Playoffs match-ups coming down to the wire in CAHL competition

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Sunny South News

By Garrett Simmons
Sunny South News

As the calendar flips deeper into March, Central Alberta Hockey League playoff action is drawing to a close.

Coaldale U11 Tier 4 team started its playoff series against Pincher Creek on the right foot on Saturday with a 9-8 win, as Carter Vaselenak and Colton Leusink both had two goals and two assists. Gabriel Kenyon recorded a hat trick and Brodie McLaughlin added a goal and a helper. Theo Barendregt also scored, while Liam Waldner had an assist. MacKoy McDougall made 23 saves in net.

The tables turned Sunday, as Pincher scored seven times in the first and rolled to a 17-6 victory. Valelenak had four goals and an assist, as Leusink scored once and assisted on another. Blake Gyorffy and Dominic Thomas both had two-assist games. Waldner had the other goal, as single assists were credited to Carter Davidson, Samuel Souter and Aurelia Skretting. McDougall once again played in net for Coaldale.

In U13 play, Picture Butte’s tier 4 team earned an 8-1 win on Saturday over Sylvan Lake. 

Brock Van Raay had a goal and three assists, while Arie Groenenboom had a hat trick. Rhys Mitchell scored twice and both Nocolas Madsen and Brance Van Nistelrooy had a goal and an assist. Kailey Pike and Kashin French added one assist each, Humberto Garza Guerra made 23 saves to pick up the win.

On Sunday, Butte fell 2-1 against Strathmore, as Van Raay had the lone goal, assisted by Mitchell and Ryder Vandendool. Garza Guerra made 21 saves in net.

Picture Butte’s U15 Tier 3 squad picked up a 4-2 win on Saturday over Coaldale.

Stryker Weasel Head, Hunter French, Jesse Sterkenburg and Tony Dennay Devine Delaney scored for Butte, while Liam Campmans, Maddox Paskal, Jiyaan Shah and Casey Burke all had one assist each. Chance Crowson earned the win in net. Brayden Zasadny responded for Coaldale with a goal and an assist. Roman Howg also scored, as Kaelan Hoffman picked up a helper. Elliott Hass made 44 saves in net for Coaldale.

U18 action featured Coaldale’s Tier 3 team and a huge 7-1 win on Saturday over High Country.

Ryley Kauenhowen scored twice while three players, Marco Burnett, Jonah Hass and Lane Broderson, all had a goal and an assist. Three other skaters, Killian Erick, Karter Van Buuren and Grady Knoblich, had two assists each. Calen Klassen and Beckham Sugai also scored. Colton Peters made 15 saves and earned the victory.

Coaldale skated to a 4-1 win on Sunday over Foothills, thanks to three assists from Broderson and two goals from Hass. Klassen and Carsen Roy also scored, while Knoblich, Van Buuren and Hudson Adams had assists. Cashton Carriere made 19 saves in between the pipes.