For the 2024/25 season the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp is proud to introduce the Student-Athlete of the Month Award for the four different ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp divisions/age brackets: Eastern, West Female, West U18 Male (U18 Prep, U17 Prep, U17) and West U15 Male (U15 Prep and U15) .

This award is aimed at recognizing the student-athletes within the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp and acknowledges their hard work, dedication, commitment, leadership, academics and community impact.

We would like to congratulate these four student-athletes, who were all nominated by their programs, for their hard work in the month of March.

East Division – Pasquale Presti, Selwyn House School

“You can’t spell Prestige without Presti! (Taken from a social media post of a recent ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp game when Presti scored a ridiculously amazing goal.)

Pasquale is equally impressive off the ice as he is on the ice. His drive, motivation, work ethic, camaraderie, team spirit, and determination are evident in everything he does. He is a three-sport varsity athlete, with soccer, hockey, and baseball rounding out his Grade 12 year. In addition to his athletic achievements, he is also an accomplished actor, recently playing two lead characters in the school play “10 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview”. His humour and physical comedy left the audience in stitches. This play ended six years of noteworthy theatre performances at Selwyn for Pasquale.

From an academic perspective, Pasquale is taking eight advanced and enriched courses in our most rigorous science stream. The college-level courses include Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, and English. His Grade 12 overall average is 97.5 %, with 99% in Pre-Cal, Calculus, Chemistry and Biology. He also produced a documentary on his family and the family-owned and operated Presti Homes and Developments for English class. He created this documentary with extreme thought and care, going beyond the expectations of the class. His academic results are exceptional, considering the time devoted to hockey training and travel (mainly when the team had several road trips in January and February, adding up to over three weeks away from school).

Although not an off-ice example, it is essential to highlight Selwyn’s playoff run, finishing second overall. The team played five games in five days while still attending school and meeting all their academic requirements. Pasquale always stayed on top of his work (throughout the season) and was instrumental in the playoff run, encouraging teammates and always giving his all.

In addition to academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities, Pasquale has completed applications to US and Canadian institutions, primarily for architecture programs. He diligently worked on his portfolio independently, creating 10 different pieces using different mediums to highlight his creative and technical skills. So far, this talent and dedication have awarded him admission to six prestigious schools, with merit scholarships totalling $370000 to date (the most awarded to a current grade 12 student).

While we do not rank students at Selwyn House, Pasquale is exceptional. He would place at the top of his class based on his academic performance, the rigor of his course selections, and his outstanding commitment to academics, extracurricular activities, athletics and citizenship.”

West Female Division – McKayla Romano, Pilot Mound Hockey Academy

“McKayla Romano embodies the qualities of a true student-athlete, excelling both on and off the ice. As a dedicated member of the Pilot Mound Hockey Academy, McKayla has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to her academic pursuits, maintaining an impressive GPA while balancing the rigorous demands of her sport. Her leadership skills shine through in the classroom, where she actively participates in group projects, often taking the initiative to guide her peers and ensure their collective success.

Beyond her academic achievements, McKayla is deeply involved in community service. She volunteers with our local Can-Skate program, showcasing her compassion and dedication to giving back. In the dressing room, McKayla’s positive attitude and unwavering support for her teammates make her an invaluable presence, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie.

McKayla’s excellence, hard work, and commitment in all aspects of her life make her truly deserving of this recognition. Her dedication to her studies, her leadership qualities, and her community involvement exemplify the values we strive to instill in our student-athletes.”

West Male U15 Division – Grayson Holmes, Okanagan Hockey Academy

“It is with great enthusiasm that we nominate Grayson Holmes for the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Student of the Month. Grayson has exemplified outstanding leadership, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout this season, both on and off the ice.

As a key player on the OHA U15 team, Grayson has consistently demonstrated a positive and supportive attitude that has earned him the admiration and respect of his teammates. His leadership goes beyond skill on the ice – he has been a mentor, motivator, and friend to his peers. Grayson’s ability to keep the team morale high and foster an inclusive and encouraging environment has been a crucial part of the team’s success. His teammates fully support him and appreciate the positive impact he has on their growth, not just as players but as individuals.

