SAINT-HYACINTHE, Que. – The Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François have won the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, defeating the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-2 in the gold medal game Sunday night at Stade L.-P.-Gaucher.

Marc-Olivier Roy (Boischâtel, Que.) scored two goals in a span of 1:46 midway through the third period to give the Blizzard the lead for good and give the Quebec representatives their first national title since 2001 (when they were known as the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy) and their fifth overall, tying them with Notre Dame Hounds for the most ever.

It marked the first time since 2000 (Magog vs. Montréal-Bourassa) that two teams from the province faced off in the gold medal game, and the first time since that Ste-Foy triumph that a team from Quebec has won the national title.

The game stayed scoreless through the first 40 minutes thanks to the play of goaltendersRaphaël Précourt (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.) and Rémi Cloutier (Mont-Laurier, Que.), who combined for 51 saves in the first two periods.

The floodgates opened in the third with five goals in just over nine minutes. Noah McKinnon (Val-Bélair, Que.) started the scoring for Saint-François just 30 seconds into the final frame, before tournament MVP Émile Guité tied it for the Gaulois at 6:46. Roy restored the Blizzard lead at 8:01, and put them up for good at 9:47, just 26 seconds after Dominic Pilote (Saint-Basil-le-Grande, Que.) had equalized again for the hosts.

“It was a close game, as expected. We kept things simple and worked hard all game, which made the difference” Roy said. “We are very proud of this win. We had played the Gaulois previously, and knew we could come in here in Saint-Hyacinthe and win the whole thing. It was an unforgettable moment for our group, for sure.”

Both goaltenders were outstanding – Précourt finished with 42 saves, while Cloutier made 29 stops.

“We had so many guys step up in the big moments. I am so proud of this group,” said Blizzard head coach Mathieu Turcotte. “We had an amazing season where we grew as a team despite facing a lot of uphill battles. And now, our players are champions for life. This is a tough tournament to play in, both physically and mentally. It is hard on players as well as on coaches, but for many of our guys, this was the best experience of their lives, an incredible event for everyone.

“Being able to win in our home province is truly special. The players were aware our team had been the last to win the whole thing [in 2001]. Our group has a lot of character, and it showed today. We have a first-class organization here, and there’s reason to be proud.”

Saskatoon downs Toronto in shootout to win bronze

Earlier in the day, the Saskatoon Blazers edged the Toronto Jr. Canadiens 2-1 in a shootout to win the bronze medal.

Top Forward recipient Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask.) and Nathan Gaymes (Toronto, Ont.) traded goals in regulation time before Lee Shurgot (Saskatoon, Sask.) and Tyson Buczkowski (Saskatoon, Sask.) converted for the Blazers in the shootout. Saskatoon netminder Grayson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) stopped all four shooters he faced after making 32 saves in regulation and overtime.

“It feels fantastic,” said Blazers head coach Troy Walkington. “We came here and we wanted to win gold. We were disappointed after our [semifinal loss to the Gaulois] last night, and this must be the toughest game of the tournament to play, after playing the last game last night, and not quite reaching your expectations, so it is nice to come away with bronze.

“We won a medal; we weathered the storm early, but we certainly got back to the way we wanted to play, so it feels good. We ended our season on a high note. This is the last possible day to play, what more can we ask for, you come to the national championship, you win a medal, you play in the last possible day of the season, so almost perfect.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 6, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 1

• Six different skaters scored unanswered goals, including three on the power play, for Séminaire Saint-François.
• Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel (Québec, Que.) collected three assists for the Blizzard, while goaltender Raphaël Précourt (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.) stopped 31 shots.
• Toronto goaltenders Evan Maillet (Mississauga, Ont.) and Paolo Frasca (Vaughan, Ont.) split time in goal, making 23 and 16 saves, respectively.

