Canucks sweep Wolverines to end 25-year AJHL title drought
Inter Pipeline Cup championship earns Calgary a trip to nationals in Ontario
The Alberta Junior Hockey League's oldest and winningest franchise is back on top of the provincial circuit.
After 25 long years, the Calgary Canucks grabbed the AJHL title and the coveted Inter Pipeline Cup with a 3-2 win Wednesday night, capping the best-of-seven championship series with a sweep of the Whitecourt Wolverines.
Gavin Garland's goal on a partial breakawaymidwaythroughgame4 was the game and series winner for the Canucks.
“It's surreal,” said Canucks forward Riley Bracko, amid the emotional and lengthy post-game onice celebrations at Max Bell Centre that included scores of friends and family on hand for the Alberta champions.
“You dream about this when you're a kid.”
It was the 10th AJHL banner claimed by the Calgary club and the first since 1999, when Bracko's grandfather, Ken, was a cornerstone for the franchise.
“It's a special moment for my grandpa,” Bracko said. “What he's done for this organization and hockey in this city was unreal.”
This championship comes with a direct bye to the Centennial Cup, which is slated for May 9-19 in Oakville, Ont.
The host Oakville Blades will welcome nine other teams, including the Canucks, at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex for the Canadian Junior Hockey League championship.
“It's tough to put into words what this means,” said Canucks general manager and head coach Brad Moran. “The way these kids played and the way it came together and what we've been through and to finish it like this is pretty special for a lot of these guys, special for me and special for the organization.”
Moran's Canucks dominated in winning four straight in the final.
They won Games 1, 2 and 3 by 5-1, 5-2 and 5-4 scores — with the first two tilts hosted by the Wolverines — before coming into Wednesday night's clincher at Max Bell Centre with considerable confidence.
And that translated into a gamewide effort from puck drop.
“The guys just peaked at the right time,” Moran said. “We got better and better each round, and once we found a way to win a couple of games in a row, the guys really believed they could finish this off.
“The sweep was not expected. But the way they played, it was no doubt.”
It was Bracko jamming home a rebound past Wolverines goaltender Nicholas Avakyan for the game's first goal nearly 11 minutes into the first period.
Three minutes into the second period, Chris Kobelka's shot was knocked home by Cody Pisarczyk to make it 2-0 for the home side.
But midway through the frame, the Wolverines got on the board on a goal by Spencer Rheaume that beat Canucks goalie Julian Molinaro.
Then early in the third stanza, it was Evan Arnold drawing the Wolverines even at 2-2.
However, the hosts shook it off and got back on top when Garland broke away and beat Avakyan for the game and series winner.
“It was a loose puck that our D -man got to the middle and made a good play on,” Garland said. “And I saw I had a foot race with their defenceman. I just had to get the boots moving. I had to outwork him for it. Definitely an exciting goal. It was electric.”
So were the closing moments, with Molinaro — along with help from his teammates in front of him — keeping the never-say-die Wolverines from evening the score again.
“Just unbelievable,” Garland said. “It's awesome.”
Ty Hipkin, a forward for the Canucks who topped the league with 18 points in 13 post-season games, was named the playoff MVP.
Though it's their 10th AJHL championship, it's only the Canucks' second trip to the Centennial Cup — this one made easier than previous bids after the AJHL lost five of its strongest teams this winter to the BCHL and the absence of the Doyle Cup, previously played annually between AJHL and BCHL champs in a step to reach the CJHL year-end event.
Their trip in 1995 yielded a championship triumph. But the next few days are dedicated to savouring this victory.
“We've come a long way from the start of the season for this,” added Garland. “And it's only going to get better. I know we've got the Centennial Cup that we've all got on our minds to win. But right now, we're pumped about this.”