In addition to his success in hockey, Grayson has expanded his horizons by joining the Penticton High School golf team this spring. His commitment to balancing both his academic and athletic pursuits, while remaining actively involved in school events and tournaments, showcases his well-rounded character and drive. Grayson’s ability to manage his time effectively, maintain high performance in both hockey and golf, and contribute to his community is truly commendable.

Grayson Holmes is a prime example of what it means to be a student-athlete. His unwavering commitment, leadership, and positive influence both in sports and at school make him a deserving candidate for the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Student of the Month award.

We are proud to nominate him and look forward to seeing his continued success.”

West Male U18 Division – Mason Alexander, RHA Kelowna

“This is Mason Alexander’s first year at RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna, currently playing on the U17 team while affiliating with U17 Prep. Mason is the epitome of a ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Student- Athlete, consistently exemplifying hard work both on and off the ice.

With an unwavering dedication to his academics, he leads the charge, maintaining an impressive 95% grade point average. Mason’s great attitude and infectious smile are always present, uplifting those around him. Whether he’s on the ice or volunteering at the local food bank, he’s always the first to step up. His commitment to improvement is evident every single day, as he continues to push himself to be the best version of himself in all areas of life.

All in all, Mason has a big heart and would go above and beyond for his teammates and anyone in need, always putting others first.”

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The 40 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni are currently playing in the QMJHL, NCAA and WHL. Of the 67 WHL players who find their names on the list, 57% (38/67) are ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni. 98% of the 40 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni are currently playing in the CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

Jackson Smith is the highest ranked ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp skater coming in at 13th. Lynden Lakovic, Braeden Cootes, Benjamin Kindel, Cole Reschny, and Blake Fiddler all find themselves ranked inside the Top 32.

The 40 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni represent 15 different member programs, with Edge School and RHA Winnipeg leading the way with eight:

• Edge School – 8
• RHA Winnipeg – 8
• Yale Hockey Academy – 6
• Northern Alberta Xtreme – 6
• RHA Kelowna – 4
• North Shore Warriors – 3
• BWC Academy – 2
• Delta Hockey Academy – 2
• Notre Dame Hounds – 2
• Okanagan Hockey Academy – 2
• South Alberta Hockey Academy – 2
• Bourget College – 1
• Calgary International Hockey Academy – 1
• Mount Academy – 1
• Pacific Coast Hockey Academy – 1

Among the 225 ranked North American skaters include 36 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni:

Among the 32 ranked North American skaters include 4 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp alumni:

The post 40 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Alumni on 2025 NHL Draft Final Rankings first appeared on ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp.

A netminder from Fort St. John, BC, Gardner spent five seasons in the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna and has recently signed an NHL Entry Level Contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Olsen, a forward from Calgary, AB, played one season in the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp with Edge School before joining Saskatoon for his first WHL season in 2024/25.

You can read about their hockey journey’s here:

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Eastern U17: Liam Armit, Stanstead College

The Gatineau, QC forward led his team with four goals and seven points in five games as Stanstead won the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Eastern U17 Championships. During the regular season Armit, a top prospect for the 2025 QMJHL Draft, recorded 29 points in 16 games.

Eastern U18: William Sasseville, Bourget College

Sasseville got off to a slow start at the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Eastern Championships, going pointless in the round robin. But he would come alive when it meant the most, scoring twice in the quarter-finals, once in the semi’s and once again in the finals. His lone assist of the playoffs would be a crucial one, as he set-up Albert Genest on a two-on-one for the overtime game winner, giving Bourget their second ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Eastern U18 Championship in three seasons. During the regular season the Prevost, QC forward tallied 23 points in 24 games.

Female U18 Prep Prep Division I: Alida Korte, RHA Kelowna

Korte finished second among all skaters with 6 goals and 11 points in 5 playoff games. She would cap-off her playoffs by scoring a highlight reel goal in the finals as RHA Kelowna captured their fourth straight ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Female U18 Prep Western Championship. The Saskatoon, SK forward finished second among all skaters with 63 points in 29 games during the regular season.

