In the winner take all game Tuesday night between the final two teams in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League the experienced goaltender Adam Bartko was at his best.
Game seven was played in La Ronge in front of 1.339 fans and the home team wasted no time in getting the fans excited. Just 18 second into the game, the Ice Wolves led 1-0 and nearly two minutes later, scored again on the powerplay putting the Yorkton Terriers down 2-0.
The Sherwood Conference champions scored late in the first, but an insurance marker for the Ice Wolves in the second sealed their destiny, as they earned the 3-1 win and SJHL championship.
Battlefords own Adam Bartko was named the game's first star with a 40-save performance, including 21 in the second period.
Bartko ends his SJHL playoffs with all 12 of La Ronge's wins. He led all playoff goalies with 1,022 minutes played, a .936 save percentage, 501 saves and was third in the playoffs with a 2.53 goals against average. Those stats helped Bartko become a co-playoff-MVP along with Ice Wolves defenceman Dayton Fossum.
The Ice Wolves advance to the ANAVET Cup for the second straight year and will face off with the Portage Terriers in Portage La Prairie, Man. Friday night. The winner of the series advances to the national championship RBC Cup in Camrose, Alta.
