Day three of the Western Canada Cup in Dauphin featured a battle between the only two unbeaten teams, with the B-C Champion Coquitlam Express and MJHL Champion Winnipeg Blues putting 1-and-0 records on the line.
The matchup featured two teams who would have seemed unlikely to be at the Western Canada Cup when the Junior A playoffs began, with the Blues finishing in fourth-place in the Addison Division before going 14-and-3 in the post-season to claim the Turnbull Cup.
The Express finished a game above .500 (27-26-2-3) and in a tie for ninth overall before going 14-and-5 in the playoffs to claim the Fred Page Cup.
In Monday’s game, Ryan Rosenthal and Brendan Lamont scored first period goals to give Coquitlam a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, with Warren Callis getting the Blues to within one with a power-play goal just past the midway mark of the second period.
That was all the scoring on the night as the goaltenders took over from that point, with Coquitlam’s Gordie Defiel making 32 saves and Winnipeg’s Byron Spriggs stopped 31 shots.
Coquitlam is the lone undefeated team, improving to 2-and-0 with the victory, while the Blues fall into a tie with Yorkton and Dauphin for second-place at 1-and-1.
Tuesday’s games have Yorkton battling winless Spruce Grove at 2:00 p.m., with the all-Manitoba battle between the Blues and Dauphin at 7:00 p.m..
STANDINGS
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | PTS | |
| Coquitlam (BCHL) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Wpg Blues (MJHL) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Yorkton (SJHL) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| Dauphin (Host) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| Spruce Grove (AJHL) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
Monday’s result
Coquitlam 2 Wpg Blues 1
Sunday’s results
Coquitlam 3 Spruce Grove 1
Yorkton 8 Dauphin 6
Saturday’s results
Dauphin 4 Spruce Grove 2
Winnipeg 3 Yorkton 1
Tuesday’s games
Yorkton vs. Spruce Grove, 2 p.m.
Wpg Blues vs. Dauphin, 7 p.m.
Wednesday’s game
Coquitlam vs. Yorkton, 7 p.m
Thursday’s games
Spruce Grove vs. Wpg Blues, 2 p.m.
Dauphin vs. Coquitlam, 7 p.m.
PLAYOFFS
Saturday, May 3
Third place vs. Fourth place, 2 p.m.
First place vs. Second place, 7 p.m. (Winner qualifies for RBC Cup)
Sunday, May 4
Third-Fourth winner vs. First-Second loser, 4 p.m. (Winner qualifies for RBC Cup)
