National And Regional Officiating Assignments

Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce nine Alberta officials who have been selected for regional, national assignments during the 2013-14 season.

“The officials are very deserving of these opportunities – they work hard and dedicate themselves to be selected,” said Hockey Alberta Referee-in-Chief, Curtis Nichols. “We’re thrilled to have these individuals represent Alberta and our branch at events like these.”

Hockey Canada selected two (2) officials for national assignments at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, November 6-10, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta:

- Michelle Barry (Calgary, AB)

- Shannon Kline (Calgary, AB)

The Western Hockey League (WHL) selected two (2) officials for a regional assignment at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, October 31- November 3, 2013 in Calgary, Alberta:

- Chris Rebus (Edmonton, AB) – Referee

- Brenan Belagus (Calgary, AB) ­ Linesman

Hockey Canada selected two (2) officials to attend the National Level 6 Seminar in Montreal, QC:

- Tyler Adair (Calgary, AB)

- Fraser Lawrence (Edmonton, AB)

Hockey Canada selected three (3) officials for the World U17 Hockey Challenge, December 29 – January 4, 2014 in Cape Breton, NS:

- Kyle Kowalski (Edmonton, AB) - Referee

- Justin Slimm (Calgary, AB) - Linesman

- Jory Lutzman (Edmonton, AB) - Linesman

The Hockey Alberta Officiating Program utilizes Hockey Canada’s curriculum to administer and facilitate development clinics and train local officials to the highest standard. Each official must attend an officiating clinic at least once per year.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2013 Curtis Glencross and representatives from the Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock Event presented by the Calgary Flames and Penn West Exploration formally announced the final total of funds generated this past August while presenting cheques to the two beneficiaries of the event.

The charity rodeo took place on Friday, August 23rd, 2013 at the Daines Ranch near Innisfail, Alberta with all proceeds directed to Ronald McDonald House® Central Alberta and the Hockey Alberta Foundation and its Every Kid Every Community program. Over $280,000 was raised; $112,000 of the proceeds directed to the Hockey Alberta Foundation and $168,000 to Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta.

“It is incredible to see what this hard work has gone towards. These are two amazing charities that I have been privileged to work with,” says Curtis Glencross. “I truly look forward to growing this event for years to come and am proud of the direction it is heading.”

The rodeo featured bull, bronc and bareback riding with some of North America’s most accomplished riders. Prior to the rodeo a poker tournament was held in Red Deer for event sponsors at The Hideout located in gasoline alley.

Youth hockey support will be directed through The Hockey Alberta Foundation’s Every Kid Every Community program and the newly created, Glencross Legacy Fund .The Every Kid Every Community program directs grants and resources to central Alberta communities to utilize in the creation and support of programming in order to make the game more accessible for kids to play hockey. The Glencross Legacy Fund will allow Minor Hockey Associations and groups’ access to funding to cover registration fees and associated costs for kids of financial hardships who may otherwise not have the opportunity to play hockey.

“When we started thinking about planning a charity rodeo giving kids a chance to play hockey who may not have the opportunity to was one of our first priorities along with supporting the Ronald McDonald House,” says Curtis Glencross. “Having the Curtis Glencross Legacy Fund available for kids in Alberta was a huge goal of ours and one that we are thrilled to provide in partnership with the Hockey Alberta Foundation.”

“We are very blessed to be associated with the Curtis Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock event and Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta. Although we are different organizations, we share the common goal of giving central Alberta kids and their family hope and dreams through access to programs and services they deserve,” said Executive Director of the Hockey Alberta Foundation, Scott Robinson. “Curtis and his family have demonstrated great leadership and commitment to his Alberta roots with this event and we’re proud to be connected with a great Alberta athlete and person, as well as a great charity like Ronald McDonald House.”

Ronald McDonald House® Central Alberta is prominently located facing the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and backing on to Gaetz Avenue. A feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the need for Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer. The study revealed that there are 33,000 pediatric stays at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre per year. One third or 11,000 of those children are from out-of-town. That’s an average of 30 out-of-town children per day. Ronald McDonald House® Central Alberta supports sick children and their families from rural communities surrounding Red Deer.

“We are very grateful to Curtis Glencross and the organizing committee for putting together such a world class event,” says Larry Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer, Ronald McDonald House® Central Alberta. “It takes $1.1 million to operate Ronald McDonald House each year and the funds raised through the Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock help us to continue supporting sick children and their families.”

Hockey Alberta and BC Hockey announced Thursday, November 14, 2013 the 22-player roster that will represent Team Pacific at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, December 29, 2013 to January 4, 2014 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

Team Pacific is comprised of 13 players from BC and 9 players from Alberta. Hockey Alberta and BC Hockey each identified 23 U17 male athletes (3 Goalies, 7 Defensemen, 13 Forwards) to take part in the Team Pacific Summer Camp that took part in Calgary, Alberta on July 24^th-28^th. Following the Summer Camp, these players were evaluated during the first part of their club’s team season by a Team Pacific evaluation group.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2014 TEAM PACIFIC ROSTER & COACHING STAFF

“The selection process for this team was very in-depth and the coaching staff feels very positive about the roster that’s been assembled,” said Team Pacific Head Coach, Steve Hamilton. “We think this is a very deep team with a good combination of skill, size and character - all the elements needed to play a versatile game.”

