MYHockey News
The MHR Weekend Wrap for September 12-15
BK Selects Photo
Another big weekend for girls hockey in Canada featured a pair of tournaments that between them included many traditional top United States 19U teams as well as perennial Canadian U18 and U22 powerhouses from Ottawa, Quebec and Western Canada.
The second installment of the Stoney Creek Sabres Showcase series hosted U22 Canada Girls and 19U USA Girls teams, while the Calgary U18 AAA Firestarter Tournament annually is one of the top early-season events in Western Canada.
On the boys side, south of the border – but not too far south – the second weekend of Just Get Good Kickoff Classic tournaments, this time for teenage USA Tier 1 Boys teams. Was played in the Rochester, N.Y., and the Detroit Kickoff Classic for Tier 1 USA and Canada Boys 2012 birthyear teams also was held.
The Calgary Fire AAA/AA club and its volunteer members created the Calgary Firestarter Tournament in 2016 to help raise the profile of AAA/AA girls hockey in Western Canada and provide an opportunity for young players to diversify their competition pool. Its early-season timing also can prove beneficial to teams looking to finalize their player selections for the upcoming season.
Many players who have participated in the Firestarter have committed to university or college teams in Canada and the United States. The competing teams represent some of the highest-level girls clubs in Western Canada.
Last weekend’s event was the U18 AAA Firestarter. The U15 AA Firestarter will be held Sept. 27-29, while the U18 AA event is slated for Oct. 4-6.
Competing clubs that perennially produce teams that are ranked among Canada’s top programs national included:
Calgary Fire, Northern Alberta Xtreme, Notre Dame Hounds, Saskatoon Stars, Edmonton Jr. Oilers, Westman Wildcats, St. Albert Slash, Fraser Valley Rush, Rocky Mountain Raiders, Battlefords Sharks and Lloydminster Steelers.
The Firestarter featured 16 teams divided into four pools. There were three pool-play games followed by playoffs. The tournament began early on Thursday, Sept. 12 and ran through the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 15.
All games were played at the Great Plains Recreational Facility and can be viewed at Flo Hockey.
U18 AAA Firestarter Recap
Calgary Fire Red earned the top spot from Pool A, posting a 4-1-0 record with a 16-11 goal differential. Edmonton Jr. Oilers White topped Pool B with a perfect 5-0-0 mark while outscoring its opponents by an astounding 32-4 margin. The St. Albert Slash finished atop a hotly contested Pool C at 3-2-0 despite a plus-18 goal differential. In Pool D it was the Battlefords Sharks who led the way at 4-0-1 with a 14-4 scoring advantage.
After a dominant showing in pool play, Edmonton Jr. Oilers White rolled to the tournament championship with a 6-1 victory against Calgary Fire Red. Edmonton led, 1-0, after the opening period but exploded for three second-period goals and cruised to the title.
The Jr. Oilers scored the game’s first six goals, with six different players doing the damage. Parker Small, Madison Stark, Tayah Wallace, Reanna Loberg, Paige Smith and Keira Grant scored for the champs while winning goaltender Taya Christie made 19 saves. Liliana Murphy had the only goal for Calgary.
Calgary Firestarter Schedule & Scores
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/schedule
Calgary Firestarter Standings
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/standings
Calgary Firestarter Rosters
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/roster/553/127
Calgary Firestarter Rules & Tournament Format
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/tournament-rules
Stoney Creek University Showcase
One week after hosting some of the top Canada Girls U18 and USA Girls 16U Tier 1 programs, the Stoney Creek Sabres welcomed 64 more teams to Hamilton, Ontario for their University Showcase. Top Canadian U22 programs from Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada competed along with some of the USA’s best U19 programs.
The 64 teams were divided into eight eight-team pools, with pool play taking place Sept. 13 and 14. The four top seeds competed in the Gold playoffs, with the next four playing for the Silver championship, the third set of four competing for the Bronze title and the next four seeds after that playing for the Brass championship on Sunday. Other teams competed in consolation rounds, with each participating club guaranteed to play five games.
There were a total of 164 games played during the weekend. Contests played at Mohawk Ice Centre and Gateway Arena can be viewed on-demand via LiveBarn.
