READE’S LATE GOAL SENDS BRONCOS TO NATIONAL FINAL

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Keith Reade scored his second goal of the game with 2:39 to go, breaking a 2-2 tie and earning the Humboldt Broncos a berth in the championship game at the 2003 Royal Bank Cup thanks to a 3-2 semifinal win over the Wellington Dukes on Saturday night.

The Broncos will face off with the Camrose Kodiaks, who beat the Cougars de Lennoxville 2-1 in Saturday’s first semifinal, in Sunday’s final. The Kodiaks had the upper hand in the preliminary round meeting, earning a 5-3 win over Humboldt.

The teams traded the lead through the first 40 minutes, with the Dukes opening the scoring in the first before the Broncos tied it, and Humboldt taking its first lead in the second period, only to see Wellington pull even.

Scott Degelman joined Reade on the scoresheet for the Broncos, who will play for the national championship for the second time in their history – they lost 5-2 to the Richmond Sockeyes in the 1987 final on home ice.

Derek Smith and Brent Varty had the goals for Wellington, which finished its season with a remarkable 73-11-1 record, winning the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League championship and Dudley Hewitt Cup for the first time in franchise history. 

Dukes netminder Dayne Davis picked up Player of the Game honours for Wellington, stopping 33 of 36 shots, while Reade was a deserving winner for the Broncos.