RED DEER -The hunt for a National title is underway for a pair of Alberta’s Midget AAA teams, as the 2019 Esso Cup and Telus Cup are both set to begin.

The journey for a three-peat begins on Sunday for the St. Albert Slash, as the 2019 Esso Cup gets underway in Sudbury, ON.

The Slash are representing the Pacific region at the tournament for the third straight year, and are the two-time reigning Esso Cup champions.

The Slash kick off their tournament Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm MST against the As de Quebec.

Schedule > | Stats > | Standings >

Meanwhile, the Calgary Buffaloes look to bring a Telus Cup title back to Alberta since the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

The 2019 Telus Cup kicks off Monday in Thunder Bay, ON. Calgary opens the tournament against the host Thunder Bay Kings at 5:30pm.

Schedule > | Stats > | Standings >

Sunday March 23, 2019
by Jamie Langley
Player/Coach Development
Brooks Minor Hockey Association
Jamie Langley organized a four-team half-ice Novice jamboree to wrap up the 2018-19 season in Brooks. Here are his thoughts about a fantastic day for all the participants.

BROOKS - The day began with excitement and uncertainty as all four teams prepared for the four games in six hours journey. The goal was to host an event to celebrate the half-ice hockey game and reward the players with something fun, challenging and exciting.

All teams received a complimentary gift basket of Gatorade, fruit, energy bars, a hockey bracelet and helmet sticker to mark the event.

Setting the tone was announcer extraordinaire Devin Campbell as he energized and welcomed everyone to the “IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR HOCKEY” Novice Jamboree.

Team and player introductions followed and all four teams took their place on the two blue lines. Pre game festivities concluded with the singing of O’ Canada.

Four teams participated in the event; Lacombe Red Rockets, Bow Island Rebels, Brooks Jr. Bandits Novice Red and Brooks Jr. Bandits Novice Blue.

The excitement in the kids’ eyes was contagious as they heard their names over the sound system as they skated to their respective blue lines. This really set the tone for the day. To round things out all games were played with music being played through the sound system truly making it a fun and exciting day for the kids playing the game.

Every player, coach, parent and fan had a tremendous day either playing or watching the action which featured two games back-to-back, a pizza break for teams to meet and mingle while enjoying free pizza from Domino’s, followed by two more games.

Highlighting the “IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR HOCKEY” Jamboree was the focus on team work and sportsmanship, which was evident as the Jamboree signed off after the last two games with a giant handshake line and group picture with all four teams at centre ice, celebrating the parents and the excitement of the day.

As for the teams, they all had an extraordinary day of hockey, fun, excitement and a little exhaustion. They were thrilled to be taking part and are excited to be invited back next year for “IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR HOCKEY” Jamboree, part two.

The future of hockey lies with today’s youth. Because of this, Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta have developed age appropriate programming to encourage the growth of foundational skills for young players in hockey. Minor hockey associations and coaches lead the implementation of the Initiation and Novice programs with the assistance of volunteers, parents and others associated with hockey.

The programming must provide opportunities for a wide range of people to get involved to improve the quality of the hockey experience through sound instruction and enjoyable play.

Effective for the 2019-20 season, Initiation and Novice hockey in Alberta will run under the title Intro to Hockey. The goals and objectives of Intro to Hockey programming are to:

• Teach the basic skills of hockey so players can enjoy the game,
• Assist in the development and enhancement of physical literacy and basic motor patterns,
• Deliver a program that is age appropriate for the size, skill and age of the players,
• Encourage the aspects of fitness, fair play and co-operation while having fun playing the game.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is now accepting applications for key volunteer positions across a number of committees for the 2019-20 hockey season.

Volunteers are the faces of Hockey Alberta within their communities, positively representing themselves and the organization in regular encounters on a daily basis with participants in our sport.

Each year, hundreds of volunteers play integral roles in ensuring that Hockey Alberta is able to deliver high quality and efficient programming and services to the more than 90,000 participants across the province. Responsibilities range from day-to-day involvement in administration and discipline decisions for minor hockey, to coaching, instructing and mentoring, to working as a trainer or equipment manager in the Team Alberta program.

Currently, applications are being sought from interested individuals for a number of positions.

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORM >

Volunteering with Hockey Alberta also offers the following opportunities:

• To stay involved in the game that you love
• To engage the community to improve the game of hockey in Alberta
• To develop interpersonal skills that go beyond the game

More information can be found on the volunteer page of Hockey Alberta’s website.

RED DEER – The 120 players competing in the 2019 Alberta Challenge in Leduc, May 1-5, have been selected by Hockey Alberta.

The Alberta Challenge is the top Bantam female hockey tournament in Alberta, featuring many of the players who could be playing for various teams in the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) for years to come. The tournament also serves as a major step in Hockey Alberta’s Alberta Built Program of Excellence for players, coaches, officials and support staff.

The players are divided into the six teams who will take to the ice at Sobeys Arena in the Leduc Recreation Centre. Twenty 2004 and 2005-born players comprise each roster, along with volunteers serving as head coach, assistant coaches, trainer, and director of operations.

