CHILLIWACK, British Columbia – The Regina Pat Canadians have won their fifth TELUS Cup, defeating the Chevaliers de Lévis 3-2 in overtime in the gold medal game Sunday night at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship.

It’s the seventh medal for the Pat Canadians at the TELUS Cup, along with gold medals in 1983, 1988, 1994 and 1999, silver in 1989 and bronze in 2015. The five national titles ties Regina with the Notre Dame Hounds and Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François for the most in tournament history.

Maddox Schultz (Regina, SK) scored the winner 28 seconds into the extra frame and assisted on Regina’s other two goals. The TELUS Cup Most Valuable Player registered a point in all seven games and finished with a tournament-high 20 points (9-11—20), leading all players in goals and assists.

“Right from the start of the year, our goal was to make it to the TELUS Cup. As soon as we got here our plan was to win it, so it is all super surreal right now. We played a full 60 minutes, so going into the locker room we knew someone had to be the hero,” said Schultz. “This was an absolutely crazy experience, seeing the puck go in the net, seeing the referee call the goal, it is something I will never forget. I am looking forward to enjoying it with my teammates.”

Regina opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Jonah Siverston (Regina, SK) late in the first period before Lévis forward Malyk Coté (Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, QC) evened the score just over a minute later. Félix Grenier (Lévis, QC) put the Chevaliers ahead by one early in the second period, but Regina captain Logan Mehl (Regina, SK) tied the game at two with 1:09 remaining in the middle frame.

“It is an amazing feeling, special. [Going into overtime], I told the guys to seize the moment, embrace it and do everything we have worked on all season long,” said Pat Canadians head coach Ryan Hodgins (Regina, SK). “Watching the puck go in the net [in overtime] was crazy. My coaches were right beside me to celebrate and I have a special group of friends that are also coaches that have put in the work and time to make this happen.”

Taylor Tabashniuk (Regina, SK) made 29 saves for his fifth win in as many games, finishing with a 1.20 goals-against average and .951 save percentage in the tournament.

A full game summary can be found HERE.

In between the medal games, Hockey Canada announced the 2025 TELUS Cup tournament awards:

• Most Valuable Player – Maddox Schultz (Regina, SK), Regina Pat Canadians
• Top Forward – Charles-Antoine Dubé (Saint-Anges, QC), Chevaliers de Lévis
• Top Defence – Eli Johnson (Regina, SK), Regina Pat Canadians
• Top Goaltender – Finn McKiernan (Kelowna, BC), Okanagan Rockets
• Most Sportsmanlike Player – Nathan Weber (Riverview, NB), Moncton Flyers
• TELUS Cup Scholarship ($1,000) – Josh Myatt (London, ON) Elgin Middlesex Canucks

Moncton Flyers defeat Elgin Middlesex Canucks 4-1 to win bronze medal

Earlier in the day, Moncton rebounded from a 3-0 loss to Lévis in the semifinals to win the bronze medal, defeating the Elgin Middlesex Canucks 4-1. It marks the second medal for the Atlantic Region representatives after winning gold at the 2022 TELUS Cup.

Flyers captain Nathan Weber (Riverview, NB) opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period and added an assist, on route to his second TELUS Cup medal with Moncton.

“We wanted to be in the gold medal game, but to finish third in the country is a pretty big deal. It is an unbelievable experience, something you are going to cherish for the rest of your life,” said Weber. “Every time you have a chance to win your final game, you want to end on a high note, and to end in third place in Canada is a big deal. I could not be any prouder of my teammates.”

Marc MacPhee (Moncton, NB), Tristan Richard (Dieppe, NB) and Caleb Cyr (Dieppe, NB) also registered a goal and an assist each for the Flyers, who went 3-for-4 on the power play. Parker Graham (Chatham, ON) scored the lone Canucks goal in the final minute of the game.

A full game summary can be found HERE.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2025 TELUS Cup, please visit Hockey Canada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok, and by using #TELUSCup.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the host locations for Canada’s 2026 U18 national club championships, with the Esso Cup set for Dieppe, New Brunswick, and the TELUS Cup heading to Peterborough, Ontario.

“Hosting premier hockey events takes a tremendous effort from everyone in the chosen communities,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “From volunteers, sponsors and the fans, Canadians from coast to coast to coast step up every year to help grow the game of hockey and provide lifelong memories for these athletes.”

From April 19-25, the Moncton Rockets of the Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL) will welcome five regional champions to compete for Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship at the UNIplex. It marks the first time the Esso Cup has been hosted in the province of New Brunswick and fourth time the Rockets have competed in the event (2010, 2014, 2015), and represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, Hockey New Brunswick and the City of Dieppe.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome the nation’s top U18 AAA female hockey teams and players to our community for the 2026 Esso Cup,” said Mélanie McGrath, co-chair of the Esso Cup host organizing committee. “This tournament is a celebration of talent, determination, and the bright future of women’s hockey in Canada. We’re honored to be part of this incredible event and can’t wait to create unforgettable memories for the players, families, and fans.”

