The reigning national champions, the Moncton Flyers are back to defend their Atlantic Region title and look to punch their ticket to the Men’s U18 National Club Championship in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
Joining the Flyers are the Charlottetown Knights, Pinnacle Growlers, Pictou County Majors and host Fredericton Caps. The five teams rolled through their respective playoffs, posting a combined 37-10 record.
There is experience in the group – the Knights, Flyers and Caps have combined for 20 national championship appearances, while the Majors are looking to qualify for the first time since 1997.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (U18 NATIONALS FINISH)
2022 – Moncton Flyers (gold medal)
2019 – Halifax Macs (fifth place)
2018 – Moncton Flyers (fifth place)
2017 – Cape Breton West Islanders (gold medal)
2016 – Dartmouth Major Midgets (fifth place)
CHARLOTTETOWN KNIGHTS
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 25-6-4 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL)
Goals for: 137
Goals against: 90
Leading scorer: Jonah McDonald (18G 28A 46P)
Playoff record: 4-0
Goals for: 27
Goals against: 13
Leading scorer: Jonah McDonald (5G 4A 9P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
P.E.I. final: defeated Kensington Wild 4-0 (6-2, 8-4, 6-1, 7-6)
Last national championship appearance: 2006 (6th place)
Total national championship appearances: 4 (1975, 1977, 1997, 2006)
FREDERICTON CAPS
HOST & NEW BRUNSWICK CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 20-12-3 (3rd in NBPEIMU18HL)
Goals for: 119
Goals against: 109
Leading scorer: Ben Cross (26G 20A 46P)
Playoff record: 11-4
Goals for: 31
Goals against: 24
Leading scorer: Ben Cross (6G 8A 14P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N.B. semifinal: defeated Saint John Vito’s 4-0 (2-0, 2-1, 6-2, 5-4)
N.B. final: defeated Moncton Flyers 4-3 (3-2, 0-3, 3-5, 4-1, 1-2, 3-2, 3-2)
Last national championship appearance: 1993 (fifth place)
Total national championship appearances: 7 (1974, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993)
MONCTON FLYERS
NEW BRUNSWICK REPRESENTATIVES
Regular season record: 21-10-4 (2nd in NBPEIMU18HL)
Goals for: 145
Goals against: 96
Leading scorer: Zachary Wheeler (32G 39A 60P)
Playoff record: 7-5
Goals for: 41
Goals against: 32
Leading scorer: Cooper Cormier (13G 9A 22P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N.B. semifinal: defeated Northern Moose 4-1 (7-2, 6-3, 4-3, 1-5, 6-4)
N.B. final: lost to Fredericton Caps 4-3 (2-3, 3-0, 5-3, 1-4, 2-1, 2-3, 2-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2022 (gold medal)
Total national championship appearances: 9 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022)
PICTOU COUNTY MAJORS
NSU18MHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 27-6-2 (1st in NSU18MHL) Goals for: 169 Goals against: 100 Leading scorer: Lane Lochead (19G 36A 55P)
Playoff record: 9-3 Goals for: 63 Goals against: 37 Leading scorer: Lane Lochead (5G 24A 30P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Sydney Rush 3-1 (9-3, 7-1, 4-6, 7-2)
Semifinal: defeated Halifax Macs 3-1 (4-5, 7-6, 4-1, 3-2)
Final: defeated Cole Harbour Wolfpack 3-1 (7-2, 5-4, 2-4, 4-1)
Last national championship appearance: 1997 (sixth place) Total national championship appearances: 1 (1997)
PINNACLE GROWLERS
NLU18MHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 23-8-1 (1st in NLU18MHL) Goals for: 134 Goals against: 80 Leading scorer: Mark Corbett (19G 16A 35P)
Playoff record: 8-0 Goals for: 41 Goals against: 11 Leading scorer: Nolan Avery (3G 8A 11P)
ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated Tri Pen Osprey 4-0 (5-3, 7-0, 6-3, 4-1)
Final: defeated Central Impact 4-0 (4-0, 5-1, 5-0, 5-3)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none
For the first time in its 49-year history, the TELUS Cup is coming to Cape Breton Island.
