Jason La Rose
There are two teams left in the westernmost region of U18 hockey – either the Calgary Flames or Okanagan Rockets will represent the Pacific at the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
It’s the second time in three years these teams will meet for regional supremacy – Calgary swept Okanagan in a pair of competitive games in 2023, with the teams combining for 23 goals in two games. Both teams have made somewhat recent trips to the U18 Men’s National Club Championship – the Flames were the Pacific representatives two years ago, finishing in sixth place, while the Rockets won bronze in 2014 (the first medal by a B.C. team in 32 years).
Calgary and Okanagan skate into the best-of-three regional series with different kinds of momentum – the Flames swept their way through the AEHL final, while the Rockets persevered to down the Cariboo Cougars in overtime of Game 3 on the road to win the BCEHL title.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Calgary Buffaloes (bronze medal) 2023 – Calgary Flames (6th place) 2022 – Vancouver NE Chiefs (6th place) 2019 – Calgary Buffaloes (4th place) 2018 – Lethbridge Hurricanes (bronze medal)
CALGARY FLAMES AEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 27-6-4-1 (1st in AEHL) Goals for: 173 Goals against: 98 Leading scorer: Evan Benoit (19G 23A 42P)
Playoff record: 8-1 Goals for: 41 Goals against: 23 Leading scorer: Nathan Ivey (7G 3A 10P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Calgary Royals 2-0 (6-4, 5-2) Semifinal: defeated Calgary Buffaloes 3-1 (6-3, 1-3, 5-3, 6-1) Final: defeated Sherwood Park Kings 3-0 (4-2, 3-2 2OT, 5-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2023 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 2 (1999, 2023)
OKANAGAN ROCKETS BCEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 21-12-1-2 (3rd in BCEHL) Goals for: 149 Goals against: 121 Leading scorer: Dion Schraeder (39G 23A 62P)
Playoff record: 6-1 Goals for: 27 Goals against: 12 Leading scorer: Hayden Laing (3G 8A 11P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Vancouver NE Chiefs 2-0 (4-1, 6-2) Semifinal: defeated Valley West Giants 2-0 (6-0, 2-1) Final: defeated Cariboo Cougars 2-1 (4-2, 2-4, 3-2 OT)
Last national championship appearance: 2014 (bronze medal) Total national championship appearances: 1 (2014)