The Peterborough Junior AAA Petes of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) will make their national championship debut at the TELUS Cup, which is set for April 20-26 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. The 2026 event marks the return of Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship to Ontario for the first time since 2019 in Thunder Bay and is hosted in partnership with the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) and the City of Peterborough.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the TELUS Cup to Peterborough— this is the most exciting hockey moment for our community since we hosted the Memorial Cup in 1996,” said City of Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal. “In Peterborough, hockey is more than a game, it is part of our identity. The TELUS Cup is an incredible chance to cheer on the future stars of the sport, showcase our facilities and the home of the legendary Peterborough Petes, and celebrate everything that makes Peterborough an unforgettable destination not only for minor hockey, but also for active family fun.”

Fans can stay up to date on news about the 2026 Esso Cup and 2026 TELUS Cup, including schedules, ticket information and other promotions, by signing up to become a Hockey Canada Insider.

The 2025 Esso Cup is currently being played in Lloydminster, Alberta, with the host Steelers welcoming the Eastern Stars (Atlantic), Edmonton Jr. Oilers (Pacific), Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière (Québec), North York Storm (Ontario) and Saskatoon Stars (West).

The 2025 TELUS Cup is underway in Chilliwack, British Columbia, with the host Thunderbirds joined by the Elgin Middlesex Canucks (Central), Chevaliers de Lévis (Québec), Moncton Flyers (Atlantic), Okanagan Rockets (Pacific) and Regina Pat Canadians (West).

For more information on Hockey Canada, the Esso Cup and the TELUS Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
About Peterborough:

Peterborough is a vibrant mid-size city shaped by its connection to nature, the waterway, community, and a rich tradition of sport and recreation. Conveniently located 90 minutes northeast of Toronto, on the doorstep of The Kawarthas cottage country, Peterborough is the largest urban centre on the historic, 386-kilometre Trent-Severn Waterway, named one of 52 destinations to visit in 2025 by New York Times. Peterborough is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, known collectively as the Williams Treaty First Nations.

About Dieppe:
Dieppe is the fourth largest city in the maritime province of New Brunswick located on the outskirts of the City of Moncton. A primarily francophone community, over 63% of the residents consider French as their mother tongue. Named in honor of the Canadian soldiers killed during the landing of Allied troops on the beaches in Dieppe, France in 1942, Dieppe is located along the Petitcodiac River and forms the southeastern part of the Greater Moncton Area. Dieppe is located on the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi'gmaq, and Peskotomuhkati peoples.

Jocelyne Larocque remembers Game No. 1.

It was Nov. 4, 2008, in Lake Placid, New York, and a 20-year-old Larocque was in the lineup for Canada’s National Women’s Team for the first time as it opened up the 4 Nations Cup against Finland.

“I remember being extremely nervous, but really grateful for the opportunity to play on the national team,” Larocque says. “Just thinking every day, be a sponge, absorb as much as you can, watch what other players do and try to do what they do.”

Her debut was a successful one, both individually and as a team; Canada blanked Finland 6-0 and Larocque chipped in the sixth goal in the final minute, jumping in off the blue line to stuff in a Sarah Vaillancourt rebound.

Sixteen-and-a-half years later, Larocque is on the cusp of history. When she steps onto the ice Sunday for the gold medal game at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, the Ste. Anne, Manitoba, product will become just the fifth player in Team Canada history – and the first defender – to appear in 200 international games.

She will join Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Hefford, Caroline Ouellette and Marie-Philip Poulin, who reached the milestone in Canada’s quarterfinal win over Japan on Thursday.

“When I reflect on my history with Team Canada, I just feel a lot of gratitude,” says Larocque, who plies her trade professionally with the Ottawa Charge of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). “I don't think it’s common for people to be able to do what they love at the highest level on so many occasions. I reflect on when I first came on the team to where my journey has gone, and what really stands out to me is the people, the staff and players that I've been able to play with.”

She is a four-time world champion (2012, 2021, 2022, 2024) and a two-time Olympic gold medallist (2014, 2022) whose hockey résumé is as impressive as they come.

Twice an NCAA national champion (2008, 2010) and twice a First Team All-American (2008-09, 2010-11) at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Larocque also won a trio of Western Women’s Hockey League titles with the Calgary Oval X-Treme from 2005-07 and a Clarkson Cup with the Markham Thunder in 2018, and she was the first Canadian selected in the inaugural PWHL Draft in 2023, going second overall to Toronto.

