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The End of the Road: Saint-Francois Blizzard Win U18 Men's National Championship
We've finally come to the end of the road.
The long and winding path to the Hockey Canada national club championships has concluded. Congratulations to the U18 Women's national champion Stoney Creek Sabres, winners of the Esso cup, and to the men's U18 National Champions, the Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard.
Teams of young men and women around the country competed starting in early March in league and provincial tournaments for the right to advance to the regional championships that feed the national tourneys. The U18 national championship for women is called the Esso Cup, while on the men’s side the tournament is now called the U18 Club National Championship.
The Esso Cup was hosted in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan by the Prince Albert Bears April 23-29 at the historic Art Hauser Centre. The host Bears were joined by five regional champions from all over Canada.
The U18 Men's Club National Championship, formerly known as the Telus Cup, was held in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, at Stade L.P. Gaucher April 24-30. The tournament returned to Quebec for the first time since 2015, with the host team Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe also being joined by five regional champions in competing for the national title.
Fittingly for the return to Quebec, the hosts faced off in an all-Quebec matchup with Seminaire Saint-Francois for the U18 gold medal and the national championship.
Esso Cup Women’s U18 National Club Championship Schedule & Results
U18 Men’s National Club Championship Schedule & Results
The schedules were set months in advance, and it seemed like the tournamets would never get here. Now, just like that, they are over and we have crowned the champs. Congratulations to all the participants on great seasons!
Congratulations to the teams that competed in the Canada U18 Men's Club National Championship (Canada rankings as of April 26):
Host - #13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois
Atlantic Region - #43 Weeks Majors (Nova Scotia)
Quebec - #8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard
Central Region - #10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens
West Region - #3 Saskatoon Blazers
Pacific Region - #26 Calgary Flames
2023 U18 Men's National Championship Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player - Emile Guite, Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois
Top Forward - Cole Reschny, Saskatoon Blazers
Top Defense - Zavier Veilleux, Saint-Francois Blizzard
Top Goaltender - Paolo Frasca, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Most Sportsmanlike - Aidan Larose, Calgary Flames
This document was updated as Canadian U18 men’s teams navigated the road to Nationals. Now, at its completion, readers can go back and follow each team's journey to Quebec.
The Moncton Flyers won the 2022 U18 National Club Championship.
CLICK HERE to find out everything you'd ever want to know about the 2022 tournament.
Hockey Canada 18U Men’s Club Nationals 2023
Day 1 Schedule
#10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (3), #43 Weeks Major (0)
These two teams played a scoreless first period, and Toronton led, 1-0, after two before pulliing away in the third. The Jr. Canadiens outshot Weeks, 47-28, but Weeks goalie Colby Brown made 44 saves to keep the game within reach. Paolo Frasca made 28 saves to earn the shutout for Toronto. Kieran Litterick's second-period goal proved to be the game-winner. Brandon Gill and Mason Strano also scored, with Luciano Bruno dishing out a pair of assists.
#8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (5), #3 Saskatoon Blazers (2)
The Blizzard piled up a 55-21 shots advantage in this matchup but actually trailed, 1-0, after the first period thanks to Ryson Yaremko's goal. Xavier Veilleux tied the game 5:28 into the second period, and Maxime-Olivier Drolet and William Labranche added two more goals to stretch the margin to 2-1 after two. Tyson Buczkowski pulled Saskatoon to with in one 4:26 into the final frame before Vincent Legare and Dalan Grubissa tallied to put away the game. Alex Garrett kept the Blazers in the game, finishing with 50 saves. Raphael Precourt made 19 saves to earn the win for the Blizzard.
#13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (10), #26 Calgary Flames (2)
It was a big night for the hosts, who broke open what was a 3-2 game after the first period with seven unanswered goals. The Flames found themselves in a 2-2 deadlock 11:30 into the game after Joshua Wiebe and Braden Ivey scored, but Emile Guite scored at 16:01 of the first period and the floodgates opened. Remi Cloutier earned the win in goal with 22 saves, while William Dumont led the offensive onslaught with four assists and Dominic Pilote recored a hat trick. Guite finished with a goal and two helpers.
