Latest news with #BradMoran
Ottawa Citizen
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Lucky toonies and life-long 'brothers': Host Calgary Canucks win Centennial Cup in dominating style
Article content 'Whatever it takes' was how Brad Moran worded his team's run to a national puck title. Article content Article content So when the Calgary Canucks dug a couple of toonies out of the ice amid Sunday's celebration of winning the 2025 Centennial Cup, it seemed to come as no surprise to the head coach of the newly minted Canadian Junior Hockey League champions … Article content Even though he knew nothing of the lucky coins or who put them there. Article content Article content 'One from 1995, and one from 2025,' said the Canucks GM and head coach, his voice dripping with joy after watching his charges score the coveted CJHL crown 30 years — almost to the day — of the franchise's first and only other Centennial Cup. Article content Article content 'So whatever it takes …' continued Moran of the buried treasure. 'I guess that was the gesture.' Article content If there was magic in those toonies, it didn't take the shine off the determination of the Canucks. Article content Moran's men were full marks for the title victory Sunday, executing dominance in a 7-2 taming of the Melfort Mustangs in Sunday's finale, much to the delight of a frenzied 2,720 fans at jam-packed Max Bell Centre. And it was quite the delight for themselves, coming 12 months after losing 2-1 to the same Mustangs in last year's semifinal round of the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont. Article content Revenge best served cold, you could say. Article content Article content 'It's everything I've dreamed of,' said Canucks captain Bowden Singleton, in the moments after hoisting the Centennial Cup on home ice. 'I might get emotional here in a bit, but I'm just soaking everything in right now. Article content 'That feeling of losing last year and looking at the guys that lost is probably one of the saddest things you ever have to go through, because those 20-year-olds, they gave everything they had.' Article content It was a feeling neither he or any of the seven other returnees of the reigning two-time Alberta Junior Hockey League kings wanted to go through again, unlike the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League-champion Mustangs themselves were forced to do for a second straight Centennial Cup after losing last year in the final to Ontario's Collingwood Blues. Article content 'We started off with one goal to win the regular season and then win the AJHL playoffs and then win the Centennial Cup playoffs,' Singleton said. 'Super surreal, the full circle, and we're going to enjoy it for a long time. We're brothers for the rest of our lives.'
Calgary Herald
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Lucky toonies and life-long 'brothers': Host Calgary Canucks win Centennial Cup in dominating style
Article content 'Whatever it takes' was how Brad Moran worded his team's run to a national puck title. Article content Article content So when the Calgary Canucks dug a couple of toonies out of the ice amid Sunday's celebration of winning the 2025 Centennial Cup, it seemed to come as no surprise to the head coach of the newly minted Canadian Junior Hockey League champions … Article content Even though he knew nothing of the lucky coins or who put them there. Article content Article content 'One from 1995, and one from 2025,' said the Canucks GM and head coach, his voice dripping with joy after watching his charges score the coveted CJHL crown 30 years — almost to the day — of the franchise's first and only other Centennial Cup. Article content Article content 'So whatever it takes …' continued Moran of the buried treasure. 'I guess that was the gesture.' Article content If there was magic in those toonies, it didn't take the shine off the determination of the Canucks. Article content Moran's men were full marks for the title victory Sunday, executing dominance in a 7-2 taming of the Melfort Mustangs in Sunday's finale, much to the delight of a frenzied 2,720 fans at jam-packed Max Bell Centre. Article content And it was quite the delight for themselves, coming 12 months after losing 2-1 to the same Mustangs in last year's semifinal round of the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont. Article content Revenge best served cold, you could say. Article content Article content 'It's everything I've dreamed of,' said Canucks captain Bowden Singleton, in the moments after hoisting the Centennial Cup on home ice. 'I might get emotional here in a bit, but I'm just soaking everything in right now. Article content 'That feeling of losing last year and looking at the guys that lost is probably one of the saddest things you ever have to go through, because those 20-year-olds, they gave everything they had.' Article content It was a feeling neither he or any of the seven other returnees of the reigning two-time Alberta Junior Hockey League kings wanted to go through again, unlike the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League-champion Mustangs themselves were forced to do for a second straight Centennial Cup after losing last year in the final to Ontario's Collingwood Blues. Article content 'We started off with one goal to win the regular season and then win the AJHL playoffs and then win the Centennial Cup playoffs,' Singleton said. 'Super surreal, the full circle, and we're going to enjoy it for a long time. We're brothers for the rest of our lives.'
