Medicine Hat Cubs look to win first provincial title on Sunday

“We were doing some digging, and nobody can seem to find the last time we were in a Provincial final period ever in the history of the Cubs,” he added.

“The guys, we’ll have them ready. They’re pumped. We’re here for a reason.”

That reason is to bring home gold.

The Cubs finished the round robin on Saturday night with a 3-1 record to sit second in the tournament standings.

On Saturday, they had a game that was of little importance, as they had already clinched a spot in the finals.

Some key players were kept out of the lineup for the Cubs to be fresh for the gold medal game against the undefeated La Crete Lumber Barons, who went 4-0 at the event.

Derzaph said he’s watched the Lumber Barons, and his team will have to play to their strengths to win.

“Play our game, honestly. I’ve watched them a number of times this week. We’ve got a skating group. We’ve got speed, and we play with pace,” Derzaph said.

“So, we play with pace and with speed. We’ll do some damage. We’ve got some high-end guys that can put the puck in the net, and our D-core is solid. And of course, our goaltenders, they’re good to go.”

A 10-game winning streak has also come to an end for the Cubs with the 10-1 loss to the Vermilion Tigers.

The win was needed to put Vermilion into the bronze medal game instead of being eliminated, and they came out knowing their tournament was on the line.

The Cubs got their lone goal of the game on the power play in the second period with 1:31 left on the clock. Jacob Hazzard scored with Jesse Klimosko and Mahki Carriere getting assists.

Player of the game honours for the Cubs went to defenceman Carter Allan, and a 4-goal performance from forward Cade Meiklejohn gave him the honours for Vermilion.

Cypress County’s Austin Siewert is playing for Vermilion, and the Tigers will take on the Sherwood Park Knights for bronze at 10:30 a.m.

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Cypress County’s Austin Siewart of the Vermilion Tigers takes a draw against the Cubs’ Jacob Hazzard during Saturday’s game at the Junior B Provincials in Lloydminster. (Image Credit: Jesse Gill/CHAT News)

Derzaph had a message for the Cubs after the game against Vermilion.

“You guys can be upset for a few more minutes, and then you have got to turn the page and let’s be ready,” Derzaph said.

“I had the whole group in the room right after the game, and it was a couple of minutes, and they were already starting to talk that positive talk already,” he added.

“I think we’re all right. I think we can turn the page quickly enough and be ready.”

For 21-year-old Cubs players Kyle Woolridge, Austin Derzaph, Ethan Bergeson, and Keynan Cairns, this will be the final game of their junior careers.

The Cubs’ head coach said that this could also be the end of competitive hockey for some of them.

“That’s probably the most important part, put me behind the bench aside, but it’s for the 21-year-olds. This could be it for them totally,” Derzaph said.

“At the start of the season, that was something that our leadership group talked about to the guys and about our 21-year-olds, it’s their last season and going out as champions kind of thing,” he added.

“We came out of our league as champions, and now we’ve got an opportunity to come out of the province as champions too. It’s huge for those boys. Proud of every one of them.”

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Cubs look to win first provincial title on Sunday

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