Depleted Bearcats squad claws out first round playoff victory

If you thought that the final of the Four Nations Faceoff would be the hockey highlight of your week, you’d be wrong.

If you figured the most hockey-related stress you’d have would be seeing Jordan Binnington making game-saving stops against Team U.S.A. in overtime, you’d be incorrect.

If you believed the most exciting team to watch in red and white this week would be Team Canada, you’d be mistaken.

Because this weekend, the Jasper U15 Bearcats were on the ice.  

After finishing third in the Tier 1 Non-Checking/Body Contact Only league, the Bearcats started their 2025 playoff experience against the Edson Sabres. In the week leading up to the game, coach Rob Olson organized a few ODR (outdoor rink) practices at Lake Mildred. These fun outdoor sessions had the added benefit of ensuring the team could still catch the Canada-U.S. tilt, which was scheduled to take place during the Bearcats’ regular practice time.

The following day, on Friday, February 21, Bearcats parents took the afternoon off work and pulled players (and some siblings) out of school to make the drive to Edson for a rare weekday matinee. Both goalies were on point in this one. Early in the first, Matteo Artiaga went up the gut but was tripped before he could get a shot away. Unfortunately, Edson scored a shortie with their guy in the box.  

In the second period, Edson went up 2-0 but Cohen Fitzgerald scored on a wide-angle shot to pull the Bearcats within one. He hyped the crowd up like Brady Tkachuk, urging fans onto their feet. Nearing the end of the period, Ash Habib levelled the score by jitterbugging to the centre and making his shot count.  After the second, shots were 32-15 Jasper. 

Near the start of the third period, Edson scored a squeaker to take the lead. Rock-solid defenders Kellan Smallshaw and Morgan Staneland wouldn’t let the Sabres grab another, meanwhile, Ben Derksen’s heavy work down low disrupted more than a few plays. 

Unfortunately, fireball Anna Gifford tumbled awkwardly into the boards and had to leave the game. This added to a long list of injuries for the Bearcats throughout the season, including captain Matthew Derksen and assistant Ruby Olson, who missed the weekend’s action.

The game ended 3-2 for Edson, but this two game, home-and-home series was being decided on aggregate: total goals over both games. This meant that at the rubber match in Jasper, the Bearcats would need to win by two to book their tickets to the next round.

With their season on the line, the Bearcats welcomed the Sabres to the Jasper Arena on Sunday afternoon. Myles Misskey was out of the backcountry and back in the lineup, and Gifford also returned, providing much-needed reinforcements. The Bearcats were scrappy, but a bit sloppy in the first period, which they escaped in a 1-1 tie, despite being badly outshot.  Luka Kahlina was holding sway in the net, looking very confident, and in the second frame, the Bearcats took the lead on a Fitzgerald power play marker.  

Forwards Carter Schmidt and Louis Campeau did their part on both defence and breakouts. Jaifred Mota made an awesome backcheck, diving to poke the puck away from a Sabre on a clean break. Versatile Molleigh McGrath opened the game on wing but moved back to reinforce the defence, where her strength and moxie were appreciated.  

Gifford, playing possibly her best game of the season, blocked a powerful shot, sending Fitzgerald in on a breakaway who, despite his silky mitts, was foiled by the goalie. Fitzgerald had several near-misses this game, his wicked wrister off by only a whisker. 

As the teams entered the third period, the aggregate score was deadlocked. Both teams were pushing for a series winner to avoid overtime. The back-and-forth action was more than a little intense for the arena full of parents, who had spent the last six months driving all over northwestern Alberta and very badly wanted to do it at least one more time. You could say the same for assistant coaches Toby Gifford and Matt Staneland, as well as manager Jenna McGrath, all of whom have dedicated countless hours to this team and weren’t ready to see the season end.

Jasper took an unfortunate penalty with just a few minutes left, and Edson scored off a rebound on the ensuing powerplay. But then Edson took a too-many-men penalty with just under two minutes left. The game was tied, and because of the aggregate scoring, Edson was in series-winning position. However, just seven seconds into the penalty, Habib collected a pass in the slot from Fitzgerald, shot, snagged his own rebound and roofed a backhand to take the lead and knot the series score. As Edmonton Oilers broadcaster Jack Michaels might put it: WHAT CAN YOU SAAAAYYYYY??!!!

The Bearcats could taste victory. But an unforced icing put them back in their own end. Off the face off, however, a quick give and go allowed them to exit the zone, three Bearcats streaking down the ice. 

Habib to Artiaga, back to Habib, over to Mota, down to Artiaga, out to the point…a shot from the blue line by Clark White, corralled and lifted over the goalie by THAT MAN, Ash Habib!  

“WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!!!!!”

Broadcaster Paco Artiaga’s elated call rang through the arena and across the internet. It may have been the loudest cheer at the Jasper Arena all year; and to the players and the parents, the ensuing celebration rivalled the one three nights earlier, when Connor McDavid scored Canada’s winner. Habib’s goal put the Bearcats up by one aggregate goal with 45.7 seconds remaining and they ran down the clock to win the series.

Come cheer the Bearcats on vs the Pembina Pirates on Sunday, March 2 at 4pm. 

Lucas Habib // info@thejasperlocal.com