Sharks playoffs
The midget elite playoff series between the St. Albert Sharks and North Central Impact in the Alberta Female Hockey League has been affected by Hockey Canada's cancellation of its sanctioned activities, including all Hockey Alberta events, until further notice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The best-of-three north division provincial qualifier was to start Friday night in St. Albert.
The five-team AFHL provincials were scheduled for March 26 to 29 at Red Deer.
The Sharks (18-7-1) had a first-round bye as the top team in the north and the fifth-place Impact (9-14-3) defeated the fourth-place Sherwood Park Fury (9-15-2) in the third and deciding game in the first round.
In league play, three of the four games between the Sharks and Impact were shutout decisions: 1-0 and 2-0 for the Sharks and 3-1 and 1-0 for the Impact.
Sierra Whillans finished the regular season as the third-highest AFHL goal scorer with 17 in 23 games and tied for sixth in points with 24.
Natalie Balog (11-2-1, 1.34 GAA) was second best among AFHL netminders in wins and goals-against average and Layla Hood (7-5, 1.69 GAA) tied for third in shutouts with four.
Calgary Fire Red (22-3-1) and Calgary Fire White (18-5-3) are ranked first and second, respectively, in the south division.
The Sharks lost the last two provincial finals against the Calgary teams by scores of 5-1 to Fire Red and 2-1 Fire White.
Bantam AA Blues
The St. Albert Blues punched their ticket into provincials as the metro conference winners in the Edmonton & Rural Bantam AA Hockey League final.
Provincials were to start next week in Sylvan Lake, however Hockey Canada announced Thursday night the cancellation of its sanctioned activities, which includes all Hockey Alberta events, until further notice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last game for the Blues was Tuesday’s 2-0 decision against CAC Think Green Alberta in game three of the metro conference final at Jarome Iginla Arena.
Edward Capstick (5-2, 1.64 GAA) stopped 25 shots for his second playoff shutout.
Goal scorers were Kai Johnson on the power play with 43 seconds left in the first period and John Shields early in the middle frame as the Blues finished with 38 shots.
The Blues prevailed in the the best-of-three series opener 4-1 in St. Albert and the CAC answered with the 5-2 outcome at Confederation Arena.
The blue division Blues (19-6-7) and red division CAC (15-14-3) won their respective divisional playoff tournaments for a shot at provincials.
The playoff result also gave the Blues a berth in the best-of-three league final against the Lakeland Panthers (32-0).
In the playoffs, the Blues are 6-2 and Lakeland is 7-0.
Cohen Daoust led the Blues in playoff scoring with 11 points and was second in goals with five behind Teo Pisani’s six.