And yet she still finds herself as one of the most underrated players in the women’s game. Perhaps it’s her lack of offensive numbers – that goal in her debut all the way back in 2008 is one of just nine she has scored wearing the Maple Leaf.

But what she brings to the team, and to the defensive group in particular, is so much more valuable.

“She hasn't been in a position to produce offensively because of that really important [shutdown] role that she's been given,” says Renata Fast, a teammate since 2015 and frequent blue-line partner. “She owns it, and she's so good at it. She loves shutting down other teams, and a lot of the time, a player like her, who's very defensive-minded, doesn't get the credit they deserve. I think for years, she's been the hardest player in the world to play against, and she's been a huge part of the success this program has had because just of her steadiness back there.

“In my time in the program, she's been the person that's changed the culture, allowing players to play their game right away, because she wants people to come in and be themselves, and you can sense that from just being around her. She’s just such an incredible teammate and one of the greatest leaders.”

As a leader, Larocque learned from the best. At that 2008 4 Nations Cup, she remembers the generosity of veterans Becky Kellar and Cheryl Pounder, providing an opportunity to pick their brains about all things Team Canada. She also mentions Wickenheiser and Colleen Sostorics as role models.

Now it’s her turn to be that role model for a young defensive group that in Ceske Budejovice includes 24-year-old Sophie Jaques and 18-year-old Chloe Primerano, two players with a combined six games of senior team experience coming into the tournament.

But for Larocque, it’s not about experience. It’s about having fun, playing relaxed and simply just enjoying the time you have with the Maple Leaf on your chest. That’s where success begins.

“I'm extremely competitive,” she says. “Everybody in this [Women’s Worlds] is, but you do have to remember that you're having a lot of fun. And I find when I'm playing light and free and fun, that's when I'm playing my best. Our D corps for many years now, things are very light and fun, but also very focused and detailed. I feel really proud that we've created that.

“What I like to remind younger players is that this is the highest level, so there are going to be mistakes, but to not let the mistakes define you or hurt your confidence. You can learn from them but still be confident in yourself and your abilities and to not let that snowball.”

Born May 19, 1988, Larocque has been the elder stateswoman with Team Canada for a number of years now, but the soon-to-be 37-year-old admits it wasn’t until Sarah Fillier joined the team as its first player born in the 2000s a few seasons ago that she really started to think about age.

Not surprisingly, they were thoughts of gratitude.

“The longer you play, obviously [younger] people are going to be coming up,” she says. “It’s kind of inevitable, but it's also something where you do take a second and you're like, ‘Wow, I am grateful that I'm still able to play at this level, doing what I love,’ because hockey brings me so much joy.”

“You have someone at this world championship like Chloe, who's quite a bit younger than her, and I know Chloe is so comfortable to go up to Joce and ask her for advice and spend time with her,” Fast adds. “And I know when I joined the program, Joce is someone that I migrated towards right away, just because of the quality she exudes, just so comforting and such a positive person in our locker room.”

But don’t let all this talk about age give the wrong impression. In her 12th Women’s Worlds and with a potential fourth Olympic Winter Games less than a year away, Larocque isn’t going anywhere.

“I've never let age dictate or hold me back,” she says. “I still think that I'm getting better and better every year, but [playing 200 games] also comes with a lot of discipline, where you do need to stay on top of your fitness. And I think that what has helped me stay on this team for so many years is making sure that I'm always ready – physically, mentally and emotionally.”

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 20)

It all comes down to this. Canada’s National Women's Team faces off against the United States on Sunday in the gold medal game at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Last Game

Canada scored four goals in 1:58 late in the second period to down Finland 8-1 in the semifinals Saturday. The Finns opened the scoring just 46 seconds into the game, but Erin Ambrose responded quickly and Marie-Philip Poulin added a record-breaking goal as the game-winner before the end of the first period. Fifteen players registered at least a point in the game, with Claire Thompson leading the way with her second-straight three-point performance (1-2—3) and Daryl Watts scoring a pair of goals. Ann-Renée Desbiens had 19 saves to record her 22nd Women’s Worlds win—the most of any goaltender in tournament history.

The U.S. earned its spot in the gold medal game with a narrow 2-1 win over Czechia. After the hosts scored the lone goal of the first period, Laila Edwards tied the game on a power play in the middle frame and Kelly Pannek notched the game-winning goal midway through the third to keep the Americans’ streak of appearing in every Women’s Worlds intact—24 for 24.

Last Meeting

Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada dropped a 2-1 decision to the United States last Sunday. The Americans held a 2-0 lead after two periods before Laura Stacey scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half seven minutes into the third. Desbiens made 26 saves in goal.