Day 2 - April 25
#8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (7) vs. #43 Weeks Majors (2)
The Blizzard rolled to a 48-22 shots advantage but still found themselves tied at 1 despite having four power plays in the opening 20 minutes. They scored with the extra man 55 seconds into the second frame and exploded for three more goals in the final 4:35 off the middle stanza and two in the third period to cruise to victory. Mikael Cloutier made 20 saves to earn the win in goal, and Benjamin Chabot had two goals and an assist with Etienne Dupere adding two goals and Nathaniel Harvey contributing 1-1-2.
#10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (7), #26 Calgary Flames (4)
Calgary led, 2-1, after the first period on goals by Aidan LaRose and Thomas Matte and 4-2 after two as Larose notched his second and Luke Wong also scored. It took 7:04 for Toronto's Lirim Amidovski to cut the margin to two before the Jr. Canadiens exploded for four goals in the final 8:08 of the second. Luciano Bruno tied it with 8:08 left and James Wong scored what proved to be the game-winner 3:13 later, setting up his second of the game with an empty net in the final minute. Christoper Soares added an empty-netter before that, with Luke DeKay and Mason Strano also tallying earlier in the game. Evan Maillet made 24 saves to earn the win in goal.
#13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (4), #3 Saskatoon Blazers (3)
The hosts improved to 2-0, using a three-goal second-period and a goal by Emile Guite with 7:03 left in the game to propel themselves to victory. Cole Reschny scored for the Blazers with 43 seconds left to make things interesting, but they could not beat netminder Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais (29 saves) again as the clock wound down. Samuel Beauchemin had a pair of goals and an assist for Saint-Hyacinthe, with Noah Laberge adding 1-1-2 and Caleb Desnoyers handing out a pair of assists. Tyler Buczkowski had a goal and an assist for Saskatoon.
Day 3 - April 26
#43 Weeks Majors (5), #26 Calgary Flames (2)
Lane Sim buried two goals and handed out an assist to lift Weeks to its first win of the tournament and keep Calgary winless. Clint MacLaughlin added a goal and an assist, with Drew MacKinnon dishing out a pair of helpers. Colby Brown was heroic in goal, stopping 45 of the 47 shots he faced to earn the victory. Thomas Matte and Max Heise scored for the Flames. Weeks led, 1-0, after the first period before Heise scored to create a 1-1 deadlock after two. But Aiden Tucker, Sim and Ben Wallace scored in the first 6:11 of the third frame to break open the game.
#3 Saskatoon Blazers (4), #10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (3) OT
Raiden Zacharias scored 35 seconds into overtime to lift the Blazers to a huge victory, their first of the tournament, as they improved to 1-2 and dropped the previously unbeaten Jr. Canadiens to 2-1. Cole Reschny made the overtime winner a possibility with an assist on the deciding goal and by notching a hat trick. Zachiaras finished with two points, and Alex Garrett made 38 saves to outduel Paolo Frasca (35 saves) in goal. Carter Dekay had a goal and an assist for Toronto. Nathan Gaymes tied the game for the Jr. Canadiens and forced the overtime with 6:11 left in regulation.
#13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (4), #8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (3)
Emile Guite's goal 4:03 into the third period put the hosts in front, 4-1, and appeared to ice the game, but Seminaire Saint-Francois would not quit in this all-Quebec battle for the top standings spot. Louis-Alex Tremblay and Xavier Veilleux scored to pull the Blizzard within 4-3 and make the final 46 seconds interesting, but Gaulois goalie Remi Cloutier shut the door and locked down the win to keep Saint-Hyacinthe unbeaten at 3-0. Cloutier finished with 30 saves, while Guite led the offensive attack with a goal and two assists. Caleb Desnoyers and William Dumont each added 1-1-2. Veilleux and Tremblay each finished with two points for the Blizzard, and Raphael Precourt also made 30 saves.