Female U18 Prep Division II: Makenna Williment, Balmoral Hall School

The Balmoral captain paced the Female U18 Prep Division II Western Championships with 6 goals and 10 points in just 4 games to lead her team to a ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Championship in their first season in the league. In a 3-2 win over Delta Hockey Academy Black, she would score the opening goal while assisting on the game winner. During the regular season the Syracuse University commit had 39 points in 30 games.

U15 Division I: Brody Antignani, Edge School

After leading the U15 division with 50 goals, 49 assists and 99 points during the regular season the Calgary, AB forward paced the 2025 Western Championships with 10 goals, 7 assists and 17 points. His 17 points were 7 more than the next closest skater as Edge captured the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Division I Western Championship.

U15 Division II: Jack Arseniuk, RHA Winnipeg

The Winnipeg, MB product led all U15 Division II defensemen with three goals and five points in five games to help his team capture the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Division II Western Championship. Arseniuk saved his best for last, scoring once and adding an assist on the game winner in the finals. During the regular season he tallied 6 goals and 13 assists in 36 games.

U15 Prep Division I: Ryker Doka, Delta Hockey Academy

The Regina, SK defensemen finished with one goal and five assists, including scoring 29 seconds into the finals, as Delta captured the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Prep Division I Western Championship. Doka recorded 14 goals and 20 assists in just 21 regular season games for Delta.

U15 Prep Division II: Gage Mark, Okanagan Hockey Academy

OHA captured the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U15 Prep Division II Western Championship with Mark pacing the way with a playoff best 6 goals and 11 points in 4 games. The Kelowna, BC forward had a goal and two assists in the finals, setting up the game winner late in the third period. Mark had 21 goals and 14 assists in 36 regular season games with OHA.

U17 Division I: Tyson Kuiack, Okanagan Hockey Academy

Kuiack played four of the five games for OHA during the Championships, going 4-0-0 with a 1.25 GAA, and .946 SV%. His GAA ranked second among netminders while his SV% was third. In a 3-2 win over RHA Kelowna in the finals the Kelowna, BC netminder stopped 28 of 30 shots as OHA captured the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U17 Division I Western Championship. During the regular season he went 14-3-2 with a 2.46 GAA, .901 SV% and 2 shutouts.

U17 Division II: Lynden Mercier, Delta Hockey Academy

A netminder from Victoria, BC, Mercier went 3-0-0 with a 1.99 GAA and .934 SV% during the Championships. He would stop 29 of 31 shots as Delta beat BWC Academy 3-2 in overtime to win the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U17 Division II Western Championships. Mercier went 8-7-2 with a 3.22 GAA, .903 SV% and 1shutout during the regular season.

U17 Prep Division I: Drake Mooney, Prairie Hockey Academy

Prairie came into the Championships as the 12th and final seed but made it to the finals, thanks in large part to the play of Mooney. The Blackfalds, AB netminder went 3-1-0 with a 2.16 GAA and playoff best .948 SV%. A fourth round pick by the Regina Pats at the 2024 WHL Draft, Mooney stopped 45 shots through 60 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of overtime, before stopping both OHA Edmonton shooters in the shootout to send his team to the finals. Mooney would stop 46 of 49 in the finals, but Prairie ultimately fell 4-1. Mooney went 6-10-12 with a 3.56 GAA, .897 SV% and 1 shutout during the regular season.

U17 Prep Division II: Collin Friedrich, Pilot Mound Hockey Academy

Friedrich went pointless in his first game of the Championships before producing six goals and three assists in his final four games to finish third in playoff scoring with nine points. In the semi-finals the Tampa Bay, FL forward would have a flurry of chances in overtime, before finally burying the game winner with just two seconds left. In the finals Pilot Mound would dismantle the North Shore Warriors 7-0, with Friedrich tallying a game high three points to lead his team to a 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U17 Prep Division II Western Championship. During the regular season he recorded 23 goals and 20 assists in 36 games.

U18 Prep: Benjamin Bowtell, RHA Kelowna

The Saskatoon Blades prospect led the playoffs with 7 goals and 12 points as 11th seed RHA Kelowna took home the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U18 Prep Western Championship. The Lake Country, BC forward recorded at least a point in all five playoff games, recording three points on three separate occasions including in the semi-finals and finals. Bowtell had 19 goals and 22 assists in 35 regular season games.

