Semifinals Recap
Game One: March 29th vs Drumheller Dragons
Opening the semifinals, Ty Hipkin scored the first goal of the game, putting the Canucks ahead 1-0 early in the first period. However, the Dragons responded with two goals of their own in both the first and second periods, taking the lead at 2-1. The Canucks fought back, with Bowden Singleton scoring to tie the game midway through the second period, and Riley Bracko scoring to make it 3-2 for Calgary by the end of the period. In the third period, Ethan Short and Gavin Garland each scored, with Garland’s goal being an empty-netter, securing a 5-2 victory for the Canucks in game one.
Game Two: March 30th vs Drumheller Dragons
Adam Leitch opened up the scoring with his first playoff goal, the only goal in the opening period. The second period saw more action with three goals being scored, two by the Dragons and one by the Canucks by Bowden Singleton, making it a 2-2 game. The score remained tied in the third period, leading to overtime. Midway through the overtime period, Singleton scored his second goal of the game, securing the victory for the Canucks.
Game Three: April 2nd at Drumheller Dragons
The Canucks had a 2-0 series lead going into the game at Drumheller Memorial Arena. They scored the first goal of the game from Ty Hipkin. But the Dragons quickly replied and scored four times in the second period, giving them a 4-1 lead. Hipkin got his second goal of the game to make it 4-2, with the Dragons scoring again to make it 5-2. In the third period, Julien Gervais scored his fifth goal of the playoffs, but the Dragons scored once more to secure a 6-3 victory.
Game Four: April 3rd at Drumheller Dragons.
The Canucks had an impressive performance in game four bouncing back from their previous night’s defeat. Ethan Short scored in the first period and Bowden Singleton followed suit in the second. With a 2-0 lead in the third period, Gavin Garland and Carter Anderson each scored a goal in the final few minutes, leading the Canucks to a 4-0 victory and putting them up 3-1 in the series. Julian Morlinaro secured a 30-save shutout, his first of the playoffs.
Game Five: April 5th vs Drumheller Dragons
Ty Hipkin opened up the scoring for the third time in the series as the Canucks returned home for game five with a 3-1 lead. In the second period, the Dragons tied the game, but Bowden Singleton responded with his seventh playoff goal, making it 2-1 in the period’s final minutes. Drumheller tied the game again in the third period, making it 2-2 and breathing life into the Dragons. With the clock ticking down and trending to overtime, Ethan Short broke the tie with 2:48 to play. The Canucks killed the remaining time off and Short’s goal stood as the game-winner sending the Canucks to the 2024 Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Finals, slaying the Dragons in in five games.
Player Spotlight – #19 – Ethan Short
Joining the Canucks at the trade deadline, Ethan Short only managed to pick up an assist in ten games played, but the forward has started to find his footing after jumping into the lineup for game three of the opening round.
“Feels pretty good,” says Short, “It was a slow start since I joined the Nuck’s, but I’ve started to score recently so I’m glad I can help the boys out, and get on the board.”
Short scored three goals in the Semifinals, picked up an assist, and was the hero in game five scoring the game-winning goal to send the Canucks to the 2024 Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Finals.
AJHL Finals Preview
The Calgary Canucks are set to play the Whitecourt Wolverines in the 2024 Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Finals.
The Wolverines are returning to the AJHL finals after an appearance in 2017, and are facing the Canucks who are advancing to their first finals since 1999.
The Canucks defeated the Grande Prairie Storm in six games during the opening round and the Drumheller Dragons in five during the semifinals to reach the finals.
The Wolverines advanced to the finals, defeating the Camrose Kodiaks in round one in five games and taking down the Canmore Eagles in the seven-game semi-finals series.
The Canucks and Wolverines faced off four times during the regular season, splitting the series 2-2. Each team won two games at their respective rinks.
The Canucks took the first meeting by a score of 2-1 on October 16, 2023, at Ken Bracko Arena, with the Wolverines winning the second meeting at JDA Place 3-2 back on December 8, 2023.
With the shift into 2024, the games opened up with more scoring as the Canucks picked up a 5-3 win on January 28, 2024.
The Wolverines won the final meeting of the season over the Canucks in a 4-2 win back on February 10, 2024.
The 2024 Inter Pipeline Cup AJHL Finals will open up at JDA Place in Whitecourt on Friday, April 12th before returning to Calgary for games three and four at Ken Bracko Arena.
Regular Season Record vs Whitecourt Wolverines: 2-2
Playoff Stats
Calgary Canucks:
Playoff Record: 8-3
Powerplay: 23.7%
Penalty Kill: 85.7%
Key Players:
Goals: Bowden Singleton, Gavin Garland – 7G
Assists: Julien Gervais, Jack Plandowski, Bowden Singleton – 8A
Points: Bowden Singleton – 15P
Goaltending: Julian Molinaro – 8-3, 0.899 SV%, 2.67 GAA, 1SO
Whitecourt Wolverines:
Playoff Record: 8-4
Powerplay: 30.6%
Penalty Kill: 86.5%
Key Players:
Goals: Travis Verbeek – 8G
Assists: Spencer Rheaume, Breaden Keeble – 8A
Points: Travis Verbeek, Spencer Rheaume – 13P
Goaltending: Nicholas Avakyan – 6-2, 0.950 SV%, 1.60 GAA, 1SO
FINALS: Upcoming Home Playoff Games
- Tuesday, April 16, 7 PM Puck Drop
- Wednesday, April 17, 7 PM Puck Drop
- Tuesday, April 23, 7 PM Puck Drop*
*If necessary
Mackenzie Grafton
Lead, Marketing Content
Calgary Canucks Junior A Hockey Club
mgrafton@calgarycanucks.ca
www.calgarycanucks.ca