The Tavistock Braves have an opportunity to win the team’s first-ever Schmaltz Cup, the top prize in the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
The Braves defeated the Lakeshore Canadiens, one of the most successful junior hockey teams in the province, in six games following a 7-1 home ice win on Wednesday night.
Tavistock General Manager Brent Lange, only in his second season at the helm, said the team has found a way to win all season long.
“We have a really tight-knit group here. These kids just battle shift in and shift out right to the end. They love one another in that room, and it’s been an amazing ride so far, and we are going to enjoy it. These kids deserve it, Tavistock deserves it, so why not us?”
Fergus has steamrolled through the playoffs, losing just two games after receiving a first-round bye in the North Pollock Division. The team is led by former Elmira Sugar King Joey Martin, who has 32 points in 16 playoff games.
“They are a good, hard-working team. They have some good firepower up front and a couple of good defencemen that we know of, and their goaltending’s been good. It’s going to make for a good series but the last few teams were pretty good, too. It’s going to make for a good series,” added Lange.
The Braves finished second in the Doherty Division this season after winding up in seventh last year.
Game one of the series is set for 8:30 p.m. in Fergus on Saturday night. Games two and three will be played in Tavistock on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.
