The South Alberta Hockey Academy and South East Tigers are both competing at the CIHA Winter Classic in Calgary. (Image Credit: South Alberta Hockey Academy and Medicine Hat Minor Hockey)

By Jesse Gill

SPORTS

Pair of Medicine Hat hockey teams competing in CIHA Winter Classic in Calgary

Jan 23, 2026 | 10:53 AM

The South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) U17 Prep team and the South East Tigers U17 AAA team are both competing in the CIHA Winter Classic in Calgary.

The first time both programs have played in the same event, the Medicine Hat programs have never played a game against each other.

There are 24 teams in six different pools competing at the tournament hosted by the Calgary International Hockey Academy of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.

SAHA is competing in Pool F, with the Tigers in Pool D.

South East Tigers

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The tournament kicked off on Thursday, and the Tigers had a pair of games.

Their first game was a 4-2 victory over the South Side Athletic Club (SSAC) United Cycle Bulldogs out of Calgary.

Forward Ilya Khazov had a goal and a pair of assists to lead the Tigers’ offence, while Griffin Stenger stopped 21 of 23 shots faced. Tigers forwards Trevin Ibach, Taisen Yake, and Dane Friedt also found the back of the net.

The second game didn’t go as well for the Tigers, with a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Northstars.

The game was scoreless through the first two periods, but the Northstars scored five minutes and 27 seconds into the third period.

Just over three and a half minutes later, Khazov responded for the Tigers with a goal assisted by Rhyder Arnold and Friedt.

The Northstars would go on to score three to secure the contest.

Goaltender Jake Druar stopped 36 of 40 shots for the Tigers.

The Tigers took on the Shawnigan Lake School on Thursday morning for final pool contest.

Khazov scored all three of the Tigers goals for the hat trick including an empty netter in a 3-1 win.

Stenger stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced in the Tigers net during the contest.

South Alberta Hockey Academy

On Wednesday, SAHA played a single game against the Vancouver-based St. George’s School.

SAHA fell behind early in the contest as St. George’s scored a pair of goals 16 seconds apart early in the first period.

Those would be the only pucks to get past SAHA goaltender Chase Nielson, who stopped 24 of 26 shots in the contest.

SAHA scored the next four goals, coming from forwards Nixon Bettenson and Liam Green, and defencemen Mason Woychyshyn and Reed Howell.

In a Thursday morning contest, SAHA held on to win its second game of the tournament 5-4 over the Calgary Bulls.

After trading goals with the Bulls early in the first, SAHA took a 5-1 lead into the third period, with the Bulls almost completing the comeback in the third.

SAHA forward Liam Green found the back of the net three times for a hat trick in the contest, with defencemen Owen Fisher and Madden Wright scoring the other goals.

Goaltender Paxton Smigelski stopped 17 of 21 shots faced in the SAHA net.

SAHA will wrap up pool play on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with a game against the Knights of Columbus Centennials.

Playoffs

Heading into the final pool game SAHA sits in first place in Pool F, with the Tigers securing second in Pool D looking to secure a wildcard spot.

The top teams from each pool will advance to the championship bracket, with the two wildcard teams with the best goal differential advancing to the top eight.

The tournament playoffs begin on Saturday, with the A and B finals on Sunday.