Gaulois de Saintt-Hyacinthe 5, Saskatoon Blazers 3

• Timothé Girard (St-Hyacinthe, Que.) registered two points (1G, 1A) and was named player of the game for the Gaulois.
• Thomas Queenton (Boucherville, Que.) also recorded two points (1G, 1A), while Mathieu Gosselin (Varennes, Que.) scored the game-winning goal early in the third period and added an assist.
• Goaltender Alex Garrett (Saskatoon, Sask.) stopped 40 shots for the Blazers.

2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship Award Recipients:

• Most Valuable Player: Émile Guité (Chambly, Que.), Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe
• Top Forward: Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask.), Saskatoon Blazers
• Top Defenceman:Xavier Veilleux (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.), Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François
• Top Goaltender: Paolo Frasca (Vaughan, Ont.), Toronto Jr. Canadiens
• Most Sportsmanlike Player: Aidan LaRose (Calgary, Alta.), Calgary Flames
• Scholarship ($1000): Félix-Antoine Parenteau (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.) , Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François

Next Games (Sunday, April 30):

Bronze medal game: Saskatoon Blazers vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

Gold medal game: Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François vs. Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe – 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the bronze medal game can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .

Quotes :

“We played well today. What is important is that we bounced back from yesterday’s heart-breaking shootout loss. We had to prove ourselves as a team. We gave ourselves some momentum going into the gold medal game. We will see who we are up against, but if we play the Gaulois, we will look to get revenge after they beat us in the Coupe des Champions.”

- Rousseau-Hamel on the Blizzard’s win and playing in the gold medal game.

“We played a very disciplined game today. Even though we allowed the first goal early on, we found a way to get back into the game. Whether it is on the power play or five-on-five, all our players contributed, from the first line to the fourth, as well as our three pairs of defencemen. As for tomorrow, a seventh game in seven days, the key will be to leverage all the preparation work we have been doing and combining all elements to be successful on the ice. We know we will be against a very good team, and we have to be even better if we want to win.”

- Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François head coach Mathieu Turcotte on today’s game and preparing for the gold medal game.

“We had some opportunities in the first period, but we did not capitalize and they took the lead. However, we came back and managed to score some big goals after that. We took a couple of penalties, so that made it a bit stressful, but William Dumont’s big goal late was a relief. We feel like we went through the front door after the win at the Challenge and at the Coupe des Champions, and we will be ready for the gold medal game tomorrow.”

- Queenton on the Gaulois’ win and the opportunity to capture a gold medal

“The guys were really committed tonight, especially at the end of the game when they were blocking shots. I am really happy for our group, and also for William Dumont. He is a hard-working, young player who made no mistake with the shot on the two-on-one to seal the deal. We showed the depth of our team tonight, and that has kept us successful all year, having different players step up every game. We are proud to be able to play in the first final between two Quebec teams in over 20 years. The Blizzard is a well-structured and well-run team. It will be a hard battle and we will need to be well-prepared.”

- Saint-Hyacinthe head coach Jean-Philippe Sansfaçon on his team’s performance and preparing for the gold medal game between the two Quebec representatives.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Calgary Flames 2, Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 1 (SO)

• Calgary Flames goaltender Brett O’Halloran (Calgary, Alta.) faced a tournament-high 59 shots in regulation and denied all five shooters in the shootout to secure the win.
• The Pacific region representatives ended the tournament with a win, which was the first shootout game of the event.
• Flames forward Braden Ivey (Calgary, Alta.) scored the only shootout goal.

Saskatoon Blazers 5, Pictou County Majors 2

• Saskatoon forward Cole Reschny (Macklin,Sask.) registered three points (2G, 1A), including the game-winning goal on the power play late in the second period.
• Josh Knittig (Saskatoon, Sask.) picked up two points (1G, 1A) and was name the Player of the game for the Blazers.

