Kings. Wild. Blazers. Wildcats; who wins their way to Saint-Hyacinthe?
The Thunder Bay Kings and Winnipeg Wild are back at the West Regional for a
second consecutive year, looking to earn a berth at the Men’s U18 National
Club Championship in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
Joining the Kings and Wild will be the Saskatoon Blazers, who are looking
to qualify for nationals for the first time since 1974, and the host Warman
Wildcats, who are in just their second full season of existence.
There should be plenty of offence in Warman; three of the four teams
averaged at least 3.50 goals per game during the regular season (Saskatoon
and Winnipeg actually scored a five-goals-per-game clip) and continued that
trend in the playoffs, scoring four per contest.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (U18 NATIONALS FINISH)
2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (fifth place)
2019 – Tisdale Trojans (bronze medal)
2018 – Notre Dame Hounds (gold medal)
2017 – Regina Pat Canadians (fourth place)
2016 – Saskatoon Contacts (sixth place)
SASKATOON BLAZERS
SMAAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 35-7-2 (1st in SMAAAHL)
Goals for: 232
Goals against: 124
Leading scorer: Cole Reschny (23G 42A 65P)
Playoff record: 9-0
Goals for: 45
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: Cole Reschny (8G 9A 17P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Notre Dame Hounds 3-0 (5-2, 4-1, 4-0)
Semifinal: defeated Warman Wildcats 3-0 (3-2, 3-2, 6-1)
Final: defeated Regina Pat Canadians 3-2 (2-3, 4-2, 2-3 OT, 4-3, 8-0)
Last national championship appearance: 1974 (fourth place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (1974)
THUNDER BAY KINGS
HNO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 12-17-7 (9th in GTHL)
Goals for: 97
Goals against: 108
Leading scorer: Lucas Bertolin (17G 13A 30P)
Playoff record: 2-1
Goals for: 13
Goals against: 7
Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
HNO championship: defeated Kenora Thistles 2-1 (4-5, 4-0, 5-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2019 (sixth place)
Total national championship appearances: 9 (1975, 1976, 1985, 1988, 1992,
1995, 1996, 1997, 2019)
WARMAN WILDCATS
HOST
Regular season record: 25-16-3 (5th in SMAAAHL)
Goals for: 156
Goals against: 126
Leading scorer: Kazden Mathies (19G 28A 47P)
Playoff record: 3-5
Goals for: 20
Goals against: 23
Leading scorer: Kazden Mathies (4G 4A 8P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Swift Current Legionnaires 3-2 (1-4, 3-4, 5-1, 4-1,
2-1)
Semifinal: lost to Saskatoon Blazers 3-0 (2-3, 2-3, 1-6)
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none
WINNIPEG WILD
MU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 32-11-1 (3rd in MU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 220
Goals against: 124
Leading scorer: Cole Robertson (32G 28A 60P)
Playoff record: 9-3
Goals for: 48
Goals against: 27
Leading scorer: Marlen Edwards (8G 8A 16P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Winnipeg Thrashers 3-0 (8-1, 3-2, 5-1)
Semifinal: defeated Brandon Wheat Kings 3-2 (1-3, 3-1, 1-6, 6-2, 5-2)
Final: defeated Winnipeg Bruins 3-1 (3-1, 4-1, 2-3, 7-4)
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none
