A 20-year-old hockey player from the Peninsula is competing in the first ever Western Canada Cup this week with the Nanaimo Clippers.
Clippers’ top scoring defenceman, Josh Bryan, graduated from Parkland Secondary School, played minor hockey with the Peninsula Eagles and then moved on to play with the Major Midget Victoria Thunderbirds.
Bryan then enjoyed a cup of coffee with the Peninsula Panthers when he was 16 and after he was signed by the Victoria Grizzlies, from which he was traded to the Clippers.
Two years have passed since the trade and Bryan now stands not only as the team’s top scoring defenceman, but also as the assistant captain.
The first Western Canada Cup features the top Junior A teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The tournament started last Saturday, April 27 and will run through until May 5 when the last game of the round robin tournament takes place. This is the first year for this format of the regional playoffs.
In January 2012, the Canadian Junior Hockey League decided the British Columbia Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Manitoba Junior Hockey League would participate in a five-team tournament to decide which two teams will move on to the Royal Bank of Canada Cup. The RBC Cup will be held in Summerside, P.E.I May 11 through 19.
For up to date results from the Western Canada Cup, visit www.westerncanadacup.ca.