Calgary Herald
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Canucks get thrilling OT victory to score spot in Centennial Cup finale
Article content The Calgary Canucks have crashed their own party at the 2025 Centennial Cup. Article content Article content In vying to become hosts with the most at the Canadian Junior Hockey League's national championship, they have pushed their way into the heralded event's finale Article content Patience, confidence and a never-in-doubt attitude is paying off for the reigning two-time Alberta Junior Hockey League kings in their own barn. Article content Article content 'Never quit,' agreed Canucks GM/head coach Brad Moran, just moments after Hayden Fechner's overtime goal in Saturday's 3-2 semifinal victory over Ontario's Rockland Nationals sealed a spot for the home side in the championship final. Article content Article content 'That's the M.O. of the group,' continued Moran. 'They just kept going. They didn't get rattled — they stuck with it. Article content 'I think it's a team that has a big goal in mind.' Article content That's, of course, a Canadian title in front of friends, family and feverish fans, as the Canucks play for gold in the gold-medal game against Saskatchewan's Melfort Mustangs set for Sunday at Max Bell Centre (5 p.m., Article content 'We're full of confidence right now,' said Canucks forward Gavin Schmidt, whose two goals in regulation — including one with just three minutes left in regulation — helped send the Canucks to the OT finish. Article content 'There was definitely nerves coming in,' continued Schmidt. 'But even though we have some rough starts in most of our games at this tournament, we're always turning it around.' Article content Article content In this one, they needed to in order to move on and avoid the same heartache felt last year when they lost in the semi at the Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont. Article content Article content But it didn't come easily. Article content For most of the contest, the Nationals refused to give up much in the way of scoring opportunities. And when they did, goaltender Benoit Forget — who made 28 saves game-wide — was there to shut the door. Article content The Canucks, however, kept pressing, shaking off two goals scored by Nationals sniper Gabriel Le Houillier, to eventually get a monster goal from Schmidt, who snapped home a feed from Fechner with the home squad short-handed late in the second period. Article content The timely marker breathed life into the Cup hosts, as they came out in the third frame and continued with the never-quit attitude that's paced them through much of the 11-day national championship. Article content But between Schmidt's tallies — his third and fourth of the 10-team competition — it was the home-side goalie, Lukas Renaud, with heroics at the other end. The Canucks 'tender almost single-handedly kept the Canucks' comeback hopes alive with a handful of magnificent saves — including a couple on breakaways — as part of a massive 42-stop performance.
Ottawa Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Calgary Canucks get thrilling OT victory to score spot in Centennial Cup finale
Article content The Calgary Canucks have crashed their own party at the 2025 Centennial Cup. Article content Article content In vying to become hosts with the most at the Canadian Junior Hockey League's national championship, they have pushed their way into the heralded event's finale Article content Patience, confidence and a never-in-doubt attitude is paying off for the reigning two-time Alberta Junior Hockey League kings in their own barn. Article content Article content 'Never quit,' agreed Canucks GM/head coach Brad Moran, just moments after Hayden Fechner's overtime goal in Saturday's 3-2 semifinal victory over Ontario's Rockland Nationals sealed a spot for the home side in the championship final. Article content Article content 'That's the M.O. of the group,' continued Moran. 'They just kept going. They didn't get rattled — they stuck with it. Article content 'I think it's a team that has a big goal in mind.' Article content That's, of course, a Canadian title in front of friends, family and feverish fans, as the Canucks play for gold in the gold-medal game against Saskatchewan's Melfort Mustangs set for Sunday at Max Bell Centre (5 p.m., Article content 'We're full of confidence right now,' said Canucks forward Gavin Schmidt, whose two goals in regulation — including one with just three minutes left in regulation — helped send the Canucks to the OT finish. Article content 'There was definitely nerves coming in,' continued Schmidt. 'But even though we have some rough starts in most of our games at this tournament, we're always turning it around.' Article content Article content In this one, they needed to in order to move on and avoid the same heartache felt last year when they lost in the semi at the Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont. Article content Article content But it didn't come easily. Article content For most of the contest, the Nationals refused to give up much in the way of scoring opportunities. And when they did, goaltender Benoit Forget — who made 28 saves game-wide — was there to shut the door. Article content The Canucks, however, kept pressing, shaking off two goals scored by Nationals sniper Gabriel Le Houillier, to eventually get a monster goal from Schmidt, who snapped home a feed from Fechner with the home squad short-handed late in the second period. Article content The timely marker breathed life into the Cup hosts, as they came out in the third frame and continued with the never-quit attitude that's paced them through much of the 11-day national championship. Article content But between Schmidt's tallies — his third and fourth of the 10-team competition — it was the home-side goalie, Lukas Renaud, with heroics at the other end. The Canucks 'tender almost single-handedly kept the Canucks' comeback hopes alive with a handful of magnificent saves — including a couple on breakaways — as part of a massive 42-stop performance.
Ottawa Citizen
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Centennial Cup guide: 'High-end offensive guys' on Greater Sudbury Cubs
Article content Brad Moran and the Calgary Canucks host the 2025 Centennial Cup, beginning Thursday at Max Bell Centre. Article content The annual hockey tournament to crown a Canadian Junior Hockey League king begins Thursday and runs through May 18, with 10 teams vying for the coveted championship, won last year by the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Collingwood Blues. Article content The teams are split into two pools — Group A featuring the Trenton Golden Hawks, the Northern Manitoba Blizzard, the Grande Prairie Storm, the Greater Sudbury Cubs and the Kam River Fighting Walleye and Group B comprised of the host Canucks, the Melfort Mustangs, the Rockland Nationals, the Valleyfield Braves and the No. 1-ranked Edmundston Blizzard — with each team lining up for four round-robin contests to start the event. Article content Article content Article content The skinny: The Cubs — as a nine-loss club in 2024-25 — join the Canucks and the Mustangs as the only teams returning to the national championship for a second-straight year, marking their only two trips to the Centennial Cup as the Cubs. But unlike the Canucks and the Mustangs, the Cubs didn't make last spring's playoff round. They return 13 players from last spring, as well. Article content Moran: 'Some really high-end offensive guys. You've got to shut them down if you're going to play them well.' Article content The Cubs' first game is Friday against the Grand Prairie Storm, then Saturday versus the Northern Manitoba Blizzard. Article content Article content The skinny: The Canucks — one of just three teams returning from the 2024 Centennial Cup — are the only team of the 10 competing for this year's crown which has won the national championship. That came in 1995 over the host Gloucester Rangers. Seven players return for another run at the title. Article content Canucks GM/head coach Brad Moran: 'We've gotta play our game. Speed and execution will be our key. If we keep it simple and execute, I think we'll be OK.' Article content Moran: 'I think as good a team as we're going to find here. They've got a ton of offence, and defensively, they've got big, strong guys on the back end and a good goalie.'
