Esso Cup 2026: The Chiefs are the Champs!
Updated April 26 at 9:15 a.m. EDT
The road to the Hockey Canada Club National Championships for U18 boys and girls began almost two months ago for some teams. For the ones that have been able to avoid all the obstacles and potholes that pop up along the way and are still playing, the end of the road is here.
The Esso Cup U18 Girls Club National Championship began April 19 in New Brunswick, while the puck dropped on the 2026 Telus Cup U18 Boys Club National Championship Monday, April 20, in Ontario.
Postseason play north of the border got underway for some Canadian minor hockey leagues as early as mid-February, with U18 teams of both genders embarking on what they hoped would be long and fruitful journeys. As we neared the end of April, champions had been crowned at the league and provincial levels, while the surviving U18 teams ran the gauntlet through their league, provincial and regional championships and arrived at Dieppe, New Brunswick, where they competed for a national title.
Regional U18 Girls champions (West, Quebec, Ontario, Pacific, Atlantic) have advanced to compete in New Brunswick along with the host Moncton Rockets at the 2026 Esso Cup April 19-25. With the qualification of the Quebec A's April 12, the field for the tournament was completely set.
CLICK HERE for the 2026 Road to Esso bracket
Esso Cup Club National Championship Standings
MHR Canada U18 Girls Week 30 Rankings
#5 Red Deer Chiefs – Pacific (5-0-0, 14pts) Gold Medal
#13 Stoney Creek Sabres – Ontario (3-2-0, 9pts) Silver Medal
#9 Moncton Rockets – Host (3-2-0, 9pts)
#18 Northern Selects – Atlantic 2-3-0, 7pts) Bronze Medal
#11 Quebec A’s – Quebec (2-3-0, 6pts)
#8 Winnipeg Ice – West (0-5-0, 0pts)
Likewise, five regional Boys champions (West, Pacific, Central, Atlantic, Quebec) competed in Ontario along with the host Peterborough Petes at the 2026 Telus Cup April 20-26. The Levis Chevaliers captured the Quebec title April 12 to finalize the Telus Cup field for 2026.
CLICK HERE for the 2026 Road to Telus bracket
Telus Cup Club National Championship Field
MHR Canada U18 Boys Week 30 Rankings
#1 Regina Pat Canadians – West
#12 Okanagan Rockets – Pacific
#15 Levis Chevaliers – Quebec
#32 Halifax Macs - Atlantic
#33 Waterloo Wolves – Central
#70 Peterborough Petes – Host
The Esso Cup began Sunday, April 19, at 10 a.m. EDT, with Ontario’s 13th-ranked Stoney Creek Sabres taking on the No. 8 Winnipeg Ice, champions of the West Region.
That was the first of three games on opening-day 2026. The Pacific-champion and fifth-ranked Red Deer Rebels face the No. 11 Quebec A’s at 2 p.m. EDT, and the first day of competition culminated with the No. 9 host Moncton Rockets taking on their Atlantic Region rivals, the 18th-ranked Northern Selects, at 6 p.m. EDT.
The tournament ended Saturday, April 25, when Red Deer's Jensyn Stephenson scored in overtime to lift the Chiefs to the national championship.
2026 Esso Cup Award Winners
MVP - Hali-Rose MacLean (Northern Selects)
Best Forward - Ivy Johnston (Stoney Creek Sabres)
Best Defender - Audrey Poirier (Moncton Rockets)
Best Goaltender - Brylee Hull (Red Deer Chiefs)
Most Sportsmanlike - Liva Landry (Quebec A's)
All Esso Cup games were played at UNIplex in Dieppe, New Brunswick, and can be viewed on demand at HNLive.ca.
Esso Cup Format
All six teams played each other once – for a total of five games per club – in the preliminary round. There were three games per day until the opening round concluded with the host Rockets taking on the Quebec A’s Thursday, April 23, at 6 p.m. EDT.
