The Creston Valley Thunder Cats will host the 2017 Cyclone Taylor Cup, the provincial Junior B championship, BC Hockey announced today.
The April 6-9 tournament will see the host team play against the championsns of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL).
“On behalf of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats’ Board of Directors, as well as our coaching staff and volunteers, I would like to express our excitement to host the 2017 Cyclone Taylor Cup in the Creston Valley,” said Thunder Cats president Michael Moore in a press release. “It’s an honour to be chosen to represent the KIJHL, and we look forward to welcoming fans from all over the province and showcasing our tremendous support the Thunder Cats and Junior hockey receive in our great community.”
The Thunder Cats placed second in the KIJHL’s Eddie Mountain Division in the 2015-16 season, earning 70 points — second to their record 80 points in the 2013-14 season — a record 20 wins at home and sweeping the first round of the playoffs. Their season ended when the Kimberley Dynamiters shut them out of the second round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs.
The Victoria Cougars hosted this year’s Cyclone Taylor Cup in April, with the KIJHL’s 100 Mile House Wranglers beating the Cougars 5-4 in the gold medal game. The Wranglers went on to win the 2016 Western Canadian Keystone Cup with a 3–2 overtime win over the AGI Insurance Quakers.
“Since Junior B hockey thrives in many small towns in B.C., we were thrilled to receive such a strong application from Creston to host the 2017 Cyclone Taylor Cup,” said BC Hockey Junior B co-ordinator Brian Harrison. “Creston has been a long-time supporter of Junior B hockey and because of that support, we are confident they will be outstanding hosts. We are very much looking forward to showcasing the best teams in B.C., competing to be Cyclone Taylor Cup champions in Creston.”
“We are excited to have the Cyclone Taylor Cup back in the KIJHL region next year,” said KIJHL president Bill Ohlhausen.
