After a scoreless three periods, the 2023 U16 Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s (OMHA) Championship game between No. 6 Peterborough Petes and No. 9 Southern Tier Admirals would require overtime to decide a winner. However, goals would be just as hard to come by until the third overtime period. Kaiden Harmon took an incredible no-look pass from Josh Avery from behind the net and blasted a one-timer to clinch the win for the Petes. The goal ended a 73-minute scoreless contest between the two Top-10 teams, winning the ‘Red Hats’ and league championship for Peterborough.
The golden goal in TRIPLE OT from Kaiden Harmon to earn #RedHats for Peterborough at the #OMHA U16 AAA Championships presented by @GetCracking!!! pic.twitter.com/FTlDoe1841
— Ontario Minor Hockey (@HometownHockey) March 20, 2023
The Petes entered the weekend as the top seed in the tournament, having gone 8-0-0 in their prior playoff games. They opened group play with a 4-1 win against the Central Ontario Wolves, with four different players finding the back of the net. Next, a hard-fought 1-1 tie with the Admirals, which would serve as a preview for the eventual rematch in the final. Peterborough’s Masen Johnston and Southern Tier’s Isaac Gravelle were both stellar in net, making 29 and 32 saves, respectively.
The Petes got back in the win column in their last game of group play with a 3-2 victory over the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs. Will McFadden scored twice for his only two goals of the tournament, sending his team into the semifinals. Awaiting them would be No. 3 York Simcoe Express, a program whose 2006 squad won the U16 championship last year. No strangers to one another, the two clubs battled six times during the regular season, with Peterborough going 4-1-1.
The depth that York Simcoe showed in its playoff stretch was unable to get going, mainly due to the strong defense and goaltending of the Petes. Johnston was lights out in goal yet again, and Harmon collected his first goals of the weekend, with the first coming shorthanded. The win would set up a second battle with Southern Tier with the OMHA title on the line.
Southern Tier’s road to the final game wasn’t so easy. Easton Lynds scored twice to kick off group play with a 4-1 win against the Jr. Bulldogs. However, the offense would dry up shortly after that. They skated to two ties against the Petes and Wolves to set up a semifinal clash with No. 6 Halton Hurricanes. The Hurricanes entered the matchup as the top scoring team, with four players making up the top four point-getters among all participants. However, they struggled mightily to beat Gravelle in net. He recorded 32 saves, and Noah Reed scored two goals on top of that to push the Admirals past Halton.
Given the way Johnston and Gravelle were playing ahead of the championship game, many were expecting a low-scoring final. In regulation, the Petes managed to put 24 shots on goal in regulation, while the Admirals put up 21 of their own. Both goalies remained perfect heading into overtime.
Peterborough made a strong push for the win in the first overtime, producing more chances and shots early on. The second overtime would be more of the same, with Southern Tier slightly outshooting the Petes, 6-5. Put on a power play just before the halfway point of the third overtime, the Petes sensed their moment. After some time in the offensive zone, Avery collected a pass from Ben Radley and sent a perfect pass on the tape of Harmon. Wasting no time, he threw it on net, beating the blocker of Gravelle, who was just late to react.
Johnston would finish with 31 saves and his third shutout of the tournament.
Despite the loss, the Admirals will still be joining the Petes, Hurricanes and Express as the four representatives of the OMHA in the upcoming U16 OHL Cup. World Hockey Hub will have extended coverage of the OHL Cup and its participating teams. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube to stay up-to-date!
Heading into the championship game against Edge School, Carson Legault had recorded two points (1G, 1A) to his credit in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Playoffs. A large majority of the scoring duties for No. 10 RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg had been handled by Kayden Turner (5G, 10A) and Connor Bear (4G, 9A). That dynamic duo not only finished the postseason as the leaders on Winnipeg’s roster, but among all skaters in the league.
But it was Legault who put the team on his back in the title game, finding the back of the net three times to lead his team to a 5-1 victory for the U16 Prep Western Championship. It is the first CSSHL title in club history.
