PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man.– The Brooks Bandits have won the 2023 Centennial Cup, claiming Canada’s 51st National Junior A Championship with a 4-0 win over the Battlefords North Stars on Sunday at Stride Place.

With the win, Brooks become the first team to win three consecutive national titles. It claimed the 2019 championship on home ice, and made it back-to-back title last year in Estevan, Sask. The tournament was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the Bandits have won a record 18 straight games at the tournament.

Hudson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) scored twice as part of a four-goal second period. Malinoski, Hunter Wallace (Oak Lake, Man.) and Heath Armstrong (Calgary, Alta.) scored goals in a span of 97 seconds midway through the second period to break open a scoreless game.

“This is an amazing feeling,” said Wallace, who finished with a goal and an assist. “Nobody has every three-peated before. I’m going to steal a line from our captain last year, who said ‘This is Brooks Bandits hockey, and this is what we do.’ I’m proud of this group, we knew the Stars were going to battle hard tonight and once we got one, we knew we were in control.”

Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, Alta.)made 30 saves for his second-consecutive shutout; he stopped all 22 shots he faced in a 3-0 semifinal win over the Ottawa Jr. Senators on Saturday.Brooks is the first team to ever post shutouts in the semifinal and championship game, and Barwick – who won his third national title – closed the tournament by not allowing a goal in his final 153 minutes of action.

“Every time you win it feels a little different,” said Brooks head coach Ryan Papaioannou. “I think last year’s win was a bit more stressful just with how the game went, but this one I feel like we controlled the third period very well. As coaches, we just sat back and trusted our guys to get the job done.”

Full game stats and story are available HERE on the Hockey Canada website.

Brooks finished first in the preliminary round in Group A with a perfect 4-0 record. It defeated the Yarmouth Mariners (7-2), Jr. Senators (5-1), Timmins Rock (9-1) and Cobras de Terrebonne (6-1) before its semifinal win over Ottawa.

The Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League will play host to the 52nd edition of the National Junior A Championship in May 2024, with final dates and format still to be finalized.

For more information on the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook or Twitter.

Brooks Bandits 3, Ottawa Jr. Senators 0

• Dario Beljo (Sudbury, Ont.) scored twice.
• Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta.) rounded out the scoring.
• Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, Alta.) made 22 saves.

Battlefords North Stars 7, Portage Terriers 1

• Holden Doell (Martensville, Sask.) had two goals and an assist.
• Jake Southgate (North Battleford, Sask.) had a goal and two assists.
• Josh Kotai (Abbotsford, B.C.) made 30 saves.

Next Game (Sunday, May 21):

• Championship Game – Battlefords North Stars vs. Brooks Bandits – 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game.

Quotes:

“I think the biggest advantage we have over everyone here is our experience and that showed tonight. We were in a similar situation versus Pickering in the final last year, actually down a goal though, and we stayed calm and got the job done. It’s kind of the same feeling on the bench, we’ve been here before and we know how to overcome it.”

- Beljo on playing in a one-goal game late.

“Sometimes you just need a bounce to go your way to get some confidence. Once we got the first one the guys got going. Portage didn’t have much left in the tank, and we wanted to jump on them early and we were able to do that. We’re excited about the result, but we aren’t done yet.”

- North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko (Humboldt, Sask.) on the effort.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Ottawa Jr. Senators 4, Collingwood Blues 2

• Mickael Hebert (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.) scored twice.
• Chase Lammi (Sudbury, Ont.) and Vincent Velocci (Toronto, Ont.) rounded out the scoring.
• Rorke Applebee (Châteauguay, Que.) made 32 saves.

Portage Terriers 2, Yarmouth Mariners 1

• Daniel Siso (Calgary, Alta.) and Brandon McCartney (Winnipeg, Man.) each had a pair of assists.
• Kian Calder (Portage la Prairie, Man.) scored the game winning goal.
• Bailey Monteith (Kamloops, B.C.) made 36 saves.

