Prairie Thunder look to wrap up Allan Cup berth

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This article was published 06/03/2020 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Southeast Prairie Thunder, the two-time Allan Cup champions and perennial Allan Cup contenders are giving it one more kick at the can this spring as they endeavour to capture a third Canadian Senior ‘AAA’ Hockey title and the storied Allan Cup.

Longtime manager Marv Kornelsen from Grunthal, who is again running the team along with Grunthal’s Dave Penner, says this year’s Allan Cup national championship at Dundas, Ont., in April could possibly be the final time it is held as one of the most historic tournaments in Canadian hockey history may be on its last legs.

There are fewer and fewer Senior ‘AAA’ hockey teams in Canada that are competing for the hallowed Allan Cup.

This year there are two Manitoba teams, the Prairie Thunder and the Norway House Bruins.

Southeast travelled to Norway House last Saturday for the opening game of the Manitoba Senior ‘AAA’ final series, with the Prairie Thunder coming away with an 8-3 victory.

Last year Norway House lost to Ste. Anne in the Manitoba semi-finals before the Aces subsequently lost to the Prairie Thunder in the Manitoba final. Ste. Anne is not competing in the tournament this year.

The Prairie Thunder have two local players on their roster this year, including Steinbach native Ian White, the former NHL vet, and Ste. Anne’s Yvan Pattyn, who was the Aces last year.

After the marathon bus ride to Norway House last weekend, the Prairie Thunder, despite having only 13 skaters on the trip, had little trouble subduing the Bruins in the opening game of the series, winning 8-3.

Leading the Prairie Thunder were Cody Freeman and Tanner Waldvogel with two goals each and a goal and two assists from Troy Hunter. Rounding out the Southeast scoring were Pierre Landry, Doug Jessey and Remi Laurencelle.

Steve Christie made 45 saves in net for the Thunder.

In addition to Ian White, who played more than 500 games in the NHL, mostly with the Toronto Maple Leafs, there are two other former NHL players on the Prairie Thunder roster, including former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Mark Stuart, and Ryan Garbutt, who spent the bulk of his NHL years with the Dallas Stars.

The best of five series will continue in Winnipeg this weekend with a pair of games as the Thunder have an opportunity to wrap up the series. Games will be played Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and then Sunday at 2:45 p.m. at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex.

The winner of the series is tentatively scheduled to travel to Rosetown, Sask., for a best of five series on March 20-24, with that winner advancing to the 2020 Allan Cup.

The Allan Cup has a strong history in this area beginning with the storied 1978-79 Steinbach Huskies, who played in the Allan Cup finals at Sarnia, Ont., played back then in a different format.

Most recently the Ile des Chenes North Stars in 2003 became the first Manitoba team to win the Allan Cup since the Winnipeg Victorias last won in 1917. The Prairie Thunder subsequently went on to win the national championship in 2012 and 2015.

The Allan Cup national tournament has also twice been hosted in Steinbach, in 2009 and 2016. The Allan Cup tournament has been held in Canada since 1909.