Adding to the excitement, this year’s edition of Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be the first Hockey Canada event to be hosted in partnership with an Indigenous community – the Membertou First Nation. The event will be organized by the Mi’kmaq community located on Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island), with the local culture on full display on and off the ice.
Membertou was first awarded the 2021 TELUS Cup in July 2019, but that tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, the national championship was played in Okotoks, Alberta, with the Sydney Rush serving as the host team despite playing more than 5,000 kilometres from home.
Two years later, the Rush are ready to welcome the best U18 teams from across the country , and the Membertou community is ready for the opportunity to showcase all it has to offer for visiting teams, fans and family alike.
“The support from the whole island heading into the tournament has been awesome,” says Rush forward and Sydney native Tyler Seymour. “Having the community and culture always around hockey, there’s an excitement of having an event hosted by the Indigenous community in Membertou for the first time.
“We have a few players on the team who are Indigenous, and the community hold an annual tournament called the Wallace Bernard Memorial Native Youth Hockey Tournament every year, so the community is always around us, being kind, supportive and always cheering us on.”
Including their 2022 appearance, the 2024 TELUS Cup marks the seventh time a team from Cape Breton participates in the national championship, following the 1975 Sydney Legionnaires, 1978 Sydney Steelers, 1982 Cape Breton Colonels (bronze medal), 1999 Cape Breton Jeans Experts and, of course, the 2017 Cape Breton West Islanders, who made history as the first team from Atlantic Canada to win a national title.
Seymour is among those with TELUS Cup experience, one of just two players who were on the ice in Okotoks in 2022. The 2006-born forward is in his third season with his hometown Rush and has played a pivotal role in the offence, leading the team with 32 points (13-19—32) through 33 games, good for a tie for ninth in the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League (NSU18MHL).
With seven games in the season to go, the Rush will continue to follow the leadership of captain Keegan O’Neill, who joins Seymour as the only other returnee from 2022. Not only leading with the captain’s ‘C’ on his chest, the 17-year-old has tallied 11 goals, seven of which have come on the power play, tied for the NSU18MHL lead in that category.
The Rush are into final stretch of the regular season, currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with an 8-20-5 record, but Seymour wants to make sure the team closes the campaign with an understanding of what it takes to play at the TELUS Cup.
“It’s the best teams in Canada,” Seymour says. “We got off to a rough start, but we’re progressing really well as a younger team and leading up to TELUS, we have to continue playing our best and not let up. Overall, we’ll enjoy the moment and take in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
In 2022, the Rush missed out on the semifinals, with a lone 3-2 win over the Vancouver NE Chiefs. This year, they will kick off their tournament when they welcome the Pacific Region champions to the Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre on April 22.
Full-tournament ticket packages are now on sale, with single-game ticket sales to be announced closer to the tournament. Get yours while supplies last.
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the schedules for the 2024 editions of the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup and Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, and announced that ticket packages for each tournament are on sale now.
“Hosting our spring events simply would not be possible without the dedicated and passionate volunteers and staff in Membertou, Oakville and Vernon, who have all invested a tremendous amount of time and resources into planning these tournaments,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “With the puck set to drop in each community in a few months, we are thrilled to launch ticket packages for all three events and reveal the tournament schedules.
“We are grateful to BC Hockey, Hockey Nova Scotia, the Ontario Hockey Federation and the three respective host communities for their efforts and support to deliver these events, and look forward to continuing to work with them into the spring.”
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup or Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, can still sign up for one of the available positions to support the delivery of three of Hockey Canada’s marquee national championships.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, will air select tournament games, with a full broadcast and streaming schedule to be announced at a later date.