The teams that finished first through fourth in the preliminary round advanced to play in the semifinals April 24 at 2 and 6 p.m. EDT. The bronze-medal game was played April 25 at 1 p.m. EDT, with puck dropping for the gold-medal game at 5 p.m. EDT that same day. The Northern Selects defeated the host Moncton Rockets, 4-0, to earn the bronze medal.
2026 Esso Cup Preliminary Round Schedule & Game Recaps
All times Eastern
Sunday, April 19
#13 Stony Creek Sabres 1, #8 Winnipeg Ice 0
Ivy Johnston scored 3:48 into the game, and Stoney Creek netminder Madeline Weir and the Sabre defense did the rest in the tournament's first game. Weir finished with 35 saves to make a hard-luck loser out of counterpart Gina Plett (28 saves). Olivia De Caria assisted on the game's lone tally.
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 6, #11 Quebec A’s 2
Red Deer scored twice in the opening 7:28 and added a pair of tallies in a span of 50 seconds in the second period after Quebec had tied it on a pair of goals by Ann-Sophie Cote. Those were the first two of four straight scores by the Chiefs as they pulled away for the Day 1 victory. Jensyn Stephenson recorded a goal and 2 assists for the winners, with Kendall Hammer adding a goal and an assist and Olivia Stewart dishing out a pair of helpers. Winning netminder Brylee Hull stopped 12 shots.
6:00 p.m. – #9 Moncton Rockets 4, #18 Northern Selects 3
The hosts needed a goal from Zoe Allain with 2:59 left in the game to earn the opening-night victory after the Selects had rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period. Carrie Doiron and Shawnn Richards scored for the Selects in the final frame to tie the game at 3 and set up Allain's heroics. Annabelle Daniel and Thea MacFadyen scored in the first period to give Moncton a 2-0 lead. Hali-Rose MacLean cut the margin to 2-1 with a goal for the Selects, but Lauren Ward tallied with 6:45 let in the middle frame to extend the lead to 3-1 through two periods. Daniel and MacFadyen each finished with 2 points for the Rockets, while winning goalie Morgan Redmond made 16 saves. MacLean recorded a goal and an assist for the Selects.
CLICK HERE for the April 19 Three Stars of the Day
Monday, April 20
#11 Quebec A’s 3, #8 Winnipeg Ice 2
Quebec got goals from Elisa-Belle Noah and Amelia Jacques in the first period and led, 3-1, on Nelia Morin's third-period, shorthanded goal before holding on for the 3-2 victory. Claire Hudson scored for Winnipeg in the second period and Chloe Nicolas cut the margin to 3-2 with 12:12 remaining in the game, but the Ice couldn't get another puck past winning goalie Olivia Tannous (26 saves). Noah and Winnipeg's Chloe Delaquis finished with two points each.
#13 Stoney Creek Sabres 6, #18 Northern Selects 1
The Sabres led, 2-0, through 40 minutes before exploding for four third-period goals to secure the victory and improve to 2-0-0. Ashtyn MacHattie cut the margin to 2-1 for the Selects 3:11 into the final frame, but that just seemed to make the Sabres angry as they scored four times during the next 11 minutes to blow the game open. Jaela Houston started the run off with her second of the game, with Ivy Johnston, Emma Kindree and Kyla Noon also scoring. Carlee Wardell opened the scoring for Stoney Creek in the first period and lalter added an assist. Kindree also notched two points, while winning netminder Emma Forrest stopped 20 shots.
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 2, #9 Moncton Rockets 0
Rebecca Lacina scored just 1:20 into the game, and the Chiefs wouldn't score again until Rylee Cruse connected 12:51 into the third period. That proved to be more than enough for Red Deer goalie Quinn Smith, who recorded a 20-save shutout victory as the Chiefs improved to 2-0-0.