U18 Prep Division II: Aleksandr Skuratov, Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy

Skuratov tied for the playoff lead with 4 goals, while his 12 points trailed only teammate Sokratis Markarian, who had 13. The Czechia forward recorded at least a point in all five playoff games, recording three points on three separate occasions including the finals where he assisted on all three CDA goals in a 3-1 win over Pilot Mound. During the regular season Skuratov had 19 goals and 24 assists in 36 games.

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The tournament will take place April 9-20, 2025 in Czechia and will see Team Canada in Pool A with the U.S.A., Finland, Czechia and Switzerland.

Among the 25 players selected include Emily Clark, Hannah Miller, Chloe Primerano, Danielle Serdachny and Micah Zandee-Hart.

Clark spent two seasons with the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) Female U18 Prep season. The Saskatoon, SK forward would go on to play five seasons in the NCAA with the University of Wisconsin, recording 70 goals and 76 assists in 147 games. She spent last season and the current one in the PWHL with the Ottawa Charge, recording 11 goals and 19 assists in 47 games.

Internationally Clark has represented Canada since 2011. To this date she has two U18 Women’s Worlds gold medals, one bronze, four silver and three gold medals at the Women’s World Championships. She has captured a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics and a gold medal a the 2022 Olympics.

Miller played for the OHA Female U18 Prep team in 2012/13 and 2013/14. She would go on to spend four season in the NCAA with St. Lawrence University, recording 43 goals and 80 assists for 123 points in 124 games.

The North Vancouver, BC forward would spend five years playing professional hockey overseas in China, Sweden and Russia before being selected by the Toronto Sceptres 74th overall at the 2023 PWHL Draft. In the last two PWHL seasons she has recorded 37 points in 46 games, including 23 points in 23 games this season.

This will be Miller’s first time playing for Team Canada at the National level and will mark her return in the red and white. She previously represented Canada at the 2013 and 2014 U18 Women’s World Championships, capturing gold both years. Miller would then go on to represent China internationally, including at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Primerano made her National Women’s team debut at just 17 years old earlier this fall. The University of Minnesota freshman represented Team Canada at the 2024 U18 Women’s World Championships, earning MVP, Best Defender, Tournament Allstar and Leading Scorer honours, setting the record for most points by a defender at one U18 Women’s Worlds (16) and most points by a Canadian at one U18 Women’s Worlds. This summer she was named to the Canada Women’s U18 team that competed against the United States for a three-games series from August 14-17, 2024.

Primerano became the the first female-skater ever selected in a CHL Draft when the Vancouver Giants selected her in the 13th round, 268th overall at the 2022 WHL Draft. In just two seasons in the Female U18 Prep division with RHA Kelowna the North Vancouver, BC defender graduated from the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp as the most successful student-athlete in women’s history. Her 105 career assists are most all time among Female U18 Prep skaters while her 164 career points rank 1 back of the all-time record. Her 59 career goals are fourth most all-time, and most among defensemen, giving her the all-time career lead among defensemen in assists (105), goals (59) and points (164). During the 2024/25 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp season Primerano set the Female U18 Prep single season record, among all skaters, with 35 goals, 54 assists and 89 points in just 29 games to earn her second straight ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Female U18 Prep MVP Award.

In 34 NCAA games this season as an underage true freshman, Primerano had 5 goals and 26 assists.

Selected second overall at the 2024 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Draft, by the Ottawa Charge,ÌýSerdachny spent two seasons in the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp with the Pursuit of Excellence (POE) Female U18 Prep team. She joined the program in 2017/18, finishing third in team scoring with 46 points. The following year she would finish second in team and league scoring with 58 points, bringing her ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp career total to 104 points in 49 games. That year she would also represent Team Canada at the World Women’s U18 Championship, tallying four points and being named as a ‘Top 3 Player on Team’, helping Canada capture gold.

The Edmonton, AB forward made the jump to the NCAA in 2019/20 with Colgate University. In 5 seasons with Colgate she finished with 238 points in 180 games. Her 61 points in 2023/24 were fifth among NCAA skaters while her 71 points in 2022/23 led all NCAA players. During her NCAA career she would be named a NCAA First Team All-American twice.

