Calgary Buffaloes bounce B.C. champs to earn berth in Telus Cup

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The Calgary Underneath-18 AAA Buffaloes have smashed their strategy to the 2024 Telus Cup.

That after a sweep of the host Vancouver North East Chiefs within the Pacific Area Championship over the weekend.

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“The boys are extraordinarily excited,” mentioned Buffaloes head coach Brent Harrison. “Can’t wait to symbolize the Pacific Area at Telus.”

That occurs April 22-28 in Sydney, N.S., the place 5 regional champions — together with the Buffs — be part of the host the host Sydney Rush for the Hockey Canada Males’s Underneath-18 Nationwide Membership Championship, a.ok.a. the Telus Cup.

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As of Saturday night time, the one different champ to punch a ticket to the six-team week-long finale was the Atlantic Area’s Kensington Wild, of Prince Edward Island.

Saturday night time is when the Buffaloes themselves earned their berth after a Recreation 2 gem — a 1-0 shutout over the host Chiefs at Scotia Barn in Burnaby, B.C.

“It wasn’t fairly at occasions, however we discovered a means,” mentioned Harrison of the weekend collection. “Nice goaltending, and a few well timed objectives once we wanted it.”

Certainly, over the two-game Pacific Area set — which started Friday night time with a 3-2 victory by the Buffaloes, additionally at Scotia Barn — the Alberta champions allowed two objectives, whereas scoring simply 4.

Three of their very own tallies got here in Recreation 1 — Brayden Gourley’s halfway via the primary interval to open scoring, adopted by second-frame markers by Christian Stephanson after which Cooper Williams to rally the guests from a 2-1 deficit to the B.C.-champion Chiefs.

Talen Lewis netted the Buffs’ solely purpose in Saturday’s second recreation, however the marker simply 1:54 into the third interval was sufficient offence in entrance of goaltender Kael Svenson’s ‘theft spree’ to finish the sweep.

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Svenson’s elegant effort between the Buffaloes pipes was aided by a terrific defensive group efficiency, particularly whereas enjoying short-handed.

“We killed 10 penalties in Recreation 2,” added Harrison. “Our penalty kill was superior all weekend.”

The Buffaloes reached the Pacific Area Championship after profitable their third Alberta Elite Hockey League title in 4 years. Within the AEHL playoffs, they opened with a 2-1 South Division semifinal win over the Pink Deer Chiefs and a 3-1 douse of the Calgary NW Flames — final yr’s league and Pacific Area champs. They then claimed the Alberta crown — their tenth in group historical past — over the Sherwood Park Kings in sweeping 4-3 (2OT), 2-1 (3OT) and 6-2 trend to attain the provincial honour.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

X: @ToddSaelhofPM

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