CLICK HERE for the April 20 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 2 Plays of the Day
Tuesday, April 21
#18 Northern Selects 3, #11 Quebec A’s 2
The Selects scored three straight goals in the second period after falling behind, 2-0, and held on for the victory to improve to 1-2-0. Quebec fell to 1-2-0. Carrie Doiron scored two of the tree second-period goals, which came in a span of 3:40, and Lexy MacIntyre buried the dagger with just one second left in the middle frame. Goalie Amy Field and the Selects' defense did the rest to close out the victory Field stopped all 13 shots she faced in the third period to earn the win and finish with 24 saves. Lya Michaud and Camille Bihannic scored for Quebec.
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 4, #8 Winnipeg Ice 0
Jensyn Stephenson scored twice and Brylee Hull turned in a 29-save shutout as Red Deer improved to 3-0-0 and dropped the Ice to 0-3-0. Talia Switzer and Olivia Stewart also scored for the Chiefs.
#13 Stoney Creek Sabres 4, #9 Moncton Rockets 2
Ivy Johnston was a one-person wrecking crew, scoring three goals and assising on the other as the Sabres stayed perfect at 3-0-0. Olivia De Caria scored the other goal for Stoney Creek, while goalie Madeline Weir stopped 23 shots. Anabelle Daniel and Thea MacFadyen scored for Moncton, which fell to 1-2-0.
CLICK HERE for the April 21 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 3 Plays of the Day
Wednesday, April 22
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 3, #18 Northern Selects 2 (OT)
Jensyn Stephenson continued her torrid tournament, scoring just 38 seconds into overtime - her second point of the game and sixth of the tournament - as Red Deer rallied from a late 2-1 deficit to steal the victory and improve to 4-0-0. She assisted on Peyton Stephenson's goal with 5:37 left, which forced the extra session after Hali-Rose MacLean had given the selects a 2-1 lead earlier in the final frame. That was MacLean's second marker of the game, while Ceder Thorburn scored the other goal for the Chiefs. Brylee Hull earned the win in goal with 22 saves.
#11 Quebec A’s 3, #13 Stoney Creek Sabres 2
Quebec scored twice in the third period to rally after trailing, 2-1, entering the final frame. With the loss, the Sabres enter the final day of round-robin play at 3-1-0, two points behind first-place Red Deer (11 points). Quebec is tied for third with Moncton at 2-2-0 (6 points). Ann-Sophie Cote scored the game-winning goal in this one with 3:40 left after Nelia Morin tied the game 9:15 into the third period. Camille Bihannic notched the other A's goal in the first period, sandwiched between tallies by Stoney Creek's Abigail St. Croix and Ivy Johnston. Winning goalie Olivia Tannous made 28 saves.
#9 Moncton Rockets 3, Winnipeg Ice 1
The hosts stayed in the playoff mix, scoring three straight goals in the final 26:09 of the game to rally from a 1-0 deficit and improve to 2-2-0. Lauren Ward and Madeleine Colpitts scored in the second period, with Marissa Richard providing an insurance marker in the game's final 3 minutes to make a winner out of goalie Claire Frenette (28 saves). Maelle Rodier contributed a pair of assists for the winners.
CLICK HERE for the April 22 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 4 Plays of the Day
Thursday, April 23
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 3, #13 Stoney Creek Sabres 1
Taylor Wasylchew and Violet Green scored exactly 5 minutes apart, turning a 1-1 game into a 3-1 victory for the Chiefs. Red Deer concluded pool play undefeated to earn the top seed in the semifinals. At 3-2-0, Stoney Creek finished second. Rylee Cruse scored the other Red Deer goal, and Quinn Smith stopped 29 shots to earn the win in goal. Ryleigh O'Brien scored the only goal for Stoney Creek.