Serdachny scored the overtime winner in the Gold Medal game for Team Canada at the 2024 Women’s World Championships. To go along with her 2024 gold medal she has a 2023 silver medal and a 2019 gold medal at the U18 Women’s Worlds.

This season Serdachny has 2 goals and 5 assists in 23 PWHL games with Ottawa.

Zandee-Hart spent four seasons with OHA from 2011-2015. The Victoria, BC defender has a U18 gold and silver medals, to go along with a World Championship bronze, silver and gold, and a 2022 Olympic Gold medal.

She would play four seasons in the NCAA with Cornell University, recording 17 goals and 70 assists. Zandee-Hart joined the New York Sirens of the PWHL in 2023/24, tallying 3 assists in 19 games. This season she has 1 goal and 8 assists in 24 PWHL games with New York.

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The Blue Jackets drafted the Fort St. John, BC netmidner in the second round, 60th overall at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Gardner spent five seasons in the ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp (²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp) with RHA Kelowna. He joined the program in 2018/19, playing 20 U15 games for the program, which at the time was still called Pursuit of Excellence (POE). He returned to POE in 2019/20, playing 16 U15 Prep games. The following COVID-19 shortened season with RHA Kelowna, he would play two U15 Prep games.

In 2021/22 he would make the jump to RHA Kelowna’s U18 Prep team, posting a 2.98 GAA, .914 SV% and 14-3-1 record, leading to the Saskatoon Blades selecting him in the third round, 53rd overall at the 2021 WHL Draft. He would return to the RHA Kelowna U18 Prep team the following season, going 9-5-1 with a .926 SV% and 3.16 GAA.

Gardner would begin his WHL career with the Blades in 2023/24, posting a 21-5-0 record with a 1.91 GAA, .927 V% and 4 shutouts. Both his 1.91 GAA and .927 SV% were a WHL best.

This season Gardner has went 22-12-4 with a .911 SV%, 2.83 GAA and 3 shutouts with the Blades.

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RHA Kelowna defeated Delta Hockey Academy 7-3 Sunday to wrap up the 2025 ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Western Championships, capturing their third ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Championship in 2025. The win gives RHA Kelowna 10 Championships in the programs history.

It was a chaotic U18 Prep Western Championships as the Top 8 seeds were all knocked out in the Round Robin.

RHA Kelowna came in as the 11th seed, losing their opening game to 15th ranked RHA Winnipeg. They would beat second ranked Pacific Coast Hockey Academy and seventh ranked St. George’s to finish to conclude the Round Robin a top their pool. They would then beat ninth ranked South Alberta Hockey Academy in overtime in the semi-finals to punch their ticket to the finals.

Delta would grab the lat spot in the playoffs, coming in as the 16 seed. They would lose their opener to 12th ranked Shawnigan Lake School before beating eighth ranked BWC Academy and first ranked Northern Alberta Xtreme to head to the semi-finals. In the semi’s they would defeat tenth ranked Prairie Hockey Academy in a thrilling 7-6 hockey game.

The cinderella run looked set to continue for Delta as they lead 1-0 after 20 on a Jacob Schwartz (2G) goal, his second of the Championships.

Ryan Sadovia tied the game 12:11 into the second but Alexander Laing found Cruz Waltze in the slot just 32 seconds later to put Delta back ahead. RHA Kelowna would put their foot on the gas to close out the period as Brady Walker (1G, 1A) tied the game and goals from Theo Salikhov and Benjamin Bowtell (1G, 2A) 2:01 after Walker tied it, put RHA Kelowna ahead 4-2 going into the final period.

RHA Kelowna continued to apply pressure in the third as Riley Pederson (1G, 2A) put them ahead 5-2 6:14 into the period. Delta refused to go away quietly as Schwartz beat Conner Nicolson (24/27) on the power play 2:16 later to close the gap to two.

However, it was all RHA Kelowna from there as Maddox Gandha and Ruben Stone (1G, 1A) scored 1:19 apart in the closing stages to secure the 7-3 RHA Kelowna victory.

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Fourth ranked OHA beat first ranked RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna 3-2 in the finals to capture the first ever ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp U17 Western Championships.