Day 4 - April 27
#3 Saskatoon Blazers (6) vs. #26 Calgary Flames (3)
The Blazers evenend their record at 2-2-0 and improved their chances of earning a semifnal berth with a big win against the Flames. The game was tied at 1 after the first period, and once again the Flames moved in front on Joshua Wiebe's second-period power-play marker, but Saskatoon scored three times in a six-minute span to close the second period and scored 1:48 into the final frame to put the game on ice. Tyson Yaremko scored two goals during that four-goal run and completed the hat trick at 15:52 of the third period. Cole Reschny and Reese Hamilton each added three assists for the Blazers. Joshua Wiebe had a goal an an assist for Calgary, with Callan Valstar and Nolan Cally notching the other two goals. Alex Garrett had 30 saves for the Blazers.
#8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (4), #10 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (2)
The team from Quebec came through to improve to 3-1-0 in the tourney and hold the second spot in the standings behind the host team. The Blizzard have secured a semifinal berth and still can finish second or third. Toronto fell to 2-1-1 and is in third place. The Jr. Canadiens still can finish third or fourth, but are guaranteed a semifinal spot. Saint-Francois scored four goals in a 13-minute span of the second period to break open what had been a scoreless game through the first 27:47. Felix-Antoine Parenteau, Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel, Vincent Legare and William Labranche scored for the Blizzard. Luciano Bruno broke the run with a late second-period tally for the Jr. Canadiens, and Alexander Stephen closed the scoring for Toronto with 1:41 left in the game. Raphael Precourt made 37 saves to earn the win in goal over Evan Maillet, who stopped 47 Blizzard shots.
#13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (10), #43 Weeks Majors (2)
The host Gaulois continued their impressive run through the championship and improved to 4-0-0, securing the top seed in the semifinals. Weeks fell to 1-3-0 and is in fifth place but still has a chance to advance to the playoff round since they are two points behind fourth-place Saskatoon. Weeks and the Blazers play on Day 5 with a semifinal berth at stake. Saint-Hyacinthe scored twice in the opening 3:48 of the first period, with goals by Matthieu Taillefer and Caleb Desnoyers coming just nine seconds apart, and never looked back. Cade Moser cut the lead to 2-1 on the power play at 9:45 of the opening frame, but the Gaulois responded with three more first-period goals and ran away with the game. Jules Lampron, Dominic Pilote and Timothe Girard potted markers during that run. Drew MacKinnon scored the other Weeks goal at 13:41 of the second period, but Emile Guite scored twice in tehe final two frames with Desnoyers also netting his second of the game. Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais got the win in goal with 29 saves.
Day 5 - April 28
#26 Calgary Flames (2), #8 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (1) SO
This one needed a shootout as Calgary got on the board with its first tournament victory on Braden Ivey's goal in the fifh round after eight previous shooters had failed. Brett O'Halloran then stopped Benjamin Chabot's attempt to secure the win. O'Halloran was phenomenal all game, finishing with 58 saves and nearly recording a miraculous shuthout. Mikael Cloutier made 20 saves for the Blizzard. Brett Wilson opened the scoring for the Flames 10:22 into the game, and Noah McKinnon tied it 1:22 into the second period. The Blizzard earned the second semifinal seed despite the loss.
#3 Saskatoon Blazers (5), #43 Weeks Majors (2)
The winner of this matchup would advance to the semifinals, and Saskatoon got the job done with three unanswered goals over the final two periods after the teams concluded the first period tied at 2. Cole Reschny, Josh Knittig and Kash Andresen put the game away for the Blazers, while Alex Garrett finished with 23 saves. Reschny earlier tied the game at 1 with an opening-period marker, and Raiden Zacharias had the other Saskatoon goal. Cade Moser and Lane Lochead scored first-period goals for Weeks. The Blazers earned the fourth seed and will take on host Saint-Hyacinthe in the semifinals.
