NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
South Alberta Hockey Academy goaltender Zach Zahara tends to his mask after a collision in the second period of SAHA's 6-0 Circle K Classic finals win Sunday against the Calgary Buffaloes.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
As he has done all season, South Alberta Hockey Academy goaltender Zach Zahara provided a calming presence behind his team’s Circle K Classic final win on Sunday.
The Medicine Hat Tigers prospect turned aside all 23 shots he faced as SAHA notched its second straight Classic win, becoming the first team since the Shattuck St. Mary’s Sabres three-peated from 1999-2001.
“When Zach comes in and you see him between the pipes it’s just an unreal amount of confidence that hits you,” SAHA defenceman and fellow Tigers prospect Nate Corbet said. “With him in net, you can make plays and you want to block shots and sell out for a guy like that. He stands on his head and man, he bails us out a lot. His d-men really like him.”
The 17-year-old was named the 32-team tournament’s playoff MVP, with only one goal allowed in three games during SAHA’s run to the final. With the win, Zahara became the only goaltender to win twice with the same team, having also played a big role in SAHA’s 2022 win.
When it comes to winning playoff MVP or securing the win in net for SAHA, Zahara only cares about the victory and having fun.
“Playoff MVP is not really too important to me but it’s nice to know all of my defencemen and the boys played great in front of me, this wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Zahara said while motioning to his teammates celebrating the win. “It’s all just fun, hockey is a lot of fun and I’m just having fun.”
Head coach Brayden Desjardins describes him as a big-game goaltender and is excited to see what the future holds for him.
Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins, who was in attendance for SAHA’s championship win, says the way Zahara has played all season and at the Circle K Classic is a great response to the adversity he’s faced in net.
“Zahara’s had a tough go and he’s battled through. He got sent down early from us, there’s lots of things he could have done, he could have quit, could have said he wanted to go somewhere else but what he did is he worked hard,” Desjardins said. “He put time in the weight room and got strong and he was so crisp in that tournament.
“That’s the way it is, it doesn’t matter what happens, it’s how you respond and he certainly had a great response. He really deserves credit for his performance.”
Zahara has been one of the best goalies at the U18 level in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League this season, with the seventh-best save percentage (.926) and fifth-best goals against average (2.40) to go with two shutouts and seven wins.
Tigers and SAHA goaltending coach Matt Wong says Zahara’s biggest improvement has been his confidence, which has come from playing in and winning in the big moments.
“They have to be in those do-or-die games and those big games championship-style games, which is where we want our team to eventually get to so that experience is invaluable for him,” Wong said. “He’s always had the physical attributes to be a good goalie. He works hard, he’s a good athlete, he’s powerful, quick, super competitive. Sometimes that stuff between the ears gets neglected a little bit (with goalies) so it’s good to see him show some growth in that area.”
SAHA forward Noah Dziver laughed when asked about his goaltender and proclaimed the ultimate trust in Zahara.
“If I see that guy in the net for us, I’m not worried about nothing,” Dziver said. “They could have a full breakaway and I know that puck’s not going in the net.
“It’s amazing to have him between the pipes for us.”
