AEHC Weekly Episode 11: Season Finale

It's the season finale of this season's AEHC Weekly! We take a look at the Avalanche's battle vs the Calgary Royals, look ahead to Spring Camp and the AEHC Three Stars of the Week. Thanks for listening and see you next season! 

Transcript

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Welcome to AEHC Weekly, where we take a look at the week that was for the teams under the Airdrie Elite Hockey Committee umbrella.

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Haley comes away with the puck stolen away by Camponi. Camponi scores! Pink Pony Club! Michael Camponi breaks the goose egg! Then by Oxford, his shot stopped by Gamblin! Rebound! That stopped too! They got a left pad on it. It's Snow and Buckhart walking right in. Snow to Buckhart walks it's Buckhart scores! And now, the voice of Airdrie Hockey, Chris Klein. Hey, what's going on, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of AEHC Weekly, episode 11. I'm Chris Klein, and to start today's show, this will be the final show for the 2025-2026 season. Now I know what you're thinking, Chris. Boobala. We got female provincials happening next weekend. I realize that. There's two reasons why this will be the final episode this week. Number one is I got a new job. So my new job starts on next Monday in Concordance. So I won't have a lot of time to go out gather interviews to put this all together. This is a large project that I put together every single week. It takes about three to four hours to gather interviews, to edit, to put everything all together. So I just won't have a lot of time with me starting my new job. I want to give 100% focus to that. Make sure that I'm hitting the ground, running with that. And number two is technology has failed me. Everything is gone. All previous episodes of AEHC Weekly, all my editing files that I use to put everything together, to piece everything together. It's a big jigsaw puzzle. Everything is gone. From episode 1 to episode 10, it is totally gone. I'm piecing this episode together using the entirety of episode 10. So I'm cutting it. I'm trying to eliminate voices, that kind of thing. It's not going to sound the greatest, but it's what we got. So I just don't have time to go out and find all pieces of information. It's a big pain in the butt to realize that I just have nothing left. But it is what it is. Technology just sometimes doesn't work for you. So that's another reason why we're ending this week. This week's episode will be a little bit shorter. We will not feature a player interview. I didn't want to interview anybody for the Avalanche. That wound's still fresh. I don't want to go and say, oh, how does it feel to lose? Like, I don't want that. It's still fresh for me. Also, I don't want to bother the U18 female lightning as well. They're busy preparing for provincials. I do not want to go in there and disrupt their focus at all. So there's no player interview this week, but we will still have what happened last week with game highlights. We'll still have a look ahead at spring camps and maybe some off-season training if you want to participate in that. And then we'll also have the AEHC three stars as well. So let's get right into it with the weekly recap. The Air Dream Avalanche were the only game in town, the only team playing last week as the Lightning were on a bye, busy preparing for provincial. So the Avalanche took on the Calgary Royals, the hottest team in the U17 AAA League. It was a tough one from the start. As in game one, it was a tough eight to three win. Just a weird game. A lot of crazy bounces happened against the Avalanche. They were down five to one. They battled back to make it five to three, and then ultimately fell eight to three goals in that game. Matthew Moore got his fourth of the playoffs. Also, Marcus Adamchuk and Andrew Fleming. And then in game two, my goodness, in front of a jam-packed Ron Evanson Arena, it was absolute craziness. Take a look at the highlights. It all comes down to this do or die, win or go home for the Airdrie Avalanche here tonight as it gets loud here at Ron Evanson Arena. Matthew Moore to take the opening drama, and we are underway. Thanks for joining us on Flo Hawkins. Gives it away to Robson to Hiddle. He scores. He'll play it over to Brett. Brent with a shot. He scores. Beats William George. And the Runnels will take it to go lead here with 207 left to go here in the first period. Play it to Smith. One on the one with Franklin trying to drive line. Smith back door, they score. He's the first one leading the line. And it looks