Alberta Challenge Rosters > | Alberta Challenge Schedule >

Rosters were selected following two regional camps held April 5-7 in Cochrane and Fort Saskatchewan, with two teams formed from each camp.

"It was very exciting to see the talent level displayed at each of the regional camps over the weekend," said Taryn Baumgardt, Hockey Alberta’s Coordinator of Female Hockey. "And now with the rosters in place, we are looking forward to watching these athletes show their skills at the competition in Leduc."

The Alberta Challenge is a four-day, tournament-format competition. Round-robin action begins on Thursday, May 2 with three games. There are six games on Friday and three on Saturday, with finals set for Sunday.

Tournament Passes

Tournament passes for the 2019 Alberta Challenge are now on sale. An adult tournament pass is $30 (plus service charge), a youth tournament pass (10-17 years) is $15 (plus service charge), a family tournament pass (two adults and two youth) is $70 (plus service charge), and children 9 and under will be free of charge. Day Passes will also be available at the door.

Tournament Passes >

NOTE: Tournament passes will only be available online. Day passes will be available at the door.

Alberta Challenge Apparel

Alberta Challenge apparel is now available for pre-purchase.

Alberta Challenge Apparel >

For more information on the 2019 Alberta Challenge, please contact Taryn Baumgardt at tbaumgardt@hockeyalberta.ca

RED DEER - Two of Alberta’s Senior AAA teams have a chance to win a national championship in their home province this year, as the 2019 Allan Cup kicks off in Lacombe on Monday.

The host Lacombe Generals look to hoist the Allan Cup for a fourth time, having previously won in 2009, 2013 and 2016 (as the Bentley Generals). Meanwhile, the Innisfail Eagles earned their first crack at the national title after defeating the Stony Plain Eagles in Allan Cup West league playoffs.

Innisfail takes on the Rosetown Redwings in the tournament-opening game on Monday at 4:00pm, while the host Generals kick off tournament play at 8:00pm against the South East Prairie Thunder. All games take place at the Gary Moe Sportsplex in Lacombe. A full schedule can be found at allancup.ca.

All games are available to watch online free of charge at HNLive.ca.

Hockey Alberta would like to congratulate the nine Albertan Officials selected to work the 2019 Allan Cup.

Referees Cody Rude (Leduc), Colin Stefanyk (Red Deer), Colin Watt (Edmonton), and Kevin Webinger (Calgary), and linesmen Ethan Cronkhite (Beaumont), Aidan Henderson (Calgary), Cody Huseby (Red Deer), Przemek Iwaniec (Calgary) and Ryan Petryshyn (Edmonton) are among those selected to work the annual national Senior AAA championship.

Referees

Colin Watt – Hometown is Edmonton, Refereeing for 15+ seasons, last 10 in the WHL. Has worked the 2013 Allan Cup, 2015 and 2018 Jr.A Nationals (Royal Bank Cup), and 2017 and 2019 USports Nationals (CIS), and multiple AJHL league finals.

Kevin Webinger – Hometown is Calgary, Refereeing for 18 years, obtained his Level 6 in 2015, has been refereeing in the WHL, AJHL and Usports (CIS) for 9 season and Para-Ice Hockey since 2011, working the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Korea.

Colin Stefanyk – Hometown is Red Deer, been refereeing for 20+ seasons, obtaining his Level 6 in 2017. He’s worked the AJHL finals 6 times, Doyle Cup 3 times and refereed at the Western Canada Cup in 2016, Allan Cup in 2018, and World Jr.A Challenge in 2018. He also worked the USports Canada West Finals in 2018 and CJHL Top Prospects game in 2019, in Okotoks.

Cody Rude – Hometown is Edmonton, been officiating for 24 years. Attended the Allan Cup in 2018, Royal Bank Cup 2015, World Jr.A Challenge in 2015, and has worked 7 AJHL Finals.

Linesmen

Ethan Cronkhite – Hometown is Lloydminster, currently living in Beaumont. Refereeing for 15 years, with 5+ seasons working WHL, CIS, and Jr.A. Notable assignments include the Telus Cup in 2012, World U17 Championship in 2017, and WHL Canada vs Russia series in 2016.

Ryan Petryshyn – Hometown is Edmonton, been an official for 26 years, working the AJHL and Senior AAA for 15+ seasons, working numerous league finals at both levels.

Aidan Henderson – Hometown is Airdrie, been an official for 24 years, 12 in the WHL and 14 in the AJHL, working the AJHL league finals 3 times and the Western Canada Cup in 2015.

Cody Huseby – Hometown is Rocky Mountain House, currently living in Red Deer. He’s been an official for 20+ seasons, working the WHL for 10 season, AJHL and Senior AAA for 13 seasons. On the National and International stage Cody worked the U17 World Championships in 2009, Telus Cup 2009, Royal Bank cup 2011, Allan Cup 2013, Gretzky-Hlinka U17 Tournament 2018 and most recently the 2019 U20 Div II Group A World Championships in Estonia.