Toronto Jr. Canadiens 4, Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe 3 (SO)

• St-Hyacinthe’s Rémi Cloutier (Mont-Laurier, Que.) and Toronto’s Paolo Frasca (Vaughan, Ont.) turned in stellar performances in goal.
• Luciano Bruno (Vaughan, Ont.) scored twice for the Jr. Canadiens in the shootout to lead his team to a third-place finish in the standings.
• Émile Guité (Chambly, Qué.) scored a pair of goals for the Gaulois, including the game-tying goal with 10 seconds remaining in the third period to send the game to overtime.

Final preliminary round standings:

Next Games (Saturday, April 29):

Semifinal #1: Blizzard du Séminaire St-François vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT

Semifinal #2: Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

Both semifinals and the bronze medal game can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .

Quotes :

“We really wanted to play for each other today. The boys stuck together and knowing it was our last game, we wanted to make sure to finish the tournament on a good note. This win is a great way to end it.

“We knew coming into this tournament that we would face a lot of shots, and it feels awesome now to get the win. I felt confident the whole game because I knew the guys would have my back, and that someone would get it in the net at some point.”

- O’Halloran on the Flames’ win and facing a tournament-high 59 shots

“We stuck to our game plan today, and we played hard. We know [Pictou County] is a good team, we knew we had to win this one because we did not want our season to be over, and we are happy with the result tonight. Our line played well and credit to Raiden [Zacharias], he is a very good player and sees the ice very well. He is an excellent passer and a great leader, and it is good to have a guy like him on our team.”

- Reschny on the Blazers’ victory and the play of his linemates

“It was a total team effort tonight. All year this team has faced a lot of adversity. We were ready to face some adversity tonight, and the whole team showed up. That shows the character of our team, to play like we did in a hostile environment against probably the best team we have ever played, and it was a lot of fun. There are not too many guys who have as much character and who want to win as much as [Luciano Bruno] does. He always has a strong second and third effort. I can’t say enough about how hard he works, and it was nice to see him get rewarded. We had a good feeling that he was going to get the job done for us in the shootout.

“The last time we played the Blizzard, they worked very hard and they gave us a lesson of what we need to do to win this tournament. We will make sure we prepare and that we are ready for them tomorrow.”

- Toronto head coach Rick Varone on the shootout win, the performance of Luciano Bruno and facing Séminaire St-François in semifinals.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Before the Saskatoon Blazers took the ice for the championship game at the West Regional, Lee Shurgot couldn’t help but feel an extra sense of composure around the dressing room.

It had been five weeks since Shurgot, along with Corban Almen, Kash Andresen, Emerson Clark, Reese Hamilton, Cole Reschny and Brayden Smith skated with Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.

Although it didn’t end with the desired result – Saskatchewan dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in double overtime to Ontario – the Blazers septet have been able to bring their big-game experience back to Saskatoon, leading to a dominant postseason run into the Men’s U18 National Club Championship.

“Making it to the Canada Winter Games final, having that tough loss, we moved forward from that, we know we can be better and know we can win,” Shurgot says. “We have all stepped up in the playoffs and turned it up coming into Saint-Hyacinthe.”

“It showed that we have to push ourselves every day,” Hamilton adds. “At the Winter Games, we had to play our best every game so bringing that back to Saskatchewan, it really helped us a lot. For myself, I need to do my best out on the ice and hopefully it leads to a team win.”

That experience came in handy during the regional tournament, with each player contributing in their own way. Having gone through high-pressure games on P.E.I., the Blazers came out on top, capturing the West Region banner with a 4-3 overtime win over the host Warman Wildcats.

“We felt we’ve been there before,” Shurgot says. “The ’07 group who played at Canada Winter Games had been in a similar situation before and I think it helped us.”

Continuing to bond throughout the Canada Winter Games and the playoffs, the Blazers have come to play for each other, and the added experience galvanized the team for the long run. Of the six players who made the trip to Saint-Hyacinthe, Almen did not make the trip due to an injury, they are coming onto the national championship stage confident in their team.

Reschny, who led the Blazers in scoring in the regular season and playoffs in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) noticed the team had more motivation going straight into the playoffs.

