep Championship, and fifth overall. RHA Kelowna has captured one other CSSHL Championship in the U15 Prep division in 2017.
CIH Academy Green (2) vs Ulysse Academie (6) Eastern U18
Neil Iserhoff scored the lone first period goal as CIH Academy Green led 1-0 after 20. Marco Campo and Phillippe Lepore (1G, 1A) scored early in the second as Ulysse took the lead. Andrew Mark tied the game but goals 37 seconds apart from Clemente Valette (1G, 1A) and Jordan Bibeau put Ulysse back on top going into the third. Emile Dupuis and Lucas Loiacono scored third period goals to double the lead and give Ulysse the 6-2 win. Zachary Bergeron (25/27) made 25 saves for the win.
Delta Hockey Academy (5) vs STAR Academy (1) U15
Delta led 2-0 after 20 as Tryson Edwards and Zac Prokop found the back of the net in the team’s opening game. Yianni Sergiannidi (2G, 3A) scored twice in the second to push the lead to 4-0. George Gapeshin got STAR on the board 3:34 into the third but Nicolas Peach (1G, 2A) restored the four goal cushion minutes later as Delta grabbed a 5-1 win. Jack Utsunomiya (34/35) made 34 saves to earn the win. Forward Coltun Brum (4A) finished with four assists in the win.
BWC Academy (1) vs Northern Alberta Xtreme (4) U18 Prep
Jordan Switzer (20/21) finished with 20 saves and NAX fired 45 shots at Preston Lewis (45/49) as NAX earned a 4-1 win. Jordan Duguay scored the lone first period goal while Luke Davies added one in the second. Jager Gugyelka extended the lead early in the third before BWC Academy finally broke through with an Ashton Beriana goal midway through the period. Daxon Rudolph countered for NAX shortly after to clinch the win.
Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (0) vs Edge School (8) U15
Kaidyn Thomas (22/22) made 22 saves to backstop Edge to an 8-0 win Wednesday. Damien Lavallee (4G, 1A) and Owen Wiemer (4A) led the way with five and four points respectively. Remy Koch (3A) and Andrew Ragusa (1G, 2A) each chipped in with three points. Oliver Boniface (62/70) faced 70 shots in the loss.
North Shore Warriors (1) vs Prairie Hockey Academy (7) U18 Prep
Daniel Helary (1G,1A) scored 5:16 into the first with a power play marker and Presley Langevin (2G) added to the lead just 58 seconds later. Langevin scored again near the end of the first period to give Prairie a 3-0 advantage. Ryder Rommelaere (1G, 1A) and Luke Myhre (2G, 1A) scored 10 seconds apart in the second to push the lead to 5-0. Liam Payne broke through for North Shore 1:13 into the third with a shorthanded tally. But goals from Avery Johnson (1G, 1A) and Myhre gave Prairie a commanding 7-1 win. Gibson Horne (29/30) and Erik Powers (41/48) were in net for their respective teams.
Calgary International Hockey Academy (2) vs Edge School (5) U18 Prep
Landon DuPont (1G, 2A) scored just 25 seconds in as Edge led 1-0 after 20. Zach Olsen (2G, 2A) scored on the power play midway through the second before Jake Walker countered for CIHA 44 seconds later. Olsen found the back of the net again late in the second to double the lead going into the third. Owen Cooper (1G, 2A) extended the lead 45 seconds into the third with his first of the playoffs. Fresh off winning a CSSHL U17 Prep Championship, affiliate player Brendan Rudolph scored on the power play to bring CIHA within two. Leim Smith scored with 1:07 left to play to secure an Edge win in their opening game of the Championships. Ryley Budd (18/20) needed to make just 18 saves to earn the win.