Przemek Iwaniec – Hometown is Wroclaw, Poland, currently living in Calgary. He’s been an official for 15 years, currently working Usports, WHL, ACAC, and AJHL as a linesman. Notable assignments include the 2018 AJHL finals, 2018 Doyle Cup, 2018 World Jr.A Challenge, and 2019 Midget AAA Pacific Championships as a Referee.

RED DEER - The fourth and final weekend of the 2019 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, came to a close on Sunday as the Junior B Provincials wrapped up in Wetaskiwin.

The Airdrie Thunder skated away with the 2019 Junior B Provincial banner, de-throning the reigning two-time champion Wainwright Bisons in overtime.

Earlier in the day, the host Wetaskiwin Icemen defeated the Edmonton Beverly Warriors 5-3 to capture bronze.

In Pacific Regional Championship action, both the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes and St. Albert Slash punched their tickets to the 2019 Telus Cup and Esso Cup, respectively. The Buffaloes defeated the Caribou Cougars in two straight games to advance to the Telus Cup, while the St. Albert Slash defated the Greater Vancouver Comets for a third straight year, and will aim for a three-peat at the Esso Cup.

The 2019 Allan Cup kicks off in Lacombe on Wednesday, with the Lacombe Generals and Innsifail Eagles both in the hunt for the annual Senior AAA National Championship.

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENTS

Gold Medal Game

Junior B - Airdie Thunder 4, Wainwright Bisons 3 (OT)

Week One Results > | Week Two Results > | Week Three Results > Champion Photos >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Innisfail wins best-of-seven series 4-2
Innisfail plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine Provincial champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 2
Game Six: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 4 (OT)

Innisfail Eagles VS. Lacombe Generals
Lacombe wins two-game, total-goal series 7-4

Game One: Lacombe 4, Innisfail 1
Game Two: Lacombe 3, Innisfail 3

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Junior Female – Edmonton Wolves vs Cochrane Chaos
Edmonton wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Edmonton 1, Cochrane 0
Game Two: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1
Game Three: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1

Midget AAA – St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Calgary wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Calgary 3, St. Albert 2
Game Two: Calgary 4, St. Albert 3
Game Three: Calgary 7, St. Albert 4

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan wins best-of-five series 3-2

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Red Deer 5, Fort Sask 2
Game Four: Red Deer 3, Fort Sask 0
Game Five: Fort Sask 5, Red Deer 4 (2OT)

RED DEER – On the one year anniversary of the Humboldt Broncos tragedy, Hockey Alberta and the Alberta hockey community remembers the 29 and the families, friends and communities affected.

In honour of the Humboldt Broncos, Hockey Alberta is encouraging you to give life this April by donating blood, whether it’s with your team, family, friends, or on your own. Visit blood.ca and book your appointment today.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is now accepting applications from interested and experienced individuals for positions on the Hockey Alberta Officials Committee or Regional Coordinator positions.

Openings include Data Coordinator, Male Development Coordinator, Female Development Coordinator, Supervision Coordinator, Provincial Match Penalty Coordinator, Match Penalty Coordinator (North and South), Leadership Coordinator, and Regional Coordinators (Peace, North, North East, North Central, Central, South).

Officials Committee Application Form >

Applications for the Committee and Regional Coordinator positions close on April 12.

For more information, please contact Curtis Nichols, Manager, Officiating, at cnichols@hockeyalberta.ca

LACOMBE – A new partnership between Hockey Alberta and Lacombe Ford/ Drayton Valley Ford will make Hockey Alberta vehicles much more recognizable when travelling around the province.

The partnership sees Lacombe Ford/Drayton Valley Ford providing Hockey Alberta with a 2018 Ford Flex and Ford Explorer for the next two years.

The vehicles will be easily identifiable as belonging to Hockey Alberta thanks to eye-catching wraps on each vehicle. The wraps feature the Hockey Alberta logo as well as real-life photos captured at Hockey Alberta events that recognize the participants in our sport across the province.

“Hockey Alberta is pleased to be able to partner with Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford in a way that provides prominent exposure and recognition of our brand and our participants. When you see one of these vehicles at an arena in Alberta, that means there is important programming occurring to help in the development and training of the players and stakeholders in our great game,” said Mike Klass, Director of Business Operations for Hockey Alberta.

The logos for Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford are prominent on the vehicles, which have already been parked in key locations at Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships the past two weekends. Provincial Championships wrap up this weekend with Junior B in Wetaskiwin. As well, on the Hockey Alberta website, there is a direct link to learn more about the exclusive Free Tires 4 Life program only available through Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford.

“Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford are excited to be partnered with Hockey Alberta. Our dealerships have always been involved and supported minor sports in our local communities, so this felt like a natural fit and partnership for us. We believe that getting involved and supporting our young athletes and the organizations that continue to develop and grow their skills in sport, and in life, is a true win-win for everyone involved,” said Andy Kotowich, VP of Fixed Operations for Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford.