“Having the other guys together and going through that [Canada Games] experience, it definitely benefited all of us on the team and made us all hungrier to win a championship,” he says. “We had guys with a little more jump in their game and the rest of the team saw what we went through and everyone wanted to compete for each other.”

Clark echoes his teammate: “Everyone bonded really well throughout the season and after coming back from P.E.I, we really embraced the ’team before self‘ mentality.”

With a third of the Blazers getting the call to Prince Edward Island, the team had to adjust its regular-season schedule. Playing their last game on Feb. 14, the Blazers got the job done, locking up the top seed in the SMAAAHL.

As the youngest team in Saint-Hyacinthe, the Blazers – back at the national championship for the first time in 49 years – are bringing their momentum from their strong season and playoff run, the big-game experience from the Canada Winter Games and the bond of the team to the Men’s U18 National Club Championship. Reschny believes Saskatoon is ready to draw on those moments when the time comes.

“Our team is ready, I’m ready, and we’re all excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show what we can do,” Reschny says. “We’re going to give it our all and will have an opportunity to challenge for [gold].”

Saskatoon Blazers 6, Calgary Flames 3

• Forward Tyson Yaremko (Saskatoon, Sask.) led the offence for the Blazers with a hat trick, including the game-winning goal.
• The West representatives scored three consecutive goals in a span of 5:39 minutes late in the second period.
• Forwards Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask.) and Reese Hamilton (Whitewood, Sask.) each registered three assists for Saskatoon.

Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 4, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 2

• The Blizzard came out strong in the second period, scoring four consecutive goals.
• Forward Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel (Québec, Que.) registered two points (1G, 1A), including a power play goal for Séminaire St-François.
• Toronto goaltender Evan Maillet (Mississauga, Ont.) made 47 saves.

Gaulois de St-Hyacinthe 10, Pictou County Majors 2

• Forward Dominic Pilote (St-Basile-le-Grand, Que.) had a four-point night for the Gaulois (1G, 3A), including two power play points, and was named the player of the game.
• Eight different players registered a goal for St-Hyacinthe, which scored three times on the power play and totalled 55 shots on goal in the game.

Next Games (Friday, April 28):

Calgary Flames vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

Pictou County Majors vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT

Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .

Quotes :

“I think we played a good all-around game today. We could have done better at certain points, but we were able to finish the job and get the win, and that is what matters. We were able to come back [from being down 2-1], and we were in a good mindset as a team. We really came out ready to play in the second period, and it helped us get the win. We will now focus on having a complete 60-minute effort next game, and if we stick to our game, we know what we are capable of.”

- Raiden Zacharias (Saskatoon, Sask.) on the team’s win and strong second period.

“We were really well-prepared for today’s game, and our coaches did an excellent job. We prepared as best as we could, and it showed on the ice. I believe we were the better team today because of our defensive play. Xavier Veilleux and our goaltender [Raphael Precourt] did an excellent job, and as a team we kept things simple and worked as a team. We have an important game tomorrow, and we want to come out strong and keep the momentum going before the semifinals.”

- Rousseau-Hamel on the Blizzard’s performance and preparation for this game.

“I am happy with my four-point performance, but honestly, it was a team win and all our players chipped in tonight. We have another game tomorrow and it will be important to prepare for the semifinals, so we need to stick to our good habits and keep playing well as a team to reach our goal, which is to win this tournament in front of our fans.”

- Pilote on Saint-Hyacinthe’s fourth-straight win in front of home crowd.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Pictou County Majors 5, Calgary Flames 2

• The Pictou County Majors scored four goals in the third period en route to its first win of the tournament.
• Forward Lane Sim (New Glasgow, N.S.) picked up three points (2G, 1A) for the Atlantic representatives.
• Pictou County goaltender Colby Brown (Brookfield, N.S.) turned aside 45 shots for his first victory.

