The Brooks Bandits are the AJHL Champions as winners of the 2016 Gas Drive Cup. The Bandits captured their third League Title on Friday night in Spruce Grove, AB as they took Game 5 of the series with a 4-1 victory and 4-1 series win.
The series began with three consecutive overtime games, including a double OT loss for the Bandits. The Saints were vying for their third consecutive title as the two-time defending champions.
The Bandits have advanced to the AJHL Final four times in the past five seasons, and three times versus the Saints. This was the seventh consecutive season that either the Saints or Bandits would win the League Title.
League Commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk and Gas Drive General Manager Trevor Kramer awarded the Gas Drive Cup to Team Captain Derek Lodermeier and the Brooks Bandits. Bandits Forward Dylan McCrory (Kirkland, QC / Bemidji State) was selected as the 2016 Gas Drive AJHL Playoff MVP.
The Bandits have finished atop the South Division standings four times in five years under Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou. The Bandits were the League Champions in 2012 and 2013, then went on to win the 2013 RBC Cup National Championship.
The Brooks Bandits will now advance to the 2016 Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup as the AJHL representatives for the second time in the four year history of the tournament. The Western Canada Cup will be held in Estevan, Sk from April 30th – May 8th.
Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup
The champions of the British Columbia Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and Manitoba Junior Hockey League participate in a five-team tournament along with a host for the Western Canada Cup title. The 13-game tournament includes a round-robin schedule followed by two semifinal games and a championship game. The Western Canada Cup Champion and the runner-up will both represent Western Canada at the RBC Cup National Junior A Championship.
For more information about the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup, visit www.westerncanadacup.com