The 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge brings together the top players in the world born 1997 or later. The tournament is made up of 10 teams; five (5) from Canada - Quebec, Ontario, Pacific (Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon), Atlantic (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) and West (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut) and five (5) international teams.

Team Pacific will be competing in Group A at the World U17 Hockey Challenge with Team West, Team Quebec, Sweden and Czech Republic. Group B will comprise of Germany, USA, Team Ontario, Team Atlantic and Russia. Team Pacific will play an exhibition game against Russia on December 28, 2013 before they play their first preliminary round contest against Team Quebec on December 29, 2013.

“In such a short-term competition, we’ll want to play a high-paced game, requiring contributions from every player. I feel confident in the depth and talent of Team Pacific,” added Hamilton.

The gold medal game will be held January 4, 2014 at 7:00pm ET/3:00pm PST and will be shown on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters.

At the 2013 World U17 Hockey Challenge in Victoriaville and Drummondville, Quebec, Team Pacific finished in fifth place after defeating Team Ontario 7-6.

Team Pacific has included some of the top hockey players that Canada has ever produced. Some notable graduates who have competed on Team Pacific include:

• Matt Dumba, Morgan Reilly, 2011
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2010
• Evander Kane, 2008
• Brent Seabrook, Dion Phaneuf, Mike Green, 2002
• Jarome Iginla, 1994
• Joe Sakic, 1986

The Under 17 program is the first stop in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence. Many players who compete at the World U17 Hockey Challenge go on to represent Canada with the National Men’s U18 Team, National Junior Team and National Men’s Team.

A valiant performance by Team Alberta saw them defeat Team Quebec this afternoon to claim the Bronze Medal at the 2013 National Women’s U18 Championship in Calgary.

Team Alberta, who has never medaled in the tournament’s history, fought an entire sixty minutes, and pushed the game into overtime with a beautiful goal from Amy Boucher late in the third. Once in overtime, Amy Boucher came through for her squad a second time as she clinched the overtime winner and Team Alberta took the victory 6-5 over Quebec. 

Kennedy Ganser, Karly Heffernan, Emily Monaghan and Shae Labbe  also scored for Team Alberta during the game’s first sixty minutes. Karly Heffernan was named Player of the Game.

Nov 9, 2013

Team Alberta, who has never medaled in the tournament’s history, fought an entire sixty minutes, and pushed the game into overtime with a beautiful goal from Amy Boucher late in the third. Once in overtime, Amy Boucher came through for her squad a second time as she clinched the overtime winner and Team Alberta took the victory 6-5 over Quebec. 

A hard fought battle saw Team Alberta fall 3-1 to Team Ontario Blue in this afternoon’s semi-final at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.

Carissa Fischer backstopped Team Alberta, facing 32 shots on the game, while Alexandra Poznikoff notched Alberta’s sole goal. Team Alberta’s Amy Boucher was named player of the game.

The Bronze Medal Game is scheduled for Sunday November 10 at 12:00 pm at the Markin MacPhail Centre. Alberta’s competition will be determined by the semi-final game between Team Quebec and Team Ontario Red being played at 7:00 pm tonight.

Nov 8, 2013

Mackenzie Bevan backstopped Team Alberta into familiar territory as they clinched a victory in shoot-out for the second night in a row.

Alexandra Poznikoff was named player of the game after scoring 3 of Alberta`s 5 goals of the game, including the shoot-out winner. Shae Labbe and Sarah Lecavlier also tallied goals over the game`s three periods.

Team Alberta moves on to play Ontario Blue November 9 (Saturday) at 4:00 pm.  

Nov 7, 2013

Team Alberta earned themselves a second win at the National Women’s U-18 Championship tonight at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Canada Olympic Park. 

Goaltender Carissa Fischer proved her goaltending capabilities tonight as she earned the shut out win in a nail-biting game that was decided in shoot-out.

65 minutes of play, including a five minute overtime period left Ontario Red and Alberta tied at zero. Shooters Kennedy Ganser and Karly Heffernan scored for Team Alberta in shoot out as Fischer continued her save streak and Team Alberta took the win.

November 6, 2013

The puck drops on the 2013 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, hosted in partnership by Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, Hockey Calgary and Girls Hockey Calgary, on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Canada Olympic Park, with eight provincial and regional teams competing in the five-day tournament for the right to face off in the gold medal game Sunday, Nov. 10.

Defending gold medallist Ontario Blue will play in Group A, along with Team Atlantic, British Columbia and Quebec, while Group B consists of last year’s silver medallist Manitoba, bronze medallist Ontario Red, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Ontario Red and Saskatchewan face off in the tournament’s opening game Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. MT, while host team Alberta will take on Manitoba in the opening day’s feature game at 7 p.m. MT. 

