The championship matchup is confirmed for the prestigious Circle K Classic youth hockey tournament, setting the stage for a cross-border rivalry final. The Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX) will battle the St. Louis AAA Blues for the title on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Max Bell Centre in Calgary.
Semifinal Showdowns Set the Stage
The two finalists earned their spots with decisive victories in Wednesday's semifinal round. Representing Devon, Alberta, the Northern Alberta Xtreme, a member of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, secured their place by defeating fellow CSSHL squad Rink Kelowna.
Their opponents from south of the border, the St. Louis AAA Blues, punched their ticket to the final by eliminating the last local contender, Edge School, with a convincing 6-1 victory in the other A-side semifinal.
Thrilling Path to the Final Four
Both teams navigated challenging quarterfinal matches to reach the semis. Earlier on Wednesday, the Blues ousted the St. Albert Raiders with a 5-2 win. The Xtreme also faced a tough test, overcoming a pesky Team Maryland squad by a narrow 3-2 margin.
The other two quarterfinals provided dramatic, overtime finishes. Rink Kelowna edged out last year's finalists, CIHA, 4-3 in extra time. In perhaps the most thrilling match, Edge School defeated the heavily favoured Regina Pat Canadians 2-1 in overtime, thanks to a winner from Okotoks product Ashton McCann just 36 seconds into the extra session. McCann tied the game with only 11 seconds left in regulation and finished the tournament leading all scorers with eight goals ahead of the final.
B-Side and C-Side Championships
While the main event takes centre stage Thursday, two other championships will also be decided at the Max Bell Centre. The B-side final, scheduled for 10:30 a.m., will feature the Calgary Buffaloes against the Sioux Falls Power.
The local Buffaloes advanced by edging the Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue 4-3 in a shootout during their semifinal Wednesday. Sioux Falls earned its spot by shocking the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 4-3 in overtime.
The C-side final will kick off the day's action at 10 a.m. on Max Bell 2, pitting OHA Edmonton against the Red Deer Chiefs. OHA Edmonton advanced with a 5-2 win over Saskatchewan's Warman Wildcats, while the Chiefs staged an upset, taking down the two-time Circle K Classic champion South Alberta Hockey Academy 3-2 in overtime.
Thursday's Day 6 Schedule:
- C Final: OHA Edmonton vs. Red Deer Chiefs, 10 a.m., Max Bell 2
- B Final: Calgary Buffaloes vs. Sioux Falls Power, 10:30 a.m., Max Bell 1
- A Final (Championship): St. Louis AAA Blues vs. Northern Alberta Xtreme, 2 p.m., Max Bell 1
Wednesday's Day 5 Results Recap:
Morning A Quarterfinals:
Northern Alberta Xtreme 3, Team Maryland 2
St. Louis AAA Blues 5, St. Albert Raiders 2
Edge School 2, Regina Pat Canadians 1 (OT)
Rink Kelowna 4, CIHA 3 (OT)
Afternoon:
C Semifinal: OHA Edmonton 5, Warman Wildcats 2
C Semifinal: Red Deer Chiefs 3, South Alberta Hockey Academy 2 (OT)
B Semifinal: Calgary Buffaloes 4, Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue 3 (SO)
B Semifinal: Sioux Falls Power 4, Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 3 (OT)
Late Afternoon A Semifinals:
St. Louis AAA Blues 6, Edge School 1
Northern Alberta Xtreme 5, Rink Kelowna 1