like it will be Cole Smith's fourth of the playoffs. And it's now three to nothing for the Royals here in the second frame. It'll play the puck back to Staferma. His offshot to the play! They score! Joe Barton playoff! Joe gets one back for the Avalanche! What a big goal! And it's now three to the one with 16 minutes left to go here in the third period. Joe Barton, second of the playoffs! Right in. Smith will then shot it to the avalanche. Crystal George. Stopped by George! Work back to the line. Bobby! He'll play it to Crucian. He scores! As Kruchen skates right over to the avalanche bench. DeFerman has it to the Lacey. Plays it out in front nifty pass, looking for Foreman. As Kempin will knock it down. Look at Jump! He scores! Four to two, 912 left to go. He'll play it back to Foreman as Lacey battles with Brett in front of the net. To remind him. Look at shot! Kippin again! The streak is over! TheRon has a surrender to power play goal! And it's now four to three with four fifty-five left to go! In the third period! Lucas Kempins! Fourth of the playoffs! As it's getting louder and louder here at Roman Evanson Arena, flipping with a shot and stop my murder. As this play to this near tonight, boards more is there. What a comeback! As we will start 10 minutes of five on five here at Ron Evanston Arena. Next goal wins territory. If the Avalanche scores, we'll see it tomorrow afternoon in Calgary. If the Royal score, they'll punch their ticket to provincial. Shiny just put a wide! As able to come to his middle crunched on the play by Barton. Able to get the block out, maybe a breakaway. Here comes Jonathan! Jeff Jeff! Ends it for the Royals! As they survive the comeback and they'll win the series! Two games to go! His fifth of the playoffs! As he found a bouncy puck at center ice and outweighted William George, and the Royals will punch their tickets. Looks like the entire team is going to join in with the prayer circle. One final time, even the coaches. That's what it's all about, ladies and gentlemen. The game of hockey. It's there's no better game. True brotherhood through and through. Just ultimately, Avalanche just wasn't their day. We see it all the time. Just when a team seems like they're destined to win, Avalanche battled back, tied it up. I lost my mind. I apologize for the play-by-play. It was just crazy. I hit puberty once again, but it speaks to the character that was in that room, the culture that was built by head coach Ben McMullen and also the assistant coaches there. They battled all season. This team was special. Um, I thought for sure they were gonna go to the provincials. I was ready to come to Spruce Grove. I realized that my wife's birthday is this weekend, and also another reason why I didn't want to go out and get interviews is because I'm gonna be busy with that, making her happy. But I was ready to go into the doghouse to come cheer the boys out on in Spruce Grove. But congratulations to the Calgary Royals, they battled hard. And my final thoughts on the Air Dream Avalanche season. Now, this team will always hold a special place in my heart. I said that about the bisons as well, but the avalanche is where the dream got started, where all these opportunities came, and I'll be an avalanche for life. And I just want to say from top to bottom, from the coaching staff to the players to the managers as well, Mark Moore, what an absolute beauty he is. But I just want to say thank you so much for making me feel part of this team. Um, from day one, you guys accepted me with open arms. It was an emotional going into that dress room after game two, after the OT loss. A lot of tears, a lot of hugs, but thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this team all season wrong. I'll be at an avalanche for life, and I'm looking so forward to seeing each and every one of you boys continue your hockey career, whether it's with the bisons next year or the lightning or you're moving on to different pastures. You'll always have a fan in Chris Klein, and it still hurts. I was looking forward to you guys raising a provincial banner. This was the team to do it, but once again, they ran into a very hot Calgary Royals team, and good luck to the Royals in their provincial starting this weekend in Spruce Grove as well. So let's take a look at the week ahead. The week ahead, there is still some hockey being played as the U18AA female Airdrie Lightning are in provincials on home ice, an opportunity to win a banner on home ice. Well, kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for sure, and they'll take to the ice on