For more information on programs and events offered by Hockey Alberta, go to hockeyalberta.ca. For more information on the Tires 4 Life program through Lacombe Ford and Drayton Valley Ford, go totires4life.ca.

RED DEER - The Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, wrap up this week as the Junior B Provincials kick off in Wetaskiwin.

You can keep track of all this weekend tournament at haprovincials.ca, by following along with the score ticker at hockeyalberta.ca, on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Instagram (username: hockey.alberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and share it on Snapchat, as well as other social media platforms.

The Junior A Provincial Championship will be decided through the Alberta Junior Hockey League Playoffs. The North and South Division finals began on March 30. The Brooks Bandits lead the Okotoks Oilers three games to one in the South Division Final, while the Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints are tied with two wins each in the North Division Final.

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENTS

Gold Medal Games

Senior AA - Morinville Kings 7, Daysland Northstars 0
Junior C - Edmonton Avalanche 6, Springbank Rockies 4
Midget AA - Medicine Hat Hounds 5, CNHA Canucks 2
Midget Female Elite - Calgary Fire Red 5, St. Albert Sharks 1
Peewee AA - Leduc Roughnecks 3, Glenlake Hawks 1
Peewee Tier 1 - Slave Lake Thunder 4, La Crete Lumberjacks 2
Peewee Tier 2 - Medicine Hat Hounds 3, Westlock Warriors 2
Peewee Tier 3 - Fox Creek Bulldogs 5, Provost Blades 2
Peewee Tier 4 - Loon River Jets 6, Irvine Bulldogs 5 (OT)

Week One Results > | Week Two Results > | Champion Photos >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Innisfail wins best-of-seven series 4-2
Innisfail plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine Provincial champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 2
Game Six: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 4 (OT)

Innisfail Eagles VS. Lacombe Generals
Lacombe wins two-game, total-goal series 7-4

Game One: Lacombe 4, Innisfail 1
Game Two: Lacombe 3, Innisfail 3

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Junior Female – Edmonton Wolves vs Cochrane Chaos
Edmonton wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Edmonton 1, Cochrane 0
Game Two: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1
Game Three: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1

Midget AAA – St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Calgary wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Calgary 3, St. Albert 2
Game Two: Calgary 4, St. Albert 3
Game Three: Calgary 7, St. Albert 4

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan wins best-of-five series 3-2

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Red Deer 5, Fort Sask 2
Game Four: Red Deer 3, Fort Sask 0
Game Five: Fort Sask 5, Red Deer 4 (2OT)

RED DEER - Week Three of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, wrapped up on Sunday with ten new champions being crowned.

Teams skating away with gold medals were: Lacombe Generals (Senior AAA), Morinville Kings (Senior AA), Edmonton Avalanche (Junior C), Medicine Hat Hounds (Midget AA), Calgary Fire Red (Midget Female Elite), Leduc Roughnecks (Peewee AA), Slave Lake Thunder (Peewee Tier 1), Medicine Hat Hounds (Peewee Tier 2), Fox Creek Bulldogs (Peewee Tier 3), and Loon River Jets (Peewee Tier 4).

The Senior AAA Provincial title was decided in a two-game, total-goal series between the Lacombe Generals and Innisfail Eagles, with Lacombe winning 7-4. Both teams will compete in the Allan Cup, which will be hosted by the Generals.

The Junior A Provincial Championship will be decided through the Alberta Junior Hockey League Playoffs. The North and South Division finals began on March 30. The Brooks Bandits and Okotoks Oilers are tied 1-1 in the South Division Final, while the Sherwood Park Crusaders hold a 2-0 lead over the Spruce Grove Saints in the North Division Final.

One Provincial championship is yet to be decided, as the Junior B Provincials are set for April 4-7 in Wetaskiwin.

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENTS

Gold Medal Games

Senior AA - Morinville Kings 7, Daysland Northstars 0
Junior C - Edmonton Avalanche 6, Springbank Rockies 4
Midget AA - Medicine Hat Hounds 5, CNHA Canucks 2
Midget Female Elite - Calgary Fire Red 5, St. Albert Sharks 1
Peewee AA - Leduc Roughnecks 3, Glenlake Hawks 1
Peewee Tier 1 - Slave Lake Thunder 4, La Crete Lumberjacks 2
Peewee Tier 2 - Medicine Hat Hounds 3, Westlock Warriors 2
Peewee Tier 3 - Fox Creek Bulldogs 5, Provost Blades 2
Peewee Tier 4 - Loon River Jets 6, Irvine Bulldogs 5 (OT)

Week One Results > | Week Two Results > | Champion Photos >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Innisfail wins best-of-seven series 4-2
Innisfail plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine Provincial champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 2
Game Six: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 4 (OT)

Innisfail Eagles VS. Lacombe Generals
Lacombe wins two-game, total-goal series 7-4

Game One: Lacombe 4, Innisfail 1
Game Two: Lacombe 3, Innisfail 3

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Junior Female – Edmonton Wolves vs Cochrane Chaos
Edmonton wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Edmonton 1, Cochrane 0
Game Two: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1
Game Three: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1

Midget AAA – St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Calgary wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Calgary 3, St. Albert 2
Game Two: Calgary 4, St. Albert 3
Game Three: Calgary 7, St. Albert 4

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan wins best-of-five series 3-2

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Red Deer 5, Fort Sask 2
Game Four: Red Deer 3, Fort Sask 0
Game Five: Fort Sask 5, Red Deer 4 (2OT)

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta’s March Coach of the Month, sponsored by Players Bench Team Apparel recipients are Chris Overwater of Olds and Dave Shaw of Sherwood Park.

