Allan Cup filled with Westman players

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This article was published 09/04/2016 (3711 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Reid Gow fell shy of a championship last year.

A defenceman with the Brandon Wheat Kings last season, Gow was a first-hand witness as the Kelowna Rockets got the better of Brandon in the Western Hockey League final and claimed the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a series sweep.

Starting Monday, the Killarney product will look to end this season parading a championship trophy around the ice in Steinbach as his Île-des-Chênes North Stars open the Allan Cup against the Stoney Creek Generals.

“I’ve never really had the chance to play in the Allan Cup before,” said the 22-year-old University of Manitoba agribusiness student. “It’s exciting and should be fun. There are lots of guys from other teams that have lots of good hockey experience.”

The South East Prairie Thunder, hosts and defending champions, are looking forward to the challenge of trying to become the first team to win consecutive Canadian senior AAA hockey titles since the Minnesota-based Warroad Lakers captured three straight from 1994 to 1996.

Tyler Dittmer, 28, another former Wheat King, plays with the Prairie Thunder. The Brandon product remembers last year’s 2-0 triumph over the Bentley Generals very fondly.

“Last year was really special in that we had to win with only 13 players at times,” Dittmer said. “Whenever you are able to do things like that as a team it becomes something special that you will never forget.”

He added that winning the Allan Cup a year ago puts a target on South East’s back as it tries to repeat the feat. There’s also pressure to perform as the host team, but Dittmer doesn’t see it being a factor.

“I don’t think the pressure will be a factor when we have guys like Terry (Yake) and Ryan (Bonni) on our team who know exactly how to handle it.” he said.

South East also opens the tournament Monday when it takes on the Shellbrook Elks.

Although the North Stars are in the three-team pool opposite the Prairie Thunder, Gow expects they’ll be difficult to match up with should the two Manitoba squads meet in the playoff round, which begins Thursday. The final will take place a week from today.

As far as expectations go, Gow is optimistic his team, which last won the Allan Cup in 2003 with a 3-2 double-overtime win over the Stony Plain Eagles, will be able to make an impact in Steinbach.

“The host team, the South East team, they are very good,” he said. “They have obviously a lot of good older players and we’ve got a lot of good players on our team, too, so it’s more of a feeling out process and see how the tournament goes, but once everyone shows up and goalies play good you never know.”

South East Prairie Thunder:

Mark Agnew — From Hartney

Del Cowan — From Hartney, played with Wheat Kings from 2007-10

Ty Dittmer — From Brandon, played with Wheat Kings from 2004-08

Mike Hellyer — From Brandon

Justin Kurtz — Played with Wheat Kings from 1993-97

Dan Tetrault — Played with Wheat Kings from 1995-2000

Terry Yake — Played with Wheat Kings from 1984-88

Île-des-Chênes North Stars:

Ryan Adams — From Deloraine

Chad Erb — Played with Wheat Kings from 2004-09

Chris Falloon — From Souris

Reid Gow — From Killarney, played with Wheat Kings from 2014-15

Devan LeBlanc — From Brandon

Travis Mealy — From Brandon

Zeanan Ziemer — From Brandon

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