Edge would draw first blood following a fortuitous bounce off a zone dump in. The puck bounced past Winnipeg goaltender Brant Catellier from behind the net right to a charging Simon Cecconi. Before Catellier could react, the puck was banged into the open net for a 1-0 lead. After knocking on the door for what seemed like an eternity, Legault finally managed to beat Connor Nicolson with a rocket from the blue line, evening the score at 13:48 of the period. Just 11 seconds after, Legault collected a loose puck off an errant pass from Tee Hagel and whipped a one-timer that beat Nicolson between the legs, from the slot to put Winnipeg up 2-1.
RHA Winnipeg continued its dominance into the second period. Minutes into the frame, Koy Funk deflected a point shot from Josh McGregor to push the lead to 3-1. Shortly after, Legault dropped to one knee and blasted a shot past the glove of Nicolson to complete the hat trick.
Nicolson was pulled as a result, with Jonah Tonhauser coming into the game. After making nine saves on nine shots, Tonhauser suffered an injury, forcing Nicolson back into the crease. Getting little time to reacclimate himself, Kayden Turner knocked in a loose puck during a net-mouth scramble for his second point of the game and fifth Winnipeg goal.
Edge was unable to mount a comeback attempt, with Winnipeg’s defense shutting things down for the rest of regulation. Overall, Catellier finished with 19 saves on 20 shots, with Nicolson stopping 40 of the 45 pucks that came his way. RHA Winnipeg’s playoff run would end at 5-0-0, allowing just six goals across all matchups.
With RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna defeating Edge School in overtime back on March 15th, tensions were running high heading into the rematch with a championship on the line. But no strangers to competing for CSSHL championships in the past, it was Edge’s veteran players and playoff experience that pushed them ahead to their sixth CSSHL U18 Prep Championship. Having last won in the 2016-17 season, Edge won four straight championships from 2009 to 2013; the first four years the CSSHL was also in operation.
Callas Pierce would get the scoring started when he took a pass from Jace Hader and fired a wrist shot under the blocker of Noah Davis for a 1-0 lead. About seven minutes later, Hayden Harsanyi would knot things up at one goal apiece, when he shot the puck on net that was deflected off Kelowna defender John Franceschetti and in.
Edge had numerous opportunities to break the deadlock in the second period, with a double-minor and major penalties being issued to RHA Kelowna skaters. Thanks to the incredible goaltending from Kelowna’s Evan Gardner, the action would continue into the third period with the teams still tied 2-2. Gardner made 18 saves alone in the period, and finished the game with 42 saves.
Shortly into the third, Terik Parascak would put Edge up 2-1 off a low shot from the right circle that beat Gardner’s glove. With the goalie pulled, Kelowna was able to muster some dangerous chances with the extra skater, but they were denied by Davis. Any chance at a comeback were ended when Parascak deposited his second goal into the empty net, securing the 3-1 win. He would lead all skaters in the postseason with six goals and 12 points in five games.
After the game, head coach James Poole shared his thoughts on the victory.
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This weekend, the 2023 Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) Championship will take place in Oakville. No. 6 Peterborough Petes will enter the tournament as the top seed in their group, following a 8-0-0 stretch in prior playoff games.
Joining them in Group 1 will be the No. 9 Canadian-ranked Southern Tier Admirals, Central Ontario Wolves and Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs. Making up the second group of four teams will be No. 7 York Simcoe Express, No. 12 Halton Hurricanes, Ajax Pickering Raiders and Burlington Eagles. Teams will play three round robin games within their respective groups, before two semifinal games and the eventual championship matchup.
On a current 18-game winning streak, the Petes are one of Canada’s hottest teams at the moment. Fresh off a 3-2 overtime victory against York Simcoe, they are flying heading into the championship tournament and look poised to be the last club standing at the end. Wil McFadden is the current leading scorer with 11 goals and 18 points in those eight games. The team has four players behind him with 10 or more points.
The team most likely to have a chance at coming out of the group other than Peterborough is fellow WHH-ranked Admirals. Playing to a 6-2-0 playoff record, Noah Read (7G, 8A) and Joe Sinclair (7G, 5A) are two of their most consistent forwards. Both players will need to continue to find the back of the net in order to go up against Peterborough’s potent offense. They will hope that Halton does not come out of Group 2, as they dropped two 4-1 decisions to them in the playoffs already. Southern Tier has faced off with the Petes once this season, suffering a 3-1 defeat back on Jan. 22nd.
