Staff
Jordan Larson will get one more shot at a storybook ending.
The Fort Frances native and the rest of the Carleton Place Canadians will head to Lloydminster, Alta./Sask. later this week after qualifying for the RBC Cup by capturing the Eastern Canadian regional title yesterday in Woodstock, N.B.
Larson, who is the captain of the Canadians, was held off the scoresheet but it didn’t matter as the CCHL champs doubled the host Woodstock Slammers (MHL) 4-2 in the final.
Carleton Place, which has lost in the RBC Cup final the past two years, will be the lone returning team to the national tourney from last year.
The defending national champion Portage Terriers (MJHL), featuring former Fort Frances Lakers’ goalie Nathan Park, won’t be back after being edged 2-1 by the AJHL champion Brooks Bandits at the Western Canada Cup in Estevan, Sask.
The loss ended the season for the No. 1 nationally-ranked Terriers, who had a 31-game winning streak during the MJHL season.
The BCHL champion West Kelowna Warriors later closed out their title run in Estevan by blanking the Bandits 6-0 in the final.
Meanwhile, the Dudley Hewitt Cup final saw the Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) cruise to a 4-0 win over the defending champion Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL).
Carleton Place, Brooks, West Kelowna, and Trenton will join the host Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL) at the national tournament, which runs May 14-24.