United States Girls U19 Competing Teams:
Biggby Coffee, HoneyBaked, Bishop Kearney Selects, Dallas Stars Elite, Gilmour Academy, New Jersey Ironbound, Northwood School, Belle Tire, Team Illinois, Lovell Academy, New Jersey Colonials, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, Chicago Mission, Washington Pride, Windy City Storm, Culver Academies, Nichols School, St. Louis Lady Blues, Anaheim Lady Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Top Canada Girls U22 Competing Teams:
Champlain College, Mississauga Jr. Hurricanes, Stoney Creek Sabres, Barrie Sharks, Balmoral Hall, Kingston Ice Wolves, North York Storm, Calgary Edge School, Etobicoke Dolphins, Central York Panthers, Limoilou Titans, London Devilettes, Whitby Wolves, Burlington Jr. Barracudas, Delta Hockey Academy, Okanagan Hockey Academy Edmonton, Okanagan Hockey Academy Penticton, Ottawa Jr. Lady Senators, Ridley College, Durham West Lightning, Oakville Hornets, Toronto Leaside Wildcats, Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna, Waterloo Ravens and South Alberta Hockey Academy.
Congratulations to this year’s Stoney Creek U18 Showcase champions and finalists:
Champions
Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna – Gold Champions
Bishop Kearney Selects 19U – Silver Champions
Ottawa Jr. Lady Senators – Bronze Champions
Central York Panthers – Brass Champions
Finalists
Etobicoke Dolphins – Gold Finalists
Limoilou Titans – Silver Finalists
Belle Tire – Bronze Finalists
Oakville Hornets – Brass Finalists
Gold Playoff Recap
Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna rolled to a 4-0-0 record in pool play, outscoring its opponents, 25-2, to advance to the Gold semifinals. RHA knocked off the Stoney Creek Sabres, 3-0, in the semis and then defeated the Etobicoke Dolphins, 3-2, to capture the Gold title. Stoney Creek posted a 12-2 goal differential in going 4-0-0 to win its pool, while Etobicoke also was 4-0-0 prior to eliminating the Durham West Lightning, 2-1, in the semifinals. Etobicoke outscored its opponents, 26-4, in pool play, while the Lightning compiled a 16-4 scoring edge in also posting a 4-0-0 record.
Silver Playoff Recap
The Bishop Kearney Selects didn’t lose during pool play, winning all four contests, but their one overtime victory cost them a spot in the Gold Playoffs. Instead, they just battled on to capture the Silver championship by beating the Burlington Barracudas, 3-2 in overtime, in the semifinals and the Limoilou Titans, 6-5 in a shootout, for the championship. Limoilou was 3-0-1 in pool play before handling the North York Storm, 5-1, in the semis. Like BK, North York was 4-0 in pool play with an OT victory.
Bronze Playoff Recap
The Ottawa Senators tied Burlington in their pool at 3-0-1 but ended up in the Bronze Playoffs because of a goal-differential tiebreaker. They didn’t let that deter them, however, as Ottawa beat the Mississauga Jr. Hurricanes, 4-2, to advance to the finals before taking down Belle Tire by a 2-0 margin. Belle Tire won three games in pool play but dropped an overtime decision to the North York Storm. BT beat the Nepean Wildcats, 5-2, in the Bronze semifinals.
Brass Playoff Recap
After going 3-1-0 in pool play to finish behind Limoilou, the Central York Panthers skated to the Brass title with a 4-1 win over the Bluewater Hawks and a 3-2 shootout victory against the Oakville Hornets. Oakville was 3-1 in pool play, but one of the wins came in overtime. The Hornets beat the Ottawa Lady 67s, 2-0, in the semifinals.
Stoney Creek University Showcase Scores & Schedule
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Schedule/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Standings
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Divisions/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Rules & Format
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Pages/7503/General_Information_Rules/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Program/Rosters
Just Get Good Rochester Kickoff Classic
This was the second consecutive weekend of JGG Kickoff Classic tournaments for USA Boys Tier 1 programs. The previous weekend’s event was for teams in the Mite through 12U age levels. Sept. 13-15, 45 teams in the 18U, 16U, 15O, 14U and 13O age groups descended upon the Rochester, N.Y. area to compete in nearly 100 games from Friday through Sunday.
Each team played three preliminary-round games before the playoffs began late Saturday and continued through Sunday afternoon.
