Icebound Excitement: Launching into the Thrilling 2023-2024 Men's Hockey Season
EDMONTON, AB - The puck is ready to drop, and the rinks are prepared to host the finest men's hockey teams of the ACAC in the forthcoming 2023-2024 season. Throughout the season, these teams will engage in intense battles to earn their place in the playoffs and chase after the coveted conference championship.
ACAC CHAMPIONSHIP:
Amidst the season's challenges, the elite will emerge, securing their place in the gripping quarter-final home and home series. The victorious will advance to the semifinals and the much-anticipated finals. Please note that home and home series might be adjusted for teams situated over 300km apart. Quarter-finals are scheduled for March 1-3, 2024, followed by the semi-finals on March 8-10, 2024, and the finals on March 15-24, 2024.
The question lingers: Who will rise as this season's champion?
2022 RECAP:
In a thrilling showdown last year, the Red Deer King’s men’s hockey team emerged triumphant in the finals, mirroring the victory of their counterparts, the Queens. After a hard-fought semi-finals against the Concordia Thunder, the Red Deer Kings advanced to the finals. Their opponents, the NAIT Ooks, secured their spot after defeating the Augustana Vikings in the semi-final series.
The finals, a gripping five-game series, saw the Kings seize the crown with a 3-0 victory. The first game ended 5-1 in favor of Red Deer, the second game witnessed a close 2-1 battle, and in the decisive final match, the Kings clinched a narrow 2-1 win over the Ooks.
Notably, Brett Trentham of the SAIT Trojans and Dominik Tmej of the Briercrest Clippers earned recognition as the ACAC Hockey Top Scholastic Achievers.
Trentham, with a perfect 4.0 GPA in SAIT’s Petroleum Engineering Technology program, balanced his academic prowess with an impressive fourth place in league scoring.
Tmej achieved a flawless 4.0 GPA in the BA Business Administration program, contributing to his team's best regular season record since joining ACAC and securing high ranks in various on-ice statistics.
2022 ACAC AWARD RECIPIENTS:
Men’s Coach of the Year:
Sam Klassen - Briercrest Clippers
Men’s Rookie of the Year:
Dylan Schives - SAIT Trojans
Men’s Player of the Year:
Brandon Machado - SAIT Trojans
LOOKING AHEAD:
The anticipation is building as the 2023-2024 ACAC Men's Hockey season gears up to deliver a thrilling spectacle of puck action. The rinks are primed, the teams are charged, and the countdown to electrifying face-offs has begun. Brace yourselves for a rollercoaster ride of intense battles, jaw-dropping saves, and skillful goals that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the season. As the contenders hit the ice, the quest for supremacy will unfold in epic clashes that will leave fans craving for more. From heart-stopping showdowns between rivals to edge-of-your-seat playoff battles, this season promises to be a non-stop adrenaline rush. The journey to the playoffs will test the mettle of each team, as they battle their way through every challenge, inching closer to the coveted conference title.
With last year's memorable triumphs fresh in our minds, the stakes are higher than ever. The reigning champions, the Red Deer King’s men’s hockey team, set the bar high, and the contenders are hungrier than ever to dethrone them.
With the stage now mapped out, the 2023-2024 season schedule is officially in place. The upcoming action-packed season will kick off on Friday, October 13, featuring exciting matchups such as the Briercrest Clippers facing the Portage Voyageurs, the Augustana Vikings taking on the former conference champions Red Deer Kings, and the NAIT Ooks engaging in a battle against the SAIT Trojans at the opposing Institute of Technology in Calgary.
ACAC SCHEDULES: MHKY Schedule
#ACACHKY24
About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
Markk@acac.ab.ca
Kayla Blacquiere, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Kaylab@acac.ab.ca