Breaking Down the South Division Matches
It’s a great time to be a hockey fan in Calgary with playoffs of all age levels going on.
In this space, we’re all about the Alberta Junior Hockey League, which has begun its march toward the RBC Cup (national Junior A championship), slated for May 11 to 19 in Summerside, P.E.I.
At one point it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Brooks Bandits would walk away with the AJHL title, but don’t be so sure. Despite a record-setting season which saw them record 53 wins and 109 points (both new league marks), the Bandits opened the door of doubt a crack by losing 4-3 at Okotoks on the final night of the season — the second time they lost to the Oilers in February.
Nevertheless, they are the reigning AJHL champions, they have the coach of the year — an award Ryan Papaioannou was bestowed on Tuesday — and they have the league MVP in Cam Maclise (who will get his trophy on March 15 when the Bandits open Round 2 of the playoffs). To top it off, their netminding duo of Devon Fordyce and Michael Frederick were named the top team goaltenders in the league on Tuesday.
With a first-round bye, Brooks sits on top of the mountain, awaiting all challengers in the South Division. Let’s break down the three first-round matchups.
Full Story from The Calgary Herald