B.C.’s provincial Junior ‘B’ hockey championship tournament will be played in Delta next spring, after a two-year break due to the pandemic.
Cyclone Taylor Cup action will happen at Ladner Leisure Centre from April 7-10, 2022, with Delta Ice Hawks the host team.
The games will involve the Ice Hawks and league-champion teams from the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL).
Six round-robin games will be scheduled, followed by bronze- and gold-medal games.
The Ice Hawks were to host the Cyclone Taylor Cup in 2021, but the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Next April, the 2021-22 championship event will be held in accordance with any provincial health orders that may be in place at the time of the event, according to a news release posted to bchockey.net.
“The Ice Hawks host committee and the PJHL will be working closely with the Provincial Health Authorities and the City of Delta to ensure this event is able to be hosted in a safe and successful manner,” the release states.
It’s finally happening! We are so excited to host the provincial tournament and league champions at the LLC!
— Delta Ice Hawks (@deltaicehawks) October 26, 2021
Full release: https://t.co/Hqj0iQhDEZ #DeltaHawkey https://t.co/SxO4goGq1S
This will be the fifth time Delta will compete for the BC Hockey-sanctioned Cyclone Taylor Cup, and first as host city. The Ice Hawks claimed the provincial championship once, in 2011.
Eduard Epshtein, Ice Hawks owner and president, said the PJHL franchise is honoured to play host to the next Cyclone Taylor Cup, “and to welcome the teams and families from around the province to Delta. We are looking forward to making the provincial tournament a memory to last a lifetime for players and fans, while showcasing the great facilities, accommodations, and businesses that Delta has to offer.”
Schedule and ticket packages will be announced soon, on pjhl.net/cyclone-taylor-cup.
“Hockey everywhere was effected by the pandemic,” PJHL commissioner Trevor Alto said. “We had two seasons cut short and lost two Cyclone Taylor Cups. It was disappointing for everyone, but particularly for the Ice Hawks. However, this did not deter their organization or their desire to host this tournament. They were unwavering in their willingness to pick up where they left off and to host a first-class event in our new environment.”
Delta Mayor George V. Harvie said the tournament “is a great opportunity to showcase the Ice Hawks, our local hockey community, and this vibrant city. We look forward to welcoming visitors, players, coaches, and officials to Delta – I’ll be cheering for the Ice Hawks from the stands!”
The Cyclone Taylor Cup was first awarded in 1967.
In Campbell River in 2019, the last time the tournament was played, the Cup was won by Revelstoke Grizzlies of the KIJHL.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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