KJHL Championship Recap

The North Division Champion Arborg Ice Dawgs squared off in a best of 7 series against the South Division Champion Selkirk Fishermen.  This is the first time the teams have met in the final since the 2010-2011 when the Fishermen fought off a 3-0 deficit in the final to win 4-3 in 7 games.

With both teams coming off hard fought divisional finals, and looking to win the Championship and head to Abbotsford, BC to play in the Western Jr B Championship, this was shaping up to be a good series.

Game 1 was played in Selkirk, and saw the home side get on the board first.  They held period leads of 1-0, 3-0, and cruised to a 5-0 victory.  Cale McBride scored twice, including the game winner and Alfred Anderson added 2 assists.  Tanner MacVicar, Cory Balcaen & Scott Thomas each scored single goals for the Fish.  Jordan Liske made 21 saves to record the shutout & give the Fishermen a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 of the series moved to Arborg, where the Ice Dawgs were looking to knot the series at 1 game apiece, while the Fishermen were looking to take the driver’s seat in the series.  The first period ended in a scoreless tie.  The second period saw the Fishermen open the scoring, however Arborg answered back about 10 minutes later.  Selkirk again re-took the lead late in the period, but in the final minute, Arborg tied the game back up.  Arborg jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first 8 minutes of the third period & appeared to be in control, however a string of penalties late in the period allowed the Fishermen power play to start clicking & they recorded 3 goals in the final 5 minutes to tie the score back up at 5-5.  The first period of overtime solved nothing & then 9:12 into the 2nd overtime period, the Fishermen scored to take a 6-5 win & grab a 2-0 series lead.

Jeremy Pachkowsky & Jesse Reid-Whyte each scored twice for the Fishermen.  Scott Thomas & Cale McBride added single goals & single assists each.   Trevor Paradoski added 3 assists & Tanner MacVicar added 2 assists.  Jordan Liske made 39 saves to record the win.

Arborg was led by Spencer Kilbrei, who recorded a hat trick.  Brock McMahon & Jarret Kokolski each scored once.  Brendon Barron chipped in with 2 assists.  Jon Narverud made 58 saves in the game.

The series moved back to Selkirk for game 3.  Selkirk opened the scoring in the first period & then saw Arborg answer back just 1:18 later.  Those were the final goals scored in regulation time, as the teams remained tied at the end of 60 minutes.  The teams played a 10-minute & 20 minute overtime period and were still tied, so headed for a 3rd OT.  Selkirk scored 9:21 into the third overtime, after 99 minutes of hockey.

Selkirk got a goal and an assists from Jeremy Pachkowsky, while Trevor Paradoski added 2 assists.  Cale McBride chipped in with a lone goal of his own.  Jordan Liske made 55 saves to record the win.

Arborg’s lone goal came from Brock McMahon.  Jon Narverud made 52 saves in the game.

Arborg hosted game 4 & the Ice Dawgs were looking to prevent a Selkirk sweep, and get on the comeback trail themselves.  This game saw another scoreless first period, and it was 2 minutes into the second when Arborg opened the scoring.  The period remained 1-0 Arborg until the final minute, when Selkirk tied the game back up.  The third period saw Arborg score twice in 2:20 and hold on for 3-1 win & stave off elimination.

Trent Kroeker scored twice for Arborg, with Spencer Kilbrei adding a single goal.  Brendon Barron chipped in with 2 assists.  Jon Narverud made 43 saves on the night for the win.

Selkirk’s lone goal was scored by Cale McBride.  Jordan Liske turned aside 37 shots in the loss.

With the series now sitting at 3-1 for the Fishermen, game 5 was back in Selkirk.  The Fishermen jumped out of the gate quickly, scoring just 13 seconds into the game.  From there, they never looked back, adding 2 more first period goals and holding a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes.  The Fish added 1 goal in the second period, and then 3 more in the 3rd, to easily take the game 7-0.

Selkirk had seven different goal scorers in the game: Devan Lobb, Jon Starodub, Jeremy Pachkowsky, Karl Fey, Jesse Reid-Whyte, Cory Balcaen & Trevor Paradoski.  Michael Smiley, Pachkowsky, Balcaen & Tanner MacVicar each ended the game with 2 points.  Jordan Liske recorded his second shutout of the series, only being tested 17 times in the game.

Jon Narverud made 33 saves in the Arborg goal.

Congratulations to the Arborg Ice Dawgs on a successful season & the North Division Championship.  Congratulations to the KJHL Champion Selkirk Fishermen on their 4-1 series win.  They will now move on to Western Junior B Championship – Keystone Cup, which will be played April 17-20 in Abbotsford, BC.  You can follow all the action at  http://www.keystonecup.ca/leagues/front_pageKeystoneCup.cfm?leagueID=8511&clientID=3233