#11 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4), #13 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (3) SO
The host Gaulois came within a whisker of completing a storybook undefeated opening round on home ice, but alas 'twas not to be. Toronto took a 3-2 lead with 4:01 left in regulation only to see Emile Guite send the game to overtime with just 10 seconds remaining. Finally, after a six-round shootout, Luciano Bruno potted the game-winner and Paoloa Frasca stopped Caleb Desnoyers to secure the victory for the Jr. Canadiens. Frasca finished with 29 saves to overcome a phenomenal 52-save performance by Remi Cloutier. Carson Littlejohn had two goals for the victors, with Bruno adding a single marker. Gute buried a pair of goals for Saint-Hyacinthe, which finished as the top seed while Toronto finished third.
Semifinals - April 29 (seedings listed)
#2 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (6), #3 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (1)
Deuces were wild in this one as the Blizzard scored twice in each period to earn a berth in the national championship gold-medal game. Toronto opened the scoring 6:21 into the contest on Luke DeKay's goal but then surrendered the game's final six tallies. Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel set up three of the Saint-Francois goals, with Benjamin Chabot adding a goal and an assist. Raphael Precourt stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced to backstop the win for the Blizzard.
#1 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (5), #4 Saskatoon Blazers (3)
The hosts continued their impressive tournament run and set up and all-Quebec gold-medal game, rallying from a 1-0 first-period deficit to earn the victory on home ice. Josh Knittig got the Blalzers on the board first 12:07 into the game, but William Dumont tied it for the Gaulois 1:42 into the second period. Tyson Yaremko scored for Saskatoon to tie the game at 2 with 3:17 left in the middle stanza after Thomas Queenton had moved Saint-Hyacinthe in front just over a minute before that. Timothe Girard responded to Yaremko's goal just 34 seconds later, however, and the Gaulois took a 3-2 lead into the final 20 minutes. Mathieu Goslin pushed the margin to two 4:27 into the third and Dumont added an insurance tally with 1:29 left after Lee Shurgot brought the Blazers to wihin 4-3 with 6:04 left in the game. Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais made 30 saves to earn the win and thwart a strong effort by Saskatoon's Alex Garrett, who stopped 40 pucks at the other end.
Bronze Medal Game - April 30
#4 Saskatoon Blazers (2), #3 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (1) SO
We knew that if the game for bronze was good as the preliminary-round matchup between these two teams we would be in for a treat. It was even better. Saskatoon's Raiden Zacharias won that contest with an overtime game-winner, but this time it took a shootout and this time it was Tyson Buzckowski's turn to be the hero. His shootout tally in the fourth round sealed the victory after Lee Shurgout had scored on the Blazers' second attempt. Those goals made a hard-luck loser out of Toronto netminder Paolo Frasca, who finished with 31 saves, and winner out of Saskatoon tender Grayson Malinoski, who stopped 32 shots. Nathan Gaymes had the lone Jr. Canadiens goal, tying the game at 1:51 of the third period. Cole Reschney staked Saskatoon to a 1-0 lead with 5:32 left in the middle frame.
TJC Final Leaders
Luciano Bruno 8 points, Nathan Gaymes 5 points;Carson Littlejohn 4 points, Brandon Gill 4 points.
Paolo Frasca 2.06 GAA, .933 SV%, Evan Maillet 4.97 GAA, .897 SV%
SB Final Leaders
Cole Reschny 13 points, Raiden Zacharias 7 points, Tyson Yaremko 7 points; Reese Hamilton 5 points
Alex Garrett 3.59 GAA, .910; Grayson Malinoski, 2.33 GAA, .938 SV%
Gold Medal Game
#2 Seminaire Saint-Francois Blizzard (3), #1 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois (2)
It was an all-Quebec matchup for all the marbles in Saint-Hyacinthe. The atmosphere in the arena was off the charts, and the level of play and competitveness on the ice was even higher. After two tense scorless periods, Marc-Olivier Roy capped a crazy third period in which five goals were scored in the first 10:13 by netting what turned out to be the game-winner with Benjamin Chabot picking up the assist. From there, the Blizzard hung on for dear life, buoyed by the goaltending of Raphael Precourt, and survived to capture the national championship. Precourt stopped 41 of the 43 shots he faced and made 16 saves in the final 20 minutes. Roy buried two goals in final period, with Noah McKinnon netting the other Blizzard marker. Mathieu Taillefer had a pair of assists for the Gaulois, with Emile Guite and Dominic Pilote scoring the goals. Remi Cloutier stopped 28 shots for Saint-Hyacinthe.
