Photo Courtesy of Circle K Classic

The weekend between Christmas and New Year’s Day always offers fewer big tournaments than most hockey weekends throughout the season, but it does bring us one of the highest-profile events of the year.

And the fact that there aren’t many other events going on makes this tournament seem almost larger than life. So does the outstanding tournament field.

The puck dropped on the annual Circle K Classic in Calgary, the longest-running U18 AAA tournament in Western Canada, on Friday, Dec. 27. Pool play ran from Dec. 27 to Dec. 29, with the playoff rounds contested Dec. 30 to Jan. 1.

This year’s Classic featured five top 10 Canada Boys U18 AAA teams and four top 20 USA Boys 18U teams. There were a pair of top 10 American teams in Calgary and nine top 25 Canadian teams. There were 32 totals teams grouped in eight four-team pools, with 16 games played per day until the playoff round began.

The tournament also offered a new format in 2024, providing more teams an opportunity to capture the coveted Circle K Classic Championship. This year, the top two teams from each of the eight pools advanced and competed for the overall or “A” Division championship.

Shattuck-St. Mary’s, the top-ranked USA Boys 18U Tier 1 team, returned to defend its 2023 championship along with America’s No. 8 Bishop Kearney Selects. Trying to block the Sabres’ path to another title were Canada’s top-ranked Northern Alberta Xtreme, No. 3 Calgary Edge School, No. 9 Calgary NWCAA Flames and No. 10 Burnaby Winter Club Academy.

A total of nine U.S. teams participated, along with 23 clubs representing Canada and Team Hungary.

Games were played at the Max Bell Centre and 7 Chiefs Arena and available for viewing via FloHockey. 

Note: All rankings cited on this page are through Week 14.

 

Circle K Classic Tournament Program

Circle K Classic Tournament History

Complete Tournament Schedule, Results & Live Updates

Tournament Standings

Team Rosters

Skater Statistics

Goalie Statistics

 

Below are the pools and final pool-play records for the teams in this year’s Circle K Classic:

 

Pool 1

#25 Cariboo Cougars - 2W, 1OTW, 1L, 5 pts

#46 Sioux Falls Power - 2W, 1OTL, 7 pts

# 31 Okotoks Oilers - 1W, 1OTL, 1L, 4 pts

#27 Victory Honda - 1W, 1OTW, 2L, 2 pts

 

Top Pool 1 Matchup

Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m. EST at 7 Chiefs 2

#25 Cariboo Cougars (3), #27 Victory Honda (0)

Jaxon Larmand had a goal and an assist, while Jaxon Dikur stopped all 30 shots he faced for the Cougars. 

 

 

Pool 2

# 26 OHA Edmonton - 0W, 1OTL, 2L, 1 pt

#26 Phoenix Jr. Coyotes - 2W, 1L, 5 pts

#72 Regina Pat Canadians - 3W, 0L, 9 pts

#89 Calgary Royals - 1W, 1OTW, 2L, 2 pts

 

Top Pool 2 Matchup

Dec. 27, 12:00 p.m. EST at 7 Chiefs 2

#26 OHA Edmonton (1), #26 Phoenix Jr. Coyotes (3)

Max Edwards, Nicholas Kondub and Hayden Hastings scored for Phoenix, while Connor MacKenzie made 23 saves. 

 

 

Pool 3

#51 Chicago Mission - 0W, 3L, 0 pts

#24 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

#3 Edge School - 3W, 0L, 9 pts

#51 Fraser Valley Thunderbirds - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

 

Top Pool 3 Matchup

Dec. 29, 12:00 p.m. EST at Max Bell 2

#3 Edge School (5), #24 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blu (4) 

Mirco Dufour scored the game-winning goal with 1:47 left to make a winner out of goalie Ryley Budd (22 saves). Dufour and Jeff Niehaus scored two goals apiece for Edge, and Edmonton netminder Nathan Salisbury stopped 42 shots

 

Pool 4

#10 Burnaby Winter Club Academy - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

#72 Boston Hockey Academy - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

#9 Calgary NWCAA Flames - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

#40 Halifax McDonald's - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

 

Top Pool 4 Matchup

Dec. 29, 12:30 p.m. EST at 7 Chiefs 1

#9 Calgary NW Flames (2), Burnaby Winter Club Academy (3)

Calgary scored twice during a 23-second span in the final two minutes of the third period to make the game interesting. Richard Wonyeneh, Kadyn O'Brien and Max Malinousky scored to stake Burnaby to a 3-0 lead before the comeback. Noah Ninagowitz made 29 saves for the winners. 

 

 

Pool 5

#8 Bishop Kearney Selects - 3W, 0L, 9 pts

#62 Moose Jaw Warriors - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

#4 OHA Penticton - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

#33 Calgary CNHA Northstars - 0W, 3L, 0 pts

 

Top Pool 5 Matchup

Dec. 29, 8:45 p.m. EST at Max Bell 1

#4 OHA Penticton (1), #8 BK Selects (3)

BK scored twice in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and earn the victory. Nolan Beauchain, Konner Powell and Konstantin Huntzinger scored for the Selects, with goalie Sammy Doyon-Cataquiz making 16 saves. 