2024 Esso Cup – Vernon, BC
This year, the Esso Cup will return to British Columbia for the first time since 2013, with the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers set to host Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship, April 21-27 at Kal Tire Place in Vernon.
Joined by five regional champions from across Canada, the Lakers will play their first game on April 21 at 7 p.m. PT against the Atlantic winners, following matchups between the West and Ontario champions and Quebec and Pacific titlists earlier in the day.
The Lakers will also face the Pacific on April 22 at 7 p.m. PT, Ontario on April 23 at 3:30 p.m. PT, the West on April 24 at 10:00 a.m. PT and Quebec on April 25 at 7 p.m. PT.
After each team plays five preliminary-round games, the top four clubs will advance to the semifinals on April 26, with the medal games scheduled for April 27.
Tickets for the 2024 Esso Cup can be purchased here.
2024 TELUS Cup – Membertou, NS
The host Sydney Rush will welcome five regional champions to Membertou, Nova Scotia, for the 2024 TELUS Cup, which will take place April 22-28 at Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre.
Sydney opens its schedule against the Pacific champions on April 22 at 7 p.m. AT to finish a three-game opening day that also sees the Central winners face the Atlantic champs and Quebec titlists play the West champions.
The Rush will also play the West on April 23, Quebec on April 24, the Central on April 25 and the Atlantic on April 26. All games are at 7 p.m. AT.
The tournament semifinals are scheduled for April 27, before the medal games on April 28.
Tickets for the 2024 TELUS Cup are available now.
2024 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons – Oakville, ON
In partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and the Town of Oakville, Canada’s top Junior A teams will compete for the 2024 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, May 9-19 at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. The host Oakville Blades will be joined by nine champions from across the CJHL.
Teams will be separated into two groups and each play four preliminary-round games, with the quarterfinals scheduled for May 17, semifinals on May 18 and championship game on May 19.
Group A will include the champions from the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and OJHL.
The host Blades and champions from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Maritime Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Superior International Junior Hockey League will form Group B.
Oakville’s first preliminary-round game will be against the Maritime Hockey League champions on May 10, before playing the Superior International Junior Hockey League winners on May 11, Manitoba Junior Hockey League titlists on May 13 and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League victors on May 15.
All preliminary-round games featuring the Blades will be played at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons.
To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada has confirmed the dates and host communities for seven events taking place during the 2023-24 season, including the return of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship.
“Today is an exciting day for Hockey Canada as we announce seven events that play a critical role in the development of men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes, coaches and staff,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We hope that hosting these tournaments will help introduce new fans to the game, create lifelong memories for Canadians and have a positive impact in each community long after the medals have been handed out.”
The 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be played Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE, marking the first time in the tournament’s 37-year history that it will be hosted in the province.
Featuring some of the best young women’s hockey players in Canada, the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will run Nov. 5-11 in Dawson Creek, BC, bringing the event back to the Peace Region for the first time since 2012.
Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will compete for gold with three other countries at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup, which will be held Dec. 3-9 in Quispamsis, NB, marking the fourth Hockey Canada event that Quispamsis has hosted.
Top Canadian and international players will be showcased at the 2023 World Junior A Hockey Challenge from Dec. 10-17 in Truro, NS, as the tournament returns to Atlantic Canada for the fourth time and to Truro for the second time.
In the spring, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship will be decided at the Esso Cup in Vernon, BC from April 21-27, while the Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be played April 22-28 in Membertou, NS.
The best Junior A teams in Canada will take to the ice at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, ON, with the Oakville Blades hosting the national championship from May 9-19.
“We are thrilled to share the list of communities that will host Hockey Canada events during the 2023-24 season,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of strategic partnerships and community impact. “The support we have received from host committees has been outstanding and we are confident that participants, volunteers, partners and fans will have fantastic experiences at each tournament.”
