In a dramatic New Year's Day finale, the St. Louis AAA Blues etched their name into the history books, capturing their first-ever Circle K Classic championship with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over the Northern Alberta Xtreme.
A Championship Sealed in the Final Seconds
The tense clash, held on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at Calgary's Max Bell Centre, came down to a heart-stopping final sequence. With just five seconds remaining on the clock and the Blues clinging to a one-goal lead, the Northern Alberta Xtreme were awarded a penalty shot, setting the stage for a storybook ending.
Blues goaltender Marcus Johnson, who admitted to early-game nerves, found a reservoir of calm when it mattered most. “That penalty shot … I just knew I needed to do — what I do best,” said a smiling Johnson after his championship-clinching save. “And from there, it was easy.”
Defensive Fortress and a Timely Goal
Johnson’s heroics were the exclamation point on a masterful team defensive performance. The 18-year-old netminder, named the tournament’s playoff MVP, turned aside 27 shots in the victory. He was quick to credit the players in front of him, who threw their bodies in front of countless shots from the highly-touted Canadian side.
“We keep stats,” Johnson said. “I’m sure almost every guy has a dash next to their name for blocked shots. We put ourselves on the line — our bodies on the line — and we just wanted it really bad.”
The Blues struck first in the championship game, with Trenton Stark beating NAX goaltender Karter Gibson on a point shot at the 11:20 mark of the opening period. Despite the Northern Alberta Xtreme—the only team to enter the final day with a perfect 6-0 record—controlling large stretches of play and offensive zone time, the Blues' structured defensive shell limited high-quality chances.
Overcoming the Favourites for Historic Win
Head coach Andy McDonald emphasized that the victory was built on a foundation of defensive commitment. “We pride ourselves on defence,” McDonald stated. “We’ve got a lot of talent up front. We can score, and we know that, and we know if we pay attention to the details in our own zone, we’re going to win a lot of hockey games.”
This philosophy proved perfect for the championship stage, allowing the Missouri-based Blues to dethrone the favoured Canadian Sport School Hockey League powerhouse. The win marks a significant milestone for the St. Louis AAA Blues program, securing the coveted Circle K Classic trophy in a tournament featuring 32 of the top teams.
For Marcus Johnson and his teammates, the months of preparation culminated in a moment of pure triumph on Canadian ice, a memory solidified by a pressure-packed save in the dying seconds of a classic final.
