Weekend Preview for September 12-15
It’s another huge hockey weekend for Canadian and United States Tier 1 Girls programs. Up north in Canada, the second installment of the Stoney Creek Sabres Showcase series is on tap as well as the Calgary U18 AAA Firestarter Tournament.
Some of teams from Western Canada that Stoney Creek hosted for its U18 Showcase a week ago will be joining other top teams from their region in Calgary for the Firestarter U18 Tournament, while top USA 19U Girls and Canada U22 Girls teams will be in the Hamilton, Ontario area for the Stoney Creek University Showcase.
Meanwhile, south of the border – but not too far south – the second weekend of the Just Get Good Kickoff Classic tournaments, this time for teenage USA Tier 1 Boys teams. is slated to be played in the Rochester, N.Y. area as is the Detroit Kickoff Classic for Tier 1 USA and Canada Boys 2012 birthyear teams.
Calgary U18 AAA Firestarter
The Calgary Fire AAA/AA club and its volunteer members created the Calgary Firestarter Tournament in 2016 to help raise the profile of AAA/AA girls hockey in Western Canada and provide an opportunity for young players to diversify their competition pool. Its early-season timing also can prove beneficial to teams looking to finalize their player selections for the upcoming season.
Many players who have participated in the Firestarter have committed to university or college teams in Canada and the United States. The competing teams represent some of the highest-level girls clubs in Western Canada.
This weekend’s event is the U18 AAA Firestarter. The U15 AA Firestarter will be held Sept. 27-29, while the U18 AA event is slated for Oct. 4-6.
Competing clubs that perennially produce teams that are ranked among Canada’s top programs national include:
Calgary Fire, Northern Alberta Xtreme, Notre Dame Hounds, Saskatoon Stars, Edmonton Jr. Oilers, Westman Wildcats, St. Albert Slash, Fraser Valley Rush, Rocky Mountain Raiders, Battlefords Sharks and Lloydminster Steelers.
The Firestarter features 16 teams divided into four pools. There will be three pool-play games followed by playoffs. The tournament got underway early Thursday and runs through Sunday afternoon.
All games are being played at the Great Plains Recreational Facility and can be viewed at Flo Hockey.
Calgary Firestarter Schedule
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/schedule
Calgary Firestarter Live Scores
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/daily-schedule/2024-9-12?league=14&season=127&division=-1
Calgary Firestarter Standings
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/standings
Calgary Firestarter Rosters
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/stats/roster/553/127
Calgary Firestarter Rules & Tournament Format
https://www.firestartertournament.ca/tournament-rules
Stoney Creek University Showcase
One week after hosting some of the top Canada Girls U18 and USA Girls 16U Tier 1 programs, the Stoney Creek Sabres welcome 64 more teams to Hamilton, Ontario for their University Showcase. Top Canadian U22 progrmas from Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada will compete along with some of the USA’s best U19 programs.
The 64 teams will be divided into eight eight-team pools, with pool play beginning on Friday and running through Saturday. The four top seeds then will compete in the Gold playoffs, with the next four playing for the Silver championship, the third set of four competing for the Bronze title and the next four seeds after that playing for the Brass championship on Sunday. Other teams will compete in consolation rounds, with each participant guaranteed to play five games.
There will be a total of 164 games played during the weekend. Contests played at Mohawk Ice Centre and Gateway Arena can be viewed live and on-demand via LiveBarn.
United States Girls U19 Competing Teams:
Biggby Coffee, HoneyBaked, Bishop Kearney Selects, Dallas Stars Elite, Gilmour Academy, New Jersey Ironbound, Northwood School, Belle Tire, Team Illinois, Lovell Academy, New Jersey Colonials, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, Chicago Mission, Washington Pride, Windy City Storm, Culver Academies, Nichols School, St. Louis Lady Blues, Anaheim Lady Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite.
Top Canada Girls U22 Competing Teams:
Champlain College, Mississauga Jr. Hurricanes, Stoney Creek Sabres, Barrie Sharks, Balmoral Hall, Kingston Ice Wolves, North York Storm, Calgary Edge School, Etobicoke Dolphins, Central York Panthers, Limoilou Titans, London Devilettes, Whitby Wolves, Burlington Jr. Barracudas, Delta Hockey Academy, Okanagan Hockey Academy Edmonton, Okanagan Hockey Academy Penticton, Ottawa Jr. Lady Senators, Ridley College, Durham West Lightning, Oakville Hornets, Toronto Leaside Wildcats, Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna, Waterloo Ravens and South Alberta Hockey Academy.
Stoney Creek University Showcase Scores & Schedule
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Schedule/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Standings
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Divisions/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Rules & Format
https://scgha.com/Tournaments/1590/Pages/7503/General_Information_Rules/
Stoney Creek University Showcase Program/Rosters
Just Get Good Rochester Kickoff Classic
This is the second consecutive weekend of JGG Kickoff Classic tournaments for USA Boys Tier 1 programs. Last weekend’s event was for teams in the Mite through 12U age levels. This weekend, 45 teams in the 18U, 16U, 15O, 14U and 13O age groups will descend upon the Rochester, N.Y. area to compete in nearly 100 games from Friday through Sunday.
Each team plays three preliminary-round games before the playoffs begin late Saturday and continue through Sunday afternoon.
Programs sending teams to compete in the various age groups include:
Bishop Kearney Selects, Connecticut Elite, Gilmour Academy, Atlantic Coast Academy, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, CP Dynamo, Nichols School, Northwood School, South Hills Panthers, Syracuse Nationals, Central Hockey Club, Rochester Coalition, Rochester Jr. Americans, Buffalo Regals, Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers, Pittsburgh Stars, Upland School, Amherst Knights, New Hampshire Avalanche, Pittsburgh Vengeance, Valley Jr. Warriors, Mercer Chiefs, PAL Jr. Islanders, New Jersey Colonials and Valley Forge Minutemen.
Games played at the Greater Canandaigua Civic Center, Rochester Ice Center and Bill Gray Regional Iceplex can be viewed live and on-demand via LiveBarn
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Rules
https://jggtourneys.com/rules\
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Teams
https://www.jggtourneys.com/committed-teams-jgg-kick-off-classic
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Schedule
https://kick-off-classic.jggtourneys.com/schedule
JGG Rochester Kickoff Classic Standings
https://kick-off-classic.jggtourneys.com/standings
Being held in Trenton, Mich., the Detroit Kickoff Classic features strong 2012 birthyear Tier 1 AAA boys programs from the U.S. and Canada. Eight Peewee teams are competing in two pools for the right to advance to the playoff round.
The tournament runs from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon, with each team competing in three pool-play contests to determine playoff seedings.
Teams are guaranteed to play four times, and all games are being played at Kennedy Recreation Center and can be viewed live and on-demand via LiveBarn.
Canadian 2012 Competing Teams:
Sun County Panthers and Soo Jr. Greyhounds
USA 2012 Competing Teams:
Belle Tire, Buffalo Jr. Sabres, Fox Motors, Nashville Jr. Predators, Pittsburgh Vengeance and Sylvania North Stars
Detroit Kickoff Classic Schedule & Standings
https://app.eventconnect.io/events/29771/scheduling-scoring