Both coaches were selected from all of the Coach of the Month applications received by Hockey Alberta throughout the 2018-19 Minor Hockey season. Chris and Dave will receive a pair of tickets to see the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, respectively.

Chris Overwater served as both the Head Coach of the Bantam AA Grizzlys and the Atom B Grizzlys in Olds. He’s been coaching hockey in Olds for six years, and also coaches baseball during the summer months.

"As a coach, Chris is open and honest with parents and treats each child on his team with high, but fair, expectations," said the parent who nominated Chris. "While on the bench, Chris presents with a high level of professionalism and is respectful of the officials and rules of the game. As a parent, I’ve watched my child grow tremendously under his tutelage. My child’s understanding and enjoyment of game play has developed to such an extent that there is time spent at home by my child enthusiastically re-enacting practice drills on pen and paper. When an eleven-year-old child is able to recognize their own growth in a season and associate their development with a particular coach, then you know that coach has done an exceptional job."

"He is a great family man, and family is very important to him. This shows in his approach to coaching as he cares for each and every player, coach and parent on the team," said Olds Minor Hockey President Jeff Latimer. "Chris is a student of the game, and is always trying to learn how to do better, to be better, to help develop every player. His knowledge of the game is remarkable."

"I enjoy coaching because of the athletes. Watching players improve and enjoy the sport is the best part of being able to coach," said Chris. "My coaching philosophy is to make each player better everyday. The focus on individual skill gives players the confidence to become better athletes. Team skills make players develop hockey IQ so they think the game better."

Chris will receive an award pack from Hockey Alberta and Players Bench which includes the tickets to a Flames game.

Dave Shaw is the Head Coach of the Sherwood Park Atom Tier 1 Arrows. He’s been coaching for seven years, and also coaches Lacrosse.

"Dave has not only provided leadership on the bench, but off the bench as well," said the parent who nominated Dave. "Throughout the season, Dave has created many opportunities for the kids to give back to our community. Dave has taught these boys how to show respect for others and to help people when in need. Coach Dave is an amazing coach and my son says that this is the best year of hockey he has had."

Dave, along with his wife, Erin, received the 2019 ’Sportsmen of the Year’ award from the Sherwood Park Minor Hockey Association.

"When I took the role of President of SPMHA this season, I had three distinct areas of focus. Those areas included Coach development, player development and community presence," said SPMHA President Elton Davidge. "This year’s Sportsman of the Year recipients obviously came into the season with the same objectives. Without suggestion from the Executive, this couple took an immediate leadership role with the intent of developing not just hockey players, but leaders in our community. They consistently promoted integration into the community and it reflected strongly in the team. The kids are not only being coached to make great plays in hockey, but through the efforts of Dave and Erin, they are learning life lessons, such as selflessness and the importance of giving back to our community. They are also learning what it means to be a “teammate” in a locker room of friends."

"The thing I enjoy most about coaching is being directly involved with the growth and development of our young athletes both on and off the ice. I love being able to share my knowledge of the sport and give the kids the structure and support for them to all grow and be successful," said Dave. "My coaching philosophy is to focus on things we can control and change moving forward. While learning lessons from our past, we continue on our path, working towards both short term and long term goals. I strive to use sports as a great way to develop long term athletes and also to help our youth become outstanding citizens and role models in their communities."

Dave will receive an award pack from Hockey Alberta and Players Bench which includes the tickets to an Oilers game.

The Coach of the Month award is presented every month during the Minor Hockey season, based on nominations submitted to Hockey Alberta.

2018-19 Recipients >

Rich Valley has made the Top 4 for Kraft Hockeyville 2019 and now they need your vote to bring the title back to Alberta!

Voting runs from March 29 (10:00 AM MDT) to March 30 (6:30 PM MDT) so cast your vote as many times as you can (voting is unlimited!)

VOTE HERE >

As Rich Valley puts it, the hockey arena is the life-blood of their community. In the fall of 2018, they had a catastrophic failure in their ice chiller that ended the season before it even started. There were no more weekly free-skate nights and no minor hockey associations in the area could practice or play. It meant either driving 30km or more to join other communities for the 2018-2019 season, or simply not playing at all.

Your votes mean they could win the grand prize – the opportunity to host an NHL^® Pre-Season game in their community and $250,000 in arena upgrades, bringing hockey back to Rich Valley.

Learn more about Rich Valley and their hockey community at richvalleyag.ca

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© NHL 2019. All rights reserved.

