Saskatchewan & Alberta Advance to Canada West Final and National Championships
RELEASE #2005-06-28 MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2006
ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN ADVANCE TO CANADA WEST HOCKEY FINAL
WITH SWEEPS OF CALGARY AND MANITOBA
For the fifth consecutive season and for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons, the University of Alberta Golden Bears and University of Saskatchewan Huskies will meet in the Canada West Hockey Final.
Alberta will host Saskatchewan in the 2005-06 conference final at Clare Drake Arena on the campus of the University of Alberta on Friday-Sunday, March 10th-12th. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-three series will face-off at 7:30 pm, and if a third game is necessary, it will begin at 7:00 pm.
It marks the ninth time since the 1996-97 season that Alberta and Saskatchewan have met for the conference crown and the 13th time since Canada West Hockey began post-season play in 1966-67.
Alberta and Saskatchewan advanced to the conference championship following wins in the division finals on Friday-Saturday, March 3rd-4th. The Golden Bears advanced to their 10th consecutive Canada West Hockey Final by sweeping the University of Calgary Dinos 2-0 in the Mountain Division final, while the Huskies won the Great Plains Division with two wins over the University of Manitoba Bisons.
With their series victories, Alberta and Saskatchewan have earned Canada West Hockey’s two berths in the CIS TELUS University Cup tournament that will be hosted by the Golden Bears at Clare Drake Arena and Rexall Place from March 23rd to 26th.
It will be Alberta’s CIS record 31st appearance in the University Cup tournament and the 10th consecutive, dating back to the 1996-97 season. For Saskatchewan, it will mark the 11th trip to the national tournament and the second consecutive. The Golden Bears claimed their CIS record 11th national championship with a 4-3 overtime win over the Huskies before 10,331 fans at Rexall Place in the 2005 University Cup final.
ALBERTA VERSUS CALGARY
Alberta earned its 29th trip to the Canada West Hockey final with a sweep of the Dinos, winning 8-1 and 7-4 before 2,508 fans at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton. The series victory improved the Golden Bears playeff record versus Calgary to 14-7 and extended Alberta’s post-season winning streak over the Dinos to 18 games, dating back to the 1995-96 division final.
The Golden Bears offence was by committee in the series victory as 15 players scored at least one point, with five players netting four points. Defenceman Harlan Anderson, freshman forward Dylan Stanley and fifth-year assistant captain Brad Tutschek each scored twice and added two assists. Scott Henkelman and Justin Wallin also had four points with a goal and three assists.
Alberta opened the series with an 8-1 victory in Game 1 on Friday. Stanley opened the scoring with a PPG 16:13 into the first period and Jonathan Hobson netted what proved to be the game-winning goal at 19:05 when he jumped on a loose puck in the crease and beat Calgary netminder Scott Talbot.
Wallin gave the Golden Bears a 3-0 lead at 7:16 of the middle frame and the lead was extended to 4-0 at 14:40 on Stanley’s second powerplay goal. Stanley’s second goal of the game began an Alberta onslaught that would see the Golden Bears score five times in a span of 4:49 and take an 8-0 lead into the second intermission. Following Stanley’s goal, Perry Johnson (16:50), Harlan Anderson (17:30), Tutschek (PPG,18:55) and Brian Ballman (19:29) scored sinlge goals.
Colin McRae ruined Aaron Sorochan’s shutout bid with Calgary’s only goal of the game with a powerplay goal at 5:42 of the third period. Sorochan registered his first playoff victory for the Golden Bears with 21 saves, while Talbot faced 46 shots in the Dinos’ goal.
Saturday’s game was much closer as the teams traded goals during the opening 20 minutes of play, with Alberta leading 3-2. Tutschek opened the scoring with his second powerplay goal of the series at 7:20, before McRae and Wade Davis scored powerplay goals to give Calgary its first and only lead of the series. Davis also had an assist on McRae’s goal for a two point game.
