Western Cup preview

Brooks Bandits - Alberta Junior Hockey League

Coach: Ryan Papaioannou

Regular season record:
53W-4L-3T - 109 points

289 Goals scored

113 Goals allowed

Leading scorers;

G A P

Cam Maclise 27 56 83

Mark Reners 34 39 73

Dakota Mason 6 41 67

Goaltender
Michael Fredick
42W-2L-2L 1.90 GAA .919 Sv %


The Brooks Bandits were the top rated Junior 'A' team in Canada for the entire 2012-'13 season, and while they had a score in the playoffs being pushed to seven games by Okotoks, they are the Alberta champions.

Bandits head coach Ryan Papaioannou said the team was very good at times over the season.

"I think at times we thought we dominated pretty well," he said.

That said Papaioannou isn't discounting any team at the Western Cup.

"There are four champions in this tournament. It doesn't matter what league you won, you still won something," he said.

As the playoffs started, Papaioannou said the gap between teams closed a lot, with other teams stepping up.

None more than Okotoks in the Division final.

"It was kind of a test to see our resolve, to see what our team had," said Papaioannou.

Papaioannou said they may not have even deserved the win, but they persevered.

"Our guys weren't the best every night, but we won it," he said.

The tight series may actually have been good for the Bandits.

"I thought we were real good in the final series," offered Papaioannou. He said the Bandits "regrouped and played really well in the Spruce Grove series."

As a team Papaioannou said the Bandits "like to play on the offence. We're pretty freewheeling in that regard. It's the kind of style we like to play."

The Bandit coach said at times the team has "had struggles at different times with our physicality," but towards the end of the season they found the grit to be more physical as needed.

Nanaimo Clippers - Host team (BCHL)

Coach: Mike Vandekamp

Regular season record:

32W-20L-0T-4OTL - 68 points

182 Goals Scored

167 Goals Allowed

Leading scorers;

G A P


Greg Fraser 19 40 59

Kyle Kramer 30 27 57

Reid Sturos 25 32 57

Goaltender
Jason Argue
20W-17L 2.98 GAA .908 Save %



The Nanaimo Clippers lost in the opening round of their playoffs, but they hope to redeem that as they host the inaugural Western Canada Cup.

Clipper head coach Mike Vandekamp said the team was snakebitten most of the season.

"We had a lot of injuries. I don't mean the nagging type, but broken ankles, a broken leg, that level of stuff," he said. "It took away our ability to ice our best team."

In spite of the injuries Vandekamp said they played well down the stretch, but it caught up with them in the playoffs.

"We didn't even have a full roster to ice in the playoffs," he said.

Vandekamp said while not wanting to make excuses, he did add "I would like to think we would have done better if we were healthy."

With more than a month off since their playoff loss Vandekamp said the Clippers are closer to being healthy. As a result, he noted, "I think we belong in the tournament."

The only player still a question mark is Aaron Hadley, a two-time member of Team Canada West, and a Royal Bank Cup Tournament last season. Picked up at trade deadline Hadley broke his kneecap after only a few games, and missed the rest of the season, and playoffs. Vandekamp said he "may, or may not" be ready for the Western Canada Cup.

Regardless of who is in the line-up, Vandekamp said the Clippers are a team where work ethic matters.

"I think we are known for our hard work and our tenacity, for our aggressive style," he said.

In the tournament, Vandekamp said, "taking it one game at a time is very important."

Steinbach Pistons - Manitoba Junior Hockey League

Coach: Paul Dyck

Regular season record: 31W-25L-4T - 66 points

224 Goals Scored

211 Goals Allowed

Leading scorers;

G A P


Richard Olson 37 30 67

Myles Nykoluk 26 40 66

Justin Augert 34 30 64

Goaltender
Corey Koop
15W-28L 3.11GAA.921 Sv%



The Steinbach Pistons are a team which would have been considered a long shot to win the Manitoba crown, finishing 25-points back of the Winnipeg Blues in the Addison Division.

"I think a lot of people looked at us as underdogs going onto the playoffs," said Piston general manager and head coach Paul Dyck.

Looking at the Blues, who Steinbach played in the Division final, Dyck said over the regular season they had managed only one win in nine tries against the Blues. But it was a different Pistons team as the regular season passed to the playoffs.

"I think we started to get on a roll headed into the playoffs. I thought we had gained some momentum heading into the playoffs," he said. "We started to play the type of hockey we needed to play."

