Crusaders hockey
A preview of the Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League final kicks off the Hockey Alberta provincials for the St. Albert Source for Sports Crusaders.
Thursday’s puck drop is 1:45 p.m. against the Camrose Vikings at The Meadows Community Recreation Centre, the venue for the five-team midget AA tournament.
The Crusaders and Vikings start the best-of-five NAMHL final April 4 at 8:15 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
Game two is April 6 at 6 p.m. in Camrose and game three is 7:15 p.m. April 8 at Go Auto Arena.
The Crusaders (26-4-2) finished first overall in league play as the defending NAMHL champions and the team’s Metro conference playoff record was 7-0-1.
Camrose (19-9-4) placed third in its division while going 5-2 in the Rural conference playoffs.
In league play, the Crusaders lost 2-1 in Camrose on Nov. 4.
At provincials, the Crusaders also play the Canadian Athletic Club at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, CHHA Canucks at 4:15 p.m. Friday and Medicine Hat at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Sunday the top two teams face off in the 11:45 a.m. final and the third and fourth teams meet for third place at 11:45 a.m.
The Crusaders swept the CAC (13-8-1) 3-0 and 6-4 in the best-of-three Metro final for a berth in the championship playoff.
Ronin Pusch leads the NAMHL in playoff scoring with 10 goals and 20 points and Maddux Nollski ranks second with 14 points and is tied for second in goals with eight.
Sharks hockey
The rematch of the 2018 Hockey Alberta midget elite final is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at provincials in Grande Prairie.
The St. Albert Sharks (17-9) and Calgary Fire White (21-4-1) finished first in their respective divisions in the Alberta Female Hockey League this season after Calgary downed the Sharks 2-1 in last year’s final.
The five-team round robin for the Sharks includes games Friday at 11:45 a.m. against the host Peace Country Storm (13-11-2), third in the north, and 6:15 p.m. against Calgary Fire Red (21-3-2), co-leader with Fire White in the south.
The last game for the Sharks before the medal round is 4:30 p.m. Saturday against Sherwood Park Fury (14-8-4), second in the north.
Sunday’s finals are 9 a.m. for bronze and 11:45 a.m. for gold.
The Sharks qualified for provincials by sweeping the Edmonton Pandas (9-14-3) in the best-of-three series by scores of 2-1 in a shootout and 5-2 in St. Albert.
