Hockey Alberta Announces Officials For 2012 Alberta Cup, Regional And National Championships

Hockey Alberta announced Tuesday the 12 officials that will represent their zones at the 2012 Alberta Cup set for April 26-29 in Lethbridge, Alberta as well as officials selected to participate in national and regional championships.

ALBERTA CUP

The Alberta Cup is the second stage in the Provincial Officiating Development Program. Each one of the selected officials first attended a zone camp where 8-18 officials are put through on and off ice testing as well as game evaluations. Two officials from each zone are selected from the zone camps to work the Alberta Cup.

“The caliber and competitive level at this year’s zone camps was very high,” said Hockey Alberta’s Coordinator of Officiating Programs & Operations, Kyle Baltimore. “The tournament is an opportunity for these officials to further develop their talents to help them get to the next level. We look forward to seeing how all these officials progress through the program.”

Officials selected to work at the Alberta Cup are evaluated and critiqued on their on-ice performance.

After the Alberta Cup, officials are chosen to attend the third stage of the program, Provincial Development Camp. This camp is held in July in conjunction with the U16 Male camp. The Provincial Camp is one week in length and includes classroom sessions, guest speakers, on and off ice training sessions, and game time evaluation.

Past Alberta Cup officials include: Kyle Rehman (NHL referee), Chris Carlson (WHL linesman), Colin Watt (AJHL and WHL referee), Kevin Webinger (WHL referee), Fraser Lawrence (WHL referee), and Curtis Nichols (Former WHL referee and current Hockey Alberta Referee-in-Chief).

REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The following officials have been assigned to officiate at the following regional and national championships.

Telus Cup - Leduc:

Referees:

Matt Cassidy - Red Deer
Geoff DaSilva - Calgary
Kyle Kowalski - Edmonton
Jordan Lightbown - Medicine Hat

Linesman:

Stefan Brown - Fort Saskatchewan
Andrew Coburn - Wembly
Ethan Cronkhite - Bonnyville
Jared Cummings - Sherwood Park
Deion Foster - Lloydminster
Jason Nedinis - Calgary
Cam Penstone - Lacombe
Justin Slimm – Calgary

Western Canada Bantam Championship – Stony Plain:

Referees:

Eric Bell - Edmonton
Jarred Cumings - Sherwood Park
Eric Dewit - Red Deer
Eric Watts - Spruce Grove

Linesman:

Chad Gruntman - Springbrook
Alex Homer - Edmonton
Greg Knoblauch - St. Albert
Kelly McKenzie - Leduc
AJ Nelson - Red Deer
Brett Ryan - Spruce Grove
Brandon Weber - Spruce Grove
Andy Yaworski - Fort Saskatchewan

CIS Women’s National Championship - Edmonton:

Linesman:

Aaron Best - St. Albert
Shelley Knowlton - St. Albert
Amanda Allaire - Calgary

Shauna Wing - Red Deer

Team Northeast defeated Team South 5-3 on Sunday at the Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge to capture the 2012 Alberta Cup.

Team South opened the scoring at the 4:19 mark in the 1st period when Ryan Stronski (Claresholm, Alta.) scored a powerplay marker giving the host squad a 1-0 advantage. After firing 12 shots on net the in 1st period and getting held scoreless, Team Northeast finally found the back of the net 3:56 into the 2nd period with a snipe by Curtis Miske (Beaumont, Alta.). This goal provided the momentum the Northeast needed as they put in two more goals before the end of the period courtesy of Jesse Zaharichuk (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and Andrew Koep (Lloydminster, Alta.). The South buried one, making it 3-2 heading into the 2nd intermission. This was the score until the final minute of the 3rd period when South tied it up 3-3 with an Eric Theander (Okotoks, Alta.) tally. Team Northeast responded immediately when Andrew Koep put the team on his back scoring two goals, giving him a hatrick, in the final 49-seconds to lead Northeast to the 5-3 win.

Team Northeast netminder Korlan Vader (Sherwood Park, Alta.) stopped 25 shots on net while Xavier Burghardt (Medicine Hat, Alta.) had 30 saves. This is Team Northeast’s first Alberta Cup championship since 2004 when they won the event in Okotoks.

The 2012 Source for Sports Play SMART Award was handed out to Team Edmonton South for their exceptional sportsmanship, respect and attitudes both on and off the ice throughout the tournament. This award is voted on by each team, the officials and staff at the Alberta Cup.

The 2012 Alberta Cup Host Committee is comprised of three groups; Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association, Lethbridge Hurricanes and University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Alumni Association. Hockey Alberta is also proud to have the Western Hockey League, Reebok/CCM, Source for Sports and Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation as event sponsors.   

The Alberta Cup Program begins in March each year with close to 1000 players trying out at their respective zone camps. Each of the 160 athletes playing in the Alberta Cup is competing for one of eighty invites to the U16 Male Provincial Camp in July. The U16 Male Provincial Camp is the final stage in the first year of the Team Alberta Program.

The Alberta Cup is the premier event in the province that helps identify the top male players in Alberta.  It is well attended by scouts as they prepare for the Western Hockey League’s bantam draft. In addition to player evaluations, the competition is also an opportunity for administrators, coaches, trainers and referees to be evaluated for future positions with the Team Alberta Program.

Former Alberta Cup graduates include such players as Jordan Eberle, Devan Dubnyk, Dany Heatley, Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, Scott Hartnell and Devin Setoguchi.  

The Red Deer Rebels (Pacific) have won the 2012 TELUS Cup, claiming Canada’s 39th National Midget Championship with a 6-5 double overtime win over the Phénix du Collège Esther-Blondin (Quebec) in Sunday night’s gold medal game at the Leduc Recreation Centre.