What to Watch

Jocelyne Larocque is set to become the first defender to reach 200 career games with Canada’s National Women’s Team. The 36-year-old has been a cornerstone of the Canadian blue line for over a decade and will become the fifth player to reach the milestone, following Poulin earlier in the tournament. In addition to her typical standout play on the defensive side, Larocque has three assists and is +5 heading into the gold medal game. On offence, Poulin continues to lead the way with four goals and seven assists in six games, putting her atop the tournament scoring list. The 34-year-old has found tremendous chemistry with Victoire de Montréal teammates Jenn Gardiner and Laura Stacey; the trio has combined for 11 goals and 27 points in six games and are a combined +31.

The Americans have gone with a scoring-by-committee approach, getting at least four points from six different players (Carpenter, Janecke, Keller, Knight, Murphy, Pannek). Hilary Knight continues to play at a high level in her 15th Women’s Worlds; the U.S. captain came into the tournament as the all-time leader in goals (67) and points (119), and became the all-time assist leader on April 15, passing the legendary Hayley Wickenheiser and her 49 assists to now sit at 52. Pannek is leading the way offensively for the Americans with four goals and eight points in six games.

Milestone Watch

Poulin may have taken over from Hayley Wickenheiser as Canada’s all-time points leader at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, but Captain Canada still has a couple of milestones on her mind. She needs two more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer and one more assist to take over from Wickenheiser atop that category.

A Look Back

It’s Chapter 192 in the story of Canada vs. United States, with the Canadians in search of win No. 109 in the rivalry.

This Women’s Worlds in Czechia marks the 11th different country to have hosted the North American rivals (in order of countries played in: Canada, Finland, United States, Japan, Sweden, Italy, China, Russia, South Korea, Denmark and Czechia).

All-time record: Canada leads 108-82-1 (25-21 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 530
United States goals: 467

Of the five teams that won regional titles to advance to the 2025 TELUS Cup, three – the Regina Pat Canadians, Elgin Middlesex Canucks and Chevaliers de Lévis – finished atop their respective leagues in the regular season, and another – the Moncton Flyers – finished level on points but lost out on first place on a tiebreaker.

And then there’s the Okanagan Rockets, who had to beat ‘em to join ‘em.

The Rockets – the third-place team in the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) – had to go on the road to beat the best in the BCEHL, the Cariboo Cougars, winning the best-of-three final on an overtime goal from Hudson Getzlaf in Game 3.

Then they had to travel to Alberta and outlast the Alberta Elite Hockey League champion Calgary Flames in another three-game thriller, getting 28 saves from Finn McKiernan in a 1-0 victory in the deciding game.

Now Okanagan will make the 290-kilometre journey to Chilliwack for Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship, 11 years after NHL first-rounder Tyson Jost helped it to bronze at the 2014 TELUS Cup.

Dion Schraeder paced the offence with a BCEHL-high 39 goals in 36 games, and his 62 points were second best in the league (and 21 more than any other Rocket).

It has been 43 years since the Burnaby Winter Club claimed B.C.’s lone national title, and the Rockets’ bronze is the only medal won by a West Coast team since then. This year’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship is the first ever to feature a pair of teams from British Columbia, with Okanagan joining the host Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.

HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK

British Columbia Elite Hockey League
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)

Pacific Regional
Final: defeated Calgary Flames 2-1 (4-1, 0-4, 1-0)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL-T): 21-12-1-2 (3rd in BCEHL)
Goals for: 149 (5th in BCEHL)
Goals against: 121 (3rd in BCEHL)
Longest winning streak: 6 (Jan. 11-26)
Top 3 scorers:
- Dion Schraeder – 39G 23A 62P (2nd in BCEHL)
- Gavin Wood – 11G 30A 41P (19th in BCEHL)
- Nathan Juch – 10G 27A 37P (25th in BCEHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 8-2
Goals for: 32
Goals against: 17
Top 3 scorers:
- Gavin Wood – 4G 8A 12P
- Brayden Westman – 5G 6A 11P
- Hayden Laing – 3G 8A 11P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2014 – Okanagan Rockets | bronze medal | 2-2-3 | 28GF 22GA

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Hudson Getzlaf – Vancouver Giants 2023 (5th round, 108th overall)
Von Lakovic – Kelowna Rockets 2024 (6th round, 113th overall)
Logan Jugnauth – Prince George Cougars 2023 (6th round, 125th overall)
Kylen Martens – Tri-City Americans 2023 (9th round, 189th overall)
Hayden Laing – Tri-City Americans 2023 (9th round, 191st overall)
Elijah Henson – Edmonton Oil Kings 2022 (9th round, 197th overall)
Carter Rebman – Edmonton Oil Kings 2024 (11th round, 226th overall)

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (APRIL 19)

It’s Semifinal Saturday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, with Canada’s National Women's Team set to take on Finland in its final four faceoff at Budvar Arena.

