Four of the top Junior B teams in B.C. began the battle for the Cyclone Taylor Cup in Fernie on Thursday.
The tournament features the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL) champion Richmond Sockeyes, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) champion Peninsula Panthers, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League champion Osoyoos Coyotes and the host Fernie Ghostriders.
The Trail link, and West Kootenay’s link for that matter, will be on the Fernie roster.
Trail native Thomas Abenante, former Trail Smoke Eater Jeff Zmurchyk and Castlegar natives Scott Morisseau and Andrew Walton are the key components to the home team’s success.
The Cup got began Thursday with Richmond taking on Osoyoos in the early game followed by a Fernie-Peninsula matchup. Results were unavailable at press time.
Today, Fernie takes on Osoyoos in the evening game while Peninsula and Richmond meet in the afternoon game.
The round robin wraps up Saturday with Peninsula facing Osoyoos in the afternoon and Fernie squaring off against Richmond in the evening.
The top two teams meet for the Cyclone Taylor Cup Sunday evening.
The winner will represent B.C. at the Keystone Cup Western Junior B Canadian championship. That tournament, which features teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Ontario begins April 14 in Sherwood Park, Alta.