The Alberta Elite Hockey League’s U18 AAA regular season has come to a close, with twelve teams advancing to the playoffs, including the Fort Sask Rangers, who finished atop the league with 59 points.
The final standings at the conclusion of the U18 AAA regular season are:
North Division
1) xy – Fort Sask Straightline Dodge Rangers (59 pts)
2) x – St. Alberta Nektar Raiders (46 pts)
3) x – SSAC BP Athletics (43 pts)
4) x – CAC Gregg Distributors (34 pts)
5) x – Sherwood Park Ennis Kings (33 pts)
6) x – Lloydminster Inland Steel Bobcats (32 pts)
7) MLAC Beverly Optimists (29 pts)
7) GPAC Ernie’s Sports Storm (29 pts)
9) Leduc Wilhauk Jerky Oil Kings (25 pts)
South Division
1) xy – Calgary NW Flames (54 pts)
2) x – Calgary Buffaloes (51 pts)
3) x – Lethbridge Hurricanes (47 pts)
4) x – Calgary Royals (38 pts)
5) x – Airdrie CFR Bisons (36 pts)
6) x – Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers (31 pts)
7) Calgary Northstars (30 pts)
8) Red Deer Optimist Chiefs (29 pts)
x = Clinched Playoff Position
y = Clinched Division
Calgary NW Flames forward Jagger Tapper claimed the U18 AAA scoring title with 51 points (20g, 31a) in 35 games, finishing one point ahead of Airdrie’s Cooper Brown, who led the league with 29 goals in 38 games. Tapper’s 31 assists also put him atop the league.
A pair of Fort Sask netminders tied for the league lead in wins, as Liam Bechtold and Carson Burkart each notched 14 victories en-route to a first place regular season finish for the Rangers. Bechtold’s .943 SV% also had him on top of the league, tied with Lethbridge goaltender Erick Roest. Meanwhile, Calgary Buffaloes netminder Nicholas Jones led the way with a 1.64 GAA and five shutouts.
As the top teams in their respective divisions, the North Division-leading Fort Sask Rangers and South Division-leading Calgary NW Flames receive a first round bye, along with the North and South division’s second place teams, the St. Albert Raiders and Calgary Buffaloes, respectively.
Round one of the AEHL U18 AAA playoffs kicks off on Wednesday, February 23 – all series are best-of-three. The first round matchups and schedules are as follows:
South Side (SSAC) BP Athletics vs. Lloydminster Inland Steel Bobcats
Game 1 – Wed. Feb 23, 2022 – 7:30PM @ SSAC
Game 2 – Fri. Feb 25, 2022 – 6:30PM @ LLYD
Game 3 – Sun. Feb 27, 2022 – 2:30PM* @ SSAC
Canadian (CAC) Gregg Distributors vs. Sherwood Park Ennis Kings
Game 1 – Wed. Feb 23, 2022 – 7:45PM @ CAC
Game 2 – Fri. Feb 25, 2022 – 7:15PM @ SHER
Game 3 – Sun. Feb 27, 2022 – 12:00PM* @ CAC
Lethbridge Hurricanes vs. Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers
Game 1 – Wed. Feb 23, 2022 – 6:30PM @ LETH
Game 2 – Sat. Feb 26, 2022 – 12:45PM @ OKO
Game 3 – Sun. Feb 27, 2022 – 12:00PM* @ LETH
Calgary Royals vs. Airdrie CFR Bisons
Game 1 – Wed. Feb 23, 2022 – 7:00PM @ ROYAL
Game 2 – Sat. Feb 26, 2022 – 7:15PM @ AIRD
Game 3 – Sun. Feb 27, 2022 – 4:15PM* AIRD @ ROYAL