NHLPA and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
© NHLPA. All rights reserved.

RED DEER – The Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, start to wind down this weekend, with nine of the remaining ten tournaments set to go for Week Three.

Provincial championships set for March 28/29-31 are: Peewee Tier 4 (Vauxhall), Peewee Tier 3 (Fox Creek), Peewee Tier 2 (Edmonton), Peewee Tier 1 (Slave Lake), Peewee AA (Medicine Hat), Midget Female Elite (Grande Prairie), Midget AA (Edmonton), Junior C (Calgary), and Senior AA (Wainwright).

Two more Provincial Champions were crowned earlier this week as well. The Calgary Buffaloes defeated the St. Albert Raiders in three games to capture the Midget AAA provincial championship, while the Bantam AAA title went to the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers, who scored in double-overtime in Game Five against the Red Deer Rebels.

You can keep track of all this weekend’s tournaments at haprovincials.ca, by following along with the score ticker at hockeyalberta.ca, on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Instagram (username: hockey.alberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and share it on Snapchat, as well as other social media platforms.

You can also follow along with a number of individual tournaments on social media:

Senior AA: Twitter | Facebook | Live Stream
Midget AA: Twitter
Midget Female Elite: Facebook
Peewee Tier 2: Twitter
Peewee Tier 3: Facebook

Week One Results > | Week Two Results > | Champion Photos >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Innisfail wins best-of-seven series 4-2
Innisfail plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine Provincial champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 2
Game Six: Innisfail 5, Stony Plain 4 (OT)

Innisfail Eagles VS. Lacombe Generals
Two-game, total-goal series

Game One: Saturday, March 30, TBA - Lacombe @ Innisfail
Game Two: Sunday, March 31, 7:00 p.m. - Innisfail @ Lacombe

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Junior Female – Edmonton Wolves vs Cochrane Chaos
Edmonton wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Edmonton 1, Cochrane 0
Game Two: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1
Game Three: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1

Midget AAA – St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Calgary wins best-of-five series 3-0

Game One: Calgary 3, St. Albert 2
Game Two: Calgary 4, St. Albert 3
Game Three: Calgary 7, St. Albert 4

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan wins best-of-five series 3-2

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Red Deer 5, Fort Sask 2
Game Four: Red Deer 3, Fort Sask 0
Game Five: Fort Sask 5, Red Deer 4 (2OT)

RED DEER – Twelve more champions will be crowned this weekend as Week Two of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, kicks off across the province.

Provincial championships set for March 21/22-24 are: Peewee Female B (Lethbridge), Peewee Female A (Olds), Bantam AA (Calgary Buffaloes), Bantam Female B (Okotoks), Bantam Female Elite (Red Deer), Midget Female B (Leduc), Midget Female AAA (St. Albert), Midget D (Fort MacLeod), Midget C (Whitecourt), Midget B (Calgary – Springbank), Midget A (Strathmore), and Minor Midget AAA (Edmonton).

You can keep track of all this weekend’s tournaments at haprovincials.ca, by following along with the score ticker at hockeyalberta.ca, on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Instagram (username: hockey.alberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and share it on Snapchat, as well as other social media platforms.

You can also follow along with a number of individual tournaments on social media:

Minor Midget AAA: Twitter | Facebook
Midget A: Facebook
Midget C: Twitter | Facebook
Midget D: Facebook
Midget Female AAA: Twitter
Bantam AA: Twitter | Instagram
Peewee Female B: Facebook

Two more host communities are also celebrating True Spirit of Hockey Day this week, with Fort Macleod and Lethbridge hosting a number of fun activities at local schools, allowing students to learn about hockey, and the teamwork and friendships that can be generated in the sport.

Previous Results

Week One Results >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Best-of-seven series tied 2-2
Winner plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine league champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony Plain 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Friday, March 22, 8:30 p.m. - Stony Plain @ Innisfail
Game Six: Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. - Innisfail @ Stony Plain
Game Seven (if necessary): Sunday, March 24, 5:00 p.m. - Stony Plain @ Innisfail

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Junior Female – Edmonton Wolves vs Cochrane Chaos
Edmonton leads best-of-five series 2-0

Game One: Edmonton 1, Cochrane 0
Game Two: Edmonton 2, Cochrane 1
Game Three: Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. - Cochrane @ Edmonton
Game Four (if necessary): Sunday, March 24, 4:45 p.m. - Cochrane @ Edmonton
Game Five (if necessary): Saturday, March 30, 6:00 p.m. - Edmonton @Cochrane

Midget AAA – St Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Best-of-five series begins on March 22

Game One: Friday, March 22, 8:15 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary
Game Two: Sunday, March 24, 3:00 p.m. - Calgary @ St. Albert
Game Three: Tuesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary
Game Four (if necessary): Thursday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. - Calgary @ St. Albert
Game Five (if necessary): Saturday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan leads best-of-five series 2-0

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Saturday, March 23, 5:15 p.m. - Red Deer @ Fort Sask
Game Four (if necessary): Sunday, March 24, 12:15 p.m. - Red Deer @ Fort Sask
Game Five (If necessary): Tuesday, March 26, 7:15 p.m. - Fort Sask @ Red Deer

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is now accepting coach applications for the Team Alberta U16 Male and U18 Female teams that will be competing in the 2019 WHL Cup and National Women’s U18 Championship, respectively.

