Bernadette Larose
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Calgary Buffaloes return to the Pacific Regional. With starting goaltender Nicholas Jones named playoff MVP in the Alberta Elite Hockey League, the Buffaloes, who won the last Pacific title in 2019, swept the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers in a best-of-five series.
The Vancouver NE Chiefs booked their ticket to the Pacific Regionals after a 4-2 win against the Vancouver NW Hawks to win the B.C. Elite Hockey League. The Chiefs dropped only one postseason game, with Dryden Kuramoto sitting atop the playoff leaderboard with 11 points in seven games.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH) 2019 – Calgary Buffaloes (4th place) 2018 – Lethbridge Hurricanes (bronze medal) 2017 – Leduc Oil Kings (5th place) 2016 – Lloydminster Bobcats (4th place) 2015 – Strathmore Bisons (4th place)
CALGARY BUFFALOES AEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 25-12-1 (3rd in AEHL) Goals for: 159 Goals against: 89 Leading scorer: Myles Gauld (21G, 21A, 42P)
Playoff record: 8-2 Goals for: 36 Goals against: 17 Leading scorer: Kaiden Wiltsie (12G 1A 13P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-1 (0-1, 5-0, 2-0) Semifinal: defeated Calgary Flames 3-1 (4-3, 4-2, 4-5, 6-2) Final: defeated Fort Saskatchewan Rangers 3-0 (4-1, 3-2, 4-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2019 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 8 (1985, 1987, 1989, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2019)
VANCOUVER NE CHIEFS BCEHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 26-4-1 (1st in BCEHL) Goals for: 161 Goals against: 104 Leading scorer: Tomis Marinkovic (21G, 19A, 40P)
Playoff record: 6-1 Goals for: 33 Goals against: 18 Leading scorer: Dryden Kuramoto (3G 8A 11P)
ROAD TO THE PACIFIC REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated North Island Silvertips 2-0 (10-3, 6-2) Semifinal: defeated Greater Vancouver Canadians 2-1 (2-4, 4-3, 4-2) Final: defeated Vancouver North West Hawks 2-0 (3-2, 4-2)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none