CALGARY, Alta. – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the decision has been made to cancel all spring 2021 national championships, including the Esso Cup, TELUS Cup, Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, and Allan Cup. The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer:

“Despite a strong desire to work with four great communities to host the top players at various levels across the country this season, the health and safety of all participants and the communities at large continues to be of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada. The ongoing pandemic, coupled with the fact that many regions in the country are not currently playing organized hockey, left us with no other option. We believe the decision to cancel our spring 2021 national championships is the safest decision given the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic at a local level, as well as the uncertainty around each region being able to compete for a national championship.

Hockey Canada is grateful for the continued support of local host committees and event partners, including B.C. Hockey, Hockey Alberta, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association, the Ontario Hockey Federation and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), as well as the communities of Penticton, B.C., Prince Albert, Sask., Calgary, Alta., and Dundas, Ont., and all local and provincial funding partners. Our organization is appreciative of the commitment and support of all stakeholders and we look forward to showcasing our national championships and all participants to fans next year.”

Hockey Canada will continue to work with event stakeholders to host the spring 2022 national championships with a confirmation of all 2022 host communities to be announced in the coming months.

LACOMBE, Alta. – The host Lacombe Generals pulled away late in the third period to earn a 5-2 victory over the Innisfail Eagles on Saturday night and win the Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, for the fourth time in 11 years.

The Generals also won the national title in 2009, 2013 and 2016, all as the Bentley Generals. They also reached the championship game in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2018. 

“We were making spaces for the host banner, and I said that I hoped we would have to make an extra space,” said Jeff McInnis, general manager of the Generals. “It’s pretty incredible to win it on home ice in our own rink, our own home, our own dressing room. It was impressive how hard it was to beat Innisfail, they’ve come a long way and they were fantastic.” 

Justin Cox opened the scoring for Innisfail eight minutes into the first period, but Chase Norrish got the Generals even late in the opening frame. After Jesse Todd and Dylan Nowakowski scored two minutes apart to give Lacombe a 3-1 lead early in the second, Cox netted his second in the final minute to make it a one-goal game after 40 minutes.

The Eagles pushed for the tying goal in the third period, but Todd and Cody Cartier scored into the empty net in the final minute to clinch the national championship for the tournament hosts.

“To win at home like this, in front of our family and friends and to be able to celebrate and share, it’s just an awesome experience for Lacombe,” said Generals captain Brennan Evans. “It almost makes getting second place two years in a row worth it.” 

Saturday’s game marked the first all-Alberta final in the 111-year history of the championship, and the first time two teams from the same province faced off for the top prize since the Thunder Bay Twins and Barrie Flyers met in 1975.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908.

For more information on the Allan Cup, please visit AllanCup.ca.

BOUCTOUCHE, N.B. – The Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts went undefeated on their way to becoming the 2017 Allan Cup champions, besting the Lacombe Generals 7-4 in Saturday’s final. This is the third time in tournament-history that a team from Newfoundland and Labrador has won the Allan Cup (2011 – Clarenville Caribous; 1986 – Corner Brook Royals).

“I’ve been fortunate to win a few championships in my day, but this is a special one,” said Cataracts head coach Tom Coolen, who coached the Latvian team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, and has held coaching roles in the QMJHL, AHL, and with the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. “I’m really happy because I know what it means to Grand Falls, I know what it means to Newfoundland, because they have waited a long, long, long time for it. And now they’ve won it and it’s just wonderful. It’s like when the Red Sox won the World Series – it’s just wonderful.”

The Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908.

The Generals – who have appeared in eight Allan Cup finals since 2008, earning three titles, including at the 2016 Allan Cup as the Bentley Generals – took an early lead on a goal by Evan Oberg at 9:07 of the first period. The Cataracts responded with goals by Colin Circelli and Stuart MacRae, and the teams retired to their respective dressing rooms with the Cataracts holding a 2-1 lead after the first.

MacRae, Matthew Stefanishion and Matt Bragg would add one goal apiece in the second period, before the Generals got one back by Eric Galbraith in the second frame.

Circelli added his second goal for the Cataracts before Chris Rauckman and Teegan Moore scored for Lacombe in the third, but they were unable to catch the team from Atlantic Canada. MacRae added an empty-net goal with 24 seconds to go in the third to complete his hat trick.