The two teams met eight times this season with RHA Kelowna taking the season series 6-2. RHA Kelowna would beat OHA in a shootout in the Round Robin, but it was OHA who finished atop Pool A. OHA would beat Edge School 2-1 in their semi-final matchup while RHA Kelowna overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat RHA Winnipeg 5-4.

Lucan Kostiuk opened the scoring for the home side 5:22 in with his third goal of the Championships. RHA Kelowna would counter as Kesler Hamilton (1G, 1A) struck on the power play late in the period, finding the back of the net for the third time.

Aiden Andrews gave RHA Kelowna their first lead of the game with 6:37 remaining in the second, scoring his first of the Championships. Jaxon Foster replied for OHA 2:24 later with a power play marker, evening the score heading into the third period.

The Tyson Kuiack (28/30) show continued in the third, as it had the previous two periods, as he made several outstanding saves to keep OHA tied with RHA Kelowna. Backed by their stellar netminder, OHA would reward his play as Caiden Osiowy-Mah(1G, 1A) beat William Stewart (22/25) high glove side on an odd man rush to put OHA ahead 3-2.

OHA would survive the late RHA Kelowna push to hold on for the 3-2 win.

Fresh off winning the U15 Prep Division II title, OHA has won nine titles overall.

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It was heartbreak for Prairie Hockey Academy (Caronport, SK) as they suffered defeat in the U17 Prep Division I Western Championship Final for the second season in a row as RHA Kelowna (Kelowna, BC) took home a 4-1 victory.

RHA Kelowna finished second in the regular season and second in Pool B during the round robin, earning them the wildcard spot in the semi-finals. They would win their semi-final game 7-0 over Calgary International Hockey Academy (Calgary, AB) to punch their ticket to the finals.

Prairie had a much different regular season experience, sneaking into the Championships in the 12th and final seed. Despite that, they would finish first in Pool A to claim the three seed and take on OHA Edmonton (Edmonton, AB) in the semi-finals. They would win that game in a shootout to head to their second straight final.

The opening period of the final would see RHA Kelowna ahead 1-0 as Rhett Tubello finished off a pretty passing play from Preston Kelly-Paquet and Ethan Fidelak. Neither team would score in the second as Asher Netherton (32/33) and Drake Mooney (46/49) turned aside a combined 26 shots.

Jack Brown doubled the RHA Kelowna lead 2:52 into the third and Hudson Podollan gave them some breathing room less than two minutes later as RHA Kelowna was in full control up 3-0. A highlight-reel individual effort from Seamus Dillon would give Prairie some life, and their first goal of the game midway through the third.

Prairie would continue to push late but Logan Lanti sent an end-to-end shot over the heads of the Prairie skaters and into the empty net to secure the win with 1:40 remaining.

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RHA Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) would defeat RHA Kelowna (Kelowna, BC) 5-2 on Friday to capture the programs third ever ²´˜·ŠÊ˜·³Çapp Western Championship. Their last one came back in 2023 at the U16 Prep level.

Coming into the Championships as the three seed, RHA Winnipeg went 0-2 in the Round Robin, putting them in the five slot. They would beat St. George’s School (Vancouver, BC) in the quarter-finals before overcoming a two goal deficit to beat STAR Hockey Academy (Kent, WA) in overtime of the semi’s.

RHA Kelowna came into the Championships as the fifth seed, going 2-0 in the Round Robin and finishing third in the pool. They would beat Prairie Hockey Academy (Caronport, SK) in the quarters before hammering Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (Victoria, BC) in the semi-final.

On Friday the finals started off with some tight checking by both teams before Ryder Olford and Zachary Haney scored 13 seconds apart to put RHA Winnipeg ahead midway through the opening frame.

Kelson Hawreluik scored on the power play 46 seconds into the second to extend his teams advantage. Dexter Labrecque would get RHA Kelowna on the board midway through the game with his fourth of the Championships.

Harrison Sharman brought RHA Kelowna within one 7:18 into the third but that was as close as they would get as Haize Brightnose (47/49) finished with 47 saves to secure the win for RHA Winnipeg.

Aiden Christie and Jack Arseniuk added third period power play goals to increase the advantage to three, making it a final score of 5-2.

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