U18 AAA Flames confident they can win national championship

It's been quite a 2023 playoff ride for the U18 AAA Flames.  First they came back after losing the first game to the Royals to win that series two games to one.

They also had to come back from a 2-0 series deficit to beat the Buffaloes in five games to win the south.

The Flames would sweep St. Albert to win the provincial championship and then pull out the broom to sweep the Okanagan Rockets in their best of three pacific regional championship.

Forward Josh Wiebe has scored a lot of big goals for the Flames in this playoff run and he says it was an unbelievable feeling to win the pacific title.

"It's kind of indescribable, like it's just pure happiness," said the 17-year-old.

"Your whole career you want to win something and (this is) like the biggest thing you can win as yet so it's unreal."

OFF TO THE NATIONALS

There is an even bigger prize ahead for Wiebe and his teammates. The Flames head off to Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec next week to represent the pacific region at the Men's U18 National Club Championship.

The tournament gets underway on April 24^th and the Flames' first game will be against the hosts.

Captain Aidan Larose said the team will be ready.

"It still seems surreal," Larose said.

"Obviously we're dialing it in now and it starts now and we've had our fun so now it's time to get back on the ice, get back to work and make a run there too."

TOUGH SCHEDULE

It's a gruelling schedule at the nationals.  The Flames start on Monday April 24^th playing the first of five games in five days. If they're top four they move to the semi-finals on the Saturday and then a champion will be crowned on Sunday. 

Head coach Ben Sherven is confident in his team,

"Well I think that we're as good as anyone that's there," he said.

"I think when you look at the momentum we've created and the skill we have, if you're able to put those two together we truly believe that we have as good a chance as anyone to win that tournament."

BELIEF IN THE ROOM

The players feel the same way.  Larose and Wiebe said there's a belief in the dressing room that they can beat any team at any time.

"I think no one really expected us to be here today," said Larose.

"But after that Royals series we knew that we could take down any team and it just kept feeding our confidence coming back against the Buffaloes and sweeping the final and then sweeping the pacific final and it just keeps feeding into our confidence."

"I don't think any other team has had a route to their victories like we have," said Wiebe.

"We have belief and the courage and the confidence is at an all time high.  I don't think any other team has that."

SCHEDULE AT NATIONALS

Monday April 24th

Flames vs Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe

5:00 MDT

Tuesday April 25th

Flames vs Toronto Jr. Canadiens

1:30 MDT

Wednesday April 26th

Flames vs Pictou County Majors

10:00 MDT

Thursday April 27^th

Flames vs Saskatoon Blazers

10:00 MDT

Friday April 28^th

Flames vs Blizzard du Seminaire Saint-Francois

10:00 MDT