Ticket information for all seven events can be found here. Tournament schedules will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
SAINT-HYACINTHE, Que. – The Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François have won the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, defeating the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-2 in the gold medal game Sunday night at Stade L.-P.-Gaucher.
Marc-Olivier Roy (Boischâtel, Que.) scored two goals in a span of 1:46 midway through the third period to give the Blizzard the lead for good and give the Quebec representatives their first national title since 2001 (when they were known as the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy) and their fifth overall, tying them with Notre Dame Hounds for the most ever.
It marked the first time since 2000 (Magog vs. Montréal-Bourassa) that two teams from the province faced off in the gold medal game, and the first time since that Ste-Foy triumph that a team from Quebec has won the national title.
The game stayed scoreless through the first 40 minutes thanks to the play of goaltendersRaphaël Précourt (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.) and Rémi Cloutier (Mont-Laurier, Que.), who combined for 51 saves in the first two periods.
The floodgates opened in the third with five goals in just over nine minutes. Noah McKinnon (Val-Bélair, Que.) started the scoring for Saint-François just 30 seconds into the final frame, before tournament MVP Émile Guité tied it for the Gaulois at 6:46. Roy restored the Blizzard lead at 8:01, and put them up for good at 9:47, just 26 seconds after Dominic Pilote (Saint-Basil-le-Grande, Que.) had equalized again for the hosts.
“It was a close game, as expected. We kept things simple and worked hard all game, which made the difference” Roy said. “We are very proud of this win. We had played the Gaulois previously, and knew we could come in here in Saint-Hyacinthe and win the whole thing. It was an unforgettable moment for our group, for sure.”
Both goaltenders were outstanding – Précourt finished with 42 saves, while Cloutier made 29 stops.
“We had so many guys step up in the big moments. I am so proud of this group,” said Blizzard head coach Mathieu Turcotte. “We had an amazing season where we grew as a team despite facing a lot of uphill battles. And now, our players are champions for life. This is a tough tournament to play in, both physically and mentally. It is hard on players as well as on coaches, but for many of our guys, this was the best experience of their lives, an incredible event for everyone.
“Being able to win in our home province is truly special. The players were aware our team had been the last to win the whole thing [in 2001]. Our group has a lot of character, and it showed today. We have a first-class organization here, and there’s reason to be proud.”
Saskatoon downs Toronto in shootout to win bronze
Earlier in the day, the Saskatoon Blazers edged the Toronto Jr. Canadiens 2-1 in a shootout to win the bronze medal.
Top Forward recipient Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask.) and Nathan Gaymes (Toronto, Ont.) traded goals in regulation time before Lee Shurgot (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Tyson Buczkowski (Saskatoon, Sask.) converted for the Blazers in the shootout. Saskatoon netminder Grayson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) stopped all four shooters he faced after making 32 saves in regulation and overtime.
“It feels fantastic,” said Blazers head coach Troy Walkington. “We came here and we wanted to win gold. We were disappointed after our [semifinal loss to the Gaulois] last night, and this must be the toughest game of the tournament to play, after playing the last game last night, and not quite reaching your expectations, so it is nice to come away with bronze.
“We won a medal; we weathered the storm early, but we certainly got back to the way we wanted to play, so it feels good. We ended our season on a high note. This is the last possible day to play, what more can we ask for, you come to the national championship, you win a medal, you play in the last possible day of the season, so almost perfect.”
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.
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Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 6, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 1
Gaulois de Saintt-Hyacinthe 5, Saskatoon Blazers 3
2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship Award Recipients:
Next Games (Sunday, April 30):
Bronze medal game: Saskatoon Blazers vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Gold medal game: Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François vs. Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe – 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the bronze medal game can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .
Quotes :
“We played well today. What is important is that we bounced back from yesterday’s heart-breaking shootout loss. We had to prove ourselves as a team. We gave ourselves some momentum going into the gold medal game. We will see who we are up against, but if we play the Gaulois, we will look to get revenge after they beat us in the Coupe des Champions.”
