NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
South Alberta Hockey Academy forward Josiah Jackson carries the puck into the offensive end in the first period of SAHA's 18-1 win Saturday afternoon at Big Marble Go Centre against the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy.
The South Alberta Hockey Academy men’s hockey team had two very different contests to open the 2022-23 CSSHL season.
SAHA opened its season with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Prairie Hockey Academy on Saturday at the Big Marble Go Centre. Brett Calhoon and Nick McLennan scored for SAHA as goaltender Zach Zahara made 36 saves in the loss. Prairie Hockey Academy scored on all three of their shootout chances while SAHA was only able to score on two-of-three.
SAHA didn’t carry the loss into Sunday’s action, putting up a whopping 95 shots to beat the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy 18-1.
Medicine Hat Tigers prospect Gavin McKenna led the way offensively with four goals and four assists. Noah Dziver had three goals and three assists, Sammy Hynes had two goals and two assists, Julinen Laqua had two goals and one assist, while both Kadon McCann and Noah Derouin had two goals each. Calhoon added a goal and two assists and Brayden Sumner and Grady Hauk rounded out SAHA’s scoring with a goal a piece. Nate Corbet had five assists.
Zahara started the contest for SAHA and had nine saves before Owen Pettipas took over between the pipes and turned aside all three shots he faced.
The SAHA men’s next action is this weekend as they get set to host a 20-team, 30-game U18 Prep showcase with teams coming from B.C. (9), Alberta (5), Saskatchewan (2), Manitoba (2), Idaho (1) and Washington (1). Games will take place at Big Marble Go and the Hockey Hounds arena.
SAHA will play all three of their games this weekend at Big Marble with the first contest coming Friday at 2:15 p.m. against RINK Kelowna, McKenna’s former team.
They’ll face Yale Hockey Academy on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. and the Delta Hockey Academy on Sunday at 11 a.m.
The SAHA women’s team was also in action this weekend with two road exhibition contests against the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens and Olds College Broncos of the ACAC.
On Saturday SAHA beat the Polytechnic Queens, who were the 2021-22 ACAC champions, 3-2 in a shootout. Maddy Ferguson made 37 saves and Julie Barlow has the shootout winner for SAHA.
In Sunday’s match against Olds College, SAHA beat the Broncos 2-1 in overtime with a game winner from Keira Grant and a strong performance from Devyn Amundson in net.
The SAHA women’s team is on the road for three contests this weekend to face St. Mary’s Academy, RHA Winnipeg and Pilot Mound Hockey Academy.