Next Games (Saturday, May 20):

• Semifinal #1 – Ottawa Jr. Senators vs. Brooks Bandits – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Semifinal #2 – Portage Terriers vs. Battlefords North Stars – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. The semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“I like how we stuck with it all game. There were times when they had some intense pressure, but we bent and didn’t break. To give up the goal late in the period can be deflating emotionally, but we have great leaders in the room and guys that understand the big picture. We always say if there is time on the clock we believe in our group and that’s exactly how it played out tonight.”

- Jr. Senators head coach Kyle Makaric (LaSalle, Ont.) on his team’s victory.

“I think the fans will go home happy tonight. They saw us in a real hard-fought game. The powerplay has been clicking. You want the special teams to be good when they have to be. Last game it was our penalty kill and tonight it was the man advantage, they were good for us.”

- Siso on winning the special team’s battle.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

For Collingwood Blues goaltender Noah Pak, playing in the blue paint wasn’t always his first choice. But that changed after he reluctantly strapped on the pads for the first time.

“No one wanted to play goalie in the first game of the year, so my dad volunteered me to do it,” Pak recalls. “I was upset about it, crying as I put on the pads, but I finished the game, I really enjoyed it and I was really glad my dad put me in there.”

It’s a decision that has been fruitful for Pak; the 19-year-old has developed into one of Canada’s top junior A netminders this season. Leading the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with 16 wins, along with a sparkling 1.37 goals-against average and .947 save percentage, Pak backstopped the defensively sound Blues to their first-ever OJHL championship banner to qualify for the Centennial Cup .

“It’s been a dream for a lot of our players and our goal at the beginning of the year, to earn an opportunity to compete for a national championship,” Pak says about the National Junior A Championship. “I think we’re prepared and ready for it with the team around us, but also trying to soak it all in and really enjoy the experience at the national stage.”

The Oakville, Ont., native was named OJHL playoff MVP for his stellar play, but as much as he is getting the spotlight for his individual performance, he credits the team around him for pushing him to be the best version of himself, on and off the ice.

“The team and the culture in Collingwood have helped me develop as a player on the ice and as a person off the ice,” Pak says. “With our mindset, there was never a doubt in winning the championship, and with all those individual stats, they’re great, but at the end of the day, we’re all here to win as a team.”

Looking forward to the future

Off the ice, Pak is also preparing himself for what comes next. Committed to Yale University beginning in the fall, Pak understands the importance of keeping his career opportunities open, whether that is on the ice or beyond.

After showcasing his abilities at the Cottage Cup in Collingwood early in the pandemic-shortened 2021-22 season, Pak didn’t hesitate to commit to the Bulldogs when the opportunity arose.

“It was a no-brainer for me, with the program they run in terms of hockey but also on the education side of things, it’s second to none,” Pak says. “I’m looking out for my future once I’m finally done with hockey. It was definitely a surreal time for me and especially for my parents with everything that they’ve done for me, supporting me over the years.”

Although he doesn’t need to declare a major in his first year at Yale, Pak is interested in business and economics, but wants to keep his options open, whether that’s in hockey or school. Regardless of what path he chooses, Pak is thankful for all the support he’s received from his parents over the years.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without my parents,” he says. “They’ve put in countless hours driving and preparing me for games, the amount of money they’ve put into my gear and training, so whenever I kind of look back at my achievements, I’m always grateful.”

Pak’s parents, Dennis and Nancy, have always known their son is capable of looking after himself. Whether it was his commitment to preparation before games, his attitude to overcome challenges or his decision to go the NCAA route, they understood what hockey meant to him and the family’s bond strengthened because of it.

“His determination always stood out to us,” Dennis says. “He’s put in the work into his training, he was determined to develop close to home in Collingwood, and we’ve adapted our lifestyle around his hockey schedule. As long as he’s happy, we’ll support his decisions and be there for him.”



As Pak takes the next step into his hockey career, at the Centennial Cup this weekend and into a busy summer, he is understanding the importance of becoming a leader in hockey as well. Growing up in Oakville, he has seen the diversity of hockey grow and hopes that the trend continues.