Team Alberta U16 Male is seeking two Assistant Coaches and one Video Coach, while Team Alberta U18 Female is seeking one Head Coach, two Assistant Coaches, one Video Coach, and one Goaltender Coach.

U16 Coach Application > | U18 Coach Application >

Key dates for the U16 Male program include the Alberta Cup (April 24-28, Red Deer), Team Alberta Summer Camp (July 1-7, Red Deer), and the WHL Cup (October, Calgary).

Key dates for the U18 Female program include Team Alberta Summer Camp (July 8-14, Red Deer), Fall Camp (September, date and location to be confirmed), and the U18 Nationals (November 3-9, Winkler/Morden, MB).

The deadline for all coaching applications is April 8 at 4pm.

Hockey Alberta is currently seeking the application of Coach Developers. Coach Developers play a large role in the delivery of the National Coaching Certification Program’s (NCCP) coach courses and additional coach development initiatives through Hockey Alberta.

During the 2018-2019 season, Hockey Alberta delivered over 150 NCCP courses and an additional 110 professional development courses focusing on topics such as Seasonal Planning, Game & Bench Management, Practice Planning, Creating Offense and others. Supporting and developing coaches will continue to be a focus for Hockey Alberta, and in efforts to expand our network and capacity we are looking to identify experienced and passionate leaders to join our team.

Coach Developer Responsibilities & Requirements

All accepted Coach Developers must be available to attend our training and leadership weekend taking place June 22 & 23 in Red Deer.

Interested coaches are invited to fill out the Coach Developer Application Form.

For more information, please contact Drew Dixon - Manager, Coach Development.

RED DEER - Thirteen new provincial champions were crowned on Sunday, highlighting a busy first weekend of the 2019 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

One Midget team, five Bantam teams, and seven Atom teams skated away from their respective tournaments with gold medals: Strathmore Storm (Midget Female A), NWZ Outlaws (Bantam A), Drumheller Raptors (Bantam B), Tofield Titans (Bantam C), Hanna Colts (Bantam D), GHC Bantam 1 Red (Bantam Female A), St. Albert Barons (Atom AA Major), Strathcona Warriors (Atom AA Minor), La Crete Lumberjacks (Atom A), Picture Butte Blades (Atom B), Taber Oil Kings (Atom C), Magrath Chiefs (Atom D), and Airdrie Lightning (Atom Female).

In addition to the on-ice action, seven host communities held a True Spirit of Hockey Day to celebrate a shared love for hockey and the community that supports the sport: Cold Lake, Duchess, Elk Point, Nanton, Okotoks, Red Deer and Vermilion.

Provincial championships set for March 21/22-24 include: Peewee Female B (Lethbridge), Peewee Female A (Olds), Bantam AA (Calgary Buffaloes), Bantam Female B (Okotoks), Bantam Female Elite (Red Deer), Midget Female B (Leduc), Midget Female AAA (St. Albert), Midget D (Fort MacLeod), Midget C (Whitecourt), Midget B (Calgary – Springbank), Midget A (Strathmore), and Minor Midget AAA (Edmonton).

Five more host communities will host a True Spirit of Hockey Day this week: Fort Macleod, Lethbridge and Vauxhall.

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENTS

Gold Medal Games

Midget Female A - Strathmore Storm 4, Irma Aces 3 (OT)
Bantam A - NWZ Outlaws 4, Cochrane Rockies 1
Bantam B - Drumheller Raptors 6, St. Paul Canadiens 2
Bantam C - Tofield Titans 6, Beaverlodge Blades 0
Bantam D - Hanna Colts 4, Kneehill Chiefs 3
Bantam Female A - GHC Red 3, Okotoks Oilers 0
Atom AA Major - St. Albert Barons 10, Red Deer Chiefs 9
Atom AA Minor - Strathcona Warriors 5, Rocky Chiefs 3
Atom A - La Crete Lumberjacks 9, Edson Sabres 2
Atom B - Picture Butte Blades 6, Kitscoty Pitbulls 4
Atom C - Taber Oil Kings 6, Duchess Storm 4
Atom D - Magrath Chiefs 9, Viking Gas Kings 3
Atom Female - Airdrie Lightning 4, Medicine Hat Wildcats 0

Champion Photos >

2019 HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWN SERIES

Senior AAA – Stony Plain Eagles VS. Innisfail Eagles
Best-of-seven series tied 2-2
Winner plays Lacombe Generals in two-game, total-goal series to determine league champion

Game One: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 2
Game Two: Innisfail 4, Stony Plain 3
Game Three: Innisfail 6, Stony Plain 0
Game Four: Stony Plain 5, Innisfail 4 (OT)
Game Five: Friday, March 22, 8:30 p.m. - Stony Plain @ Innisfail
Game Six: Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. - Innisfail @ Stony Plain
Game Seven (if necessary): Sunday, March 24, 5:00 p.m. - Stony Plain @ Innisfail