Saskatoon Blazers 4, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 3 (OT)

• The Saskatoon Blazers recorded their first win at the Men’s U18 National Club Championship since 1974.
• Forward Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask.) had a four-point game (3G, 1A) for the Blazers, including an assist on the overtime-winner by Raiden Zacharias (Saskatoon, Sask.)
• Saskatoon goaltender Alex Garrett (Saskatoon, Sask. ) made 38 saves.

Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 4, Séminaire St-François Blizzard 3

• Forward Émile Guité (Chambly, Que.) contributed three points (1G, 2A), including the game-winning goal, and was named Player of the Game for the Gaulois.
• Forwards Caleb Desnoyers (St-Hyacinthe, Que.) and William Dumont (St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.) registered a goal and an assist each for Saint-Hyacinthe.
• Defencemen Xavier Veilleux (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) and Louis-Alex Tremblay (La Malbaie, Que) registered two points each (1G, 1A) for Séminaire St-François.

Next Games (Thursday, April 27):

Saskatoon Blazers vs. Calgary Flames – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT

Pictou County Majors vs. Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE.

Quotes:

“It was a good game for us, and good to get our first win of the tournament. We stuck to our system, which was to go to the net and the dirty areas. We definitely brought our A-game today with all four lines going. Our goaltender [Colby Browne] was excellent for us. I think he is one of the best goalies out there because he is so locked in for every game.”

• Sim on the team’s first win.

“That is the first win for the Saskatoon Blazers since 1974, so that was a long time coming for our organization. What an effort tonight. I think the travel and playing the two Quebec teams right away certainly did not help our cause. We were 100 per cent better Tuesday than we were Monday, and we wanted to make sure that we were even better today. I need to give credit to our players because [Toronto] is a very good team. There was some adversity early, but we were able to weather the storm. Our second period was not outstanding but I am happy with the result. I thought that the line of [Cole] Reschny, [Raiden] Zacharias and [Tyson] Yaremko played very well tonight. Cole [Reschny], logged a lot of ice time, and he has been a very special player for us all year.”

• Saskatoon Blazers head coach Troy Walkington on the Blazers’ first victory of the tournament.

“We had a consistent effort throughout the game, which paid off. We stuck to our game plan and we were able to create scoring chances. Québec came out strong, just like they did at the regional final, but we played very well and were able to get the win. We know our record right now puts us in a good position, but our team is like a family, and whatever the results, we will never give up. We will keep working to get more wins.”

• Desnoyers on Saint-Hyacinthe’s third-straight win.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 7, Pictou County Majors 2

• A four-goal second period, including three goals on the power play, from the Québec representatives was the difference as Séminaire St-François won its second-straight game.
• Forward Benjamin Chabot (Québec, Que.) picked up three points (2G, 1A) for the Blizzard.
• Forward Étienne Dupéré (Québec, Que.) registered two points, including a short-handed goal.

Toronto Jr. Canadiens 7, Calgary Flames 4

• The Toronto Jr. Canadiens scored five goals on 21 shots in the third period.
• Forward James Wong (Brampton, Ont.) contributed three points (2G, 1A), including the game-winning goal.
• Aidan LaRose ( Calgary , Alta. ) scored a pair of goals for the Calgary Flames.

Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 4, Saskatoon Blazers 3

• Forward Samuel Beauchemin (St-Robert, Que.) contributed three points (2G, 1A), including the game-winning goal, and was named Player of the Game for the Gaulois.
• Defenseman Noah Laberge (St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.) registered two points (1G, 1A).
• Saskatoon goaltender Grayson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) made 43 saves for the Blazers.

Next Games (Wednesday, April 26):

Calgary Flames vs. Pictou County Majors – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Saskatoon Blazers – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT

Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe vs. Blizzard du Séminaire St-François – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE .

