AMBHL final
The Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League provincial final resumes today between the St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres and Airdrie Xtreme.Faceoff is 3:30 p.m. in Airdrie.
The Xtreme leads the best-of-five series 2-0 after defeating the Sabres twice in overtime by the score of 3-2 last weekend at Akinsdale Arena. Game one was decided at 2:28 of the first OT period and game two ended in the 33rd minute of sudden death in the third extra period.
If needed, game four is 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Airdrie and game five is 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Go Auto Arena.
The winner represents Alberta at westerns, March 29 to April 1 at Kamloops.
The last provincial championship for the Sabres was celebrated in 1999.
Midget AA series
Sunday the St. Albert Source for Sports Crusaders host the CAC in the Metro conference final in the Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League.Faceoff is 12:15 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena.
The best-of-three series opener was played Friday at Confederation Arena but the score was unavailable at press time.
If needed, game three is 8 p.m. Monday at Callingwood Recreation Centre.
The winner plays the GFAC Storm or Beaumont Braves in the best-of-five NAMHL championship and also advances to provincials, March 29 to April 1 at Spruce Grove.
The Crusaders lost last year’s NAMHL final in three games to the Strathcona Warriors.
The Crusaders qualified for the conference series as the top team in the Besa division playoff tournament after edging the Sherwood Park Oilers 4-3 in overtime as Noah Fayad scored the clinching goal in Tuesday’s final.
Rhys Mazur tied it at three with 6:48 left in regulation time.
Logan McKinley potted a pair in the middle frame and also assisted on Mazur’s goal.
Mazur and Ryan Deets finished with two assists apiece.
Shots were 7-3 in the seven-minute OT period and 36-33 overall for the Crusaders as Shane Zilka (3-0-1, 1.94 GAA) backstopped the team to victory.
The Crusaders finished 4-1-1 in the tournament and in the round robin doubled the Oilers 4-2.
Mazur led the team in scoring with eight points.
The CAC was the Anderson division tournament winner at 5-1 and one of the wins was 4-3 against the St. Albert Blues (2-2-1).
In league play, the CAC (20-7-5) was first in Anderson and the Crusaders (20-9-3) placed second in Besa. The CAC also beat the Crusaders 4-3 Nov. 2.