The Pistons took the Blues out of the picture in six games, they faced Dauphin in the league final, again as underdogs. Steinbach had split with the Kings two-two in the regular season, but Dyck noted in the four-year history of the Pistons "we had never won in Dauphin." To win the crown they had to manage to change that. Winning on home ice, and managing a steal in Dauphin, the Pistons won their crown in six.

So how does Dyck look at his own team?

"We play with a fair amount of energy," he said, adding down the stretch "we tightened up defensively.

"That was something we really focused on down the stretch; good habits in our defensive zone."

Surrey Eagles - British Columbia Junior Hockey League

Coach: Matt Erhart

Regular season record: 35W-13L-3OTL-5SL - 78 points

195 Goals Scored

149 Goals Allowed

Leading scorers;

G A P


Brady Shaw 38 32 70

Adam Tambellini 36 29 65

Adam Stenerson 19 35 54

Goaltender
Michael Santaguida
29W-10L 2.28GAA .933 Sv%



The Surrey Eagles topped the British Columbia loop, but Eagles coach Matt Erhart said it wasn't easy in the final over Penticton.

"It was two really good teams playing. The team that made one more mistake lost the games," he said. "In terms of scoring chances back-and-forth was not too many."

The Eagles did have the best regular season record in the league, but Erhart said that too was close with the top 5/6 teams being very competitive.

"We only clinched the last weekend of the regular season," he said, although he added they did go 23-3-3 down the stretch.

Erhart said the Eagles were in the Conference-final the last two seasons, but came up short, so this year bulked up for a run.

Erhart said they made some key trades which helped solidify the team, including picking up forward Adam Tambellini, son of former National Hockey League player Steve Tambellini, from Vernon.

"He had the game winner last night (in the league final) so I guess the trade paid off," said his coach.

Tambellini had 30 points over the last 18 games of the season, and was the top goal scorer in the league in the playoffs too.

Brady Shaw, son of former NHLer Brad Shaw, was the team's regular season scoring leader.

"He's a pure goal scorer. He's a big body that goes strong to the net He's a tough guy to handle down low," said Erhart.

Erhart says the Eagles are also very good in goal with Michael Santaguida.

"He's small but very quick. He plays the puck like a third defenceman," he said.

Devon Toews leads a solid defence as a BCHL all star.

As for how the Eagles plan to play in the Western Cup, Erhart said they'll focus on their game.

"One thing we want to focus on is playing our game," he said. "If our game's not good enough we don't deserve to win."

Yorkton Terriers - Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Coach: Trent Cassan

Regular season record: 36W-14L-1OTL-3SL - 76 points

196 Goals Scored

148 Goals Allowed

Leading scorers;

G A P


Nathan Murray 14 28 42

Jeremy Johnson 28 13 41

Patrick Martens 23 18 41

Goaltender
Dawson MacAuley
16W-6L 2.14 GAA .921 Sv%



The Yorkton Terriers are eager to be heading to the Western Cup, offered head coach Trent Cassan.

The Terriers will have had a couple of weeks off since clinching the Canalta Cup over Humboldt, and head coach Trent Cassan said that has not been a bad thing.

"It helped give the guys a little bit of time off," he said, adding the Terriers were off the ice until Thursday.

Now that they are back on the ice Cassan said he likes the way the players are reacting.

"The guys have been very focused, hungry," he said. "They're proud of what they accomplished, but they aren't just going to the island for an eight to 10 holiday."

Cassan said in such tournaments you face opposition you have very limited first-hand information on. He said he did go to Dauphin to see game five of the series which Steinbach finally won.

Cassan said he does have access to video on other teams, and like all teams at the tournament will be talking to contacts in Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia to get some insight into their upcoming opponents.

"They'll give us a little bit of insight into what teams are like," he said.

With limited information, and preparation time, Cassan said the Terriers have to focus on the basics.

"Specialty teams will be really important," he said. "Discipline will be very important."

Since the team will only play four round robin games in the tournament Cassan said "we have to have a good start."

The Terriers will fly out this Friday, partake in opening ceremonies that evening, then play the host Nanaimo Clippers in the tourney opener Saturday, and be back on the ice Sunday to face Steinbach.

"So basically three days in our tournament schedule will already be half over," he said. "We really won't have any time to settle."

With a hectic schedule Cassan said the Terriers will stick to what has worked.

"We'll work at it the same way we have all year," he said, adding they will have to be ready to react too. "There are adjustments we will have to make."

In terms of reacting Cassan said they will need to rely on players adapting to whatever role they are thrust into, just as they have all season.