Tim Krymusa and Joff Kehler would give the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead before the end of the first period, but the lead lasted until only the six minute mark of the second period when Tyrel Lucas knotted the score at 3-3 with his first of two goals on the night at 5:59. Richard Hamula broke the tie with Alberta’s fourth goal at 8:47 and the Golden Bears held the one-goal advantage through the remainder of the period.
The Golden Bears extended their lead to 5-3 on Anderson’s second goal of the series as the Alberta defenceman scored on the powerplay off of a feed from defence partner, Perry Johnson 20 seconds into the third period. Ben Thomson then upped the score to 6-3 at 1:57 before Scott Henkelman rounded out the Golden Bears scoring with a shorthanded goal at 17:05. Lucas would then score his second goal of the game with the Dinos third powerplay goal 19 seconds later.
Four of Calgary’s five goals in the series came on the powerplay as the Dinos went four for seven with the man advantage. The Dinos were one-for-two on the powerplay in the series opener and three-for-five in Game 2.
SASKATCHEWAN VERSUS MANITOBA
In a closely contested series, the Saskatchewan Huskies earned their third consecutive Great Plains Division title with a sweep of the Manitoba Bisons. Canada West Hockey scoring champion, Dean Beuker scored twice, including the game winning goal in overtime, and added three assists to pace the Huskies to a 6-5 win in the series opener. Saskatchewan clinched the series sweep with a 5-4 victory on Saturday in Game 2.
Things started poorly for Saskatchewan in the series opener as Manitoba scored three times on their first four shots to take a 3-0 lead 10 minutes into the first period. Jared Lang (3:36) and Warren McCutcheon (4:28) scored powerplay goals 52 seconds apart to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead and Kevin Saurette made it 3-0 at 10:21. Following Saurette’s goal, Saskatchewan relieved starting goaltender Jeff Harvey with Thomas Vicars.
The goaltending change worked as the Huskies rallied to draw within a goal before the first period ended. Curtis Austring put Saskatchewan on the scoreboard at 11:59 and Brent Twordik netted his first of two goals at 16:42.
Beuker tied the score at 3-3 with a shorthanded goal at 7:13 of the second period, but McCutcheon regained the Bisons lead with his second goal of the game and seventh of the playoffs at 7:44. The teams entered the third period tied at 4-4 as Twordik scored his second goal of the game at 17;24.
Midway through the third period, Saskatchewan freshman Matt Girling broke the tie with his first post-season goal at 9:02, but Manitoba defenceman Eric Froystad’s unassisted goal at 12:41 sent the game into overtime, where Beuker netted the winner at 4:40 of the first overtime session.
Beuker and Twordik accounted for four goals and nine points in the Saskatchewan attack, while the majority of the Manitoba offence came from the Bisons top line. McCutcheon (2-1-3) and Saurette (1-2-3) each had three point games, while linemate Paul Denist added two assists as the trio finished with eight points.
Vicars earned the win, stopping 20 of 22 shots he faced in 54:19 after relieving Harvey. Krister Toews, who has appeared in 42 of Manitoba’s 43 games this season, made 41 saves as Saskatchewan oushot the Bisons 47-26, including 8-3 in overtime.
It was Saskatchewan’s turn to jump into a first period lead in Game 2, as Keegan McAvoy and Mason Wallin scored goals a minute apart midway through the opening period to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. McAvoy opened the scoring with a powerplay goal at 10:24 and Wallin added his first goal of the playoffs at 11:24.
The Bisons rallied before the end of the period, tying the score at 2-2 on goals by David Brown at 19:13 and McCutcheon (PPG) at 19:43. It was McCutcheon’s eighth goal of the post-season and third of the series. The third-year forward scored goals in each of his five playoff games this season and ended his post-season run with 8-3-11. The eight goals leads the conference, while he is tied with teammate Kevin Saurette for the Canada West Hockey playoff scoring lead.
The teams traded goals throughout the second period as Jeff Schmidt and Dean Serdachny scored for Saskatchewan and Deniset and Saurette replied for Manitoba. Deniset and Serdachny’s goals came shorthanded, while Saurette tied the score at 4-4 with a powerplay goal at the 16 minute mark.
Trent Adamus, who finished the game with a goal and an assist, broke the tie only 47 seconds after Saurette’s goal as he netted the game winning goal at 16:47.
ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN FACE-OFF IN CANADA WEST HOCKEY FINAL
This will be Alberta’s 29th appearance in the Canada West Hockey Final and the Golden Bears are looking to add to their 44 conference championships. The Golden Bears have appeared in 28 of the first 36 championship series played since Canada West Hockey began post-season play in 1966-67 and Alberta is 18-10 in its previous trips to the Canada West Hockey Final.
Saskatchewan returns to the conference final for the 17th time and for the ninth time since the 1996-97 season. The Huskies are looking to claim their 14th championship, which they last won in 1999-00.
Alberta and Saskatchewan have met 16 times previously in the post-season, including 12 times in the Canada West Hockey Final, with the Golden Bears winning 10 series. In the conference final, Alberta has won seven of the 12 series, with the Golden Bears winning the last four post-season meetings in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.
The two finalists have met five times previously this season with the overall series tied at 2-2-1. In Canada West Hockey conference play, the Golden Bears hold a 2-1-1 series lead with both teams scoring 11 goals. Saskatchewan earned three of four points in the opening series of the season in Saskatoon, skating to a 6-2 win on Nov. 4th and tying 3-3 OT on Nov. 5th at Rutherford Arena. The Golden Bears earned back-to-back 3-1 wins over the Huskies at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton on Jan. 27th-28th. In non-conference play, Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 3-1 at the 23rd Annual Golden Bears – Brick Invitational on Sept. 30th.
Following is a series-by-series review of the previous Alberta-Saskatchewan playoff meetings and the Golden Bears and Huskies records in the conference final.
ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS versus SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (Alberta leads series 10-6.)
SEASON VENUE SERIES RESULT
1966-67 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 1-0, outscoring Golden Bears 4-3.
1982-83 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-2.
1983-84 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-4.
1984-85 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 9-5.
1985-86 Edmonton CSF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 17-11.
1987-88 Edmonton CSF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-1, outscoring Huskies 16-11.
1990-91 Edmonton CSF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 12-7.
1992-93 Edmonton CSF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 9-7.
1996-97 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 12-4.
1997-98 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 11-9.
1998-99 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-3.
1999-00 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 15-14.
2001-02 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-3.
2002-03 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-1, outscoring Huskies 11-8.
2003-04 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-3.
2004-05 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-6.
ALBERTA IN THE CANADA WEST HOCKEY FINAL
SEASON VENUE SERIES RESULT SERIES RECORD
1966-67 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 1-0, outscoring Golden Bears 4-3. 0-1
1969-70 Calgary CWF Alberta defeated Calgary 2-0, outscoring Dinosaurs 6-3. 1-1
1971-72 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Calgary 1-0, outscoring Dinosaurs 3-1. 2-1
1973-74 Calgary CWF Calgary defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-7. 2-2
1974-75 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated UBC 2-1, outscoring Thunderbirds 10-7. 3-2
1975-76 Calgary CWF Calgary defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-2. 3-3
1976-77 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated UBC 2-1, outscoring Thunderbirds 16-11. 4-3
1977-78 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated UBC 2-1, outscoring Thunderbirds 14-5. 5-3
1978-79 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Calgary 2-1, outscoring Dinosaurs 12-9. 6-3
1979-80 Edmonton CWF Calgary defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 5-1. 6-4
1982-83 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 10-4. 6-5
1983-84 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-4. 7-5
1984-85 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 9-5. 8-5
1987-88 Calgary CWF Calgary defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 18-16. 8-6