- Rousseau-Hamel on the Blizzard’s win and playing in the gold medal game.
“We played a very disciplined game today. Even though we allowed the first goal early on, we found a way to get back into the game. Whether it is on the power play or five-on-five, all our players contributed, from the first line to the fourth, as well as our three pairs of defencemen. As for tomorrow, a seventh game in seven days, the key will be to leverage all the preparation work we have been doing and combining all elements to be successful on the ice. We know we will be against a very good team, and we have to be even better if we want to win.”
- Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François head coach Mathieu Turcotte on today’s game and preparing for the gold medal game.
“We had some opportunities in the first period, but we did not capitalize and they took the lead. However, we came back and managed to score some big goals after that. We took a couple of penalties, so that made it a bit stressful, but William Dumont’s big goal late was a relief. We feel like we went through the front door after the win at the Challenge and at the Coupe des Champions, and we will be ready for the gold medal game tomorrow.”
- Queenton on the Gaulois’ win and the opportunity to capture a gold medal
“The guys were really committed tonight, especially at the end of the game when they were blocking shots. I am really happy for our group, and also for William Dumont. He is a hard-working, young player who made no mistake with the shot on the two-on-one to seal the deal. We showed the depth of our team tonight, and that has kept us successful all year, having different players step up every game. We are proud to be able to play in the first final between two Quebec teams in over 20 years. The Blizzard is a well-structured and well-run team. It will be a hard battle and we will need to be well-prepared.”
- Saint-Hyacinthe head coach Jean-Philippe Sansfaçon on his team’s performance and preparing for the gold medal game between the two Quebec representatives.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.
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Calgary Flames 2, Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 1 (SO)
Saskatoon Blazers 5, Pictou County Majors 2
Toronto Jr. Canadiens 4, Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe 3 (SO)
Final preliminary round standings:
TEAM |
GP |
W |
OTW |
L |
OTL |
PTS |
GF |
GA |
|
1 |
Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
31 |
14 |
2 |
Blizzard du Séminaire St-François |
5 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
20 |
12 |
3 |
Toronto Jr. Canadiens |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
19 |
15 |
4 |
Saskatoon Blazers |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
20 |
17 |
5 |
Pictou County Majors |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
11 |
27 |
6 |
Calgary Flames |
5 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
13 |
29 |
Next Games (Saturday, April 29):
Semifinal #1: Blizzard du Séminaire St-François vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT
Semifinal #2: Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT
Both semifinals and the bronze medal game can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .
Quotes :
“We really wanted to play for each other today. The boys stuck together and knowing it was our last game, we wanted to make sure to finish the tournament on a good note. This win is a great way to end it.
“We knew coming into this tournament that we would face a lot of shots, and it feels awesome now to get the win. I felt confident the whole game because I knew the guys would have my back, and that someone would get it in the net at some point.”
- O’Halloran on the Flames’ win and facing a tournament-high 59 shots
“We stuck to our game plan today, and we played hard. We know [Pictou County] is a good team, we knew we had to win this one because we did not want our season to be over, and we are happy with the result tonight. Our line played well and credit to Raiden [Zacharias], he is a very good player and sees the ice very well. He is an excellent passer and a great leader, and it is good to have a guy like him on our team.”
- Reschny on the Blazers’ victory and the play of his linemates
“It was a total team effort tonight. All year this team has faced a lot of adversity. We were ready to face some adversity tonight, and the whole team showed up. That shows the character of our team, to play like we did in a hostile environment against probably the best team we have ever played, and it was a lot of fun. There are not too many guys who have as much character and who want to win as much as [Luciano Bruno] does. He always has a strong second and third effort. I can’t say enough about how hard he works, and it was nice to see him get rewarded. We had a good feeling that he was going to get the job done for us in the shootout.
“The last time we played the Blizzard, they worked very hard and they gave us a lesson of what we need to do to win this tournament. We will make sure we prepare and that we are ready for them tomorrow.”
