Preview: September 13-15: MANITOBA at SASKATCHEWAN & REGINA
MANITOBA BISONS (2023-24: 5-22-1, OHT 35 #31, 2024: 0-0-0)
SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (2023-24: 20-6-2, OHT 35 #7, 2024: 1-1-0)
REGINA COUGARS (2023-24: 6-20-2, OHT 35 #27, 2024: 0-0-0)
Friday, Sept 13: Sask v Regina (at Big River) 7:00 CST/8:00 CDT
Saturday, Sept 14: Manitoba at Sask 7:00 CST/8:00 CDT
Sunday, Sept 15: Manitoba at Regina 2:00 CST/3:00 CDT
Links:
➤ Video (Saturday): CanadaWest TV
➤ UofM: Team Website
➤ UofS: Team Website
➤ UofR: Team Website
➤ USports: Schedule/Links
➤ CW: Season Schedule
➤ CW Hockey Tech: Daily Schedule
➤ Elite Prospects: Manitoba Bisons (7)
➤ Elite Prospects: Regina Cougars (6)
➤ Elite Prospects: Saskatchewan Huskies (7)
This is the first almost full weekend on the CW calendar, with 8 of 9 teams in action. Just Holy Trinity has a bye.
The Bisons start on the road with this 3-way dance throughout Banjoland. So far no team has updated the Live Stats at either LeagueStat or the Hockey Tech page at the CW website. I have linked each team’s Elite Prospects page, which lists just the new recruits (number in parenthesis).
However, the Banjo-Mutts are slated to stream all of their home exhibition games at CWTV, including the Saturday night game against the Bisons. So far, no other CW exhibition games are slated for streaming.
ELSEWHERE IN THE CW
MACEWAN GRIFFINS (2023-24: 9-17-2, OHT 35 #23, 2024: 0-0-0)
ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS (2023-24: 18-8-2, OHT 35 #8, 2024: 1-2-0)
Links:
➤ MacU: Team Website
➤ UofA: Team Website
➤ Elite Prospects: MacEwan Griffins (whole roster)
➤ Canada West: MacEwan 2023-24 Stats
➤ Elite Prospects: Alberta Golden Bears (7)
This is a home-and-home Battle of Edmontown. The Evil Monkeys host on Friday, and the Family Guys host on Saturday.
I saw the Evil Monkeys look kinda mediocre against Cartoon U, in Belfast. They looked weak in front of their own crease when I was watching on YouTube. Also, that scoreline against the Bluegars does not strike fear into anybody. Nevertheless, their recruiting class is top-notch. One has to think they’ll get it together before the season starts.
The Family Guys made the playoffs for the first time last year. They were the first CW team to upload a 2024-25 roster. Here’s what it looks like (with career stats from Elite Prospects for each new recruit):
Veterans (18)
5 Hunter Donohoe D
7 Sean Comrie D
11 Samuel Simard F
12 Spencer McLean F
13 Loeden Schaufler D
14 Logan Dowhaniuk D
16 Jack Parker D
18 Kadyn Chabot F
19 Liam Hughes F
21 Tyson Kowaluk D
22 Vincent Scott F
23 Ryley Appelt F
24 Liam Ryan F
27 Marc Pasemko F
31 Eric Ward G
38 Brendan Boyle F
91 Ethan Mercer F
96 Carter Chorney F
Rookies (8)
4 Carson Haynes D - Regina Pats (WHL), previously with Vancouver and Tri-Cities
10 Ethan Sundar LW - Fort McMurray (AJHL) and Spruce Grove (BCHL)
15 Tanner Fincaryk C - 4 games over two seasons with UofA, no points, previously Lloydminster (AJHL)
17 Blake Eastman F - Summerside (MJAHL), previously Prince George (WHL)
29 Brett Epp G - played 6 games for Nipissing (OUA) then played in 5 different ECHL and SPHL teams, before playing 3 senior games last year
35 Carson Ironside G - started at Albertus Magnus College (NCAA III) last year before returning to Camrose (AJHL)
44 Brody Tallman D - Canmore Eagles (AJHL)
93 Caden Cabana F - Lloydminster (AJHL)
Departures (10)
93 Ethan Strang F
14 Jordan Taupert F
34 Kole Gable F
6 Eduard Wruck D
44 Ben Bygrove D
25 Conrad Mitchell F
17 Rylan Lefebvre F
33 Thomas Davis G
29 Ashton Abel G
15 Tye Pedersen D
The Mythical Mutants have lost their top 3 forwards from a year ago (Strang, Taupert, and Gable). They scored 30 of the team’s 86 regular season goals. I don’t see an obvious replacement from the recruits. Also, their top two goaltenders (Abel and Davis) are gone. They had 88% of the playing time. On a positive note, their 2nd leading scorer (Schaufler) is a returning defenceman. In 27 games we went 9-14-23.
