Saturday, January 24
Pembina Valley Hawks 6, Yellowhead Chiefs 4
Saturday night was a tight, physical matchup that stayed within reach right to the final minutes. Pembina Valley opened the scoring midway through the first, but the Chiefs responded when Carter White finished off a play set up by Destin Knight and Carter Brown to tie the game. The Hawks regained the lead late in the frame, sending the teams into the break with Pembina Valley up 2–1.
The second period saw momentum swing back and forth. Pembina Valley struck early on the power play, but Nolan Kozak answered with his 21st of the season off a feed from Grady McNish. After another Hawks goal, Redden Richmond buried one from Carter White to make it a one-goal game once again.
Pembina Valley capitalized on an early third-period chance to extend the lead, but the Chiefs refused to fade. White scored his second of the night, converting a setup from Kozak, to bring Yellowhead back within one. An empty-net goal in the final two minutes sealed the outcome, despite a strong effort from goaltender Landon McGregor, who faced 57 shots on the night.
Sunday, January 25
Pembina Valley Hawks 9, Yellowhead Chiefs 6
Sunday’s rematch was another high-event affair. Pembina Valley jumped out quickly, scoring three times in the opening period, including a power-play marker, to take early control.
The Chiefs found their spark in the second. McNish opened the scoring for Yellowhead, followed shortly by a Kozak goal to pull the Chiefs back into the game. Power-play tallies from Winston Lepp and McNish again capped a four-goal period for Yellowhead, keeping the contest tight heading into the third.
In the final frame, Pembina Valley pulled away with three goals, but the Chiefs continued to battle. Richmond scored midway through the period, and Lepp added his second of the game late, giving Yellowhead six goals on the afternoon. Despite the loss, the Chiefs showed resilience and offensive depth, with multiple contributors and special teams producing.
Up Next
The Chiefs now sit ninth in the U18 AAA standings at 16-23-1-0 and will have a big test ahead as they host the Winnipeg Bruins, the league’s top team, for a home doubleheader on Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1. It’s a great opportunity for the Chiefs to measure themselves against the league’s best—and fans can expect fast, hard-nosed hockey both nights at the Communiplex.
