Weekend Preview: Looking Back at a Huge SMAAAHL Tilt and Ahead to the MacPherson and Florida Exposure Tourneys
While frigid temperatures continue to crush many regions of North American, at least the snow and ice has backed off enough to allow more youth hockey teams to compete as we prepare to enter the month of February this weekend.
Among the smarter teams are the nearly 100 USA Boys 13O, 14U, 15O and 16U teams that traveled south for the Florida Exposure Cup, which got underway Jan. 29 and runs through Feb. 1. While they may not be treated to the usual tropical Florida experience this weekend, being there certainly beats what many of them had to deal with last weekend and what many of us currently are experiencing.
It’s not all palm trees and sunshine in the hockey world for the weekend of Jan. 30-Feb. 1, however, as one of North America’s most-anticipated and tradition-rich events returns to chilly Aurora, Ontario.
Some of the continent’s top Boys 18U and Prep teams are at St. Andrew’s College Friday through Sunday for the 42nd annual MacPherson Hockey Tournament. Play at the MacPherson began early Friday Jan. 30, with opening ceremonies set to be held prior to the St. Andrews vs. Northwood School game Friday night.
Wild Western Canada Wednesday Showdown
Because of our format and other weekly responsibilities, it can be challenging for us to report on top matchups when they occur during the week. So, we wanted to use this space to highlight a game between Western Canada’s top two U18 AAA Boys teams - they also are ranked second and third in all of Canada - Wednesday, Jan. 28, in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The top-ranked defending Telus Cup-champion Regina Pat Canadians rallied for three goals in the final 8:47 of the third period at Co-operators Arena to steal a heart-stopping 7-6 victory against the No. 2 Moose Jaw Warriors.
Ryker Doka scored the final two of those decisive goals less than four minutes apart - with Maddox Schultz assisting on both tallies - after Nathan Gardiner potted his 30th marker of the year with 8:47 remaining to pull the Pat Canadians within a goal. Regina earlier had rallied from a 5-2 deficit with a pair of goals late in the second period to cut the margin to one entering the third. Gardiner scored his first of the game with one second remaining in the middle frame, with Schultz picking up another assist.
Schultz factored in on Regina’s final four tallies after scoring twice in the opening period. Gardiner assisted on Schultz’s first of the game at 9:52 of the first frame after Ryan Gibbs and Ryder Gilroy had staked Moose Jaw to a 2-0 advantage in the opening 8:43.
Schultz concluded the contest with two goals and four assists, while Gardiner and Doka each tallied two goals and a helper. Liam Pue had the other Regina goal, and netminder Adam Muntain stopped 23 shots.
Gibbs recorded a hat trick for the Warriors, with Gilroy, Wade Franks and Riley Brown each scoring once. Brown also dished out an assist, and Tobin Schaefer contributed three helpers. Franks scored 7:01 into the third period to set up Regina’s late-game comeback.
This was the second meeting between the two teams in Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) play this season. Regina also pulled out an exciting 5-4 victory in the previous league matchup Oct. 5. They also met in a non-league contest Sept. 16, with the Warriors prevailing, 3-2.
The Pat Canadians improved to 35-6-0 with the victory, their seventh in a row and 17th in the last 19 outings. Moose Jaw fell to 33-7-0 and is 4-3-0 in its last seven contests. Regina is 32-2-2-0 in SMAAAHL play, six points in front of second-place Moose Jaw (29-3-1-2). The Saskatoon Blazers are third with 49 points.
Below is a closer look at the upcoming weekend's MacPherson Hockey Tournament and Florida Exposure Cup:
The 42nd edition of the McPherson Hockey Tournament, hosted by St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario, began the morning of Jan. 30 and runs through Feb. 1.
This year’s event features 18U and Prep teams from Ontario, Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York competing on the school’s campus at La Brier Family Arena. The field includes five teams ranked among the top 24 in MHR’s Week 19 USA 18U Boys Tier 1 Rankings, including No. 1 Culver Academies, as well as St. Andrew’s, Canada’s top-ranked Independent Prep team; Brunswick School, the No. 8 New England Prep team; and an all-star team representing the Greater Ontario Hockey League.
Eight competing teams are separated into four-team pools, with round-robin play concluding the morning of Jan. 31, and the playoffs getting underway that evening. The top two finishers in each pool crossover for semifinal play, with the top seed from one pool facing the second seed from the other, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m Jan. 31. Semifinal winners play Sunday morning at LaBrier Arena for the gold medal, with the other two semifinalists playing for bronze.
Games are being played at LaBrier Family Arena, Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex and Aurora Community Center. The LaBrier contests can be viewed live and on-demand at the St. Andrew’s YouTube channel, while the games at the other two venues are available via LiveBarn.
One of the most-anticipated events of the school year at St. Andrew’s, the tournament was the creation of retired teacher and SAC’s first hockey coach, Al Dunford. The first tournament in 1984 set the tone for the future. Friday’s opening-night game was highlighted by the pomp and tradition of the SAC Pipe & Drum Corps’ performance, the ceremonial dropping of the first puck and an enthusiastic group of fans who saw St. Andrew’s defeat the fabled Notre Dame Hounds, 5-4, in overtime.