- Toronto head coach Rick Varone on the shootout win, the performance of Luciano Bruno and facing Séminaire St-François in semifinals.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.
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Before the Saskatoon Blazers took the ice for the championship game at the West Regional, Lee Shurgot couldn’t help but feel an extra sense of composure around the dressing room.
It had been five weeks since Shurgot, along with Corban Almen, Kash Andresen, Emerson Clark, Reese Hamilton, Cole Reschny and Brayden Smith skated with Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.
Although it didn’t end with the desired result – Saskatchewan dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in double overtime to Ontario – the Blazers septet have been able to bring their big-game experience back to Saskatoon, leading to a dominant postseason run into the Men’s U18 National Club Championship.
“Making it to the Canada Winter Games final, having that tough loss, we moved forward from that, we know we can be better and know we can win,” Shurgot says. “We have all stepped up in the playoffs and turned it up coming into Saint-Hyacinthe.”
“It showed that we have to push ourselves every day,” Hamilton adds. “At the Winter Games, we had to play our best every game so bringing that back to Saskatchewan, it really helped us a lot. For myself, I need to do my best out on the ice and hopefully it leads to a team win.”
That experience came in handy during the regional tournament, with each player contributing in their own way. Having gone through high-pressure games on P.E.I., the Blazers came out on top, capturing the West Region banner with a 4-3 overtime win over the host Warman Wildcats.
“We felt we’ve been there before,” Shurgot says. “The ’07 group who played at Canada Winter Games had been in a similar situation before and I think it helped us.”
Continuing to bond throughout the Canada Winter Games and the playoffs, the Blazers have come to play for each other, and the added experience galvanized the team for the long run. Of the six players who made the trip to Saint-Hyacinthe, Almen did not make the trip due to an injury, they are coming onto the national championship stage confident in their team.
Reschny, who led the Blazers in scoring in the regular season and playoffs in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) noticed the team had more motivation going straight into the playoffs.
“Having the other guys together and going through that [Canada Games] experience, it definitely benefited all of us on the team and made us all hungrier to win a championship,” he says. “We had guys with a little more jump in their game and the rest of the team saw what we went through and everyone wanted to compete for each other.”
Clark echoes his teammate: “Everyone bonded really well throughout the season and after coming back from P.E.I, we really embraced the ’team before self‘ mentality.”
With a third of the Blazers getting the call to Prince Edward Island, the team had to adjust its regular-season schedule. Playing their last game on Feb. 14, the Blazers got the job done, locking up the top seed in the SMAAAHL.
As the youngest team in Saint-Hyacinthe, the Blazers – back at the national championship for the first time in 49 years – are bringing their momentum from their strong season and playoff run, the big-game experience from the Canada Winter Games and the bond of the team to the Men’s U18 National Club Championship. Reschny believes Saskatoon is ready to draw on those moments when the time comes.
“Our team is ready, I’m ready, and we’re all excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show what we can do,” Reschny says. “We’re going to give it our all and will have an opportunity to challenge for [gold].”
Saskatoon Blazers 6, Calgary Flames 3
Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 4, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 2
Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe 10, Pictou County Majors 2
Next Games (Friday, April 28):
Calgary Flames vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Pictou County Majors vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT
Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .
Quotes :
“I think we played a good all-around game today. We could have done better at certain points, but we were able to finish the job and get the win, and that is what matters. We were able to come back [from being down 2-1], and we were in a good mindset as a team. We really came out ready to play in the second period, and it helped us get the win. We will now focus on having a complete 60-minute effort next game, and if we stick to our game, we know what we are capable of.”
- Raiden Zacharias (Saskatoon, Sask.) on the team’s win and strong second period.