Allan Cup – April 8-13 – Lacombe, Alberta

Midget AAA – St Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders vs Calgary Buffaloes
Best-of-five series begins on March 22

Game One: Friday, March 22, 8:15 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary
Game Two: Sunday, March 24, 3:00 p.m. - Calgary @ St. Albert
Game Three: Tuesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary
Game Four (if necessary): Thursday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. - Calgary @ St. Albert
Game Five (if necessary): Saturday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. - St. Albert @ Calgary

Telus Cup – April 22-28 – Thunder Bay, Ontario

Bantam AAA – Fort Saskatchewan Rangers vs Red Deer Rebels
Fort Saskatchewan leads best-of-five series 2-0

Game One: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Two: Fort Sask 4, Red Deer 2
Game Three: Saturday, March 23, 5:15 p.m. - Red Deer @ Fort Sask
Game Four (if necessary): Sunday, March 24, 12:15 p.m. - Red Deer @ Fort Sask
Game Five (If necessary): Tuesday, March 26, 7:15 p.m. - Fort Sask @ Red Deer

Hockey Alberta is adopting a Digital Mascot, and we want students across the province to help us with the design!

The contest is open to elementary school students in Alberta from Kindergarten to Grade 6. The contest runs until April 5, 2019 with the winner announced in early June.

Each person participating in the contest is to:

• draw a picture of his/her suggestion for a digital mascot for Hockey Alberta;
• write a short paragraph telling how the digital mascot shows off the positive aspects of hockey and/or why the mascot is a good one for Hockey Alberta; and
• provide a name for the mascot.

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel selected by Hockey Alberta. Each entry will be reviewed on its look, the mascot’s name and the written paragraph.

Find out how to submit your entries >

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta would like to congratulate the six Albertans selected to work the 2019 U Sports Men’s and Women’s National Championships.

Referees Chris Crich (Airdrie) and Colin Watt (Edmonton), along with Linesmen Michael Roberts (Calgary), Chad Huseby (Red Deer), and Deion Foster (Edmonton), will all officiate at the U Sports Men’s National Championship in Lethbridge.

On the female side, Referee Lacey Senuk (St. Albert) was chosen for the U Sports Female National Championships in Charlottetown, PE.

Both National Championships run March 14-17.

RED DEER – Six months of regular season and tournament action, including up to six weeks of games in Zone playdowns, culminates starting this weekend, as teams prepare to “March to a title” at the 2019 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

Tournament action will determine the majority of the 2019 provincial champions. Thirteen titles will be awarded this weekend. Next weekend will see another 12 champions crowned. Nine more champions will be determined on March 31, along with the Junior B champions on April 7. Tournament champions emerge from a weekend of round-robin pool play and playoff action in their respective tournaments.

Provincial championships set for March 14-17 are: Atom Female (Medicine Hat), Atom D (Elk Point), Atom C (Duchess), Atom B (Picture Butte), Atom A (Peace River), Atom AA Minor (Calgary – Trails West), Atom AA Major (Okotoks), Bantam Female A (Girls Hockey Calgary), Bantam D (Kneehill), Bantam C (Nanton), Bantam B (Vermilion), Bantam A (Cold Lake), and Midget Female A (Irma).

Provincial championships set for March 21/22-24 are: Peewee Female B (Lethbridge), Peewee Female A (Olds), Bantam AA (Calgary Buffaloes), Bantam Female B (Okotoks), Bantam Female Elite (Red Deer), Midget Female B (Leduc), Midget Female AAA (St. Albert), Midget D (Fort MacLeod), Midget C (Whitecourt), Midget B (Calgary – Springbank), Midget A (Strathmore), and Minor Midget AAA (Edmonton).

Provincial championships set for March 28/29-31 are: Peewee Tier 4 (Vauxhall), Peewee Tier 3 (Fox Creek), Peewee Tier 2 (Edmonton), Peewee Tier 1 (Slave Lake), Peewee AA (Medicine Hat), Midget Female Elite (Grande Prairie), Midget AA (Edmonton), Junior C (Calgary), and Senior AA (Wainwright).

As well, five champions will be determined via league playoffs: Senior AAA, Junior A, Junior Female, Midget AAA, and Bantam AAA.

For schedules, arenas, host organizations and contacts, and other event-specific information, check the Hockey Alberta website at hockeyalberta.ca or the Provincial Championships website at haprovincials.ca.

In addition to the on-ice action, several communities will participate in True Spirit of Hockey Day activities in their location communities. In conjunction with the Provincial Championship tournament hosts in these communities, a local school is hosting a number of fun activities, allowing students to learn about hockey, and the teamwork and friendships that can be generated in the sport. Participating communities are: Cold Lake, Duchess, Elk Point, Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Nanton, Okotoks, Olds, Red Deer, Vauxhall and Vermilion.