Quotes :

“We would have liked to have a stronger start, but we are happy we scored when we needed to. It is certainly different facing clubs we are not familiar with. The games do feel pretty physical, but looking at our two games so far, we are confident we have more good hockey to offer. We need to take things one day at a time, but obviously, with the recent result at the regional final, tomorrow’s match-up against our rivals from Saint-Hyacinthe is a source of motivation.”

- Blizzard captain Xavier Veilleux (L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) on the team’s second win.

“It was a great team effort from our team today. We talked in the intermission after being down 4-2 after two periods, and we knew we wanted to come out hard to get back into the game. Scoring two goals was a great moment for me, and it was a surreal moment I will never forget. Now we have to keep it going, keep working hard, play as a team and I think things will turn out good for us.”

- Wong on Toronto’s comeback victory.

“We played a good game. Bouncing back from a game like yesterday’s is tough. We started well, and our play was more physical. Saskatoon also had a good start, but we were able to keep our emotions in check and, overall, we are happy with our performance. We told our players that the intensity is only going to ramp up from game to game. We also fed off our home crowd’s energy, which is a good thing for our players to get a feel for that early in the tournament. We are now going to prepare for tomorrow’s game. It always leads to good hockey when we face the [Séminaire St-François Blizzard], because they are very well-balanced team.”

- Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe head coach Jean-Philippe Sansfaçon on tonight’s game.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media onFacebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Dominick Saillant

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Toronto Jr. Canadiens 3, Pictou County Majors 0

• Toronto goaltender Paolo Frasca (Vaughan, Ont.) made 28 saves to record a shutout.
• Forward Luciano Bruno (Vaughan, Ont.) picked up two points (1G, 1A) for the Jr. Canadiens.
• Pictou County goaltender Colby Brown (Brookfield, N.S.) turned in a 41-save performance.

Séminaire St-François Blizzard 5, Saskatoon Blazers 2

• Captain Xavier Veilleux (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) scored a goal and added a pair of assists help Séminaire St-François register its first win.
• Forward Maxime-Olivier Drolet (Québec, Que.) registered two points, including a short-handed goal.
• Saskatoon goaltender Alex Garrett (Saskatoon, Sask.) turned in a 50-save performance.

Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois 10, Calgary Flames 2

• A four-goal second period from the Gaulois was the difference as the host team downed the Calgary Flames.
• Dominic Pilote (St-Basile-le-Grand, Que.) registered a hat trick for the Gaulois.
• Saint-Hyacinthe’s William Dumont (St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.) contributed four assists.

Next Games (Tuesday, April 25):

Séminaire St-François Blizzard vs. Pictou County Majors – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT

Calgary Flames vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens – 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT

Saskatoon Blazers vs. Saint-Hyacinthe Gaulois – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

All preliminary-round games, as well as both semifinals and the bronze medal game, can be live-streamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 30 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. To download game highlights from the 2023 Men’s U18 National Club Championship, please CLICK HERE.

Quotes:

“We were able to set the tone and keep the goals-against low. We have a fantastic defence core, and guys are always working hard. The other goaltender did a great job. We have to give kudos to him because he kept [Pictou County] in the game for as long as he could. We had a lot of preparation going into this tournament, and the fact that we played a lot of games beforehand definitely helped. Our coach told us that this is a business trip for us, so it was good to get the first win on the board.”

-      Frasca on Toronto’s first win.

“For our first game, we are happy with the way we played. It always takes some time to get acclimated. What is important in this type of tournament is to get better each day. We are happy with the result, but we know we have things we need to work on. Some plays made the difference, including the short-handed goal from Maxime-Olivier Drolet, which gave us life. We scored shortly after to make it 3-2, so that was definitely the turning point. Credit goes to [the Saskatoon] goaltender, who had an excellent game.”

-      Séminaire St-François Blizzard head coach Mathieu Turcotte on the win and importance of adjusting in the tournament.