“Hockey is a sport for everyone,” Pak says, who played AAA with the Oakville Rangers. “I’ve been lucky enough that my parents supported the decisions I made for myself and I think anyone can try to strap on the pads or lace on skates so if I can inspire even just one kid to pursue hockey as a career or even just as a hobby, that’s great because this is the best sport there is.”

While Pak is focused on bringing a national title back to Collingwood, he is also making sure he and his teammates are soaking in the experience together before they move onto the next stage of their lives.

“I look forward to the next chapter of my career and my life, and I want to be able to succeed at the next level as well,” Pak says. “I want to do great things at school and with the Bulldogs program, but I’m living in the moment and we’ll see where hockey takes me.”

Timmins Rock 2, Ottawa Jr. Senators 1 (SO)

• Patrick Boivin (Blind River, Ont.) made 36 saves and stopped all three shots in the shootout.
• Harry Clark (Timmins, Ont.) scored the shootout winner.
• Lucas Piekarczyk (Salmon Arm, B.C.) scored in regulation for Timmins.

Yarmouth Mariners 3, Cobras de Terrebonne 2

• Nathan Kelly (Paradise, N.L.) had a goal and an assist.
• Alex Roode (Dartmouth, N.L.) had two assists.
• Keegan Warren (Conception Bay, N.L.) made 28 saves.

Portage Terriers 4, Collingwood Blues 3

• Ryan Botterill (Portage la Prairie, Man.) scored two goals, including the game-winner.
• Kian Calder (Portage la Prairie, Man.) had two assists.
• Bailey Monteith (Kamloops, B.C.) made 40 saves.

Next Games (Friday, May 19):

• Quarterfinal #1: Collingwood Blues vs. Ottawa Jr. Senators – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Quarterfinal #2: Yarmouth Mariners vs. Portage Terriers – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. The quarterfinals and semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“To end this tournament off with a win is a great way to send off the 20-year-olds on this team. They have put their heart and souls into their careers and it’s a great feeling to know they are going out with a good feeling. I can’t take any credit for this one. The guys in front of me did a heck of a job keeping the Senators to the outside and letting me see everything. I’m proud of this team and everything we’ve accomplished.”

- Boivin on his impressive performance to end the tournament.

“We haven’t played a full 60 minutes yet, and I thought today we did against a very good hockey club. All 20 guys battled hard, and we got some great goaltending. This is a big stage, and for a lot of these guys it’s something new. This is a great experience and there isn’t a guy in that room who didn’t leave it all out there.”

- Mariners head coach Laurie Barron (Kennettcook, N.S.) on his team’s effort.

“The boys were fired up to play. The crowd was nuts tonight and we fed off it. It was not our most disciplined game that’s for sure, but our penalty killers showed up and did it all. Guys were blocking shots and our goalie was unbelievable. When he’s on his game its easy to play with confidence in front of him.”

- Calder on the special teams adversity.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Collingwood Blues 4, Kam River Fighting Walleye 1

• Dylan Hudon (Rockwood, Ont.) had a goal and an assist.
• Mark McIntosh (Elora, Ont.) recorded two helpers.
• Noah Pak (Oakville, Ont.) made 22 saves.

Brooks Bandits 6, Cobras de Terrebonne 1

• Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta.) had two goals and two assists.
• Elliot Dutil (Montreal, Que.) and Hudson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) each had a goal and two assists.
• Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, Alta.) made 20 saves.

Battlefords North Stars 3, Steinbach Pistons 1

• Holden Doell (Martensville, Sask.) had three assists.
• Steven Kesslering (Viceroy, Sask.) scored twice.
• Josh Kotai (Abbotsford, B.C.) made 30 saves.
• The win moves the North Stars into first place in Group B.