#18 Northern Selects 2, #8 Winnipeg Ice 0
The Selects took care of their business, scoring two early goals and securing a 2-0 victory, while Moncton beat Quebec in regularion to send Northern into the semfinals as the fourth seed with a 2-3-0 record and 7 standings points. The Ice fell to 0-5-0. Ana McArthur and Hali-Rose MacLean scored in the first 16:36 of the game, and that proved to be more than enough thanks to Amy Field's 19-save shutout effort. MacLean also picked up an assist, while Isla Matthews made 23 saves for Winnipeg.
#9 Moncton Rockets 4, #11 Quebec A’s 1
With both teams in a must-win situation, the hosts scored three goals during the second half of the game to pull away and earn the third playoff seed at 3-2-0. Quebec fell to 2-3-0 and ended up one point shy of the semifinals. Anabelle Daniel, Zoe Allain and Thea MacFadyen scored during Moncton's decisive run, with Allain also opening the scoring just 1:39 into the contest. Lyanna Bouchard scored for the A's. Daniel also disched out a pair of helpers, while MacFadyen contibuted an assist to go along with her goal and winning netminder Claire Frenette made 20 saves.
CLICK HERE for the April 23 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 5 Plays of the Day
Friday, April 24
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 7, #18 Northern Selects 4
The Selects converted on four of seven power-play opportunities but couldn't overcome a pair of three-goal surges by Red Deer. Trailing, 3-1, in the second period, the Chiefs got toals from Macy Morrison, Jensyn Stephenson and Reece Lacina in a span of 11:11 to pull in front, 4-3. Then, after Carrie Doiron tied it at 4 with a goal 55 seconds into the final frame, Bailey Rogers, Stephenson and Olivia Stewart shut the door with goals in the final 10:07. Lexi MacIntyre and Hali-Rose MacLean each had a goal and two assists for the Selects. Red Deer goalie Brylee Hull stopped 25 shots to earn the win.
#13 Stoney Creek Sabres 2, #9 Moncton Rockets 0
Olivia De Caria and Jaela Houston scored the goals, while Emma Forrest stopped all the shots as the Sabres advanced to the gold medal game. Forrest made 38 saves and never allowed the home crowd to get excited. De Caria scored 10:44 into the game, and Houston provided some breathing room with 3:44 left in the second period. Claire Frenette made 22 saves for Moncton.
CLICK HERE for the April 24 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 6 Plays of the Day
Saturday, April 25 - Bronze Medal Game
#18 Northern Selects 4, #9 Moncton Rockets 0
The underdog Selects beat the hosts to become the first Atlantic Region team ever to win a medal at the Esso Cup. Amy Field was the star, stopping all 35 shots she faced to earn the shutout and the hardware. Ali Chisholm scored twice, with Laila Burris adding a goal and an assist and Lexi MacIntyre potting the other goal for the Selects. Shawn Richards, Carrie Doiron and Ana MdArthur each handed out an assist.
Gold Medal Game
#5 Red Deer Chiefs 4, #13 Stoney Creek Sabres 3 (OT)
Jensyn Stephenson scored in the third period to force overtime before netting the game-winning goal in the extra session as Red Deer captured the gold medal and national championship. Ceder Throrburn and Addison Shaw assisted on the winning goal, which came 3:50 into overtime. Stephenson also assisted on Macy Morrison's first-period goal as Morrison and Reece Lacina scored in the opening frame to give the Chiefs an early 2-0 lead 8:49 into the contest. Stoney Creek responded in a big way, however, with Olivia De Caria scoring twice and Ryleigh O'Brien also tallying to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead with 18:25 left. That was the last time they would beat Brylee Hull, though, as the winning netminder finished with 27 saves. Lena Loomer and Addison Shaw each contributed two assists for Red Deer.
CLICK HERE for the April 25 Three Stars of the Day
CLICK HERE for the Day 7 Plays of the Day
CLICK HERE for the complete Esso Cup schedule & results
CLICK HERE for Esso Cup team rosters
CLICK HERE for the Esso Cup standings
CLICK HERE for Esso Cup player stats
CLICK HERE for Esso Cup team stats