Nabbing the title in last year’s tournament with a thrilling overtime victory against the Niagara North Stars, York Simcoe hopes to have similar luck this year. Despite two losses to Peterborough, York Simcoe finished its playoffs with a respectable 6-2-0 record. Backed by Owen Griffin’s explosive 17 goals and 28 points, if there is one team that can truly battle with the Petes for the OMHA title, it’s them.
In fact, its depth is even more impressive than that of the Petes, as nine players have garnered 10 or more points. In three regular-season contests, YSE managed to go 2-1-1 against Peterborough. The Express last earned the #RedHats in 2016, with a squad that was led by current NHLer Quinton Byfield.
But coming out of Group 2 will be a tough test, as the Eagles and Hurricanes both went 8-0-0 in their playoff runs. The Eagles relied on a dynamic power play that netted them several goals, and on the solid goaltending of Ivan Kastelan. Kastelan started all eight games, recording a 1.33 goals-against average and three shutouts. Tanner Lam (13G, 8A) and Brady Smith (12G, 8A) will be among the Hurricanes who will try to solve Kastelan as well as whoever York Simcoe places in net. Familiar foes, Halton defeated Burlington three times in the regular season, outscoring them 15-3. The two sides also tied once, 2-2.
Games will be live streamed HERE and you can stay tuned to WHH next week to see who’s crowned as 2023 OMHA Champions. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, updates and more!
Just over a minute into overtime, No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme defenseman and leading scorer Daxon Rudolph collected a loose puck following a failed 3-on-1 rush from No. 16 RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna. With a burst of speed, he beat a lone Kelowna defender and fired a wrist shot just over the pad and under the glove of Steele Bass. The goal secured NAX’s first Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U15 Prep Western Championship.
Heading into this year’s playoff tournament, NAX were seen as favorites to win it all. Finishing first in league play with a 28-1-1 record, one of their two losses on the season came at the hands of RINK Kelowna. The team had a Top-10 scorer in Tucker Tullikopf, a dynamic two-way defender in Rudolph and a potent pairing of Parker Snell and Taylor Raynard in the crease. With not many weaknesses in their game, it would have come as a surprise not to see NAX run the table yet again in the playoffs.
Northern Alberta got its undefeated run off in stellar fashion, beating Delta Hockey Academy Black 11-0. Tullikopf set the score sheet on fire, tallying seven points, six of which were goals. Rudolph got out to a decent start as well, recording one goal and two assists. Raynard pitched a 14-save shutout. Following that were three consecutive victories over BWC Academy, Delta Hockey Academy Green and Edge School. Across those three matchups, NAX outscored its opponents 21-7. Only one hurdle was left, as the club had Kelowna waiting for them in the championship game.
Finishing third in the regular season behind the NAX and Edge School, Rink Kelowna was considered a dark horse to contend for the prep title. The second of only two teams to beat NAX in the regular season, they were victorious in a 4-3 shootout. Consistent play from forward Joe Iginla and Bass in net were two large factors in Kelowna’s success. If both of these players were on their game, Kelowna would prove to be a tough out for any opponent; a fact that was true this postseason. In six games, Iginla scored 12 points (6G, 6A), second on the team behind Cage Smith (3G, 10A). Getting the majority of the workload as the team’s goalie, Bass recorded a 4-0-1 record, with a 2.30 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
Brody Gillipsie put RINK on top just 1:50 into the championship game. Iginla would increase Kelowna’s lead by two when he finished a 2-on-1 rush with a slick back-hand shot past Snell. Iginla and company had gotten out to the start they needed in order to upset the tournament favorite.
However, with one minute left in the frame, Rudolph would net one back for NAX. He scooped up a failed clearing attempt that deflected off the skate of Cage Smith, and wired a perfect shot from the slot to get his team on the board. NAX has cut the deficit to 2-1 to end the first period.