“I think the talent just gets better and better every year here,” said Stefanishion, who won with the Generals in 2016. “The compete… it’s unbelievable to have guys come in with everyday lives, and it’s just an incredible group of guys. Both teams were awesome tonight.”

Generals goaltender Kraymer Barnstable faced 33 shots in the final, while Cataracts counterpart Bryan Gillis made 30 saves to earn the win.

For more information on the Allan Cup, please visit AllanCup.ca.

“It’s unbelievable. Everyone wants to be the hero - you dream about it - so to get [the game-winning goal] in a game like this means the world to me,” said Rigby, who struggled to find the back of the net in the week-long tournament, scoring both of his goals in the final.

The Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908.

The Prairie Thunder threw 47 shots on goal in their quest to become the first team to earn back-to-back national championships since 1996. However, the Generals kept pace and came out on top with the 4-3 overtime decision to earn their third national title in eight years.

“We knew to win at this tournament, you probably have to go through South East, and after losing to them last year, you don’t get too many chances for a second chance,” said Bentley head coach Ryan Tobler. “When you lose in the final, you think about it all summer, and everything we went through this year led up until this point and this moment, so I’m really happy for the men.”

Tyler Dittmer opened up the scoring for South East on a power play in the first period, which was answered by Rigby’s first goal of the game for the Generals. Dittmer scored again less than a minute later, but the teams headed to the first intermission tied 2-2 thanks to a late-period goal by Jesse Todd of the Generals.

After a scoreless second period, the Prairie Thunder took the lead once again, with Del Cowan scoring less than a minute into the third, only to give up a power-play goal by Bentley’s Ian Schultz that forced the game into overtime.

Bentley goaltender Thomas Heemskerk stopped 44 of 47 shots to record the win, while South East netminder Steve Christie recorded 33 saves.

For more information on the Allan Cup, please visit AllanCup.ca.

For the second time in four years the South East Prairie Thunder has won the Allan Cup, blanking the Bentley Generals 2-0 in Saturday’s championship game at the Events Centre in Clarenville to claim Canada’s 107th National Senior Championship.

Mark Agnew scored the game-winning goal on the power play 15 minutes into the second period, Shawn Limpwright added insurance early in the third and Steve Christie stopped all 27 shots he faced for just the third championship game shutout since the Allan Cup went to a tournament format in 1992.

The Prairie Thunder avenged its 2009 double-overtime loss to the Generals in the championship game, and denied Bentley its third national title in seven years. The Generals appeared in the final for the sixth time since 2008.

South East already knows it will have a chance to defend its national championship; the Prairie Thunder will serve as the host team when Steinbach, Man., plays host to the 2016 Allan Cup next April.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 108 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

For more information on the 2015 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.

After semifinal victories on Friday, the Bentley Generals and South East Prairie Thunder will meet for the 107th Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, on Saturday at the Events Centre in Clarenville. The championship game can be seen live on TSN3 and TSN5 beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

Bentley beat the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts 5-4 in overtime in Friday’s early semifinal, while South East topped the host Clarenville Caribous 4-1 in the late game.

Saturday’s game will mark the sixth championship game appearance in eight years for the Generals, who won the national title in 2009 and 2013, while Prairie Thunder is in the final for the third time in seven years, winning in 2012.

The game is a rematch of the 2009 championship game, won by 4-3 in double overtime by Bentley.

Both teams enter the game with identical 3-0 records. South East finished first in Division One thanks to wins over Grand Falls-Windsor and the Dundas Real McCoys, while Bentley was tops in Division Two with victories over Clarenville and the Lameque Au P'tit Mousse.

In Friday’s early semifinal, Colin Dueck scored just 20 seconds into overtime to finish off a wild game that saw Grand Falls-Windsor erase three one-goal deficits, including the game-tying goal with 36 seconds left in regulation time. In all, the teams combined for four goals in the last 11:55, and both the Generals and Cataracts held the lead at one point in the third period. Torrie Dyck and Cam Maclise had a goal and an assist each for Bentley, which got 29 saves from Dustin Butler.

