THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – It’s time to lace up those skates and hit the ice as the Thunder Bay Kings gear up for the under-18 west regional championship! The Kings are heading to Warman, Sask., to take on some fierce competition in this four-team tournament.
The puck drops for the Kings on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, as they face off against the reigning champions from Saskatchewan, the Saskatoon Blazers. The Kings will be looking to bring their A-game as they battle it out against these tough opponents. On Friday at 10 p.m. ET, the Kings will take on the home team, the Warman Wildcats, in what is sure to be a thrilling match-up.
The Kings will conclude round robin play on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET against the Winnipeg Wild, who have already captured the Manitoba AAA crown. The top two teams from the round robin will then face off on Sunday to determine the west regional winner. The stakes are high as the winner will earn a coveted spot at the Canadian U18 AAA national championship, which will take place from April 24-30 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
This is the 2023 West Regional and the competition is fierce. Joining the Kings are the Saskatoon Blazers, the Winnipeg Wild, and the Warman Wildcats. With so much talent on the ice, fans are in for a real treat.
2023 West Regional
Competing teams
Thunder Bay Kings
Saskatoon Blazers
Winnipeg Wild
Warman Wildcats
Schedule
All start times ET
Thursday, April 6
Kings vs. Blazers 7 p.m.
Wild vs. Wildcats 10 p.m.
Friday, April 7
Blazers vs. Wild 7 p.m.
Kings vs. Wildcats 10 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
Wild vs. Kings 2 p.m.
Wildcats vs. Blazers 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 9
2nd round robin vs. 1st round robin 4 p.m.
Winner advances to Canadian U18 AAA championship, April 24-30, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.
In other hockey news, Thunder Bay’s U16 Kings recently returned home from the OHL Cup in Toronto to cap off their season. The Kings faced some tough competition, going up against clubs that advanced all the way to the championship game. Despite a 1-4 record, the Kings can hold their heads high knowing that they played their best and gave it their all.
In the opener, the Kings were outmatched by the York-Simcoe Express, falling 8-1. Jadan Desormeaux notched the lone Kings marker in the loss, while netminder Chase Furlong was peppered with 60 shots against. The Kings then suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the eventual OHL Cup champions, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Carter Poddubny scored the lone goal, and Travis VanderZwaag made 33 saves in the setback.
Despite the tough losses, the Kings continued to give it their all. They battled hard against the event finalists, the Vaughan Kings, but ultimately fell 5-0 after facing 54 shots. The Kings wrapped up their campaign on a positive note, edging out the Sun County Panthers 3-2, led by a pair of Poddubny goals, including the game-winner in the third period.
It was a tough season for the Kings, but they showed that they have what it takes to compete at a high level. With their U18 team now taking the ice, fans are eagerly anticipating what’s to come. The Thunder Bay Kings are a team to watch, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
