By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 12, 2023.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Some of the best under-18 female hockey players in Western Canada will be on display in Medicine Hat for the next four days. The South Alberta Hockey Academy is hosting a four-day U18 female prep showcase featuring teams from the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. There will be 240 athletes in action in 24 games at the Big Marble Go Centre and Hockey Hounds Arena. The 12 teams participating are: Rink Kelowna, Delta U18, Edge, Okanagan, Shawnigan Lake, Delta U17, Northern Alberta Xtreme, St. Mary’s Academy, Rink Winnipeg, Okanagan U17 and Pilot Mound. The SAHA women’s team’s games are all played at Big Marble and kick off today at 5 p.m. against Rink Kelowna. On Friday they face the Delta U18 team at 4 p.m., Saturday’s game is against Edge hockey school at 3 p.m. and their final game of the showcase is a rematch Sunday at 11:45 a.m. against Rink Kelowna. SAHA men’s team splits weekend The SAHA men’s team went 1-1 over their first weekend of action since returning from winning the Circle K Classic. Friday night SAHA scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Notre Dame Hounds 5-3. Gavin McKenna led the way offensively, scoring a shorthanded between the legs breakaway goal for the game winner on top of another goal and two assists in the win. Matthew Paranych had a goal and two assists, Taylor Ivison added a goal and an assist and Brett Calhoon found the back of the net as well. Owen Pettipas, who was named to team Northwest Territories for February’s Canada Games in P.E.I., made 26 saves in the win. On Saturday, the SAHA men’s team couldn’t contain Edge who beat them 5-2. Kadon McCann and Ryan Miller had SAHA’s goals and Zach Zahara made 39 saves in the loss. SAHA is on the road in Saskatchewan this weekend with the female showcase being held at Big Marble. They’ll face Edge on Friday, Prairie Hockey Academy on Saturday and Northern Alberta Xtreme on Sunday. Editors note: An earlier version of the story stated the SAHA men’s team was playing in Calgary. They’re playing at Notre Dame. 13