Next Games (Wednesday, May 17):

• Timmins Rock vs. Ottawa Jr. Senators – 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET
• Yarmouth Mariners vs. Cobras de Terrebonne – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Collingwood Blues vs. Portage Terriers – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All preliminary-round games, quarterfinals and semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“It feels great to get the win. We came here with a goal in mind and we’re one step closer today. Clinching a playoff spot is only half the job though. We want to keep the momentum rolling now. We can’t take our foot off the gas or change the gameplan because of the meaning of the game on Thursday, we know it will be a tough test and our guys can’t wait.”

- Hudon on clinching a playoff spot with the win.

“This is the best tournament in the country, and you have to play well every night. Within our group you have to be at your best every day. Everyone on this team can step in and step up at any time and we saw that tonight when (Hunter) Wallace went down early. I thought we kept pushing regardless of the score and it was nice to get the win.”

- Fink on the Bandits’ next-man-up mentality.

“We gutted this one out tonight. Two intense games back-to-back were wearing on our guys, for sure. We got some big saves from our goalie, and a huge goal from (Kian) Bell and found a way. I think Kian scoring that goal will be huge for his confidence and we need him. It was great to see.”

- North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko (Humboldt, Sask.) on his club’s intensity.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Ottawa Jr. Senators 4, Yarmouth Mariners 3

• Massimo Gentile (Pointe Claire, Que.) had two goals and an assist.
• Michael Hebert (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.) had three assists.
• Vincent Velocci (Toronto, Ont.) had a goal and an assist.

Brooks Bandits 9, Timmins Rock 0

• Caelan Fitzpatrick (Moose Jaw, Sask.) had a goal and two assists.
• Brandon Poshak (Green Bay, Wisc.) chipped in with a goal and an assist.
• Brooks outshot Timmins 45-13.

Battlefords North Stars 3, Portage Terriers 2

• Jake Southgate (Battleford, Sask.), Bradley Blake (Gander, N.L.) and Steven Kesslering (Viceroy, Sask.) scored for the North Stars.
• Josh Kotai (Abbotsford, B.C.) made 35 saves for the win.
• The win moves the North Stars into a tie with Portage for first place in group B.

Next Games (Tuesday, May 16):

• Kam River Fighting Walleye vs. Timmins Rock – 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET
• Cobras de Terrebonne vs. Brooks Bandits – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Battlefords North Stars vs. Steinbach Pistons – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All preliminary-round games, quarterfinals and semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“Yarmouth pushed us hard at the end of the game. That’s a desperate team over there. I really liked how we bent but didn’t break. Every guy got back to the simple game and were doing the little things right. We got a couple of powerplay goals that made the difference in the game. Our goal was to slowly build momentum in this tournament, and I think we’re doing that.”

- Jr. Senators head coach Kyle Makaric (Lasalle, Ont.) on fighting off a late Mariners push.

“Our guys are excited to be here and understand that each night we are playing a league champion. As a staff, we don’t have to push too hard at a tournament like this, the boys know what’s on the line. Everyday they come to work, do their job and so far, it’s produced results.”

- Bandits head coach Ryan Papaioannou (Calgary, Alta.) on his club remaining perfect in the standings.

“You can feel the rivalry for sure, with Manitoba vs Saskatchewan. Our guys fed off it tonight, great energy in the building. Both teams wanted this win and both teams needed this, and you could feel it. Neither side wants to lose, and we were able to gut one out.”

- North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko (Humboldt, Sask.) on his club beating the host team.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Collingwood Blues 3, Battlefords North Stars 1

• Ayden Dooley (Orillia, Ont.), Spencer Young (Elmira, Ont.) and Cam Garvey (Oakville, Ont.)scored for Collingwood.
• Owen Sclisizzi (Milton, Ont.) recorded a pair of assists.
• Noah Pak (Oakville, Ont.) made 36 saves for the victory.

Brooks Bandits 5, Ottawa Jr. Senators 1

• Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alta.) had a goal and two assists, leading the Bandits to their second straight victory.
• Hudson Malinoski (Saskatoon, Sask.) chipped in with a goal and an assist.
• Ethan Barwick (St. Albert, Alta.) made 25 saves for the win.