SHG Final Leaders
Emile Guite 13 points, Caleb Desnoyers 12 points, William Dumont 10 points, Dominic Pilote 10 points
Remi Cloutier 2.69 GAA, .924 SV%; Cedric Cyr-Dauphinais 2.94 GAA, .917 SV%
SFB Final Leaders
Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel 8 points, William Labranche, 7 points, Xavier Veilleux 6 points, Benjamin Chabot 6 points,Marc-Olivier Roy 6 points.
Raphael Precourt 2.21 GAA, .935 SV%; Mikael Cloutier 1.44 GAA, .930 SV%
CLICK HERE to watch all U18 Nationals games
The Road to U18 Men's Canadian Club Nationals
League and provincial playoffs have been underway for a month or more across Canada, and the national-championship tournament is almost here The road to a national championship is long and demanding, full of twists, turns, upsets and fantastic finishes.
Five regional champions join the host Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe for the late-April tournament in Quebec. Those champs will represent the West Region, the Pacific Region, the Central Region (Ontario), Quebec and the Atlantic Region.
The West Region consists of two teams from Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO), 11 teams from the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League (MU18AAAHL) and 12 teams from the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL).
Pacific Region champions come from either the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) or the British Columbia Elite Hockey League (BCEHL). The champions of the 12-team AEHL and the nine-team BECHL battle it out for the right to represent their region in Quebec.
The 15 teams in the Ligue de developpement du hockey M18 AAA du Quebec (LM18AAAQ) compete for the right to represent their province at Nationals, while the Atlantic Region representative comes from either the six-team New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major U18 Hockey League (NBPEIMU18HL), the five-team Newfoundland and Labrador U18 Major Hockey League (NLU18MHL) or the Nova Scotia U18 Major Hockey League (NSU18MHL).
The pathway through the Central Region, which consist of five strong Ontario leagues, is nearly as daunting as winning a national championship. The Central Region Championship tournament consists of the champions from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario (Alliance Hockey), the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) and the Great North U18 League (GNML).
More than 60 teams across Ontario compete in the leagues that produce the Central Region representative. The Windsor Spitfires, ranked 19th in Ontario and 84th in Canada, are participating in the Central Region Championship as the host team.
The opening game of the U18 Hockey Canada Club Championship is set for Monday, April 24 at noon Eastern Time, with the No. 11 Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Central Region facing off against No. 47 Weeks Major from the Atlantic Region at Stade Louis-Phillippe-Gaucher.
U18 Men’s Club National Championship Bracket
West Region
The Thunder Bay Kings and Winnipeg Wild advanced to the West Regional for a second consecutive year, looking to earn a berth at the Men’s U18 National Club Championship in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.
Joining the Kings and Wild are the Saskatoon Blazers, who hope to qualify for nationals for the first time since 1974, and the host Warman Wildcats, who are in just their second full season of existence.
Three of the four teams in the Western Regional averaged at least 3.50 goals per game during the regular season (Saskatoon and Winnipeg actually scored a five-goals-per-game clip) and continued that trend in the playoffs, scoring four per contest.
CLICK HERE for West Region Championship participating team information
CLICK HERE for West Region Championship schedule & scores
Championship Game – April 9
#5 Saskatoon Blazers 4, #22 Warman Wildcats 3
Saskatoon Blazers advance to Hockey Canada U18 Club National Championship.
Here is a breakdown of the teams and leagues that competed to be West Region representatives at U18 Nationals:
HNO Competing Teams (Ontario Rankings as of April 5)
#27 Thunder Bay Kings
#55 Kenora Thistles
HNO AAA Championship Information & Schedule
Championship Series (best of three)
Game 1 – Friday March 24
Kenora 5, Thunder Bay 4 (OT)
Game 2 – Saturday March 25
Thunder Bay 4, Kenora 0
Game 3 – Sunday March 26
Thunder Bay 5, Kenora 2
Thunder Bay wins the series, 2-1, and advances to the West Region Championship.
