It's another busy weekend in the AJHL as we get closer and closer to the midpoint of the season.
Bonnyville Pontiacs (14-7-3—31 points 5th in the North)
Brinson Pasichnuk leads the Bonnyville Pontiacs into the weekend that will see them travel to Sherwood Park to battle the Crusaders for the 4th spot in the Viterra North division on Friday night before returning home to take on the Calgary Canucks. Bonnyville has lost all three games to the Crusaders this season and have been outscored 13-3. On Saturday, the Pontiacs will host the Calgary Canucks in their second matchup of the season. Bonnyville defeated Calgary 6-1 in their other meeting.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Sherwood Park Crusaders, puck drop at 7:00
Saturday, November 14th vs. Calgary Canucks, puck drop at 7:30
Tuesday, November 17th vs. Whitecourt Wolverines, puck drop at 7:30
Thursday, November 19th vs. Grande Prairie Storm, puck drop at 7:30
Drayton Valley Thunder (8-10-4—20 points 6th in the North)
Brayden Harris and Troy Rapuano lead the Drayton Valley Thunder into a pair of home games against a pair of Viterra South teams. Saturday Camrose pays their only visit to the Omniplex while Saturday afternoon it will be Drumheller who comes to Drayton Valley. The Thunder dropped a 3-2 SO to the Kodiaks on September 24th, Saturday will be the second and final meeting of the season. Sunday will be the first of two meetings between the two teams.
Upcoming schedule:
Saturday, November 14th vs. Camrose Kodiaks, puck drop at 7:30
Sunday, November 15th vs. Drumheller Dragons, puck drop at 2:30
Fort McMurray Oil Barons (3-17-4—-10 points 7th in the North)
Landon Welykholowa and the Fort McMurray Oil Barons will play just once this weekend, and that will be on Friday night when they host the Canmore Eagles. Friday will be the first of two meetings between the Oil Barons and Eagles. Fort McMurray enters the weekend with a two point lead on the Grande Prairie Storm, who have a game in hand.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Canmore Eagles, puck drop at 8:00
Grande Prairie Storm (3-18-2—8 points 8th in the North)
Luke Mahura and the Grande Prairie Storm will host a pair of Viterra South opponents this weekend. On Friday, the Drumheller Dragons pay their only visit to the Revolution Arena while on Saturday it will Okotoks who makes their way up Highway 43. Friday will be the second meeting of the season between the Storm and Dragons. Drumheller defeated Grande Prairie 8-2 at Showcase Weekend at the beginning of October. Saturday will be the first of two meetings between the Storm and Oilers. The Storm trail Fort McMurray by two points for the last playoff spot in the North.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Drumheller Dragons, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th vs. Okotoks Oilers, puck drop at 7:30
Wednesday, November 18th @ Sherwood Park Crusaders, puck drop at 7:00
Thursday, November 19th @ Bonnyville Pontiacs, puck drop at 7:30
Lloydminster Bobcats (19-4-0—38 points 2nd in the North)
Kevin Darrar and the Lloydminster Bobcats will be in action twice this weekend as they try and draw even with the Spruce Grove Saints for the top spot in the Viterra North Division. Friday the Bobcats will host the Calgary Canucks for the first of two meetings this season. Saturday Lloydminster will be in Sherwood Park for the third meeting of the season with the Crusaders. Lloydminster is 2-1 in three games against the Crusaders.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Calgary Canucks, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th @ Sherwood Park Crusaders, puck drop at 7:00
Sherwood Park Crusaders (15-6-1—31 points 4th in the North)
Ryan Kruper and the Sherwood Park Crusaders will try and catch the Whitecourt Wolverines for the third spot in the Viterra North Division. The Crusaders open a three game home stand on Friday when they take on the Bonnyville Pontiacs. Bonnyville is tied with the Crusaders for fourth in the division. Saturday the home stand continues when the Lloydminster Bobcats come to town. Sherwood Park is 3-0 against Bonnyville so far this season and have outscored them 13-3. The Crusaders have had three close games with Lloydminster but will enter Saturday's game with a 1-2 record against the Bobcats.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs, puck drop at 7:00
Saturday, November 14th vs. Lloydminster Bobcats, puck drop at 7:00
Wednesday, November 18th vs. Grande Prairie Storm, puck drop at 7:00
Spruce Grove Saints (20-4-0—40 points 1st in the North)
Jake Mykitiuk and the Spruce Grove Saints have won three straight games and will host a pair of Viterra South Division opponents this weekend. Friday the Saints will host the Camrose Kodiaks and Sunday it will be the Okotoks Oilers who come to the Grant Fuhr Arena. Both games will be the first time that the Saints have seen either the Oilers or Kodiaks.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Camrose Kodiaks, puck drop at 7:00
Sunday, November 15th vs. Okotoks Oilers, puck drop at 7:00
Whitecourt Wolverines (15-3-3—33 points 3rd in the North)
Erik Pedersen and the Whitecourt Wolverines will put their six game winning streak on the line when a pair of Viterra South Division teams come calling. Friday it will be the Okotoks Oilers paying their only visit to the Scott Safety Center while on Saturday it will be the Drumheller Dragons who come calling. Whitecourt edged Drumheller 6-5 at Showcase weekend, and Saturday will be the second of three meetings between the two teams. Friday will be the first time that the Okotoks Oilers and Whitecourt Wolverines will meet up.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th vs. Okotoks Oilers, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th vs. Drumheller Dragons, puck drop at 7:30
Tuesday, November 17th @ Bonnyville Pontiacs, puck drop at 7:30
Brooks Bandits (13-4-2—28 points 2nd in the South) & Olds Grizzlys (8-11-2—18 points 6th in the South)
For the first time, this season the Brooks Bandits and Olds Grizzlys will meet up. It will be a home and home between the two clubs that will start on Friday in Olds. Dylan McCory leads the Bandits with 25 points while Chase Olsen leads the Grizzlys with 30 points.