SIMON FRASER RED LEAFS (2023-24: NCAA 5-11-2, 2024: 0-0-0)
U.B.C. THUNDERBIRDS (2023-24: 22-4-2, OHT 35 #3, 2024: 0-0-0)
Links:
➤ Video: SFU Hockey YouTube
➤ SFU: Team Website
➤ UBC: Team Website
➤ Elite Prospects: S.F.U. Red Leafs (Non-Conference Team)
➤ Elite Prospects: U.B.C. Thunderbirds (3)
These teams play just the once this weekend, on Friday. It’s being streamed on YouTube. This game involves SFU’s non-conference team, not their BCIHL team. SFU’s five wins last year were two against Briercrest of the ACAC (one in a shootout), one against Trinity (out of two games), one against Minot State of the ACHA (out of two games), and one against Pittsburgh of the ACHA. The T-irds, of course, won the CW title.
MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS (2023-24: 21-6-1, OHT35 #2, 2024: 1-0-0)
CALGARY DINOSAURS (2023-24: 21-5-2, OHT35 #6, 2024: 1-1-0)
Links:
➤ MRU: Team Website
➤ UofC: Team Website
➤ Elite Prospects: Mount Royal Cougars (7)
➤ Elite Prospects: Calgary Dinosaurs (1)
This is a one-off battle of The Town of Bedrock. The Bluegars had a convincing scoreline in their win last weekend. The Dinos bounced back for a split after being trounced in their opener against Sask.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
Fri Sep 13 MacEwan at Alberta 7:00 MDT/8:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Saskatchewan v Regina (at Big River) 7:00 CST/8:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Simon Fraser (NCAA II) at U.B.C. 7:00 PDT/9:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Alberta at MacEwan 7:00 MDT/8:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Manitoba at Saskatchewan 7:00 CST/8:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Mount Royal at Calgary 7:00 MDT/8:00 CDT
Sun Sep 15 Manitoba at Regina 2:00 CST/3:00 CDT
OUT EAST
Thu Sep 12 Toronto at Guelph 7:30 EDT/6:30 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Lakehead at York 4:00 EDT/3:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Waterloo at Western Ontario 7:00 EDT/6:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Windsor at Guelph 7:30 EDT/6:30 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Toronto Metropolitan at Toronto 7:00 EDT/6:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Lakehead at Toronto Metropolitan 1:00 EDT/12:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Queen’s at Windsor 2:00 EDT/1:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Laurier at Waterloo 6:00 EDT/5:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 York v Brock (at Beamsville, Ont.) 7:00 EDT/6:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 McGill at U.Q.T.R. 7:00 EDT/6:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 St. F.X. at Saint Mary’s 7:00 ADT/5:00 CDT
Fri Sep 13 Moncton at U.P.E.I. 7:00 ADT/5:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Dalhousie at U.P.E.I. 2:00 ADT/12:00 CDT
OUA-AUS Interlocking Games
Fri Sep 13 Ontario Tech at New Brunswick 7:00 ADT/5:00 CDT
Sat Sep 14 Ontario Tech at Saint Mary’s 4:00 ADT/2:00 CDT
Links:
➤ USports: Men’s Hockey Page
➤ OUA: Hockey Tech Schedule & Results
➤ AUS: Schedule & Results
OUT WEST
no games
Sat Sep 14 Simon Fraser at Okanagan 6:15 PDT/8:15 CDT
Links:
➤ ACAC: Schedule & Results
➤ BCIHL: Schedule & Results
➤ BCIHL: YouTube Channel