Over the years, teams have traveled from Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania as well as a variety of regions in Ontario to participate in the McPherson Tournament. Although play beings Friday morning, ceremonies celebrating the beginning of the tournament always take place that first evening when the hosts play in the final game of the first day. This year, St. Andrew’s Takes on Northwood School, the overall No. 18 Tier 1 18U team in the U.S., Friday at 7 p.m. EST. Past St. Andrew’s players also are welcomed back for a Champions Reception before the opening-night game and alumni games at LaBrier Arena Saturday.
The tournament and its three pools were named after three former school mainstays – Lloyd MacPherson, Jim Hamilton and Bob Meagher – who devoted many years to St. Andrew’s College, its goals and traditions. While their love of the school and community always was evident, hockey was their passion.
MacPherson was Assistant to the Headmaster from 1957 to 1982 and was regarded as the standard bearer for the institution's Scottish traditions. Hamilton graduated from SAC in 1933, served as President of the Association and in 1965 joined the St. Andrew’s College staff as Executive Director of the SAC Foundation. Under his leadership, SAC added the McLaughlin Science Building and the Bedard Athletic Complex. Meagher brought a strong academic background to SAC when he was appointed Academic Head of the Lower School in 1972. Until his retirement from the College in 1987, he was an ardent supporter of life in the Lower School as well as friend and advisor to many students who were just beginning life away from home.
St. Andrew’s has defeated the Bishop Kearney Selects from Rochester, N.Y., for the gold medal each of the last two years, with Culver and Northwood earning bronze medals. The GOHL All-Stars captured the title in 2023 after USA-powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s had won the previous two years. Culver, Northwood and Bishop Kearney each have earned multiple medals since 2022, but none of them has been gold.
CLICK HERE for a list of past MacPherson Hockey Tournament Winners
MacPherson Hockey Tournament Participating Teams
Hamilton Pool
#18 USA All Northwood School
#1 Canada Prep St. Andrew’s College
#24 USA NB Victory Honda
#14 US NB Bishop Kearney Selects
Meagher Pool
#1 USA NB Culver Academies
#11 USA NB Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
GOHL Top Prospects
#9 NE Prep Brunswick School
CLICK HERE for the MacPherson Tournament complete schedule
CLICK HERE for MacPherson Tournament results
CLICK HERE for MacPherson Tournament standings
More than 90 mostly USA Boys Tier 1 teams at the 13O, 14U, 15O and 16U levels are in Florida for the Exposure Cup, which began Thursday Jan. 29 and runs through Sunday Feb. 1 in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Clearwater. The event also includes a few top-ranked USA Tier 2 teams as well as teams from the Hill Academy and the Chatham-Kent Cyclones organization in Ontario.
There are nine 16U teams competing in one division, 22 15O teams in three divisions, 21 14U teams in three divisions and 32 13O teams in three divisions.
The 15O Elite Division includes five teams ranked among the USA Tier 1 Boys Top 20, according to the MHR Week 19 rankings, along with Hill Academy U16, the No. 23 Canadian Independent Prep team. A pair of USA top 10 teams - fourth-ranked Mount St. Charles and No. 7 Dallas Stars elite - are among the five teams in the 14U Elite Division along with the Nos. 28 and 29 U.S. teams.
Meanwhile, the Exposure Cup’s 13O Division is stacked, featuring five USA top 10 teams and six teams ranked among the top 11.
Included in the 13O field are the second-ranked Mid-Fairfield Rangers, third-ranked Team Illinois, fourth-ranked Little Caesars, sixth-ranked HoneyBaked, eighth-ranked Chicago Mission and 11th-ranked Nashville Jr. Predators. Those teams are joined by the Chatham-Kent Cyclones, ranked No. 13 in Ontario’s U14 AAA rankings, and Top Gun from Massachusetts, which is the 14th-ranked overall Tier 1 13O U.S. team.
All of the Exposure Cup host venues (Florida Panthers IceDen, Palm Beach SkateZone, and Clearwater Ice Arena, Tampa Bay Ice have LiveBarn access.
Exposure Cup Top Participating 15O Teams
#3 HoneyBaked
#11 Mount St. Charles
#15 Windy City Storm
#16 Madison Capitols
#19 Florida Alliance
#23 Canada Prep Hill Academy
Exposure Cup Top Participating 14U Teams
#4 Mount St. Charles
#7 Dallas Stars Elite
#28 Victory Honda
#29 North Jersey Avalanche
Hill Academy
Exposure Cup Top Participating 13O Teams
#2 Mid-Fairfield Rangers
#3 Team Illinois
#4 Little Caesars
#6 HoneyBaked
#8 Chicago Mission
#11 Nashville Jr. Predators
#13 Ontario Chatham-Kent Cyclones
#14 Top Gun
CLICK HERE for the complete Exposure Cup Schedule
CLIK HERE for Exposure Cup Results
CLICK HERE for Exposure Cup Standings
