February 8th, 2025

SAHA repeats as Circle K Champions with win Sunday

By James Tubb on January 1, 2023.

NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB The South Alberta Hockey Academy poses with their 2023 Circle K Classic Championship after beating the Calgary Buffaloes 6-0 on Sunday afternoon in Calgary.

One of the goals for the South Alberta Hockey Academy’s men’s heading into this season was to build off their 2022 Mac’s Championship and win the 2023 tournament.

That goal and those dreams came true Sunday afternoon in Calgary.

SAHA beat the Calgary Buffaloes 6-0 in front of a sold out Max Bell Centre to win the Circle K Classic and become the first repeat champions at the 32-team invitational tournament since Shattuck St. Mary’s in 1999, ‘00 and ‘01.

Head coach Brayden Desjardins was looking around at his players taking turns lifting the trophy and soaking in the moment when he spoke with the News. He couldn’t be more proud of his team.

”We knew that we came in with a target on our back, guys were ready for us,” Desjardins said. “But our team was ready the whole way through. I can’t be more proud of how hard they played. It’s exciting for them to get rewarded for what they have done.”

The Buffaloes were the Mac’s champion in 2019 before COVID-19 halted the tournament for two seasons. It was rebranded as the Circle K Classic ahead of this, the 44th Classic.

The scoring was all SAHA as goaltender Zach Zahara pitched the 23 save shutout, his third no goal performance in the tournament.

Kade Duell opened the scoring at the 14:24 mark when he knocked in a loose puck off a Gavin McKenna shot. Josiah Jackson had the second assist.

SAHA exploded offensively in the second period, scoring three goals within three minutes.

Noah Dziver found the back of the net with a high shot on a power play, Kolby Gapter and Sammy Hynes had the assists. A couple minutes later Hynes found the back of the net himself, Jackson with the only assist. And just 35 seconds after that goal, Jackson potted a marker himself to put SAHA ahead 4-0 after 40 minutes. Dziver and Hynes assisted on Jackson’s goal.

Nate Corbet got on the board in the third when he skated across the blue line and fired a slap shot top shelf, an unassisted goal at the 6:25 mark. Just over the halfway point of the period Brett Calhoun finished off a pass from McKenna for a power play goal and the 6-0 lead. Matthew Paranych had the second assist.

SAHA held the play for the rest of the game as the clock wound down to zero and capitalized their repeat as champions.

SAHA took home multiple awards on top of the championship banner, forward Gavin McKenna was named the tournament MVP and a first team all-star alongside forward Kade Duell. Zahara was named playoffs MVP and a second team all-star and Desjardins received top coaching honours.

See Tuesday’s Medicine Hat News for more details on the win, with quotes from players and staff.

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