That's it for another entertaining season of Canucks hockey. With lots of changes happening for the Canucks over the course of the season there were a few bumps in the road but this Canucks team persevered to the very end.
The season kicked off on a good note with the Canucks winning their season opener against the Olds Grizzlys in the newly named Ken Bracko Arena. Throughout September the Canucks would struggle to find their groove but by mid-October the boys seemed to get back on track winning 4 straight games. November was a back and forth for the Canucks as they ended up going 5-6. After a mid-season coaching change the Canucks would head into December looking to make some progress as they adjusted to a new system. The Canucks would head into the Christmas break with another 4 points after winning both games in a shoot-out. The Canucks hit their stride in January racking up some much needed wins against our south division rivals – the Calgary Mustangs, Canmore Eagles and Camrose Kodiaks. February would start out well for the Canucks as they went 4-1 in their first five games of the month. One of the wins included a come from behind win against Spruce Grove Saints, the top placed North Division team, where the Canucks scored 4 unanswered goals to win the game. The end of February was a struggled at the end of February but were heading into the playoffs
In a very close south division the Canucks were in the mix the majority of the season battling with the Calgary Mustangs and Camrose Kodiaks. While the Canucks didn’t finish the regular season on the note they would have liked the team would end up finishing in 6th place in the AJHL Viterra South Division Standings with a record of 26-32-2 for 54 points only 1 point out of 5th place and 6 points out of 4th place.
Heading into Round 1 of the AJHL Gas Drive Playoffs the Canucks would face off against the Drumheller Dragons for the second year in a row. The Dragons took game 1 but the Canucks responded the next day winning a close match in the final minute to split the series before coming home. Unfortunately, things didn’t go the Canucks' way and the Dragons would end up taking the series.
Off the ice and in the Community:
This season the Canucks once again hosted a Toy drive for the Calgary Women’s Centre in November/December and a snack drive for Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids throughout the month of February. Over the course of the season the Canucks also participated in numerous community initiatives including:
– Autism and Asperger’s Friendship Society
– Special Olympics Calgary
– Women’s Centre Toy Room
– Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Kitchen
– Whitehorn Room Playschool
– City of Calgary Afterschool Program
– Stick it to Cancer at St. Helena
THANK YOU
Thank you to all the players and coaching staff for all the hard work they have put in over the season. We are very proud. We want to wish our graduating players the best of luck as they move on to bigger and better things. We know they will excel in everything that they will encounter next. Thank you to all of the volunteers, parents, billets, photographers and directors for all that you have done to make the Canucks organization a success. We are better because of you. Thank you is never enough.
We look forward to seeing everyone in the 2018-2019 season!
GO CANUCKS GO!