RBC Cup final could feature two teams from the BCHL
With two days left in the RBC Cup, both BCHL teams are still alive and kicking.
The Wenatchee Wild and Chilliwack Chiefs will be playing in opposing semifinals today at Chilliwack’s Prospera Centre, meaning that we could have an all-BCHL matchup in Sunday’s Junior A national championship game.
The title game goes at 4 p.m. at Prospera that day and will be broadcast on TSN.
The event dates back to 1971 and the only time two teams from one league met in the championship game was in 1990, when the Vernon Lakers surprised the favoured New Westminster Royals 6-5 in overtime in Vernon to capture what was known then as the Centennial Cup.
The Wild, based in north central Washington State, are looking to become the first American team to capture the title.
Wenatchee, the BCHL champions, face Ontario’s Wellington Dukes at 2 p.m. today to decide one finalist, while the Chiefs square off with the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the 7 p.m. game to produce the other Sunday participant.
Manitoba’s Steinbach Pistons were eliminated from the end of the preliminary round on Thursday.
We take a look here at the final four teams:
Wenatchee Wild
RBC record: 4-0-0, 10 points
RBC leading scorer: F Jasper Weatherby 3-5-8
RBC preliminary round meeting with Wellington: 7-1 win on Thursday
Regular season record: 37-16-4-1, 79 points, third in Interior Division, third overall in BCHL
Leading scorer: Weatherby 37-3774
League playoff record: 16-4
The skinny: Wenatchee moved from the Texas-based North American Hockey League to become the 17th franchise in the BCHL for the 2015-16 season. They became the loop’s first American entry since the Bellingham Ice Hawks, who were active 1990-95. The Wild actually had a better regular season in 2016-17, when they topped the league with a 45-9-4-0 mark, but the playoff format put them up against the second-place Chiefs in the second round and Wenatchee lost in four straight. The BCHL had 10 players wind up in Central Scouting ’s final North American skater rankings for the upcoming draft and Wenatchee landed three of them in defenceman Slava Demin (No. 40), Weatherby (No. 198) and centre Sam Morton (No. 212).
Wellington Dukes
RBC record: 1-2-1, 3 points
RBC leading scorer: F Ben Evans 0-3-3
RBC preliminary meeting with Wenatchee: 7-1 loss on Thursday
Regular season record: 33-13-3-5, 74 points, first in East Division, sixth overall in OJHL (Ontario Junior Hockey League)
Leading scorer: F Mitchell Martan 26-41-67
League playoff record: 16-9
The skinny: Martan, who’s originally from Whitby, Ont., started his junior career last season in the BCHL with the West Kelowna Warriors, but was dealt after playing 18 games to Wellington for future considerations. The Dukes have two of the five OJHL players listed on the Central final North American skater rankings in defenceman Mason Snell (No. 173) and defenceman Declan Carlile (No. 176). They’re coached by former NHLer John Druce, who guided the OJHL rival Cobourg Cougars to the RBC title out of the host spot a year ago, was fired by the Cougars early this season and then took over in Wellington when team brass opted to part ways with their staff despite a 22-9-1-3 start. Chilliwack Chiefs
RBC record: 3-0-1, nine points
RBC leading scorer: F Will Calverley 5-0-5
RBC preliminary meeting with Ottawa: Won 4-3 in overtime Sunday
Regular season record: 26-26-3-3, 58 points, fourth in Mainland Division, 12th overall in BCHL
Leading scorer: Calverley 18-28-46
League playoff record: 3-4
The skinny: The Chiefs were ousted in seven games in the first round of the league playoffs, falling 3-1 to the Prince George Spruce Kings on March 11. They fired coach Jason Tatarnic on May 3, and put assistant Brian Maloney in charge. They’re aiming to become the fourth straight host team to make the final. Two have won, including Cobourg last season.
Ottawa Jr. Senators
RBC record: 2-0-2, six points.
RBC leading scorer: F Finn Evans 3-3-6
RBC preliminary meeting with Chilliwack: Lost 4-3 in overtime Sunday
Regular season record: 46-9-2, 99 points, first in Yzerman Division, second overall in CCHL (Central Canada Hockey League)
Leading scorer: LW Chiwetin Blacksmith 16-51-67
League playoff record: 12-6
The skinny: Evans, a Toronto native, began this season in the BCHL
with the Vernon Vipers but was traded after eight games to Ottawa for future considerations. The Jr. Senators have the lone CCHL player in the North American final skater rankings. Centre Ethan Manderville (No. 165) is the son of former NHLer Kent Manderville. He started the season with the rival Kanata Lasers but was dealt to the Jr. Senators as part of a threeway trade.