1988-89 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Calgary 2-1, outscoring Dinosaurs 9-7. 9-6
1989-90 Calgary CWF Calgary defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 11-6. 9-7
1990-91 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Regina 2-1, outscoring Cougars 13-12. 10-7
1991-92 Regina CWF Alberta defeated Regina 2-0, outscoring Cougars 9-6. 11-7
1992-93 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Regina 2-1, outscoring Cougars 8-2. 12-7
1996-97 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 12-4. 13-7
1997-98 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 11-9. 13-8
1998-99 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-3. 13-9
1999-00 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 15-14. 13-10
2000-01 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Manitoba 2-0, outscoring Bisons 8-2. 14-10
2001-02 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-3 15-10
2002-03 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-1, outscoring Huskies 11-8 16-10
2003-04 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-3 17-10
2004-05 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-6. 18-10
Alberta in CWF: 18-10 (.643); Home 16-3 (.842); Away 2-7 (.222)
Alberta vs UBC in CWF: 3-0 (1.000); Home 3-0 (1.000); Away 0-0 (.000)
Alberta vs Calgary in CWF: 4-5 (.444); Home 3-1 (.750); Away 1-4 (.200)
Alberta vs Manitoba in CWF: 1-0 (1.000); Home 1-0 (1.000); Away 0-0 (.000)
Alberta vs Regina in CWF: 3-0 (1.000); Home 2-0 (1.000); Away 1-0 (1.000)
Alberta vs Saskatchewan in CWF: 7-5 (.583); Home 7-2 (.778); Away 0-3 (.000)
SASKATCHEWAN IN THE CANADA WEST HOCKEY FINAL
SEASON VENUE SERIES RESULT SERIES RECORD
1966-67 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 1-0, outscoring Golden Bears 4-3. 1-0
1980-81 Calgary CWF Saskatchewan defeated Calgary 2-1, outscoring Dinosaurs 12-9. 2-0
1981-82 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Calgary 2-0, outscoring Dinosaurs 10-4. 3-0
1982-83 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-2. 4-0
1983-84 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-4. 4-1
1984-85 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 9-5. 4-2
1985-86 Calgary CWF Calgary defeated Saskatchewan 2-1, outscoring Huskies 16-12. 4-3
1986-87 Calgary CWF Saskatchewan defeated Calgary 2-1, outscoring Dinosaurs 19-14. 5-3
1996-97 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 12-4. 5-4
1997-98 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 11-9. 6-4
1998-99 Edmonton CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-0, outscoring Golden Bears 9-3. 7-4
1999-00 Saskatoon CWF Saskatchewan defeated Alberta 2-1, outscoring Golden Bears 15-14. 8-4
2001-02 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-3. 8-5
2002-03 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-1, outscoring Huskies 11-8. 8-6
2003-04 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 13-3. 8-7
2004-05 Edmonton CWF Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 2-0, outscoring Huskies 11-6. 8-8
Saskatchewan in CWF: 8-8 (.500); Home 4-0 (1.000); Away 4-8 (.333)
Saskatchewan vs Alberta in CWF: 5-7 (.417); Home 3-0 (1.000); Away 2-7 (.222)
Saskatchewan vs Calgary in CWF: 3-1 (.750); Home 1-0 (1.000); Away 2-1 (.750)
2005-06 HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALBERTA vs SASKATCHEWAN
(Alberta won series 2-1-1)
Nov. 4 Alberta 2 at Saskatchewan 6
Nov. 6 Alberta 3 at Saskatchewan 3 (OT)
Jan. 27 Saskatchewan 1 at Alberta 3
Jan. 28 Saskatchewan 1 at Alberta 3
CANADA WEST HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Fourth-year senior forward DEAN BEUKER of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies has been named the Canada West Hockey Player of the Week for the week ending March 5, 2006. The 6'0", 190-pound Arts & Science student from Watson, Saskatchewan scored seven points to lead the Huskies to a sweep of the University of Manitoba Bisons in the Canada West Hockey Great Plains Division Final on Friday-Saturday, March 3rd-4th. BEUKER was involved in five of Saskatchewan’s six goals in a 6-5 overtime win in Game 1 on Friday night as he scored twice, including the game winning goal in overtime, and added three assists. The Canada West Hockey scoring champion then added two more assists on Saturday as the Huskies clinched the series with a 5-4 victory. With his seven-point weekend, BEUKER finds himself in a tie for sixth place in the conference’s playoff scoring race with 2-5-7. Overall, he leads the conference with 29-38-67 in 37 games. This marks the third time this season that BEUKER has earned Canada West Hockey Player of the Week honors.