Riding that momentum, Maddox Rose evened up the score at 2-2 a mere 44 seconds into the second period. The game would remain tied for the next 13 minutes of action before Smith tallied his third goal — and 13th point — of the playoffs for RINK. He danced around numerous NAX players with a gorgeous toe drag before shooting the puck into a gaping net for the 3-2 lead. RINK had once again taken the lead over top-seeded NAX.
Brek Liske made sure his team didn’t trail for long, though, scoring less than three minutes later. He would deposit a rebound chance off a shot from Rudolph to square things up once more, this time at 3-3. Both sides pushed hard for the winner in the third period, but both goaltenders stood firm. Overall, Bass would end up making 34 saves while Snell stopped 36.
A scoreless third period pushed the championship game to overtime. Once the extra period began, Rudolph made quick work of deciding the game by burying a breakaway opportunity to send the NAX bench and fans into a frenzy. The golden goal would be Rudolph’s fifth of the playoffs, giving him 12 total points. None bigger than his game-tying and game-winning goals against Kelowna.
Hear from Daxon Rudolph, the overtime hero for @NAXHockey https://t.co/kbgVqdpRjo pic.twitter.com/gFHQn91dbm
— CSSHL (@CSSHL) March 12, 2023
After the game, head coach Brayden Toma shared his thoughts on the victory.
Head Coach Brayden Toma speaks on his second CSSHL Championship, and first U15 Prep title @NAXHockey pic.twitter.com/X5VOhUMCVI
— CSSHL (@CSSHL) March 12, 2023
And if things couldn’t get more memorable, NAX’s U15 team won its championship the previous day, marking the first time in CSSHL history a team has won both the U15 and U15 Prep division in the same season.
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There’s a new club at the top of the ‘07 rankings in Russia, and it’s the first time they’ve been there since Dec. 21st. Following a solid stretch of play that saw them nab victories over No. 3 CSKA Moscow, Atlant Mytishchi and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Dynamo Moscow is back as No. 1. Mikhail Melikov, the club’s leading scorer, tallied four points in the 9-1 victory over Atlant. This season, he has produced 27 goals and 47 points.
While Dynamo was a familiar name in the No. 1 spot in Russia, a new team cracked the Top 10 among 2007-born teams in the U.S. With a strong 10-2 victory over Compuware, No. 10 Victory Honda’s offensive outburst gave them enough of a jolt to catapult over the previous spot holder. Braden Wade and Nolan Makinski both notched hat tricks and Luc Plante scored a goal and four assists in a five-point night. The victory also continued a nine-game unbeaten streak for the team, which ended the following day with a 3-2 overtime loss to Fox Motors.
The regular season concluded over the weekend, and with it, brought some movement among Top-10 teams. In these final matchups before playoffs, No. 3 Ilves and No. 5 Jokerit experienced some decent boosts from crucial wins. Ilves got its business done in two matchups versus No. 4 Kärpät, winning by scorers of 13-3 and 4-0. In the 13-goal explosion, seven skaters notched two or more points, led by Jalmari Melanen’s one goal and four assists.
Jokerit put forth a solid team effort in a 4-1 victory over No. 6 Lukko. Aapo Niemelä (2G) and Taavi Aarvala (2A) connected for the final two goals of the game, solidifying both the win and two-point performances.
With strong finishes to group play, both Ilves and Jokerit earned spots in the top four of the overall group standings. As a result, they have earned first round byes in the playoffs, along with No. 2 Tappara and No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo. They will now await the winners from the first round to see who they will open their playoff schedules against.
The opening round of Sweden’s U16 SM-playoffs has come and gone, and No. 3 MoDo Hockey has raised eyebrows with its performance thus far. The power trio of Elton Hermansson (3G, 3A), Vincent Wedin (2G, 4A) and Erik Häggblad (1G, 5A) have lifted their club to new heights. By securing wins over fellow ranked opponents like No. 1 Nacka HK and No. 4 Djurgårdens IF, its position among the country’s elite has been strengthened.
The road doesn’t get any easier, as entering the second round MoDo finds itself in the dreaded ‘group of death’ along with top-ranked Nacka, No. 2 Täby HC and No. 6 Södertälje SK.
