Jason La Rose
Defence wins championships, but that doesn’t mean you can sleep on the Calgary Buffaloes in the offensive end.
The Buffaloes allowed less than three goals a game in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) regular season and gave up only 25 in 12 playoff games, capped by a shutout of the Vancouver NE Chiefs – a team that averaged almost six goals a game in its run to the B.C. title – in the deciding Game 2 of the Pacific Regional.
But again, let’s not forget what Calgary can do with the puck.
The Buffaloes paced the AEHL with 199 goals in 38 games, scoring 29 – almost a goal a game – more than second-best St. Albert. Cooper Williams and Caleb Matthews were the dynamic duo up front; Williams’ 29 goals led the league, while Matthews topped the loop with 50 assists and 68 points.
In all, seven Buffaloes averaged at least a point a game and eight reached double-digits in goals.
Calgary took control of the AEHL South Division with a season-high nine-game win streak from Dec. 20 to Jan. 28 that saw it outscore its opponents by a combined 56-16.
It faced early adversity in the playoffs, dropping the opener of its best-of-three series against the Red Deer Chiefs, but has lost just once in 11 games since, clinching a ninth appearance at the TELUS Cup.
The Buffaloes have never failed to reach the semifinals at Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship and have taken home a medal from six of their eight trips, including a national championship in 1989.
HOW THEY GOT TO MEMBERTOU
Alberta Elite Hockey League Quarterfinal: defeated Red Deer Chiefs 2-1 (3-5, 5-1, 6-2) Semifinal: defeated Calgary Flames 3-1 (6-1, 2-5, 3-1, 5-2) Final: defeated Sherwood Park Kings 3-0 (4-3 2OT, 2-1 3OT, 6-2)
Pacific Regional Final: defeated Vancouver NE Chiefs 2-0 (3-2, 1-0)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL-T): 27-9-0-2 (1st in AEHL) Goals for: 199 (1st in AEHL) Goals against: 106 (2nd in AEHL) Top 3 scorers: - Caleb Matthews – 18G 50A 68P (1st in AEHL) - Cooper Williams – 29G 22A 51P (5th in AEHL) - Christian Stephanson – 17G 28A 35P (13th in AEHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 10-2 Goals for: 46 Goals against: 25 Top 3 scorers: - Caleb Matthews – 11G 14A 25P - Cooper Williams – 8G 7A 15P - Brayden Gourley – 5G 7A 12P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2019 – Calgary Buffaloes | 4th place | 3-4-0 | 25GF 23GA 2009 – Calgary Buffaloes | silver medal | 3-2-2 | 29GF 21GA 2008 – Calgary Buffaloes | 4th place | 2-4-1 | 17GF 22GA 2006 – Calgary Buffaloes | silver medal | 4-3-0 | 30GF 25GA 1998 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 5-1-1 | 41GF 26GA 1989 – Calgary Buffaloes | gold medal | 5-2-0 | 26GF 18GA 1987 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 4-3-0 | 28GF 21GA 1985 – Calgary Buffaloes | bronze medal | 3-3-1 | 25GF 23GA
WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Rhys Jamieson – Everett Silvertips 2023 (2nd round, 32nd overall) Cooper Williams – Saskatoon Blades 2023 (2nd round, 41st overall) Townes Kozicky – Prince George Cougars 2023 (2nd round, 44th overall) Caleb Matthews – Victoria Royals 2022 (3rd round, 91st overall) Christian Stephanson – Winnipeg ICE 2022 (7th round, 154th overall) Colten Scott – Seattle Thunderbirds 2022 (11th round, 236th overall)