Portage Terriers 12, Kam River Fighting Walleye 2

• Rory Neill (Winnipeg, Man.) and Austin Peters (Winnipeg, Man.) posted a goal and three assists each as the Terriers moved to 2-0.
• Ryan Botterill (Portage la Prairie, Man.) scored two goals.
• The Terriers set a new Centennial Cup record for most goals in a game.

Next Games (Sunday, May 14):

• Cobras de Terrebonne vs. Timmins Rock – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Steinbach Pistons vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All preliminary-round games, quarterfinals and semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“We knew these games weren’t going to be easy at this tournament, these are the best teams in Canada. Our group came prepared, and it’s shown through two games. We compete every night and I’ve liked our effort so far. I thought today we were relentless, kept coming in waves and when it got down to the wire, we found a way.”

- Dooley on the competition so far at the tournament.

“We started slow, our first 12 minutes were unacceptable. We regrouped after the first and I thought we came out ready to play in the second. There is some history here going back to last year and you could feel the intensity for sure. This was important for us; we have a day off tomorrow and we can relax a bit and rest up now.”

- Malinoski on rebounding from the slow start.

“Wow! I don’t think the boys in the room knew that stat. It’s pretty neat to be honest, to have your name in the record book, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter if we don’t keep winning. We came here to do a job and we’re just one step closer to that here tonight.”

- Botterill on setting a new tournament record.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.

Ottawa Jr. Senators 2, Cobras de Terrebonne 1 (OT)

• Owen Protz (Ottawa, Ont.) had a goal, an assist and was named the Player of the Game.
• Massimo Gentile (Pointe Claire, Que.)scored the game-winner 1:12 into overtime.
• Rorke Applebee (Châteauguay, Que.) made 21 saves for the victory.

Timmins Rock 4, Yarmouth Mariners 3 (OT)

• Patrick Boivin (Blind River, Ont.)made 46 saves and was named the Player of the Game.
• Ethan Pool (St. Albert, Alta./Alb.) scored the game-winner 1:36 into overtime.
• Harry Clark (Timmins, Ont.),Thomas Beard (South Porcupine, Ont.)andNolan Ring (South Porcupine, Ont.)rounded out the scoring for the Rock.

Portage Terriers 4, Steinbach Pistons 2

• Rory Neill (Winnipeg, Man.) scored twice in just his second game with the Terriers this season.
• Austin Peters (Winnipeg, Man.) had a pair of assists.
• Bailey Monteith (Kamloops, B.C.)made 26 saves for the victory.

Next Games (Saturday, May 13):

• Battlefords North Stars vs. Collingwood Blues – 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET
• Brooks Bandits vs. Ottawa Jr. Senators – 3:30 p.m. CT/4:30 p.m. ET
• Portage Terriers vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye – 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the championship game on May 21 at 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET. All preliminary-round games, quarterfinals and semifinals can be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca .

Quotes:

“What an amazing moment for this team. We were here last year and didn’t get the results we wanted, so we’re happy to have one go our way early. We are an experienced bunch, and that keeps the nerves down. The older guys are trying to bring what we learned a year ago and this win helps keep the energy positive.”

- Gentile on the Jr. Senators winning their tournament opener.

“This win means the world to our team. We came a long way from Timmins, our first time here and got the job done, but we’re not done yet. We’ve got more work to do. This is a tight group and we play every shift like it could be our last, and I think once we got our feet wet you could see us turn it on in the second period.”

- Boivin on how important the first game is.

“I had a chance to play my first game with the Terriers back in December and at the time, I made the decision to stay at home and focus on school. I told them I’d be available for Centennial Cup and began practicing with them a couple of weeks ago. These guys were so welcoming and I would say those are the two biggest goals of my life so far. It wasn’t the best game, we have a lot to clean up but its good to get the first one out of the way.”

- Neill on scoring twice in just his second Junior A game.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 Centennial Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.