Jr. Senators prepare for road trip

With the Ottawa Jr. Senators win over college Francais de Longueuil Sunday in the final of the Fred Page Cup, four of the five spots on the RBC Cup dance card have now been filled. With their FPC win the Jr. Sens earned the right to become the Eastern representative.

The Junior A national championship tournament runs from May 12-20 at the Prospera Centre and as the host team the Chilliwack Chiefs were the first to register their name for the event.

Trouble is the Chiefs bowed out of the British Columbia Hockey League playoffs in the preliminary round with a seven-game loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings and haven’t played a game since March 11. Add to that the fact that the Chiefs fired their coach Jason Tatarnic in a surprise move last week so what to expect from the hosts is anyone’s guess.

The Pacific region will be represented by the Wenatchee Wild, BCHL champions and winners of the regional play-in Doyle Cup.

The Wellington Dukes claimed the Dudley Hewitt Cup regional tournament after being crowned champions of the Ontario Junior

Hockey League and will be the Central representative in Chilliwack.

The only spot left to decide will be for the West representative and that could come as early as Monday night.

The Nipawin Hawks, winners of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, trail the Steinbach Pistons 3-2 in the best-of-seven Anavet Cup. The Pistons are the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champs.

The Dukes and Jr. Sens will open the tournament on May 12.