Last Game

Canada punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 9-1 win over Japan in its quarterfinal Thursday. Jenn Gardiner and Sarah Fillier scored two goals apiece to pace the offence for the Canadians, who piled up 62 shots on goal. Claire Thompson added a goal and two assists, Renata Fast had three helpers, and 14 skaters recorded at least a point. Included in that list was Marie-Philip Poulin; the captain celebrated her 200th international game with her 86th point at Women’s Worlds, pulling even with Hayley Wickenheiser for the most by a Canadian in tournament history.

The Finns survived their Nordic neighbours in their quarterfinal, edging Sweden 3-2 in the first game of the day Thursday. Jennina Nylund and Ronja Savolainen scored in the first period and Susana Tapani netted the winner midway through the second after the Swedes had battled back, assuring Finland a place in the medal games for the second year in a row and 22nd time in 24 Women’s Worlds dating back to the inaugural event in 1990.

Last Meeting

Canada and Finland met last Thursday in the Canadians’ prelim opener, a 5-0 win. Gardiner scored a pair of goals, Poulin had a goal and an assist and Kristen Campbell was perfect in her first-ever Women’s Worlds start, making 24 saves for the shutout.

What to Watch

Gardiner has been a revelation for the Canadians, leading the tournament with five goals in as many games (and sitting in a four-way tie for second with seven points) despite coming into the tournament with just four games of National Women’s Team experience (and only 14 across all three levels of the Team Canada women’s program). And it doesn’t seem to matter where head coach Troy Ryan plugs the Surrey, B.C., native into the lineup – she opened the tournament with a pair of goals on the top line with Poulin and Laura Stacey, and struck twice on the fourth unit alongside Kristin O’Neill and Emma Maltais against the Japanese. Gardiner is no stranger to filling the net; she averaged more than a point per game across her final three NCAA seasons with Ohio State University and won a pair of national championships with the Buckeyes, and those offensive skills have transferred pretty well to the pro grame; Gardiner is second in PWHL rookie scoring with 16 points (4-12—16) in 27 games, trailing only Fillier.

Finland misses Jenni Hiirikoski. Seven times the Top Defender at Women’s Worlds, the tournament’s all-time leader in games played (96) and the Finns’ heart-and-soul captain, Hiirikoski is absent from the lineup for the first time since 2003 due to a mysterious illness that has kept her sidelined for all but four games since January. With the future Hall of Famer missing, Savolainen has done the heavy lifting on the Finnish blue-line, scoring three of her team’s 10 goals and averaging more than 21 minutes per game. Finland will also need its goaltenders to step up. The trio of Sanni Ahola, Anni Keisala and Emilia Kyrkko have all made appearances thus far, but have combined for a tournament-low .870 save percentage.

Milestone Watch

Poulin has a couple of milestones on her mind. Captain Canada needs three more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and two more assists and one more point to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.

In goal, Ann-Renée Desbiens needs just one victory to surpass Swiss icon Florence Schelling and become the winningest goaltender in Women’s Worlds history (22).

A Look Back

The head-to-head history sways decisively to the North American side of the Atlantic Ocean, with Canada owning 88 wins and a tie in 91 all-time meetings with Finland.

This will be the 14th time the Canadians and Finns will face off in a semifinal at Women’s Worlds; the 12th and most recent victory for Canada came in 2017 in Michigan, when Poulin had a goal and an assist and Shannon Szabados posted a 23-save shutout in a 4-0 win.

All-time record: Canada leads 88-2-1
Canada goals: 469
Finland goals: 115

As the old adage goes – defence wins championships.

And the Regina Pat Canadians are awfully good in their own end – across 58 regular-season and playoff games, the Pat Canadians have allowed just 147 goals (an average of 2.54 per game).

To drive that point home? In their four-game romp through the West Regional, Regina gave up just two goals.

But this team can score. A lot. The Pat Canadians potted 233 goals in 44 regular-season games in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League (SMU18AAAHL), added 38 in 10 postseason games en route to the SMU18AAAHL title and had 25 in its four games at the regional tournament.

Add ‘em up, and Regina will bring an average of more than five goals a game (296 in 58 games) to the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack.

The straw that stirs the drink is phenom forward Maddox Schultz; the 15-year-old (he turned 15 on March 15) led the SMU18AAAHL with 93 points (43-50—93) in 44 games in the regular season and added 32 (15-17—32) in 14 postseason contests, capped off by a hat trick in the regional final win over the Winnipeg Wild.

Schultz, the pre-emptive first overall pick in the WHL Prospects Draft next month, has recorded points in 54 of 58 games and each the last 22 dating back to early February, and only twice during that streak has he failed to record multiple points.