St. George’s School (1) vs Okanagan Hockey Academy (6) U18 Prep
A power play goal by Charlie Grant and a Mathis Preston (2G, 1A) goal 53 seconds later put OHA ahead 2-0. Noa Ta’Amu scored 1:29 after that as OHA grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead. Preston extended the lead late in the second with a power play goal. Wyatt Danyleyko (1G, 1A) and the OHA power play stayed hot, scoring 7:51 into the third. Liam Ruck (1G, 2A) added his first of the playoffs less than two minutes later. Reece Liu broke the Ryan Tamelin (22/23) shutout bid with 6:50 left to play. Eric Tu (40/46) faced 46 shots in defeat.
North Shore Warriors (3) vs Okanagan Hockey Academy (5) U15
Rylan Bengert may have scored the lone goal of the first period for OHA, but the second was all NSW. Kenzo Gibson, Linkin Ashton and Riley Taylor would all chip in offensively for the Warriors, edging out OHA by a single goal after forty minutes of play. However, OHA would find their stride in the third as Caiden Osiowy-Mah (1G, 1A) tied things up early and Braylon Lalonde (1G, 1A) scored the game winner shortly after.
RHA Winnipeg (7) vs Yale Hockey Academy (3) U18 Prep
Lucas Bertolin (3G, 2A) spearheaded RHA Winnipeg’s playoff venture with a five-point effort over Yale Hockey Academy. Bertolin opened the scoring with a lone goal in the first and went on to get the primary assist on the eventual game winner on Matthew Bertolin’s (1G, 3A) goal. There was a stretch in the second where RHA Winnipeg striked three times in a matter of 78-seconds. Yale would claw some goals back in the third, but RHA Winnipeg’s offence continued to generate a buzz, producing another three goals in the frame to solidify their first playoff victory.
Delta Hockey Academy (2) vs Shawnigan Lake School (5) U18 Prep
After a scoreless first, Brendyn Van Oene stripped Delta of the puck in the defensive zone and sprung himself on a breakaway before sniping Armaan Kaila’s (29/34) water bottle from its resting place. Eli McKamey (2G) would make his presence known in the postseason soon after, doubling Shawnigan’s lead. Chase Kittleson would continue Shawnigan’s scoring trend in the third, but Delta would score two highlight reel goals to put themselves on the scoresheet in the contest. Jordan Martin fed Burke Newton after a quick dipsy-dangle at the blueline while Isa Guram closed the scoring with an end-to-end rush. In the end, Shawnigan remained victorious with Emmett Nietsch (28/30) packing up the win in between the pipes.
Notre Dame (0) vs Northern Alberta Xtreme (12) U15
NAX resumed their scoring prowess that made them so successful in the regular season. Perhaps what was most impressive about this evening affair was NAX’s powerplay, going an immaculate 6/9. They also managed to snag two shorthanded goals in the process. Bronsyn Mouille (3G, 2A) led the pack with a five-point night with Ahmad Fayad (2G, 1A) and Kalen Miles (2G, 1A) followed closely with two goals apiece.
OHA Edmonton (6) vs RHA Kelowna (10) U18 Prep
Wednesday evening closed out with a goal scoring palooza. Joe Iginla (2G, 2A) got the patty started with two sharp angle goals to put RHA Kelowna in front. However, OHA Edmonton;s Patrick Sopiarz (1G, 1A) would push back with one of his own before RHA Kelowna snagged another pair. Clarke Schaefer (1G, 1A) got another one for OHA Edmonton just before the end of the first. The scoring would take a slight dip in the second, but OHA Edmonton brought themselves to within striking distance thanks to a powerplay goal from Radislav Dimitrov (1G, 1A). The unhinged scoring would resume in the third and in favour of OHA Edmonton. Kayden Lemire (1G, 1A) and Hunter Yee put OHA Edmonton ahead by one after scoring twice in just over two minutes. RINK was unphased by OHA Edmonton’s hot start and continued their scoring trend. Keaton Verhoeff evened everything up a 6-6 and was quickly followed by Cruz Waltz (2G). This would go on to be the game winner, however RHA Kelowna would add another three to their total, reaching the double digit plateau in their first game of the postseason.