There can be an argument made that no U18 team in Canada had a more successful regular season than the
Elgin Middlesex Canucks.
The Canucks turned the
Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario into their own personal playground,
finishing with 32 wins, two overtime losses and a shootout defeat, and outscoring teams by an almost unfathomable 191-42. (For those keeping track at home, that’s a goal differential of +149. The next best in the Alliance was +35).
But the postseason brought with it a few moments of adversity that seemingly every elite team faces on its road to glory.
After sweeping aside Brantford (outscoring the 99ers 13-4 in two games) and London (a 13-1 differential in three games), the Canucks were tested by the Waterloo Wolves in the Alliance final, losing their first two games of the season in regulation time in a series that went to the maximum five games.
At the Central Regional, Elgin Middlesex dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to the Markham Waxers and fell 4-2 to the Vaughan Kings in the preliminary round, and needed an overtime winner from Lucas Van Steensel (after erasing an early 2-0 deficit) to down the Kings in the regional final and punch its ticket to Chilliwack for the 2025 TELUS Cup.
The Canucks were balanced in the offensive end; Chase Pettipiece (26-22—48), Nash Jacobs (29-18—47), Parker Graham (12-35—47) and Morgan Paine (18-23—41) all cracked the 40-point barrier, with another 12 surpassing 20.
At the other end, Dylan Durno (0.83) and Brock Lane (0.95) both posted sub-1.00 goals-against averages in the regular season while sharing the netminding duties.
The Canucks will make their maiden appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship as the first Alliance team to reach the national tournament since the London Jr. Knights won silver in 2011.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario
Quarterfinal: defeated Brantford 99ers 2-0 (9-3, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated London Jr. Knights 3-0 (3-0, 5-1, 5-0)
Final: defeated Waterloo Wolves 3-2 (4-1, 2-3, 4-1, 0-1, 5-0)
Central Regional
Preliminary round: 2nd place (3-2) – defeated Ottawa Automotive 7-2, lost to Markham Waxers 3-2 SO, defeated Sudbury Wolves 5-0, lost to Vaughan Kings 4-2, defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 5-1
Semifinal: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 3-0
Final: defeated Vaughan Kings 3-2 OT
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 32-0-3 (1st in Alliance)
Goals for: 191 (1st in Alliance)
Goals against: 42 (1st in Alliance)
Longest winning streak: 18 (Oct. 25-Jan. 10)
Top 3 scorers:
- Chase Pettipiece – 26G 22A 48P (1st in Alliance)
- Nash Jacobs – 29G 18A 47P (2nd in Alliance)
- Parker Graham – 12G 35A 47P (3rd in Alliance)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 13-4
Goals for: 68
Goals against: 23
Top 3 scorers:
- Ty Lawson – 12G 8A 20P
- Morgan Paine – 10G 7A 17P
- Parker Graham – 5G 12A 17P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
OHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Dylan Durno – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (8th round, 153rd overall)
Lucas Van Steensel – North Bay Battalion 2024 (8th round, 158th overall)
Nash Jacobs – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (8th round, 161st overall)
James MacGregor – Owen Sound Attack 2024 (10th round, 189th overall)
Luke Wachowiak – Niagara IceDogs 2024 (11th round, 219th overall)
Tyson Ackerman – Saginaw Spirit 2024 (12th round, 241st overall)
George Matsos – Windsor Spitfires 2024 (14th round, 264th overall)
GOOD LUCK CANUCKS!