The St. Albert Merchants and Edmonton Mustangs are paired together in the Capital Junior B Hockey League’s best-of-three playoff series for the second year in a row.
Game one in the qualifying round was played Friday in St. Albert, but the score was unavailable at press time.
Game two is 8 p.m. Sunday at Bill Hunter Arena.
Game three, if needed, is 8 p.m. Wednesday at Akinsdale Arena.
In the west division the Merchants (22-12-4) finished third and the Mustangs (20-16-2) placed sixth.
Going into the playoffs the Merchants won four in a row and the Mustangs were victorious in five straight games.
The Merchants and Mustangs split the four-game season series, with the home team winning every game.
Last year the fifth-place Mustangs (18-16-4) swept the fourth-place Merchants (19-15-4) in three games.
The second annual St. Albert Skyhawks men’s basketball tournament rattles the rim today at the SkyDome.
The Skyhawks tipped off the eight-team draw Friday against the St. Peter the Apostle Spartans, but the score was unavailable at press time.
The Skyhawks were 15-11 overall going into the game.
Today the Skyhawks (No. 3 in 3A) will play the Edmonton Christian Lions (No. 2 in 3A) or the Leduc Tigers (No. 8 in 3A) in the 8 a.m. consolation bracket or the 11:30 a.m. semifinal. The other semifinal is 1:15 p.m.
The consolation final is 4:45 p.m., followed by the third-place game at 6:30 p.m. and the final at 8:15 p.m.
The Strathcona Christian Academy Chargers, Bev Facey Falcons (4A honourable mention), Ernest Manning Griffins and Wetaskiwin Sabres (3A honourable mention) are also entered.
In the metro Edmonton premier conference Wednesday the Skyhawks (4-5) lost 65-49 to Bev Facey (6-3) in Sherwood Park.
The last league game before the playoffs is this Wednesday against Leduc at 6:15 p.m. at the SkyDome. Win or lose the Skyhawks will finish third in pool A and will visit the second-place pool B finisher – Sturgeon Spirits (4-5) or Paul Kane Blues (3-6) – in the Feb. 25 opening round.
Last weekend the Paul Kane Blues won their third tournament of the season by defeating the O’Leary Spartans 51-43 in the women’s final at Strathcona Composite High School.
Player of the game Kaitlyn Hunder drained a three-pointer in the last minute to seal the deal.
Co-captain Josee Larson led the Blues in scoring with 16 points and Tiana Woyewitka added 12 against the No. 10-ranked 4A Spartans.
The Blues also beat the Bev Facey Falcons 61-54 and Frank Maddock of Drayton Valley 74-27.
Monday in the metro Edmonton premier conference the Blues (4-6) fell 61-52 to the host Spartans (5-5).
Next week the Blues host Bev Facey (5-5) Tuesday and Wednesday they play the defending premier and 3A provincial champion St. Albert Skyhawks (10-0 premier; 27-0 overall). Game times are 4:45 p.m.
The premier playoffs tip off Feb. 25 for the Blues (16-7 overall).