In total, six Pat Canadians passed the 50-point mark, averaging at least a point per game.

This will be the 10th appearance for Regina at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship, making it one of just seven programs to reach double digits. Four-time national champions (1983, 1988, 1994, 1999), victory in the Fraser Valley would bring the Pat Canadians even with Notre Dame and Séminaire Saint-François for the most ever.

HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK

Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League
Quarterfinal: defeated Prince Albert Mintos 3-0 (3-2, 4-2, 7-2)
Semifinal: defeated Saskatoon Blazers 3-1 (5-2, 3-4, 5-2, 4-0)
Final: defeated Moose Jaw Warriors 3-0 (2-1, 2-1, 3-1)

West Regional
Preliminary round: 1st place (3-0) – defeated Winnipeg Wild 5-1, defeated Kenora Thistles 5-0, defeated Thunder Bay Kings 8-0
Final: defeated Winnipeg Wild 7-1

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 35-7-2 (1st in SMU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 233 (1st in SMU18AAAHL)
Goals against: 128 (1st in SMU18AAAHL)
Longest winning streak: 14 (Jan. 18-Feb. 23)
Top 3 scorers:
- Maddox Schultz – 43G 50A 93P (1st in SMU18AAAHL)
- Jonah Sivertson – 32G 45A 77P (2nd in SMU18AAAHL)
- Chase Surkan – 28G 45A 73P (3rd in SMU18AAAHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 13-1
Goals for: 63
Goals against: 19
Top 3 scorers:
- Maddox Schultz – 15G 17A 32P
- Eli Johnson – 6G 18A 24P
- Jonah Sivertson – 11G 11A 22P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

1978 – Regina Pat Canadians | 10th place | 1-4-0 | 19GF 27GA
1983 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 6-2-0 | 37GF 26GA
1985 – Regina Pat Canadians | silver medal | 5-2-0 | 21GF 18GA
1988 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 5-1-1 | 38GF 24 GA
1989 – Regina Pat Canadians | silver medal | 4-3-0 | 28GF 19GA
1994 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 5-2-0 | 23GF 17GA
1999 – Regina Pat Canadians | gold medal | 6-1-0 | 39GF 15GA
2015 – Regina Pat Canadians | bronze medal | 5-1-1 | 32GF 16GA
2017 – Regina Pat Canadians | 4th place | 2-4-1 | 22GF 25GA

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Boston Tait – Wenatchee Wild 2024 (1st round, 12th overall)
Chase Surkan – Brandon Wheat Kings 2024 (1st round, 14th overall)
Cooper Bratton – Prince George Cougars 2024 (2nd round, 41st overall)
Jonah Sivertson – Prince Albert Raiders 2023 (4th round, 71st overall)
Cash Lanigan – Portland Winterhawks 2023 (4th round, 83rd overall)
Ethan Young – Brandon Wheat Kings 2024 (4th round, 85th overall)
Nathan Gardiner – Calgary Hitmen 2024 (6th round, 117th overall)
Taylor Tabashnuik – Red Deer Rebels 2022 (6th round, 127th overall)
Ethan Dundas – Calgary Hitmen 2023 (7th round, 133rd overall)
Ryan Ulmer – Seattle Thunderbirds 2022 (7th round, 153rd overall)
Eli Johnson – Prince George Cougars 2023 (7th round, 154th overall)
Adam Muntain – Spokane Chiefs 2024 (8th round, 162nd overall)
Logan Mehl – Kelowna Rockets 2022 (9th round, 191st overall)
Cruz Klapak – Winnipeg Ice 2022 (10th round, 220th overall)

There can be an argument made that no U18 team in Canada had a more successful regular season than the Elgin Middlesex Canucks.

The Canucks turned the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario into their own personal playground, finishing with 32 wins, two overtime losses and a shootout defeat, and outscoring teams by an almost unfathomable 191-42. (For those keeping track at home, that’s a goal differential of +149. The next best in the Alliance was +35).

But the postseason brought with it a few moments of adversity that seemingly every elite team faces on its road to glory.

After sweeping aside Brantford (outscoring the 99ers 13-4 in two games) and London (a 13-1 differential in three games), the Canucks were tested by the Waterloo Wolves in the Alliance final, losing their first two games of the season in regulation time in a series that went to the maximum five games.

At the Central Regional, Elgin Middlesex dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Markham Waxers and fell 4-2 to the Vaughan Kings in the preliminary round, and needed an overtime winner from Lucas Van Steensel (after erasing an early 2-0 deficit) to down the Kings in the regional final and punch its ticket to Chilliwack for the 2025 TELUS Cup.

