ALGARY, Alta. – With their 60-game regular season slate now complete, the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s playoffs begin Wednesday.
The latest Canadian Junior Hockey League postseason spotlight features the AJHL.
2018 has been stellar for the AJHL’s regular season title holder, the Okotoks Oilers, as they have yet to taste defeat in the New Year.
Riding a 24-game winning streak, Okotoks has not lost in AJHL play since back on December 29 when they suffered a narrow 2-1 setback to the Drumheller Dragons.
The efforts of the CJHL No. 1 ranked Oilers earned them a first round bye in the AJHL playoffs as did the league’s other division winner, the Spruce Grove Saints, who were slotted fifth in the final CJHL rankings.
In finishing first overall, Okotoks claimed their first-ever Dave Duchak Trophy as regular season title holders.
TOP SCORER: Spruce Grove Saints forward Chris Van Os-Shaw was the runaway winner of the Ernie Love Trophy, emblematic of the AJHL’s scoring champion.
His 97 points, on 51 goals and 46 assists, was 17 better than his nearest rival.
Van Os-Shaw also wrapped up the regular season riding an impressive 19-game point streak.
His tally total marked the first time an AJHLer notched 50 or more markers in a campaign since back in 2005-06 when current Columbus Blue Jackets – NHL forward Mark Letestu scored 50 times for the Bonnyville Pontiacs.
TOP NETMINDER: Okotoks netminder Riley Morris was named the Top Goaltender in the AJHL after posting an impressive 31-2-2 record while registering a league-best 1.98 goals-against average along with a .922 save percentage and four shutouts.
Morris, along with teammate Ben Howard, also claimed the AJHL’s CCM Hockey Award for lowest team GAA in the regular season.
PLAYOFFS: Here’s an breakdown of each of the six first-round best-of-five playoff series.
BYES: Okotoks Oilers; Spruce Grove Saints
NORTH
No. 2 Fort McMurray vs. No. 7 Bonnyville: The Oil Barons will be heavily favoured in this match-up after finishing with 22 more wins and 51 more points than the Pontiacs. Fort McMurray’s Will Conley was second in league scoring with 80 points, including 48 goals.
No. 3 Whitecourt vs. No. 6 Lloydminster: The Wolverines allowed the fourth-fewest goals against in the AJHL at 156 and had a plus-51 goal differential. The Bobcats gave up 206.
No. 4 Grande Prairie vs. No. 5 Sherwood Park: This will be the first playoff match-up to begin as it starts Wednesday. Only three points separated the two clubs in the North standings.
SOUTH
No. 2 Brooks vs. No. 7 Canmore: Brooks is the defending AJHL champions. They finished 47 points clear of Canmore in the standings. The Bandits’ Dennis Cesana topped all AJHL defencemen in scoring with 75 points.
No. 3 Drumheller vs. No. 6 Calgary Canucks: Drumheller’s 33 wins tied them for the fifth most in the league and they finished with a four-game winning streak. The Canucks dropped seven straight heading into the postseason.
No. 4 Camrose vs. No. 5 Calgary Mustangs: Both clubs had 24 victories during the campaign with the Kodiaks collecting five more points via extra time setbacks.
CJHL RANKINGS: The AJHL had four teams in the final CJHL Top rankings.
Along with Okotoks at No. 1 and Spruce Grove at No. 5, the Brooks Bandits were ninth while the Fort McMurray Oil Barons were slotted 16th.
DID YOU KNOW: The Brooks Bandits and the AJHL will host the 2019 RBC Cup. They were also the last AJHL side to win the Canadian Jr. A championship, which came in 2013.
Other Alberta clubs to capture the RBC Cup, or Centennial Cup, previously were the Camrose Kodiaks (2001); Fort McMurray Oil Barons (2000); Calgary Canucks (1995); Olds Grizzlys (1994); Red Deer Rustlers (1980); Spruce Grove Mets (1975) & Red Deer Rustlers (1971).
RBC CUP: You can get all the latest information on the 2018 RBC Cup by visiting the championship website at hockeycanada.ca/rbccup or via social media @HC_RBCCup or facebook.com/RBCCup.
FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
|
VITERRA NORTH |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
PTS |
|
Spruce Grove Saints |
60 |
47 |
10 |
3 |
97 |
|
Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
60 |
42 |
13 |
5 |
89 |
|
Whitecourt Wolverines |
60 |
33 |
20 |
7 |
73 |
|
Grande Prairie Storm |
60 |
28 |
29 |
3 |
59 |
|
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
60 |
27 |
31 |
2 |
56 |
|
Lloydminster Bobcats |
60 |
23 |
34 |
3 |
49 |
|
Bonnyville Pontiacs |
60 |
20 |
32 |
8 |
48 |
|
Drayton Valley Thunder |
60 |
17 |
40 |
3 |
37 |
|
VITERRA SOUTH |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
PTS |
|
Okotoks Oilers |
60 |
52 |
6 |
2 |
106 |
|
Brooks Bandits |
60 |
45 |
14 |
1 |
91 |
|
Drumheller Dragons |
60 |
33 |
22 |
5 |
71 |
|
Camrose Kodiaks |
60 |
24 |
24 |
12 |
60 |
|
Calgary Mustangs |
60 |
24 |
29 |
7 |
55 |
|
Calgary Canucks |
60 |
26 |
32 |
2 |
54 |
|
Canmore Eagles |
60 |
21 |
37 |
2 |
44 |
|
Olds Grizzlys |
60 |
18 |
37 |
5 |
41 |
FINAL REGULAR SEASON SCORING LEADERS
| PLAYER | POS | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| Chris Van Os-Shaw | F | SGS | 59 | 51 | 46 | 97 |
| Will Conley | F | FOB | 58 | 48 | 32 | 80 |
| Justin Bernier | F | GPS | 59 | 31 | 47 | 78 |
| Dennis Cesana | D | BRO | 60 | 14 | 61 | 75 |
| Jordan Taupert | F | DRU | 58 | 30 | 44 | 74 |
FINAL REGULAR SEASON GOALTENDER LEADERS (Minimum 1,200 minutes played)
GOALTENDER Team GP W L OTL/SL GAA SV% SO
Riley Morris OKO 35 31 2 2 1.98 0.922 4
Mitchel Benson BRO 56 43 12 1 2.20 0.911 5
Xavier Potvin WHI 45 25 14 6 2.29 0.918 4
Ben Howard OKO 27 22 3 0 2.33 0.911 1
Chris Curr FOB 25 16 5 2 2.39 0.922 1