“We have been waiting for this moment since the start of the year. Coming out strong in the first period motivated us, especially since we kept working hard all game long. A 10-2 final score is good for the team, but now we need to focus on tomorrow’s game. My brother Elliott told me he would be at the game, and that gave me extra motivation because I really get along with him. Playing in front of our crowd to kick off the tournament definitely gave us energy.”

-      Gaulois forward Caleb Desnoyers (Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.) on offering a stunning performance in front of the hometown crowd.

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Caleb Desnoyers comes from a hockey family that has made its mark in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

"We eat hockey. Whether I'm at my mom's or dad's house, there's always hockey on TV and we talk about our recent games."

The 16-year-old forward for the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe , the host team for the 2023 Men's U18 National Club Championship , naturally followed in the footsteps of his older brother Elliot, a former Gaulois who won gold with Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship and is now skating in the Philadelphia Flyers organization.

His father David patrolled the blue line for the now-defunct Saint-Hyacinthe Laser in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in the early 1990s, helping Martin Brodeur protect his net.

"As soon as I learned to walk, I learned to skate," Caleb says. “It was mostly my mom and dad who showed me how. Elliot has always given me tips since I was young. Being surrounded with a hockey family really helped me."

David remembers how Caleb was attracted by hockey from a young age.

"I can still see him at Elliot’s tournaments when he was about five, chewing his gum in the arena and focusing on the game," David says. “He's loved it for a long time."

This week, Caleb is relishing the opportunity to shine on the national stage with his hometown team, five years after watching his brother wear the same jersey.

"When I'm at my dad's house, I'm two blocks away from Stade L.-P.-Gaucher. We're happy to make our city proud. It’s so nice to be able to complete our journey to the national championship after such a great year."

The Gaulois finished the regular season in fifth place in the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LDHM18AAAQ). But that 26-16-0 record didn’t tell the whole story; Saint-Hyacinthe won the CCM Challenge in December and triumphed in the Classique des champions , the new year-end playoff tournament, in April. That win, on home ice against the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François in the final, sent the Gaulois to the national championship through the front door.

"We were so proud of ourselves. We wanted to prove to the entire country that we belonged to the national championship. We hadn't seen that many people packing our rink in quite a long time," Caleb says.

It was the end of a long, hard road for Caleb and the Gaulois, made that much better by having his father and grandfather by his side.

"They had just played their 15th game in 31 days in the playoffs," David says. "Caleb played injured the last five or six games of the playoffs. I was impressed with what the Gaulois had accomplished for Saint-Hyacinthe."

Elliot and their mother, Martine, were not able to experience the magical moment in person, but they were following the action from afar.

"My mom was in Lehigh Valley (home of the Flyers' AHL affiliate) with my stepdad that weekend to see Elliot. Right after the game, during the on-ice celebrations, they called to congratulate me," Caleb says.

Harder than expected

Caleb had a great season, finishing third in LHDM18AAAQ scoring with 23 goals and 53 points in 42 games, but it didn't start the way he wanted; he managed just nine points in his first 11 games.

"I had set high expectations and every game I wanted more,” he says. “It wasn't easy; I was asking myself a lot of questions to find solutions. It finally started to work, and it has never stopped since.”

"[Caleb has] matured a lot this year,” says Gaulois head coach Jean-Philippe Sansfacon. “He talks in the room even though he doesn't have a letter on his jersey. He didn't like his start to the season, and he persevered to get the respect he wanted to have."

That respect has made him a top prospect for the upcoming QMJHL Entry Draft . He’ll try and outdo Elliot, who went 18th overall to Moncton in 2018.

Out of sight, close to the heart

Caleb and Elliot have been apart since Elliot's junior hockey days, but brothers still maintain a strong bond between them.

"Elliot watches many of Caleb's games from away and gives him feedback," their father says. “And whenever he can, he goes on the ice with him. He drove back here on Dec. 23 from Springfield with his hockey gear in a big snowstorm, and on the morning of the 24th, instead of taking a break, he wanted to play with Caleb and [their] friends."  

