Moose Jaw Warriors win first WHL championship in 40-year franchise history
The Moose Jaw Warriors made history on Wednesday night by winning the team's first-ever Western Hockey League (WHL) championship.
Moose Jaw clinched the title with a 4-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks to complete the series sweep in front of a sold-out home crowd.
Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk was named WHL playoff MVP after leading all defencemen in scoring with 30 points.
He said it's unbelievable to celebrate a WHL championship with his teammates.
"It's super special to win with all the brothers that I have in that room,you know I got 25 of them," Mateychuk said after Game 4.
"We're so excited."
Jackson Unger made 24 saves in game four to help the Warriors secure its first Ed Chynoweth Cup. The goalie said he's never experienced anything like winning four straight games in the WHL final.
"This is so special, this has got to be the best moment of my hockey career by far, even my life," Unger said. "This feeling is incomparable."
Moose Jaw had only made it to the WHL Championship Series once in its 40 year history prior to this season. The Warriors got swept by the Vancouver Giants in 2006.
Moose Jaw forward Atley Calvert grew up going to Warriors games with his family. He said it means a lot to be part of the team that finally won a championship for his hometown.
"It's special, I think at the end of the day we had fun here, it means a little bit more to me being from here and I'm just happy we could do it for the fans," Calvert said.
Throughout the championship run, Warriors' players have credited the fans in Moose Jaw for giving them a boost.
Jason Edwards has had Warriors season tickets for 20 years. He said it has been awesome watching this group of players succeed.
"They grew every game. This is the best team in Warriors history," Edwards said. "It's been huge for our community and there's been great support from our community."
Now the Warriors have the chance to make more history.
Moose Jaw booked its ticket to Saginaw, Michigan for the Memorial Cup by winning the WHL championship.
The Warriors will be competing against the Drummondville Voltigeurs who won the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the London Knights who won the Ontario Hockey League and the Saginaw Spirit who is hosting the tournament.
The Warriors are kicking off their tournament campaign on May 24 in the opening game of the Memorial Cup against the Spirit.
Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary said he is confident in his team's chances to win the franchise's first-ever Memorial Cup.
"We're going to go there and win that too," O'Leary said.