Nick Glackin capped off his natural hat trick at 8:45 of the second overtime to complete a remarkable comeback from a 5-1 third-period deficit and give the Rebels their first national championship after three silver medals in three previous appearances in the final, including two losses in double overtime.

The gold medal is the first for the Pacific Region since the Calgary Northstars won the 2003 Air Canada Cup.

The Phénix jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one period thanks to two goals from Vincent Deslauriers and one from Frédérik Gauthier, and led 5-1 through 40 minutes on the strength of three goals with the man advantage.

But it was the Red Deer power play that dominated the third period; Scott Feser got the comeback started 53 seconds into the final frame, and added his second at 10:54 before Glackin scored his first two goals at 11:12 and 12:42 to force overtime.

After a scoreless 10-minute extra period, Glackin tipped a shot from Rebels captain Brady Bakke past Phénix goaltender Kevin Darveau to cap off just the 13th double overtime game in tournament history.

In Sunday morning’s bronze medal game, the Saskatoon Contacts (West) got goals two minutes apart from Carson Stadnyk and Branden Scheidl midway through the third period to earn a 3-2 victory over the Leduc Oil Kings (Host) and become the ninth consecutive West Region team to win a medal at the national championship.

Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the Provincial and Regional Championship results.

Congratulations to the Stony Plain Eagles (Senior AAA) for winning the McKenzie Cup as well as to the Red Deer Optimist Rebels (Midget AAA) and Edmonton Thunder (Midget AAA Female) for  winning their Pacific Regional Championships. All three teams will now advance their respective national championships.  

The SSAC Southgate Lions (Edmonton) won the silver medal at the Western Canada Bantam Championship.
 

2012 INVESTORS GROUP HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENTS

JUNIOR B – OKOTOKS

Gold Medal Game:
Whitecourt Wolverines (5)       vs.        Okotoks Bisons (1)

2012 INVESTORS GROUP HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIAL PLAYDOWNS

JUNIOR A (AJHL ENERFLEX CUP) – BROOKS BANDITS VS FORT MCMURRAY OIL BARONS
6-Apr Fri            Fort McMurray (1)         @         Brooks (5)
7-Apr Sat          Fort McMurray (7)         @         Brooks (1)                     
9-Apr Mon        Brooks                          @         Fort McMurray  8:00 P.M.
10-Apr Tue        Brooks                          @         Fort McMurray  8:00 P.M.
12-Apr Thurs      Fort McMurray              @         Brooks              7:00 P.M.

If necessary

14-Apr Sat        Brooks                          @         Fort McMurray  8:00 P.M.
16-Apr Mon      Fort McMurray              @         Brooks              7:00 P.M.

Series tied 1-1

Winner advances to the Doyle Cup versus B.C.

Doyle Cup – Begins on April 20, 2012

RBC Cup – May5-13, Humboldt, Saskatchewan

 

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

SENIOR AAA – MCKENZIE CUP - STONY PLAIN EAGLES VS POWELL RIVER REGALS      
5-Apr Thurs       Stony Plain (2)              @         Powell River (7)
6-Apr Fri            Stony Plain (6)              @         Powell River (2)
7-Apr Sat          Stony Plain (8)              @         Powell River (3)
8-Apr Sun         Stony Plain (4)              @         Powell River (3)            
Stony Plain wins series 3-1 and advances to the Allan Cup

Allan Cup – April 16-21, 2012 – Lloydminster, Saskatchewan

 

WESTERN SHIELD SR. FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP

Sr. A

AB Calgary Coyotes (3)        @        MB  Manitoba Herd (1)
SK Host Saskatoon Ducks (2)        @        AB  Calgary Coyotes (6)
AB Calgary Coyotes (2)        @        SK  Sask Wheat Queens (2)
BC  Thunder (1)        @        AB   Calgary Coyotes (6)

Bronze
MB  Manitoba Herd (7)        @        SK Host Saskatoon Ducks (6)

Gold
SK  Sask Wheat Queens (4)        @        AB  Calgary Coyotes (3) (2OT)

Sr. B

AB GP Panthers (4)        @        MB  Winnipeg Aces (2)
Sk Host PV Tigers (0)        @        AB  GP Panthers (10)
AB GP Panthers  (4)        @        SK  Saskatoon Tazers (1)
BC  Kamloops Vibe (1)        @        AB  GP Panthers  (3)

Bronze
SK  Saskatoon Tazers (4)        @        MB  Winnipeg Aces (3)

Gold
AB  GP Panthers (2)        @        BC  Kamloops Vibe (6)       


MIDGET AAA - PACIFIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – RED DEER OPTIMIST REBELS VS VANCOUVER GIANTS
6-Apr Fri            Vancouver (0)             @         Red Deer (1)
7-Apr Sat          Vancouver (3)             @         Red Deer (4) 2OT
Red Deer wins series 2-0 and advances to the Telus Cup

Telus Cup – April 23-29, 2012 – Leduc, Alberta


MIDGET AAA FEMALE - PACIFIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – EDMONTON THUNDER VS FRASER VALLEY PHANTOMS
6-Apr Fri            Edmonton (3)              @         Fraser Valley (2)            
7-Apr Sat          Edmonton (3)              @         Fraser Valley (1)            
Edmonton Thunder wins series 2-0 and advance to the Esso Cup

Esso Cup – April 22-28, 2012 – Charlottetown, P.E.I.


BANTAM AAA - WESTERN CANADA BANTAM CHAMPIONSHIP – APRIL 5-8, 2012 – STONY PLAIN, ALBERTA

Gold Medal Game:
SSAC Southgate Lions (0)         vs.        Burnaby Winter Club Bruins (3)