The Canucks were balanced in the offensive end; Chase Pettipiece (26-22—48), Nash Jacobs (29-18—47), Parker Graham (12-35—47) and Morgan Paine (18-23—41) all cracked the 40-point barrier, with another 12 surpassing 20.

At the other end, Dylan Durno (0.83) and Brock Lane (0.95) both posted sub-1.00 goals-against averages in the regular season while sharing the netminding duties.

The Canucks will make their maiden appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship as the first Alliance team to reach the national tournament since the London Jr. Knights won silver in 2011.

HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK

Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario
Quarterfinal: defeated Brantford 99ers 2-0 (9-3, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated London Jr. Knights 3-0 (3-0, 5-1, 5-0)
Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 3-2 (4-1, 2-3, 4-1, 0-1, 5-0)

Central Regional
Preliminary round: 2nd place (3-2) – defeated Ottawa Automotive 7-2, lost to Markham Waxers 3-2 SO, defeated Sudbury Wolves 5-0, lost to Vaughan Kings 4-2, defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 5-1
Semifinal: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 3-0
Final: defeated Vaughan Kings 3-2 OT

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 32-0-3 (1st in Alliance)
Goals for: 191 (1st in Alliance)
Goals against: 42 (1st in Alliance)
Longest winning streak: 18 (Oct. 25-Jan. 10)
Top 3 scorers:
- Chase Pettipiece – 26G 22A 48P (1st in Alliance)
- Nash Jacobs – 29G 18A 47P (2nd in Alliance)
- Parker Graham – 12G 35A 47P (3rd in Alliance)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 13-4
Goals for: 68
Goals against: 23
Top 3 scorers:
- Ty Lawson – 12G 8A 20P
- Morgan Paine – 10G 7A 17P
- Parker Graham – 5G 12A 17P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

First appearance

OHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Chase Pettipiece – Flint Firebirds 2025 U18 (1st round, 8th overall)
Parker Graham – London Knights 2025 U18 (2nd round, 40th overall)
Cole Edmunson – Sarnia Sting 2025 U18 (3rd round, 42nd overall)
Dylan Durno – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (8th round, 153rd overall)
Lucas Van Steensel – North Bay Battalion 2024 (8th round, 158th overall)
Nash Jacobs – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (8th round, 161st overall)
James MacGregor – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (10th round, 189th overall)
Luke Wachowiak – Niagara IceDogs 2024 (11th round, 219th overall)
Tyson Ackerman – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (12th round, 241st overall)
George Matsos – Windsor Spitfires 2024 (14th round, 264th overall)

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. JAPAN (APRIL 17)

It’s on to the playoff round for Canada’s National Women's Team, which faces off against Japan in quarterfinal action Thursday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

Last Game

Canada closed its preliminary-round schedule Monday with a 7-1 win over host Czechia that locked up second place in Group A. Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice to give the Canadians a 2-1 lead after two periods before they exploded for five in the final frame, including three in a span of 58 seconds. Kristin O’Neill added a pair of goals of her own, Erin Ambrose celebrated her 100th international game with a pair of assists and Sophie Jaques got her first Team Canada goal to round out the scoring.

The Japanese clinched second place in Group B with a narrow 1-0 win over Germany in their prelim finale Tuesday. Miyuu Masuhara was terrific in a 34-save shutout performance, including 17 in the third period as the Germans pushed for the equalizer. Rui Ukita netted the lone goal early in the second for Japan.

Last Meeting

Canada and Japan clashed in the preliminary round at the 2023 Women’s Worlds in Brampton, where the Canadians earned a 5-0 win. Sarah Fillier led the offence with two goals and an assist as Canada jumped on the Japanese early with 26 shots in the first period (and finished with a 60-11 advantage overall). Sarah Nurse added a goal and an assist, and Emerance Maschmeyer turned aside all 11 shots she faced for the shutout.

What to Watch

Entering this tournament, three members of the Team Canada roster were still in search of their first international goal – all of them defenders. Micah Zandee-Hart got off the schneid first, scoring against Switzerland (in her 69th game!) and Jaques put herself on the scoresheet against the Czechs. That just leaves Chloe Primerano. The 18-year-old – the third-youngest player to appear for Canada at Women’s Worlds – has acquitted herself nicely thus far, averaging 13:31 of ice time per game across three prelim games. She put herself squarely on the international radar with her epic shootout winner against the U.S. in the Rivalry Series in November, but is still in search of her official maiden marker. Primerano is no stranger to Team Canada goals – she scored 18 in 21 games with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, the second-most in U18 program history.

The Japanese are as disciplined a team as you will ever see. In their four preliminary-round games, Japan took only two penalties, allowed just a single power play and has gone more than 136 minutes without being whistled for an infraction. Their goaltending has also been terrific, with Masuhara playing every second of the prelims and fashioning a 1.01 goals-against average and .965 save percentage while making the second-most saves of any netminder (110).

