THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Kings are heading off to Warman, Sask., to take part in the four-team under-18 west regional championship.
Thunder Bay opens play Thursday at 7 p.m. ET as they take on the title holders from Saskatchewan, the Saskatoon Blazers.
Next comes a 10 p.m. ET encounter Friday with the host Warman Wildcats.
They’ll then conclude round robin play Saturday at 2 p.m. ET versus the Winnipeg Wild, who captured the Manitoba AAA crown.
The top two teams in the round robin will then meet Sunday to determine a west regional winner.
Awaiting them will be a berth to the Canadian U18 AAA national championship, April 24-30, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
2023 West Regional
Competing teams
Thunder Bay Kings
Saskatoon Blazers
Winnipeg Wild
Warman Wildcats
Schedule
All start times ET
Thursday, April 6
Kings vs. Blazers 7 p.m.
Wild vs. Wildcats 10 p.m.
Friday, April 7
Blazers vs. Wild 7 p.m.
Kings vs. Wildcats 10 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
Wild vs. Kings 2 p.m.
Wildcats vs. Blazers 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 9
2nd round robin vs. 1st round robin 4 p.m.
Winner advances to Canadian U18 AAA championship, April 24-30, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
OHL CUP WRAP-UP: Thunder Bay’s U16 Kings returned home from the OHL Cup in Toronto to cap off their season.
Taking to the ice in an ultra-competitive division, the Kings finished with a 1-4 record, while going up two clubs that advanced all the way to the championship game Monday night.
In the opener, they were derailed by the York-Simcoe Express by an 8-1 count.
Jadan Desormeaux notched the lone Kings marker in the loss while netminder Chase Furlong was peppered with 60 shots against.
Next came a 3-1 defeat versus the eventual OHL Cup champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens, with Carter Poddubny collecting the goal and Travis VanderZwaag making 33 saves in the setback.
They then fell 5-0 to the event finalist Vaughan Kings, who put 54 attempts on Furlong.
Wrapping up their campaign on a positive note, Thunder Bay edged the Sun County Panthers 3-2 led by a pair of Poddubny goals, including the game-winner in the third period.
Easton Mikus also connected for the Kings, while Desormeaux and Lucas Bailey chipped in with two assists apiece.
VanderZwaag made 20 stops to pick-up the win.
Photo credit: James Mirabelli