 

 

Pool 6

#1 Shattuck St. Mary's - 3W, 0L, 9 pts

#14 Sherwood Park Kings - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

#20 Valley West Giants - 0W, 3L, 0 pts

#11 Calgary International Hockey Academy - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

 

Pool 6 Top Matchup

Dec. 27, 6:00 p.m. EST at 7 Chiefs 1

#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (9), #11 CIHA (3)

Nolan Caffey notched two goals and two assists, with Noah Davidson adding two goals and an assist for Shattuck. Jackson Silverberg stopped 16 shots to earn the win in goal. 

 

 

Pool 7

#20 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite - 2W, 1L, 6 pts

N/A Team Hungary - 0W, 3L, 0 pts

#1 Northern Alberta Xtreme - 3W, 0L, 9 pts

#59 Calgary Buffaloes - 1W, 2L, 3 pts

 

Pool 7 Top Matchup

Dec. 27, 9:15 p.m. EST at Max Bell 2

#1 Northern Alberta Xtreme (5), #20 Pens Elite (2)

Five different players scored for NAX, but Ben Deacon led the way with a goal and three assists while Jake Walker added a goal and an assist. Nathan Stevens was the winning goalie with 32 saves. 

 

 

Pool 8

# 36 Airdrie Bisons - 2W, 1SOL, 0L, 7 pts

#32 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange - 0W, 3L, 0 pts

#21 Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna - 2W, 1SOW, 1OTL, 6 pts

#14 St. Louis AAA Blues - 2W, 1OTW, 1L, 5 pts

 

Top Pool 8 Matchup

Dec. 27, 8:15 p.m. EST at 7 Chiefs 2

#14 St. Louis AAA Blues (4), #21 RHA Kelowna (3) - OT

Logan Petlansky scored the game-winning goal at 2:39 of the extra period as the Blues came back for the win. Braden Tillitt scored his second goal of the game with 5:03 left in regulation and also asssited on the winner. Marcus Johnson was the winner in goal with 29 saves. 

 

CLICK HERE for the Dec. 30 playoff schedule

CLICK HERE for the Dec. 30 consolation schedule 

CLICK HERE for the final tournament playoff brackets

 

Semifinal Matchups – Dec. 31

#1 Shattuck St. Mary’s (7), #1 Northern Alberta Xtreme (3)

NAX jumped on the defending champs with three first-period goals, including two in the final seven minutes, to take a 3-2 lead through 20 minutes of play. It was all Sabres from there, though, as Shattuck tied it on a goal by Gavin Katz 1:08 into the middle frame and poured in three more goals during the game’s final 32 minutes to earn a return trip to the championship game. SSM’s depth was on display as seven different players scored goals, with Luke Puchner’s goal and two assists leading the way. Alex Donovan, Quinn McKenzie, Noah Davidson and Nolan Caffey each contributed a goal and an assist, while Xavier Wendt made 19 saves to earn the win in goal. Jackson Degraves, Mason Koponyas and Easton Doran scored for NAX.

 

#11 CIHA (5), #10 Burnaby Winter Club Academy (1)

It was all Calgary right from the start as CIHA opened the contest with three goals during a nine-minute span of the first period and never looked back in advancing to the finals. Noah Milford, Jack Coghlan, Townes Kozicky, Scott Sandilands and Benett Kelly scored for the winners, with netminder Cole Prelusky stopping 19 of the 20 shots he faced to secure the victory in goal. Lukas Lima cut the CIHA lead to 3-1 with a second-period marker for Burnaby.

 

“A” Division Championship Game – Jan. 1

#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (1), #11 CIHA (0)

Shattuck scored the game-winner with about 11 minutes remaining in the second period when Gavin Katz beat CHIA goalie Cole Prelusky, who would stop 39 out of 40 shots on the day. Jackson Silverberg made 24 saves for the Sabres to earn the shutout.  

 

“B” Division Finals

#4 OHA Penticton (5), #14 St. Louis AAA Blues (2)

Jackson Roberts scored twice, with Charlie Grant adding a goal and an assist and netminder Chayse Johnson making 29 saves as OHA claimed the “B” Division crown.

 

“C” Division Finals

#20 Valley West Giangs (4), #32 Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange (3) - OT

Ryder Marks scored the OT GWG 4:26 into the extra session to propel Valley West to the “C” championship, and Shay McVicker made 28 saves to earn the win in goal.

 

Circle K Classic First All-Star Team

Goalie

Cole Prelulsky, CIHA

 

Defense     

Eli Johnson, RP Canadians

Kyle Heger, SSM

 

Forwards           

Maddox Schultz, RP Canadians

Alex Donovan, SSM

Gavin Katz, SSM

 

Circle K Classic Second All-Star Team

Goalie                  

Jaxon Dikur, Cariboo Cougars

 

Defense              

Jared Miskiw, VW Giants

Liam Eisnor, NAX

 

Forwards           

Mark Evans, Pens Elite

Jonah Sivertson, RP Canadians

Dominik Silbernagel, RHA Kelowna

 

Circle K Classic Award Winners

MVP                       

Maddox Schultz, RP Canadians

 

Top Scorer        

Alex Donovan, SSM

 

Top Defenseman       

Eli Johnson, RP Canadians

 

Most Sportsmanlike

Gavin Katz, SSM

 

Top Goalie

Cole Prelusky, CIHA

 

Top Coach        

Tom Wad, SSM

 

Playoff MVP     

Graham Jones. SSM