RBC Cup kicks off Saturday

Photo: Contributed - LA Media Photography

The Vernon Vipers celebrate their last RBC Cup title in 2010.

For the 44th time, Canada’s top Junior A teams have gathered, this year in Vernon, to battle for the National Junior A Championship, beginning Saturday, May 10.

This year marks the second time Vernon has hosted the national championship. The host Lakers won the tournament on home ice in 1990, the first year of the current five-team format.

The host Vernon Vipers are joined by four regional representatives:

• Carleton Place Canadians (East)
• Dauphin Kings (West #2)
• Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (Central)
• Yorkton Terriers (West #1).

The Vipers are looking to win the national title for the seventh time in their 10th appearance, extending their own all-time record.

Vernon previously won the national championship in 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2009 and 2010.

A win would make the Vipers the first host team to win the RBC Cup since the Weyburn Red Wings in 2005, and just the seventh since the introduction of a host team in 1985.

The Kings will make their second RBC Cup appearance after hosting in 2010, losing to Vernon in the championship game.

The Terriers will appear for the fifth time, and the fourth to include Vernon, while both the Patriots and Canadians are making their first RBC Cup appearance.

The championship game will be held Sunday, May 18 at 4:30 p.m. and will be shown on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters.

All preliminary round games and the semifinals can be seen live via FASTHockey webcast at www.hockeycanada.ca/rbccup.

A number of ticket options are still available, including single-game tickets, a two-game premium package (Vipers’ tournament opener and championship game), seven-game team packages (four preliminary round games of each team, semifinals and championship game) and a full-tournament package.

Click here for more information on tickets.