MU18AAAHL Competing Teams (Western Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#38 Winnipeg Wild
#42 Brandon Wheat Kings
#44 Winnipeg Bruins
#57 Pembina Valley Hawks
#67 Winnipeg Thrashers
#70 Interlake Lightning
#72 Southwest Cougars
#75 Eastman Selects
#79 Yellowhead Chiefs
#88 Parkland Rangers
#112 Norman Northstars
Championship Series Schedule and Information
Championship Series – March 24 - April 2 (best of five)
#38 Winnipeg Wild def. #44 Winnipeg Bruins, 3-1
Game 1 – Wild 3, Bruins 1
Game 2 – Wild 4, Bruins 1
Game 3 – Bruins 3, Wild 2
Game 4 – Wild 7, Bruins 4
Winnipeg Wild advance to West Region Championship.
SMAAAHL Competing Teams (Western Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#5 Saskatoon Blazers
#6 Regina Pat Canadians
#12 Saskatoon Contacts
#22 Warman Wildcats
#32 Prince Albert Mintos
#33 Swift Current Legionnaires
#36 Moose Jaw Warriors
#39 Notre Dame Hounds
#50 Yorkton Maulers
#55 Estevan Bears
#56 Tisdale Trojans
#60 Battlefords Stars
Championship Series – March 23-30 (best of five)
#5 Saskatoon Blazers def. #6 Regina Pat Canadians, 3-2
Game 1 – Thursday, March 23
Pat Canadians, 3 Blazers 2 (OT)
Game 2 – Saturday March 25
Blazers 4, Pat Canadians 2
Game 3 – Monday, March 27
Pat Canadians 3, Blazers 2
Game 4 – Wednesday, March 29
Blazers 4, Pat Canadians 3
Game 5 – Thursday, March 30
Blazers 8, Pat Canadians 0
Saskatoon Blazers advance to the West Region Championship.
Pacific Region
There were two teams left in the westernmost region of Canadian U18 hockey when the weekend started, and either the Calgary Flames or Okanagan Rockets would represent the Pacific Region at the U18 National Club Championship in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
The Rockets have the most recent appearance at nationals, capturing the bronze medal in 2014, while the Flames are looking for their first national championship berth since 1999, when they earned silver.
Both teams came into the best-of-three regional series with plenty of momentum, coming off series sweeps in their respective league finals and outscoring their opponents by a combined total of 24-9.
CLICK HERE for Pacific Region Championship participating team information
CLICK HERE for Pacific Region Championship schedule & scores
Pacific Region Championship Series (best of three)
#16 Calgary Flames def. #8 Okanagan Rockets, 2-0
Friday, April 7
Flames 5, Okanagan Rockets 4 (OT)
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Flames 8, Rockets 6
Calgary Flames advance to 2023 Hockey Canada U18 Club National Championship
Here is a breakdown of teams that competed to be Pacific Region representatives at U18 Nationals:
AEHL Competing Teams (Western Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#4 Calgary Buffaloes
#16 Calgary Flames
#18 St. Albert Raiders
#19 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue
#20 Okotoks Oilers
#24 Calgary Royals
#31 Sherwood Park Kings
#34 Calgary Northstars
#35 Lloydminster Bobcats
#37 Lethbridge Hurricanes
#41 Red Deer Chiefs
#43 Fort Saskatchewan Rangers
#46 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange
#47 Airdrie Bisons
#51 Leduc Oil Kings
#76 Grande Peace Storm
Championship Series – March 23 - April 2 (best of five)
#16 Calgary Flames def. #18 St. Albert Raiders, 3-0
Game 1 – Thursday, March 23
Flames 4, Raiders 3
Game 2 – Sunday, March 26
Flames 5, Raiders 3
Game 3 – Wednesday, March 29
Flames 4, Raiders 1
Calgary Flames advance to Pacific Region Championship.
