Boissevain claims first THHL title over Gladstone

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This article was published 23/03/2019 (2570 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOISSEVAIN — If you ignored a few small differences, you’d have thought the Boissevain Border Kings won the Stanley Cup.

It was a few hundred fans that erupted at the Boissevain Agricultural Arena, not 20,000-plus, and, well, the Tiger Hills Hockey League trophy looks a little different, but as the Border Kings took their turns hoisting the cup above their heads, the looks on their faces and the jubilation in the air was the same.

“A lot of people will say, ‘It’s senior hockey,’ but any championship you get an opportunity to win, it’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling,” said Kelly Glowa, 55, who put the final stamp on an 8-1 victory over the Gladstone Lakers — a backhand beauty on the power play — to sweep the best-of-five league final 3-0.

“It’s an amazing feeling, we’ve been at this for quite a few years, and I’m just proud of each and every one of these guys. I’m the oldest one on the team, so I’m really blessed these young guys let me play with them.

“It was kind of nice to put one in, but all these guys have played so well throughout the whole season. We have 23 hockey players on the roster and 23 played outstanding.”

Glowa is one of many former Brandon Wheat Kings on the team: A group headlined by Tyler Dittmer, who had two goals and an assist in Game 3.

“I’m thrilled I’m still able to play some competitive hockey. Thinking back to when I played Wheat Kings, being 31 now still playing, winning still feels the same way. It’s awesome,” he said.

Dittmer played four seasons with Brandon, capping his Western Hockey League career with a 58-point season in 2007-08. In his second season with Boissevain, he racked up 14 goals and 18 assists in 11 playoff contests and was named the post-season MVP.

After losing to Gladstone in last year’s final, he said this season’s group connected from the start, and that was the key to winning the team’s first-ever THHL crown, and first championship since winning the SouthWest Hockey League in 2009.

“We bonded right off the bat,” Dittmer said. “We felt like everyone was from the same town. We really played for each other, and this was the most fun we’ve had in my career.

“Being consistent, we knew we had a team to win it and needed to play a full 60 minutes. We did it probably three times all playoffs, really dominating those games, and tonight was one of those nights.”

Devon LeBlanc helped the Border Kings in a big way all year. He had three assists in the series-clinching game, which was shockingly below average for the former Red Deer Rebel and Prince Albert Raider. LeBlanc led Tiger Hills with 58 points in 17 regular-season games, and 34 points in just 11 playoff contests in his return to the league.

“It was great. When I played nine years ago in the league, it was hard to win. We had a couple of tough losses with (Zeanan) Ziemer and I. It was nice to get back with a group and back in this league,” said LeBlanc, who lost two league finals with the Carberry Plainsmen. “Still a little bitter taste, so it was nice to come back and finally win.”

Entering Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead and a game away winning the 13-team league, the Border Kings weren’t ready to play another Game 4 on the road. They failed with their first chance to close out both their quarterfinal series against Hartney and semifinal against Killarney.

“We had that in the back of our minds, but we brought it up in the room and wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again,” LeBlanc said. “We talked about having a good start, and I think we came out and did exactly what the plan was and rolled from there. We didn’t give up a lot, but when we did, (goalie) Cody (Matthewson) played great.”

The Border Kings got precisely the start they wanted.

Chris Low struck to put Boissevain ahead less than six minutes in, and the hosts doubled the lead less than three minutes later when Dakota Scheirlinck broke down the right side and dished it to Jared Dueck, who slid it under Laker goalie Matt Kohlman’s pad.

Two minutes later, Ziemer picked the puck up in his own zone on the penalty kill and ripped through the Gladstone D-line, finding Skylar Canada for a one-timer. Then Dittmer put the finishing touch on a Ziemer back-door pass on the Border Kings’ first power play to make it 4-0 at the first intermission.

Boissevain stayed just as hot after the break, as Devon LeBlanc found Jagger Thomas in front of the net and he made no mistake less than a minute into the middle frame.

Low scored his second of the contest two minutes later as LeBlanc picked up another helper.

Given a ton of support, Matthewson did his part seven minutes into the second, when he moved across the net and made a terrific glove save to keep his net empty.

Dittmer netted his second of the game on the man advantage with less than two minutes left in the second before Drew Selin responded to end Matthewson’s shutout bid 33 seconds later.

Boissevain held a 7-1 advantage after 40 minutes, and Matthewson clamped down as the Border Kings closed it out.

“Winning never gets old. I’ve been lucky enough to win in a couple of other leagues for senior and it doesn’t matter what level it’s at for me. It brings the group closer together, and I’ll remember these guys that we won with for a long time,” LeBlanc said.

Boissevain joins the Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks, along with the Carillon Senior Hockey League and South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League winners at Hockey Manitoba’s provincial senior A championship, beginning Thursday.

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