The 2025 Esso Cup wrapped up in Lloydminster this past Saturday, with two Alberta teams vying for medals on the final day of competition.
The Lloydminster Steelers finished just shy of the podium, falling 4–1 to the North York Storm in the bronze medal game. The host team closed out the national tournament with a record of one win, two overtime wins, and two losses.
The entire Esso Cup results for the Steelers can be found below.
Game | Opponent | Result | Score |
1 | Eastern Stars | OTW | 2-1 |
2 | Edmonton Jr. Oilers | L | 2-1 |
3 | North York Storm | L | 3-1 |
4 | Saskatoon Stars | OTW | 4-3 |
5 | Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière | W | 5-3 |
Semi-Finals | Edmonton Jr. Oilers | OTL | 1-0 |
Bronze Medal Game | North York Storm | L | 4-1 |
Alberta’s other representative, the Edmonton Jr. Oilers White, capped off a dominant run by claiming the gold medal with a 7–3 victory over the Saskatoon Stars, completing an undefeated tournament and a nearly flawless season. Their final record stood at four regulation wins, one overtime win, and zero losses.
The entire Esso Cup results for the Jr. Oilers can be found below.
Game | Opponent | Result | Score |
1 | Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière | W | 4-1 |
2 | Lloydminster Steelers | W | 2-1 |
3 | Saskatoon Stars | SOW | 4-3 |
4 | Eastern Stars | W | 2-0 |
5 | North York Storm | W | 6-0 |
Semi-Finals | Lloydminster Steelers | OTW | 1-0 |
Gold Medal Game | Saskatoon Stars | W | 7-3 |
This year’s triumph was significant for eight returning Jr. Oilers players who competed at the 2024 Esso Cup. That team had finished first in the round robin but suffered a devastating semifinal loss, ultimately settling for bronze. The experience served as motivation, and those players came back in 2025 determined to finish the job—and they did just that.
The Jr. Oilers took control early in the championship game. Paige Smith opened the scoring with a power-play goal two minutes into the first period, setting the tone for a fast-paced offensive performance. Edmonton carried a 3–1 lead into the intermission.
Saskatoon responded quickly in the second, narrowing the gap to 3–2 just 38 seconds in. But Edmonton answered with another power-play marker, this time from Ciara Lang, then piled on three more goals before the end of the period. The Stars managed a lone goal in the third, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Jr. Oilers from sealing their national title.
For veteran forward Daniella Martorana, the win was especially emotional after three seasons with the program.
“I am super proud of this team. I’ve been here for three years now, and we couldn’t have had a better group,” said Martorana. “I am super happy and I love this team.”
Two Alberta players also earned individual honours for their standout performances. Edmonton’s Paige Smith was named Tournament MVP, while Lloydminster’s Harlee Houle was recognized as Top Goaltender.