Jason La Rose
The Calgary Buffaloes are AMHL regular-season champions, surviving a two-team race to the finish line. The Buffaloes started slow, losing three of their first four games before going on an 11-1-3 run that put them firmly in the conversation in the competitive South Division. They earned their most important wins late in their schedule, beating the defending league champions from Lethbridge twice to earn the tiebreaker for top spot. With Justin Ross (sixth in AMHL scoring with 15-27—42) leading the way, Calgary scored a league-high 144 goals, and Jonah Chambers (11-2-2, 1.80 GAA, .925 SV%) backstopped Alberta’s best defence (74 goals against).
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS North Division 3) Grande Peace Storm vs. 6) Edmonton SSAC Athletics 4) Edmonton CAC Canadians vs. 5) Sherwood Park Kings
BYES: 1) St. Albert Raiders 2) Fort Saskatchewan Rangers
South Division 3) Calgary Northstars vs. 6) Calgary Flames 4) Red Deer Chiefs vs. 5) Calgary Royals
BYES: 1) Calgary Buffaloes 2) Lethbridge Hurricanes
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-T) North Division St. Albert – 42 points (19-11-4) Fort Saskatchewan – 40 points (19-13-2) Grande Peace – 38 points (17-13-4) Edmonton CAC – 37 points (15-12-7) Sherwood Park – 30 points (13-17-4) Edmonton SSAC – 28 points (13-19-2) Lloydminster – 18 points (7-23-4) Leduc – 18 points (8-24-2) Edmonton K of C – 18 points (7-23-4) Edmonton MLAC – 3 points (1-32-1)
South Division Calgary Buffaloes – 51 points (24-7-3) Lethbridge – 51 points (25-8-1) Calgary Northstars – 46 points (21-9-4) Red Deer – 46 points (19-7-8) Calgary Royals – 39 points (18-13-3) Calgary Flames – 36 points (17-15-2) Okotoks – 36 points (16-14-4) Airdrie – 35 points (16-15-3)
LEADING SCORERS Michael Horon (Lethbridge) – 30G 31A 61P Griffen Fraser (Lethbridge) – 16G 37A 53P Curran Woods (Edmonton CAC) – 22G 25A 47P Brett Meerman (Red Deer) – 15G 30A 45P Graham Gamache (Edmonton K of C) – 15G 29A 44P
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2018 (Lethbridge Hurricanes – bronze medal)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES (since 1984) 31 (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1991 (host), 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (host), 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 (Red Deer Chiefs)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 5 (1989, Calgary Buffaloes; 1991, Calgary Northstars; 2003, Calgary Northstars; 2012, Red Deer Rebels; 2013, Red Deer Chiefs)