Upcoming schedule Brooks Bandits:
Friday, November 13th @ Olds Grizzlys, puck drop at 7:00
Saturday, November 14th vs. Olds Grizzlys, puck drop at 7:00
Tuesday, November 17th @ Calgary Mustangs, puck drop at 7:30
Upcoming schedule Olds Grizzlys:
Friday, November 13th vs. Brooks Bandits, puck drop at 7:00
Saturday, November 14th @ Brooks Bandits, puck drop at 7:00
Calgary Canucks (7-16-1—15 points 7th in the South)
Allan MacPherson and the Calgary Canucks travel north for a pair of games this weekend. On Friday, the Canucks will be in Lloydminster to take on the Bobcats for the first time this season. Saturday the Canucks will be in Bonnyville to take on the Pontiacs for the second time this season. Bonnyville defeated Calgary 6-1 at Showcase Weekend in their only other meeting this season.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Lloydminster Bobcats, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th @ Bonnyville Pontiacs, puck drop at 7:30
Calgary Mustangs (4-17-2—10 points 8th in the South)
Jared Virtanen and the Calgary Mustangs will play just once this weekend as they play their official home opener on Sunday night against the Canmore Eagles. The Eagles have won all three meetings against the Mustangs this season. The last time the two teams met up Calgary would take Canmore to overtime before falling 5-4.
Upcoming schedule:
Sunday, November 15th vs. Canmore Eagles, puck drop at 7:30
Tuesday, November 17th vs. Brooks Bandits, puck drop at 7:30
Camrose Kodiaks (15-3-3—33 points 1st in the South)
Nelson Gadoury and the Camrose Kodiaks travel west to take on a pair Viterra North Division opponents. Friday the Kodiaks will meet up with the Spruce Grove Saints for the first of two meetings. Saturday the road trip continues as Camrose takes on Drayton Valley for the second and final time this season. The Kodiaks would edge the Thunder 3-2 in a shootout in their only other meeting.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Spruce Grove Saints, puck drop at 7:00
Saturday, November 14th @ Drayton Valley Thunder, puck drop at 7:30
Canmore Eagles (13-7-2—28 points 3rd in the South)
Matt Forchuk and the Canmore Eagles have a strange road trip this weekend that will see them go to Fort McMurray on Friday and return to Calgary for a game on Sunday. Friday will be the first of two meetings this season with the Oil Barons. Sunday Canmore will take on the Calgary Mustangs in their official home opener. Canmore has won by one goal in each of the three games against the Mustangs this season.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Fort McMurray Oil Barons, puck drop at 8:00
Sunday, November 15th @ Calgary Mustangs, puck drop at 7:30
Drumheller Dragons (10-11-1—21 points 5th in the South)
Tyrell Mappin and the Drumheller Dragons will set out on a three game road trip through Highway 43. Friday night the Dragons will be in Grande Prairie to take on the Storm for the second time this season. The Dragons defeated Grande Prairie 8-2 at Showcase Weekend. Saturday the Dragons will be in Whitecourt for the second matchup of the season against the Wolverines. Whitecourt edged Drumheller 6-5 at Showcase Weekend. The final game of the weekend will see Drumheller travel to Drayton Valley to take on the Thunder for the first time this season.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Grande Prairie Storm, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th @ Whitecourt Wolverines, puck drop at 7:30
Sunday, November 15th @ Drayton Valley Thunder, puck drop at 2:30
Okotoks Oilers (11-9-1—23 points 4th in the South)
Similar to the Dragons the Okotoks Oilers will travel along Highway 43 for three games in two and a half days. Friday Okotoks will be in Whitecourt, Saturday they will travel north to Grande Prairie before traveling south to take on the Spruce Grove Saints. It will be the first meeting of the season between Okotoks and all three teams.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday, November 13th @ Whitecourt Wolverines, puck drop at 7:30
Saturday, November 14th @ Grande Prairie Storm, puck drop at 7:30
Sunday, November 15th @ Spruce Grove Saints, puck drop at 2:00
Story by
Chris Colwell
@Cjcolwell