The South Alberta Hockey Academy celebrates a Sammy Hynes goal in their Circle K Classic winning game against the Calgary Buffaloes on Jan.1 in Calgary.--NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Canadian Sport School Hockey League playoffs are a week-long sprint in Penticton, a close replica of the Circle K Classic, which the South Alberta Hockey Academy men’s team has won the past two years.
SAHA’s playoffs get underway today with a 9:15 p.m. PST contest against RHA Winnipeg before taking on St. George’s School on Wednesday at 4:15 p.m.
Head coach Brayden Desjardins says their success at the Circle K Classic will help them in these playoffs as they weather the week of high-pressured games.
“We know we’re capable of it, we’re the one team that’s had success going into playoffs, in the whole country almost,” Desjardins said. “When you win a tournament like that it gives you some confidence that we can do this and and we’ll be ready for it. Obviously that experience and being able to go through those high-pressure environments and understand the ups and downs of a tournament like that is extremely reassuring for us.”
SAHA enters playoffs as the fourth seed, carrying a regular season record of 22-10-0-2. Heading into the playoffs however, SAHA dropped four of their final five games, and defenceman Matthew Paranych says it will come down to hard work if SAHA wants to come out on top.
“We just have to work harder than every other team, we have to sell out,” Paranych said. “We’re going to play for the logo in front of us not the name on the back, and just like the Circle K, sell out and play the way Dez wants us to play, everyone needs to buy in and we’ll be good.”
The 15-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers prospect led all CSSHL players and defencemen in power play assists with 15 on the season. Another Tigers prospect and SAHA forward, Gavin McKenna, ran show on the league, leading in six different categories.
The Whitehorse, Yukon product was a 14-year-old for much of the season and led the U18 league in scoring with 37 goals (top of the league), 38 assists (first) and 75 points (first) in 26 games played. He also led in points per game (2.88), power play goals (11) and shorthanded goals (4).
He says he used the fact it is his last season at the U18 level as motivation and credited his teammates for his success.
“My team’s played unbelievable this year, finishing top five in the league and winning the Circle K Classic, we’ve accomplished a lot this year,” McKenna said. “Going into playoffs, we just have to keep pushing push through this week, just grind and then come into playoffs and be ready.”
SAHA women’s team opens playoffs with win
The SAHA U18 women’s team put together a strong start to their playoff tournament in Penticton, beating RHA Winnipeg 2-1 on Sunday.
Kiyra Kletzel and Julie Barlow each scored in the second period and Devyn Amundson made 21 saves for the win. They continued their playoffs Monday against the Okanagan Hockey Academy before facing Edge school today.
Monday’s game was not complete by time of press, while today’s contest gets underway at 1:45 p.m.
