Is this the year the Cochrane Chaos will win the provincial championship of the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League (AJFHL)?

A top contender in the league since hitting the ice in the 2016-17 season, they've been south division champs and provincial finalists, but a provincial title has alluded them by mere goals.

Tonight at the SLS Centre, the Chaos begin their hunt for the title at home with a first-round matchup against the Calgary Titans in a best-of-three series. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. in Totem One.

The Chaos was the winningest team in the league, with a 22-4-1 record, topping the south division and league. Not to be outdone, the Edmonton Wolves have the top win percentage, playing one game fewer than the Chaos.

In the south, it's the Lethbridge Eagles who have given the Chaos the greatest challenge and the two are favourites to advance to the south finals.

But the playoffs are a fresh thing and there are no guarantees, as illustrated in the opening game of the Edmonton Wolves-Central Alberta Amazons last night. With just four wins in the regular season, the Amazons upset the Edmonton Wolves 4-3 in overtime of the opening game of their series. Game Two is tonight in Penhold.

The Lethbridge Eagles and Calgary Jags kick off the other south division semifinal series tonight in Lethbridge, and the closely matched Sherwood Park Steele and Fort Saskatchewan Fury play at the Ardrossan MacMillan Arena.