Prairie Thunder to play in Allan Cup final

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This article was published 15/04/2016 (3705 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Southeast Prairie Thunder scored a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts in front of a packed house Friday night in Steinbach to advance to Saturday’s Allan Cup final Saturday afternoon.

It will be a rematch of last year’s Allan Cup final at Clarenville, Newfoundland, where the Prairie Thunder blanked the Bentley Generals 2-0. These are two of the titans of senior hockey in this country, and they have a history.

In 2009, Bentley defeated the Prairie Thunder in double overtime in the Allan Cup final right here in Steinbach. Bentley also won the Allan Cup in 2013 while the Prairie Thunder were Allan Cup champions in 2012 and 2015.

Bentley advanced to Saturday’s final with a 3-1 victory over the Shellbrook Elks in the earlier semi-final on Friday, setting the stage for the second semi Friday night, which was an absolute classic that went down to the wire.

Dane Crowley scored the winning goal with 4:28 remaining in the third, and the Thunder held on for the 2-1 victory. The Thunder scored the lone goal of the first on a Mike Hellyer goal and the Cataracts tied it in the second as Brandon Bussey scored on a penalty shot.

The Thunder outshot the Cataracts 41-27, including 14-2 in a dominant third period.

Prairie Thunder defenceman Rob Smith said, “it was a battle out there, but it was good to see how our guys persevered in the game, that was the best team we have played this week, I’m sore, but I’m ready to go in tomorrow’s final.”

Saturday’s final at the T.G. Smith Centre, which will be televised nationally on TSN, gets underway at 3:00 p.m.