The Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy is staying in Esquimalt, home of the Victoria Cougars.
Captain Brody Coulter scored a goal and two assists as the Cougars defeated the Comox Valley Glacier Kings 5-2 to finish a four-game sweep of the Glacier Kings on Saturday (March 30) and win back-to-back Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League titles.
The Cougars and Glacier Kings both advance to the 2013 Cyclone Taylor Cup, April 11 to 14 in Courtenay, with the Glacier Kings entering as the hosts.
Kelyn Opel, Dane Feeney, Sam Rice and Jordie Davie also scored for the Cougars in the title clinching win on Saturday. Goalie Evan Roch made 13 saves on just 15 shots for his 10th win over the postseason.
Backup goalie Michael Herringer, a Victoria Royals prospect from Comox, earned a 21-save shutout in Game 3, a 5-0 Cougars win at Archie Browning Sports Centre on March 28.
Sam Rice was named the series MVP for the Cougars. The 20-year-old forward recorded hat tricks in Games 1 and 2 of the final, and finished tied for the playoff scoring lead (13 goals, 18 assists in 14 games) with Dane Feeney (11 goals, 20 assists in 14 games).
The Cougars only lost two games in the playoffs, one in the opening round to the Peninsula Panthers and once in the second round to the Saanich Braves.
The Cyclone Taylor Cup field is still incomplete. As of Monday the Castlegar Rebels owned a 3-1 lead over the Okanagan Knights going into Game 5 of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League final. The Pacific Junior Hockey League champions Richmond Sockeyes defeated the Aldergrove Kodiaks in the other final.
sports@vicnews.com