BCEHL Competing Teams (Western Canada Rankings as of April 8)
#8 Okanagan Rockets
#10 Greater Vancouver Canadians
#23 Vancouver NE Chiefs
#24 Valley West Giants
#27 Vancouver NW Hawks
#28 Fraser Valley Thunderbirds
#45 Cariboo Cougars
#66 Thompson Blazers
#109 North Island Silvertips
Championship Series – March 24-26 (best of three)
#8 Okanagan Rockets def. #10 Greater Vancouver Canadians, 2-0
Game 1 – Friday, March 24
Rockets 5, Canadians 0
Game 2 – Saturday, March 25
Rockets 6, Canadians 2
Okanagan Rockets advance to the Pacific Region Championship.
Quebec Region
Fifteen teams battled through the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québect his season, and two-thirds of them were eliminated prior to championship weekend. The Lions du Lac St-Louis, Blizzard du Séminaire St-François, Vikings de Saint-Eustache, Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe and Estacades de Trois-Rivières entered the first-ever Classique de Champions looking to represent the Quebec at the Men’s U18 Club National Championship.
There was a new format this year in the Quebec 18U AAA playoffs as the final five teams competed in a single-elimination tournament; the first semifinal matchup had the Blizzard facing the Lions, while the Vikings awaited the winner of a wild-card game between the Gaulois and Estacades in the second semi.
Quebec teams have long found success on the national stage, medaling in all but two tournaments since 1990, but it has been a frustrating stretch of close calls as teams from the province have lost in the gold-medal game at four straight national championships (and seven of nine. And no team from Quebec has won gold since Sainte-Foy (now Séminaire St-François) in 2001.
CLICK HERE for Quebec Championship participating team information
CLICK HERE for Quebec Championship recap and scores
Provincial Championship Bracket
Championship Game – April 9
#7 St. Hyacinthe 5, #2 Saint-Francois 2
Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois advance to 2023 Hockey Canada U18 Club National Championship.
The Gaulois already had received a berth as the host team, so the runners-up, also will compete in the National Championship tournament.
Here is a breakdown of the teams that competed to be the Quebec provincial representative at U18 Nationals:
LM18AAAQ Competing Teams (Quebec Rankings as of April 5)
#1 Saint-Eustache Vikings
#2 Saint-Francois Blizzard
#3 Lac St-Louis Lions
#4 Trois-Rivieres Estacades
#5 Magog Cantonniers
#6 Levis Chevaliers
#7 Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois*
#8 College of Notre Dame Albatros
#9 Laval-Montreal Rousseau Royal
#10 Esther-Blondin College Phenix
#11 Chateauguay Grenadiers
#12 Charles-Lemoyne College Riverains
#13 Amos Forestiers
#14 Jonquiere Elites
#15 Outaouais Intrepide
* U18 Men’s Club Championship Host team
Central Region
Sixty-one teams call the Central Region home, but only six remained in the hunt as teams began competing this week for the region’s berth at the Men’s U18 National Club Championship: the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, Kemptville 73’s, North Bay Trappers, Oshawa Generals, Toronto Jr. Canadiens and host Windsor Jr. Spitfires
All six were fresh faces, with North Bay and Elgin-Middlesex the most recent regional competitors from the 2019 tournament. None of the six had played on the national stage since 2006, and they owned just five national-championship appearances between them – three for Oshawa and one each for North Bay and Toronto.
There was tons of talent in Windsor for the Central Region Championship as five of the six teams finished among the top two in their respective leagues in the regular season, and they posted a combined 39-12-4 postseason record to reach the regionals.
There are too many teams competing in the various Ontario leagues to list them all here, but here are the top-ranked clubs that were in contention for the Central Region championship:
CLICK HERE for Central Region Championship participating team information
CLICK HERE for Central Region Championship recaps and scores
Central Region Championship Game
Sunday, April 9
#1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens 6, #16 Windsor Spitfires 3
Toronto Jr. Canadiens advance to Hockey Canada U18 Club National Championship.