Be sure to check out the complete world rankings, including Top 10s by country and World Top 25s for each of the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 birth years.
This season, 2008-born teams in the Canadian Sport School Hockey league (CSSHL) have been full of incredible talent. From high-scoring forwards and productive blueliners, to consistent goaltending, this season has seen it all.
The U15 Prep Western Championships began on Monday. While it’s difficult to limit to just six, we’ve keyed in on three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie to watch during this week’s playoff action.
No player tallied more regular season points than Liam Ruck, forward for Okanagan Hockey Academy. In 27 games, the 5-foot-8 forward from Osoyoos, British Columbia, CAN, collected 53 goals and 90 points. 34 of those points have come in the midst of a nine-game point streak. A huge step forward from last season, where he recorded 13 goals and 34 points. Ruck also put up four assists in three playoff games last year.
Known for scoring in bunches, he has put up five or more points in seven contests. The highlight of his season was a 10-point performance against the North Shore Warriors on Sept. 30th. If Okanagan has any hopes of a deep playoff run, Ruck will need to continue to find the scoresheet with his incredible offensive ability.
A name that has been mentioned extensively on WHH, Cruz Pavao has put together quite the 2022-23 campaign. He really entered the conversation when he led No. 16 Calgary Edge School to the championship at the Rocky Mountain Classic back in November. Since then, all he has done is continue to pile up the points in league play. Pavao ended the regular season as the fifth-best scorer with 32 goals and 67 points. No stranger to showing up when the games meant the most, he put up 19 points in five playoff games last season as well.
Edge School poses the biggest threat to No. 4 Northern Alberta Xtreme this postseason. In six games against NAX, Pavao notched three goals and six points. For Edge to have any hope in overcoming the juggernaut that is Northern Alberta, Pavao will have to be on his game from the minute the puck drops.
Sitting just behind Pavao in overall scoring is Joe Iginla, and it seems the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Suiting up in 27 games for No. 8 Canadian-ranked RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna, Iginla’s knack for finding the net has led to 37 goals and 65 points. A threat on the man advantage, he has also produced 15 points on the power play (8G, 7A). But perhaps the most impressive aspect of his game is Iginla’s ability to stay out of the penalty box. Behind Ruck (6), Iginla has the least amount of penalty minutes at just four. Iginla gained crucial first-hand experience in last year’s playoffs, where he scored one goal in four games. That experience will help him prepare for this year’s playoff run, which will be a gauntlet given the talent involved from participating teams.
When a player puts up 17 goals and 50 points in 30 games, it’s an impressive feat. If that player happens to be a defenseman, it’s that much more of an incredible accomplishment. That is just what Daxon Randolph did this season for NAX. Only held off the scoresheet in two games, Randolph has been a prime example of how consistent production from the blue line can bolster a team’s attack. He enters the playoffs having scored at least one point in his last 13 games.
The area where Northern Alberta truly receives a jolt from Randolph is the power play, where he has produced 19 points (6G, 12A). He even has the mitts to show up in the shootout, where he went 1-for-2 this season.
Another fellow defenseman who piled up the points was Landon DuPont for Edge. Seeing action in 27 games, DuPont was able to score 15 goals and 47 points. He was held scoreless in the first four games against NAX before tallying a goal and an assist in their final two-game series of the season. With some added confidence, getting production from him will be vital for Edge to go toe-to-toe with some of the best of their birth year, Not to mention a possible tilt with NAX, should the chips fall that way.
Simply put, you would be hard pressed to find a better goaltender than Parker Snell this season not only in the CSSHL, but in other ‘08 youth hockey programs around the world. Across the course of 15 wins, he put together a 1.35 goals-against average, .944 save percentage and four shutouts. Numbers that were so impressive to start this season that he was put on the WHH radar quite early.
No stranger to playoff hockey, he manned the crease in two games of the Western Championships last year for Northern Alberta, going 1-1-0 with a 1.00 goals against and .963 save percentage. After getting a taste, a more seasoned and experienced Snell can be a major problem for opponents.
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