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 programs 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.
