Vees face Battlefords North Stars at SOEC

The Brooks Bandits don’t want to become three-time bridesmaids at the Sun Life Financial Western Canada Cup.

The two-time defending Alberta league champs and No. 1 ranked CJHL team in the country take on the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs in the championship game of the fifth annual WCC today at 7 p.m. at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Brooks, who went 51-5-4 in the regular season and 12-1 in the playoffs to win their second straight AJHL title, topped the WCC round-robin with four wins (one in a shootout) and 11 points.

The Bandits lost in last year’s WCC final to the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors and also fell to the Surrey Eagles in the final of inaugural WCC in 2013.

Chilliwack is making its first WCC appearance, qualifying despite losing to the Vees in overtime of Game 7 of the BCHL championship series.

The Chiefs earned a berth in the final despite finishing tied for second in the round-robin with the Vees at six points.

The Chiefs got the nod due to a 4-2 win in the head-to-head game against Penticton on Tuesday night.

Brooks beat Chilliwack 5-2 when the teams met in the opening round-robin game last Saturday.

The host Vees face the Battlefords North Stars in the qualifying game today at 2 p.m. at the SOEC.

The winner of that game advances to play the loser of the Brooks-Chilliwack contest on Sunday at 4 p.m. for the second West region berth to the RBC Cup national championship May 13-21 in Cobourg, Ont.

Battlefords beat Chilliwack in its final round-robin game on Thursday and got the help it needed to advance when the Vees beat Portage that evening, eliminating the three-time Manitoba leaguechampion Terriers from contention.

Battlefords finished with four points and Portage three.

Battlefords and Penticton also clashed in the round-robin opener last Saturday, with the Vees triumphing 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Chris Klack.

The WCC Awards Gala was held Friday.