“We were really well-prepared for today’s game, and our coaches did an excellent job. We prepared as best as we could, and it showed on the ice. I believe we were the better team today because of our defensive play. Xavier Veilleux and our goaltender [Raphael Precourt] did an excellent job, and as a team we kept things simple and worked as a team. We have an important game tomorrow, and we want to come out strong and keep the momentum going before the semifinals.”
- Rousseau-Hamel on the Blizzard’s performance and preparation for this game.
“I am happy with my four-point performance, but honestly, it was a team win and all our players chipped in tonight. We have another game tomorrow and it will be important to prepare for the semifinals, so we need to stick to our good habits and keep playing well as a team to reach our goal, which is to win this tournament in front of our fans.”
- Pilote on Saint-Hyacinthe’s fourth-straight win in front of home crowd.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.
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Pictou County Majors 5, Calgary Flames 2
Saskatoon Blazers 4, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 3 (OT)
Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 4, Séminaire St-François Blizzard 3
Next Games (Thursday, April 27):
Saskatoon Blazers vs. Calgary Flames – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT
Pictou County Majors vs. Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE.
Quotes:
“It was a good game for us, and good to get our first win of the tournament. We stuck to our system, which was to go to the net and the dirty areas. We definitely brought our A-game today with all four lines going. Our goaltender [Colby Browne] was excellent for us. I think he is one of the best goalies out there because he is so locked in for every game.”
“That is the first win for the Saskatoon Blazers since 1974, so that was a long time coming for our organization. What an effort tonight. I think the travel and playing the two Quebec teams right away certainly did not help our cause. We were 100 per cent better Tuesday than we were Monday, and we wanted to make sure that we were even better today. I need to give credit to our players because [Toronto] is a very good team. There was some adversity early, but we were able to weather the storm. Our second period was not outstanding but I am happy with the result. I thought that the line of [Cole] Reschny, [Raiden] Zacharias and [Tyson] Yaremko played very well tonight. Cole [Reschny], logged a lot of ice time, and he has been a very special player for us all year.”
“We had a consistent effort throughout the game, which paid off. We stuck to our game plan and we were able to create scoring chances. Québec came out strong, just like they did at the regional final, but we played very well and were able to get the win. We know our record right now puts us in a good position, but our team is like a family, and whatever the results, we will never give up. We will keep working to get more wins.”
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 7, Pictou County Majors 2
Toronto Jr. Canadiens 7, Calgary Flames 4
Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 4, Saskatoon Blazers 3
Next Games (Wednesday, April 26):
Calgary Flames vs. Pictou County Majors – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT
Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .
Quotes :
“We would have liked to have a stronger start, but we are happy we scored when we needed to. It is certainly different facing clubs we are not familiar with. The games do feel pretty physical, but looking at our two games so far, we are confident we have more good hockey to offer. We need to take things one day at a time, but obviously, with the recent result at the regional final, tomorrow’s match-up against our rivals from Saint-Hyacinthe is a source of motivation.”
- Blizzard captain Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) on the team’s second win.
“It was a great team effort from our team today. We talked in the intermission after being down 4-2 after two periods, and we knew we wanted to come out hard to get back into the game. Scoring two goals was a great moment for me, and it was a surreal moment I will never forget. Now we have to keep it going, keep working hard, play as a team and I think things will turn out good for us.”
- Wong on Toronto’s comeback victory.
“We played a good game. Bouncing back from a game like yesterday’s is tough. We started well, and our play was more physical. Saskatoon also had a good start, but we were able to keep our emotions in check and, overall, we are happy with our performance. We told our players that the intensity is only going to ramp up from game to game. We also fed off our home crowd’s energy, which is a good thing for our players to get a feel for that early in the tournament. We are now going to prepare for tomorrow’s game. It always leads to good hockey when we face the [Séminaire St-François Blizzard], because they are very well-balanced team.”
- Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe head coach Jean-Philippe Sansfaçon on tonight’s game.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.
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For further information, or to unsubscribe from the media distribution list, please contact:
Dominick Saillant
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Hockey Canada
514-895-9706
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