When the Games Matter Most: KHA’s 18U AAA and 17U AAA Meet the Playoffs
Playoff Hockey Has Arrived at Kootenay Hockey Academy
There’s a different feeling in the rink this time of year, and if you’ve been around our program long enough, you can sense it immediately. The pace is sharper, the details matter more, and every shift carries weight because everyone understands what’s at stake.
As General Manager of Kootenay Hockey Academy, I couldn’t be more proud of how both of our teams have leaned into this moment and prepared themselves for playoff hockey in their own distinct ways.
18U AAA: Preparation Meeting Opportunity
Over the last few weeks of the regular season, once our 18U group had clarity on where they would land in the standings, there was a noticeable shift in how they approached their work. Under the leadership of Head Coach Jaysen MacLean, practices became even more detailed and intentional, with a clear focus on tightening up our systems play, sharpening tactical execution, and reinforcing the habits that win in the postseason.
Shifts have been short and purposeful, puck management has improved, and the group has embraced the idea that playoff hockey is less about individual moments and more about collective discipline. What I’ve appreciated most is how calm and mature they’ve been throughout it all, understanding that confidence is built through preparation rather than emotion.
That preparation showed up in a big way in their opening playoff game, where they earned a 6-1 win over Lloydminster. Beyond the scoreline, what stood out was how connected they were as a unit, trusting their structure and staying committed to the details that they’ve been refining over the past month.
That win gives them the opportunity to play again and keep their season alive, and that’s all you can ask for this time of year. You want to be playing meaningful games, and this group has put themselves in position to do exactly that.
17U AAA: Resilience That Defines a Group
If our 18U team has shown the value of preparation, our 17U group has shown the power of resilience.
Coached by Jackson Bohan, this team found itself in a high-stakes rivalry matchup against the Calgary Stallions, a game added late to the schedule that ultimately determined whether they would earn a bye through the play-in round. It was physical, emotional, and intense from the start, and after the first intermission we were staring at a 5-2 deficit that could have easily rattled a less mature group.
Instead of unraveling, they regrouped. They simplified their game, recommitted to their habits, and started to chip away shift by shift. There was no panic on the bench, just belief and a willingness to compete for one another, and over the course of the next two periods they mounted an impressive comeback to win 9-6.
That victory secured them a bye and gives them a well-earned weekend off before opening their first-round playoff series on the final weekend of February, and I truly believe that experience will serve them well when they hit the ice again. Learning how to respond when things aren’t going your way is one of the most important lessons in sport, and this group lived it in real time.
What This Means for Our Program
As we move deeper into the playoffs, I want our players, parents, and supporters to recognize that this is about more than advancing through a bracket. It’s about the habits being built, the culture being strengthened, and the standard we continue to raise inside our program.
We are developing players who understand how to prepare with intention, how to compete with structure, and how to respond when adversity hits, and those are traits that extend far beyond a single game or series.
To our families and fans, thank you for the energy and belief you bring to our rink, because it makes a difference in moments like these. And to potential recruits watching from a distance, this is what KHA hockey looks like when the games matter most: competitive teams, connected groups, and an environment that demands growth.
We’re proud of both of these teams, and we’re excited for what’s still ahead.
See you at the rink.
— Kelvin Cech
General Manager
Kootenay Hockey Academy