“We’re thrilled the 2013 National Women’s Under-18 Championship has finally arrived. Our host committee has gone above and beyond to ensure this event is a great success,” event co-chairs Melissa Blades and Christina Rogers said. “We know Calgary will do us proud and show the rest of Canada that we are a hockey city."

The eight rosters feature all 22 players who played with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and defeated the United States in a three-game series in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August, including Karly Heffernan (Sherwood Park, Alta./Edge School, JWHL) and Hannah Miller (North Vancouver, B.C./Okanagan Hockey Academy, JWHL), who helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship in Heinola and Vierumäki, Finland, in January.

Development activities taking place during the national championship include a youth Esso Fun Day, which is free of charge and runs from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. MT on Sunday, Nov. 10; a youth skills session featuring on- and off-ice sessions for female Atom and Peewee players, which costs $40 per person and runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. MT on Saturday, Nov. 9; and an adult skills session featuring on- and off-ice sessions for female players age 18 and over, which costs $40 per person and runs from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT on Saturday, Nov. 9, all at the Markin MacPhail Centre. 

The 2013 National Women’s Under-18 Championship marks the first time Alberta has hosted the event since its 2001 inception in Trois-Rivières, Que. The National Women’s Under-18 Championship is held annually, although it is replaced by the Canada Winter Games every four years. This year’s tournament will help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Girls Hockey Calgary, which was established in 1988 by local women’s hockey advocates Suzanne Jackett and Shannon Miller. Miller went on to win a silver medal as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

The 2013 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will bring together the best female hockey players born in 1996 or later. The tournament serves as an important platform for Hockey Canada scouts, led by general manager of National Women’s Team programs Melody Davidson, who will evaluate candidates for the Canadian contingent that will compete at the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship in Budapest, Hungary, in March.

A number of Canadian women’s hockey stars have competed at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, including players who are now centralized in Calgary with Canada’s National Women’s Team in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

- Meghan Agosta-Marciano (Jan. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Gillian Apps (2001 – Ontario Red)

- Vicki Bendus (Jan. 2005 – Ontario Blue; Nov. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Courtney Birchard (Nov. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Bailey Bram (2007 – Manitoba)

- Mélodie Daoust (2007, 2008, 2009 – Quebec)

- Laura Fortino (2007, 2008 – Ontario Red)

- Haley Irwin (Jan. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Brianne Jenner (Nov. 2005 – Ontario Blue; 2007, 2008 – Ontario Red)

- Rebecca Johnston (Nov. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Jocelyne Larocque (Jan. 2005, Nov. 2005 – Manitoba)

- Marie-Philip Poulin (Nov. 2005, 2007, 2008 – Quebec)

- Lauriane Rougeau (Nov. 2005, 2007 – Quebec)

- Natalie Spooner (Nov. 2005, 2007 – Ontario Red)

- Jennifer Wakefield (Jan. 2005, Nov. 2005 – Ontario Red)

- Catherine Ward (Jan. 2005 – Quebec)

- Tara Watchorn (2007 – Ontario Red)

Sam Steel (Regina Pats) scored the game winning goal, added an assist and was name player of the game as Team Alberta skated to a 4-2 win over Team BC to claim the gold medal!

Once again, Team Alberta came out pushing the play but was unable to get on the board early. Six minutes into the first period, Team BC’s Beck Malenstyn (Calgary Hitmen) jammed a loose puck past Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes) to give British Columbia the 1-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long however, as Cole Johnson (Swift Current Broncos) finished off a great pass by TJ Brown (Brandon Wheat Kings) at the 11:27 mark.

From there, Alberta took over for the majority of the period, holding BC in their defensive zone and drawing a few penalties allowing them to send a lot of rubber at Brody Willms (Moose Jaw Warriors). Alberta held a 17-4 shot advantage after the first.

Team Alberta didn’t waste much time in the second period before taking the lead on the man advantage. Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants) got the puck in the slot and fired it shelf just four minutes in.

The score stayed the same until the third period, when once again, just four minutes into the third, Steel carried the puck into the offensive zone, used the defenceman as a screen and wristed a perfectly aimed shot just over the pad of the goalie to give Alberta a 3-1 lead.

The two goal lead only lasted a couple minutes though, as Team BC crashed the net again and Caleb Fantillo (Medicine Hat Tigers) jammed a loose puck past Skinner to make it 3-2.

Team Alberta would seal the deal though shortly thereafter. Skyler McKenzie (Portland Winterhawks) was the recipient of a great set up by Alex Rotundo (Edmonton Oil Kings), giving Alberta the insurance goal.

The gold medal win is Alberta’s third at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, previously winning in 2009 and 2011. In 2012, played to a silver medal, falling short against Team BC.

NOTES:  Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings) had two assists… Nolan Volcan (Seattle Thunderbirds) and Brown also added assists… before the game, Steel and Clague were named tournament All-Stars.