In the late game, Del Cowan scored the game-winning goal on the power play late in the first period and added two assists, and Riley Dudar had a goal and a helper to help South East advance. Steve Christie made 43 saves in the Prairie Thunder goal, including all 17 shots he faced in the third period, to help deny the Caribous their third consecutive appearance in the championship game.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 107 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

For more information on the 2015 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.

DUNDAS, Ont. – For the first time ever, the Dundas Real McCoys have won the Allan Cup, claiming Canada’s 106th National Senior Championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Clarenville Caribous in Saturday’s championship game at J.L. Grightmire Arena.

Randy Rowe scored the game-winning goal 13:42 into the extra period, making Dundas the fifth host team in the last decade to win the national championship, and second in as many years; the Bentley Generals won on home ice last year.

Saturday’s game was just the third Allan Cup championship game to go to overtime since the tournament went to a single-game final in 1992; the Île-des-Chênes North Stars beat the Stony Plain Eagles 3-2 in double overtime in 2003, and Bentley beat the South East Prairie Thunder 4-3 in double overtime in 2009.

Darryl Smith had both goals in regulation time for the Real McCoys, who were making their first-ever appearance in the championship game, while Mike Mole finished with 51 saves in the Dundas goal.

Cam Fergus scored twice, both on the power play, for the Caribous, who lost in the championship game for the second year in a row. Clarenville goaltender Jason Churchill stopped 38 of 41 shots.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 106 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

Clarenville, N.L., will host the 2015 Allan Cup next April.

For more information on the 2014 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.

DUNDAS, Ont. – After semifinal victories on Friday, the Clarenville Caribous and Dundas Real McCoys will meet for the 106th Allan Cup, Canada’s National Senior Championship, on Saturday at J.L. Grightmire Arena. The championship game can be seen live on TSN beginning at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

Clarenville beat the defending Allan Cup champion Bentley Generals 5-1 in Friday’s early semifinal, while host Dundas topped the Kenora Thistles 4-0 in the late game.

Saturday’s game will mark the third championship game appearance in four years for the Caribous, who won the 2011 national title, while the Real McCoys are in the final for the first time ever.

Both teams enter the game with identical 3-0 records. Clarenville finished first in Division One thanks to wins over Kenora and the Brantford Blast, while Dundas was tops in Division Two with victories over Bentley and the South East Prairie Thunder.

In Friday’s early semifinal, Dale Sullivan, Chris Hulit, Dustin Russell and Cam Fergus scored second-period goals for the Caribous to erase an early 1-0 deficit. Hulit finished with two goals, while Peter Campbell and Andrew Sweetland added two assists each for Clarenville. Jason Churchill made 34 saves to record the win in the Caribous goal.

In the late game, Mike Mole made 28 saves for the shutout, and Dundas got two goals from Ryan Christie and one each from Jason Ward and Simon Mangos to earn the victory in an all-Ontario semifinal. The Real McCoys will try Saturday to become the fifth host team in the last decade to win the national championship, and the second in as many years; Bentley won on home ice last year.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 106 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

For more information on the 2014 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.

RED DEER, Alta. – For the second time in five years, the Bentley Generals have won the Allan Cup, claiming Canada’s 105th National Senior Championship with a 3-0 victory over the Clarenville Caribous in Saturday’s championship game at Red Deer Arena.

Chris Neiszner broke a scoreless tie 14 minutes into the second period, Scott Doucet doubled the lead four minutes later and Keenan Desmet rounded out the scoring in the third as Bentley became the fifth host team in the last decade to win the national championship. Dan Bakala stopped all 35 shots he faced for the first championship game shutout since 2004.

The Generals, who appeared in the final for the fifth time in the last six years, went through the tournament undefeated, beating the Rosetown Redwings 2-0 and Kenora Thistles 5-2 in preliminary round play before a 3-2 win over Kenora in Friday’s semifinal.

Bentley won the Allan Cup in 2009, and lost in the championship game in 2008, 2010 and 2011.

Jason Churchill made 30 saves for the Caribous, who were looking for their second national title in three years.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 106 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

Dundas, Ont., will host the 2014 Allan Cup in April 2014.

For more information on the 2013 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.