Brooks Bandits getting ready for BCHL Alberta division finals
It took seven games, but the Brooks Bandits were able to knock off the Okotoks Oilers in the BCHL Alberta division semi-finals.
After a hard-fought series, the Bandits are feeling battle-tested.
"The mood in the room is pretty high. That series was long and hard. Winning a Game 7 at home in front of our fans was super. The building was packed and full of energy, so we have that same energy," Bandits defenceman Ethan Beyer said.
Now, the Bandits will face off against the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the division championship.
The Crusaders finished second in the division, behind the Bandits.
Brooks won six out of seven games between the two this year, but that doesn't mean the bandits will take the Crusaders lightly.
"They have a lot of offensive power. They score a lot of goals, but they also have a great goaltender, similar to us. I think it's a pretty even matchup. It's going to come down to who plays better defensively, I believe," Bandits forward Davide Patella said.
These playoffs are looking a bit different for Brooks than in years past.
Earlier this year, the Bandits and four other teams left the AJHL and joined the BCHL.
That means the Bandits won't get the chance to defend their national title.
"For us, it's just about being proud of the accomplishments we've tackled as a team and as a group. The challenges we've overcome have been monumental. It would just be the cherry on top to secure this championship," assistant coach Dakota Mason said.
While the trophy they're playing for may have changed, the goal remains the same.
"I think most hockey players and hockey people, they're not so worried about winning the trophy. The biggest thing is they want to win the last game of the season. So for us, that hasn't really changed," Mason said.
The division finals will start in Sherwood Park due to scheduling conflicts at Centennial Regional Arena.
Game 1 is Friday at 7 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Donald Trump can sue niece over NY Times article, court rules
A New York state appeals court said Donald Trump can sue his niece Mary Trump for giving the New York Times information for its Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 probe into his finances and his alleged effort to avoid taxes.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Princess of Wales to miss major military display next month amid cancer treatment
Catherine, Princess of Wales, will not be returning to royal duties with an appearance at the Colonel’s Review, a military parade in London in early June, as she continues her treatment for cancer.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.