Updates on the midget AAA female Slash, REM 15 Royals and midget elite female Sharks

Slash game

The first game for the St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash after winning the 34th annual Scarborough Sharks New Year’s Classic is Saturday in the Alberta Female Hockey League.

Puck drop is 7:45 p.m. against the Rocky Mountain Raiders at Go Auto Arena.

The Raiders (14-4-2) and Slash (13-6) are second and third, respectively, behind the Red Deer Chiefs (14-3-3) in the midget AAA division.

The 2017 Esso Cup national champions are coming off their second tournament victory of the season after defeating Warriors Quebec 5-1 in Sunday’s final in Scarborough, Ont.

Leading 2-1 after 40 minutes, Tyra Meropoulis tallied twice after Jaden Bogden scored in the third period to seal the deal.

The semifinal was decided in a shootout as McKenzie Hewett and Meropoulis scored and Brianna Sank shut down the Whitby Wolves after a 2-2 deadlock through three periods and overtime.

The Slash also blanked Durham West 5-0 in the quarter-finals.

In pool play, the Slash edged the host Sharks 2-1, shut out the Mississauga Chiefs 1-0 and lost 2-0 to HoneyBees Quebec.

The tournament featured 16 teams in four pools.

REM 15 Royals

The first-place St. Albert Royals skate twice in three days this week in the Rural & Edmonton Midget 15AA Hockey League.

The Royals (14-3) face-off against MLAC (10-8) Thursday at 8:15 p.m. in Sherwood Park and Saturday’s game against the Hockey Central Panthers (11-3-3) starts at 4:45 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.

The Royals are three points in front of the Panthers and Red Deer Chiefs (11-3-3) in the 10-team standings.

Adam Olsen is the top scorer on the Royals with 19 points and is tied for the team lead in goals with Joshua Cyr at nine apiece.

Cole Crozier (7-2) ranks third among REM netminders in goals-average average at 2.14.

Crozier, Cyr, Joshua Fesyk, Carter MacDonald and defenceman Brad Pollard represented the Royals at the REM all-star game Sunday.

Sharks at home

The midget elite St. Albert Slash start a four-game homestand this weekend in the Alberta Female Hockey League

The Sharks (14-1) host the North Central Impact (1-9-5) Friday at 8:45 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena and the Sherwood Park Fury (6-6-2) Sunday at 8:15 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.

The first loss this season for the No. 1 midget elite team in the AFHL was 4-1 Sunday against the Cyclones (7-9) in Lethbridge.