Some in the hockey community may compare the brothers. Caleb, though, wants to make a name for himself.

"Every time I see Elliot move up the ladder, it makes me want to do more to reach him. We have our own qualities as hockey players. I'm trying to create my own path and get as far as I can so that one day, Elliot will be called Caleb's brother and not the other way around," Caleb says with a big smile. (Main photo courtesy of Laurent Corbeil)

Concluding the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) regular season with four wins in their last 10 games, the Calgary Flames weren’t the hottest team heading into the postseason, but when the time came to step up, the Pacific Region champions got the job done and even found a new way of winning.

“It’s been an absolute rollercoaster,” head coach Ben Sherven says. “We’ve had to win tight games, and we’ve also had high-scoring games, like winning our region-clinching [game] 8-6. It’s been an emotional ride, so we will be ready for anything that is thrown at us at nationals.”

Leading the charge for the Flames is Joshua Wiebe, who topped all AEHL players with 60 points (16-44—60) in 38 regular-season contests. He continued his offensive brilliance in the postseaon, tallying 21 points (8-13—21) before producing a five-point night (3-2—5) to help the Flames capture the Pacific championship over the B.C. champion Okanagan Rockets.

It hasn’t been just a one man show. The Flames have shown they have plenty of secondary scoring depth and are also comfortable to defend just as well as they can score. Down 2-0 to the cross-city rival Calgary Buffaloes in the best-of-five AEHL South Division final (allowing 13 goals in the first two games), the Flames clamped down to allow just single goal in each of the final three games and they haven’t lost a game since.

“We had a few galvanizing wins in the Alberta playoffs that showed a different depth to our team,” Sherven says. “We learned different ways of winning, not always outscoring teams like we have been, and really locking down defensively, shutting out the other teams and being able to see how much fun it is to win together.”

The Flames will make their return the Men’s U18 National Club Championship for the first time since 1999 on April 24, when they take on the host Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe.

HOW THEY GOT TO SAINT-HYACINTHE

Alberta Elite Hockey League
Quarterfinal: defeated Calgary Royals 2-1 (4-5 OT, 9-4, 5-4 2OT)
Semifinal: defeated Calgary Buffaloes 3-2 (2-6, 4-7, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1)
Final: defeated St. Albert Raiders 3-0 (4-3, 5-3, 4-1)

Pacific Regional
Final: defeated Okanagan Rockets 2-0 (5-4 OT, 8-6)

REGULAR SEASON

Record: 23-12-2 (4th in AEHL)
Goals for: 148 (2nd in AEHL)
Goals against: 126 (5th in AEHL)
Top 3 scorers:
- Joshua Wiebe – 16G 44A 60P (1st in AEHL)
- Brett Wilson – 15G 22A 37P (25th in AEHL)
- Max Heise – 14G 18A 32P (42nd in AEHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 8-3
Goals for: 46
Goals against: 36
Top 3 scorers
- Joshua Wiebe – 8G 13A 21P
- Max Heise – 10G 6A 16P
- Aidan LaRose – 8G 6A 14P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

1999 – Calgary Flames | silver medal | 5-2 | 25GF 17GA

PLAYERS TO WATCH

MAX HEISE
Prototypical centreman … strong on the puck … strong skating power forward

AIDAN LAROSE
Captain that puts his team above himself … heavy, tough game along the boards … complete player

BRETT WILSON
Team engine … hockey player’s hockey player… shutdown guy

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Max Heise – Prince Albert Raiders 2021 (3rd round, 55th overall)
Jake Pilon – Edmonton Oil Kings 2021 (8th round, 177th overall)
Kyle Federico – Spokane Chiefs 2020 (6th round, 124th overall)
Nolan Kelly – Spokane Chiefs 2020 (7th round, 146th overall)
Thomas Matte – Moose Jaw Warriors 2020 (10th round, 200th overall)
Logan Greenough – Everett Silvertips 2020 (10th round, 207th overall)