Programs sending teams to compete in the various age groups include:
Bishop Kearney Selects, Connecticut Elite, Gilmour Academy, Atlantic Coast Academy, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, CP Dynamo, Nichols School, Northwood School, South Hills Panthers, Syracuse Nationals, Central Hockey Club, Rochester Coalition, Rochester Jr. Americans, Buffalo Regals, Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Pittsburgh Stars, Upland School, Amherst Knights, New Hampshire Avalanche, Pittsburgh Vengeance, Valley Jr. Warriors, Mercer Chiefs, PAL Jr. Islanders, New Jersey Colonials and Valley Forge Minutemen.
Games played at the Greater Canandaigua Civic Center, Rochester Ice Center and Bill Gray Regional Iceplex can be viewed live and on-demand via LiveBarn
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic 18U Recap
Northwood School’s 3-2 Day 1 shootout victory against Nichols school ended up being the difference in the Huskies’ weekend as they went 3-0 to advance to the championship game against the Bishop Kearney Selects, who also opened the weekend with three victories. Northwood knocked off BK, 3-2, in a title matchup that featured five first-period goals.
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic 16U Recap
The BK Selects also topped their pool in the 16U Division, going 3-0-0, and piling up a 20-5 scoring advantage. The Selects faced Atlantic Coast Academy, who went 2-1-0 in pool play with a shootout loss, for the championship and came away with a 3-1 victory.
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic 15O Recap
Bishop Kearney was at it again in the 15O Division, rolling to a 25-3 scoring advantage and a 4-0-0 mark for the weekend. BK defeated the Rochester Jr. Americans, who ended up 2-2-0, in the championship game, 4-3 in a shootout.
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic 14U Recap
The Pittsburgh Stars capped off a perfect weekend in the 14U Division by posting a 6-0 shutout win over the Syracuse Nationals to capture the championship. Pittsburgh allowed just three goals while scoring 18 in its four contests. The Rochester Americans and Atlantic Coast Academy each went 2-2-0.
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic 13O Recap
The New Jersey Colonials captured the championship in the tournament’s largest division with a 6-0-0 record. They scored 23 goals while allowing just nine in skating to the title. New Jersey beat the Clifton Park Dynamo, 5-3 in the semifinals, and the PAL Jr. Islanders, 2-0, in the championship game. The Dynamo and Jr. Islanders with posted 4-1-0 records.
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Rules
https://jggtourneys.com/rules\
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Teams
https://www.jggtourneys.com/committed-teams-jgg-kick-off-classic
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Schedule
https://kick-off-classic.jggtourneys.com/schedule
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Standings
https://kick-off-classic.jggtourneys.com/standings
Held in Trenton, Mich., the Detroit Kickoff Classic featured strong 2012 birthyear Tier 1 AAA boys programs from the U.S. and Canada. Eight Peewee teams competed in two pools for the right to advance to the playoff round.
The tournament ran from Friday, Sept. 13 through the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 15, with each team competing in three pool-play contests to determine playoff seedings.
Teams were guaranteed to play four times, and all games were played at Kennedy Recreation Center and can be viewed on-demand via LiveBarn.
Detroit Kickoff Classic Recap
The Sun County Panthers from Ottawa posted the weekend’s best record during round-robin play. The Panthers were 3-1-0, with the lone setback coming against a Canadian rival, the Soo Jr. Greyhounds, by a 2-1 margin. Soo concluded the weekend 2-1-1, The Jr. Greyhounds lost to the Nashville Jr. Predators, 5-0, and tied Fox Motors, 2-2. In the playoff round, which featured only American sides, Nashville beat Belle Tire, 5-0 in the finals after knocking off the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, 5-3, in the semifinals. Belle Tire beat the Sylvania North Stars, 3-2, to advance to the finals. Nashville was 2-0-1 in pool play and concluded the weekend 4-0-1. BT concluded the tournament with a 3-2-0 record.
Canadian 2012 Competing Teams:
Sun County Panthers and Soo Jr. Greyhounds
USA 2012 Competing Teams:
Belle Tire, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, Fox Motors, Nashville Jr. Predators, Pittsburgh Vengeance and Sylvania North Stars
Detroit Kickoff Classic Schedule & Standings
https://app.eventconnect.io/events/29771/scheduling-scoring