Central Region Top Competing Teams (Ontario Rankings as of April 5)
#1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens (GTHL)
#2 Ajax Pickering Raiders (OMHA)
#3 Elgin Middlesex Canucks (Alliance)
#4 Barrie Colts (OMHA)
#5 Burlington Eagles (OMHA)
#6 Oshawa Generals (OMHA)
#7 Markham Waxers (GTHL)
#8 Quinte Red Devils (OMHA)
#9 Toronto Nationals (GTHL)
#10 Toronto Marlboros (GTHL)
#11 Waterloo Wolves (Alliance)
#12 Renfrew Wolves (HEO)
#13 Soo Jr. Greyhounds (GNML)
#14 Kitchener Jr. Rangers (Alliance)
#15 North York Rangers (GTHL)
#16 Windsor Jr. Spitfires* (Alliance)
#17 Vaughan Kings (GTHL)
#18 Oakville Rangers (OMHA)
#19 Toronto Titans (GTHL)
#20 Richmond Hill Coyotes (OMHA)
* U18 Central Region Championship Host Team
Great North Playoff Schedule & Results
North Bay Trappers defeat Soo Greyhounds to advance to Central Region Championship.
Toronto Jr. Canadiens defeat Vaughan Kings to advance to Central Region Championship.
Alliance Championship Series – March 20-30
#3 Elgin-Middlesex Canucks def. #11 Waterloo Wolves
Game 1 – Monday, March 20
Canucks 2, Wolves 0
Game 2 – Friday, March 24
Wolves 4, Canucks 0
Game 3 – Friday, March 24
Wolves 1, Canucks 1
Game 4 – Monday, March 27
Canucks 5, Wolves 3
Game 5 – Tuesday, March 28
Canucks 4, Wolves 3 =
Elgin-Middlesex Canucks advance to Central Region Championship.
HEO Regional Qualifier Schedule
HEO Championship Series – March 24-31 (best of five)
#25 Kemptville 73’s def. #30 Ottawa Jr. Senators, 3-1
Game 1 – Friday, March 24
73’s 4, Senators 0
Game 2 – Saturday, March 25
Senators 3, 73’s 2 (2OT)
Game 3 – Monday, March 27
73’s 4, Senators 3 (OT)
Game 4 – Wednesday, March 29
73’s 1, Senators 0
Kemptville 73’s advance to Central Region Championship.
OMHA Playoffs Schedule & Standings
OMHA Championship Game
March 26
#6 Oshawa Generals 2, # 2 Ajax-Pickering Raiders 0
Oshawa Generals advance to Central Region Championship.
Atlantic Region
The reigning national champions, the Moncton Flyers, were back to defend their Atlantic Region title and hoped to punch their ticket to the Men’s U18 National Club Championship in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
Joining the Flyers were 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.
CLICK HERE for Atlantic Region Championship participating team information
CLICK HERE for Atlantic Region Championship scores
CLICK HERE for Atlantic Region Championship Game recap
Atlantic Region Championship Game
Sunday, April 8, 2023
#3 Weeks Major 2, #2 Moncton Flyers 1 (OT)
Weeks Major advances to the Hockey Canada U18 Club National Championship.
Atlantic Region League Standings, Scores & Upcoming Schedule
Atlantic Region Championship Website
Here is a breakdown of the Atlantic Region who competed for the right to represent the region at U18 Nationals:
NBPEIMU18HL Teams (Eastern Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#1 Charlottetown Knights
#2 Moncton Flyers
#5 Fredericton Caps
#8 Saint John Vito’s
#11 Northern Moose
#12 Kensington Wild
Charlottetown Knights win league championship
NLU18MHL Competing Teams (Eastern Canada Rankings as of March 22)
#10 Pinnacle Growlers
#15 East Coast Blizzard
#16 Central Impact
#18 Tri-Pen Osprey
#19 Western Kings
Pinnacle Growlers Win League Championship
CLICK HERE for story
NSU18MHL Competing Teams (Eastern Canada Rankings as of March 22)
#3 Weeks Major U18
#4 Cole Harbour Wolfpack
#6 Halifax Macs
#7 Dartmouth Major U18
#9 Valley Wildcats
#14 Cape Breton West Islanders
#17 Sydney Rush
Championship Series (best of 5)
Weeks Major U18 defeats Wolfpack, 3-2, to advance to Atlantic Region Championship.