Milestone Watch

Poulin is set to become just the fourth player to reach 200 games played with Canada’s National Women’s Team, but that’s not the only milestone on her mind. Captain Canada needs three more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and three more assists and two more points to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.

In goal, Ann-Renée Desbiens needs just one victory to surpass Swiss icon Florence Schelling and become the winningest goaltender in Women’s Worlds history (22).

A Look Back

Canada has been nothing short of dominant in eight all-time meetings with Japan, winning all eight, averaging 12 goals a game and not allowing a single goal.

The most goals Canada has ever scored in an international game is 18, which it has done three times – twice against Japan. Angela James and Vicky Sunohara had hat tricks in an 18-0 victory at the inaugural Women’s Worlds in 1990, and Wickenheiser and France St-Louis contributed three-goal efforts to an 18-0 win at the 1996 Pacific Rim Championship.

All-time record: Canada leads 8-0
Canada goals: 96
Japan goals: 0

Let’s start with the obvious. The Chevaliers de Lévis are good. Very, very good.

The Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LHM18AAAQ) has sent a team to the gold medal game at the TELUS Cup in nine of the last 11 tournaments. It’s home to the last two national champions – the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François in 2023 and Cantonniers de Magog in 2024 – and La Belle Province has produced 14 national titles, second most of any province behind only Saskatchewan (15).

But the Chevaliers did something this season that no team in LHM18AAAQ history has ever done. It went through the regular season without a defeat in regulation time – 38 wins, an overtime loss and three shootout defeats.

Lévis didn’t suffer a 60-minute setback until Game 3 of its second-round series against the Blizzard, and that was its lone postseason loss, meaning the Chevaliers will bring a combined record of 49-1-4 to Chilliwack for their second appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship.

The offence was terrific – the Chevaliers’ 195 goals ranked second in the LHM18AAAQ – but the defence was historic. Lévis allowed just 67 goals in 42 games, the fewest in a season in league history, bettering the mark of 71 set by the 2018-19 Chevaliers.

Antoine Proulx – who won gold with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge – and Ryan Gagné were lights out between the pipes; the duo tied for the LHM18AAAQ lead with 19 wins each, and were one-two in goals-against average (1.49 and 1.53, respectively) and save percentage (.939 and .940, respectively).

For all the success Quebec teams have had at the TELUS Cup, it has never produced three-consecutive national champions. In fact, no province has three-peated since Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Contacts once, Prince Albert Mintos twice) from 2005-07.

HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK

Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec
Division semifinal: defeated Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame 2-0 (4-2, 6-3)
Division final: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-1 (6-3, 3-0, 1-5, 7-3)
Semifinal: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-0 (6-1, 5-1, 5-0)
Final: defeated Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal 3-0 (4-3, 3-2, 5-3)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 38-0-4 (1st in LHM18AAAQ)
Goals for: 195 (2nd in LHM18AAAQ)
Goals against: 67 (1st in LHM18AAAQ)
Longest winning streak: 14 (Sept. 6-Oct. 23)
Top 3 scorers:
- Charles-Antoine Dubé – 27G 29A 56P (6th in LHM18AAAQ)
- Charles-Albert Pouliot – 21G 31A 52P (12th in LHM18AAAQ)
- Alex Desruisseaux – 20G 26A 46P (20th in LHM18AAAQ)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 11-1
Goals for: 55
Goals against: 26
Top 3 scorers:
- Samuel Thibault – 9G 7A 16P
- Alex Desruisseaux – 5G 10A 15P
- Charles-Antoine Dubé – 7G 7A 14P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2005 – Commandeurs de Lévis | bronze medal | 4-2-1 | 24GF 20GA

QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

Antoine Proulx – Titan d’Acadie-Bathurst 2024 (2nd round, 23rd overall)
Brandon Delarosbil – Phoenix de Sherbrooke 2024 (2nd round, 31st overall)
Josh Demers – Foreurs de Val-d’Or 2024 (3rd round, 51st overall)
Jacob Boucher – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (3rd round, 55th overall)
Elliot Lacroix – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 59th overall)
Ludovic Paradis – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 73rd overall)
Charles-Albert Pouliot – Charlottetown Islanders 2024 (5th round, 78th overall)
Charles-Antoine Dubé – Remparts de Québec 2024 (6th round, 94th overall)
Malyk Côté – Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand 2024 (7th round, 117th overall)
Cohen Paquet – Tigres de Victoriaville 2024 (7th round, 124th overall)
Ryan Gagné – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (8th round, 133rd overall)
Felix Grenier – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (8th round, 144th overall)
Émerik Paris – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2023 (10th round, 168th overall)