RED DEER – Despite a pair of hard-fought series, the Alberta Female Hockey League‘s Edmonton U18 AAA Pandas and the Alberta Elite Hockey League‘s Calgary U18 AAA Buffaloes both fell in the Pacific Regional Championships over the weekend.
Taking on the Fraser Valley Rush, the Edmonton Pandas lost Game One 4-3 in overtime, and then fell 3-2 as the Rush swept the best-of-three series to advance to the 2022 Esso Cup, which will be held May 16-22 in Alberta.
Meanwhile, the Calgary Buffaloes were looking to punch their ticket to the 2022 Telus Cup against the Vancouver NE Chiefs. After winning Game One in overtime, Vancouver held off a late Calgary comeback to win Game Two in overtime 4-3, and then held on for a 2-1 win to advance to the National Championship tournament, which also runs in Alberta May 16-22.