Calgary Canucks sweep Whitecourt Wolverines in AJHL championship series
![Julian Molinaro Calgary Canucks are the 2024 AJHL champions after defeating Whitecourt 3-2 Wednesday night. Goaltiender Julian Molinaro celebrates after the game.](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/18/julian-molinaro-1-6852886-1713469012014.jpg)
The Calgary Canucks are Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) champions after completing a 4-0 sweep of the Whitecourt Wolverines on Wednesday night.
The Canucks beat the Whitecourt Wolverines 3-2 at the Ken Bracko Arena at Max Bell, taking the best-of-seven AJHL championship series four games to none.
Gavin Garland scored the winning goal in the third, breaking a 2-2 tie to give the Canucks the win to send thousands of Canucks fans jammed into Max Bell's Ken Bracko arena into delirium.
The Canucks got a second-period goal from Cody Pisarczyk, who also set up Rile Bracko in the first period to account for the other Canucks scoring.
After the game, an ecstatic Garland tried to put the feeling of being AJHL champs into words.
"I’m just super pumped," Garland said. "Obviously what the guys did is unreal. I know we have the Centennial Cup coming up and that’s going through everyone’s heads but right now, we’re pretty excited."
Garland said winning the Inter Pipeline Cup was a pretty huge deal for the Canucks, after over two decades since the last one.
"For the organization, it’s massive," he said. "Especially for the arena to be this packed and this loud, for everyone from the staff on down, it’s amazing."
Canucks coach Brad Moran said the playoff run really brought the players together and it showed.
"I'm so happy for these guys," Moran said. "They came together and they’re a true team. They’re there for each other and I’m just proud of them, what they did."
As far as the lengthy wait between championships, he said that made Wednesday night's win even sweeter.
"It’s got a deep history," he said. "Hopefully we can keep it where it is now. It’s pretty special."
The Canucks move on to compete for the Centennial Cup, which starts May 9 in Oakville, Ontario.
The Calgary Canucks won the 2024 AJHL championship Wednesday night, defeating Whitecourt 3-2. (photo: Morgan Melnyk, Calgary Canucks)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Celine Dion performs at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Beloved Canadian icon Celine Dion made her much-anticipated appearance during the closing of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Canada's Christine Sinclair: 'We were never shown drone footage'
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair said on Friday national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was on the team, following a spying scandal that cast a shadow over the Canadians at the Paris Games.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
She couldn't stop thinking about the guy she met at the Athens Olympics. Then a message from him changed her life
Omaira Gill grew up counting down the days to each Olympic Games. She wasn’t especially sporty, so she ruled out the prospect of competing pretty early on. But she still harboured Olympic dreams – even just spectating would do.