Thursday. Game one at 12 o'clock against the Lloyd Minister Steelers. Game two, also on Thursday. Puff drop for that one, is at 5 30 against the Red Deer Chiefs. That one is going to be a great game. Game three, Friday, 9 a.m. A revenge game against the Calgary Fire White. The team that beat them in playoffs in a shootout. It was a tough way to end their playoffs season. Luckily, they're still in provincials. What an opportunity to get a little bit of revenge against the Calgary Fire. And then on Saturday, 11:45 against the Peace Country Storm out of the North Division. You can catch all the action on full hockey. They'll have a different commentator out there, somebody a little bit better. But hey, I'm pretty sure everybody's sick of my voice by now. Did you listen to the Avalanche highlights? My goodness, I turned into Squeaky McVeigh as well. Some Spring Camp information for you to know. Once again, if you want to listen to Dustin Taylor's interview, I believe it's episode two or three. He highlights what spring camp's gonna look like. Go back, listen to that one as well. But it starts on April 15th to 19th. If your age group is U16 to U18 AAA and AA male and female, you'll take the Dice for Spring Camp there. U15, AAA, and double A male and female will take place on April 23rd to 26th. And U11 to U13 AAA and AA male and female will be April 30th to May 3rd. The URA banquet for the AAA hockey teams, the extreme, the avalanche, the bisons, and I believe the junior extreme will well as well will take place April 16th. I think I'm the MC. I believe I am. I just want waiting for confirmation there, so looking forward to that as well. If you're looking for a little off-season training, Lift Youth Fitness, which is owned and operated by Ben McMullen, is offering an April to August off-season training program. More information can be found on the Lift Youth Fitness Instagram. Of course, Spring Camp more Spring Camp information can be found on the Airdrie Elite Hockey Committee website at airdreeeletehockey.com. And before we wrap up today's show, you know what's gonna happen. We gotta get to the three stars of the week. They're all gonna be avalanche players. Third star of the week, I gotta go to Chucky, Marcus Adam Chuck, who scored the game tying goal that made me just absolutely lose my mind. Blew the roof off of Ron Ebbinson Arena. Looking forward to seeing Chucky continue his hockey career. He's got a heck of a shot. Make sure you work on that foot speed there, Chucky. Second star of the week is Lucas Camping. Two goals, got the party comeback started with one goal and then also scored again. It was almost the Lucas Camping show, almost had a hat trick as well. And then first star of the week, I gotta go with Matthew Moore in the entirety of playoffs, four goals, four assists for eight points, led the avalanche in points for the playoffs. Great job, Matthew, and that's it. That will do it for this year for the 2025-2026 season for the entire AEHC organization from top to bottom. Dustin Taylor, Jack Lumley, all the managers I have dealt with, everybody in between. I know I'm missing names, I apologize, but thank you so so so so so much for allowing me to live my dream. I'm started as a teacher, and now I get to yell at hockey for a living, and it's awesome. I absolutely love it. So thank you for making me be part, feel like part of this giant family. Looking forward to next season as well. To all the players from the junior extreme, the extreme, the avs, the bisons, the male lightning and female lightning. Thank you so much for welcoming me, welcome me in with open arms, and also for allowing me to interview you and allowing for your personality to show. It was a great time. Looking forward to doing this again next year. Good luck over the summer if you're playing ball or if you're playing more hockey. If you're going to go try out for teams as well, good luck. I'll be following closely. Like I said, you're always going to have a fan in Chris Klein in your corner. And then also to you, the listener, the parents, everybody with the positive feedback. Thank you so much for downloading every single week. We hit milestones with downloading. Once again, when I put this together, I only thought that you know 10 to 20 people were gonna listen. But no, this like we got like 120 to like 150 listeners every single week for every single podcast. So thank you so much for listening. And that is a wrap for the 2025 2026 season. I'm Chris Klein, and until next September, we'll catch you down the road. Thank you for listening to this year's AEHC Weekly.