April 27/25
Ridge Meadows Flames (6) vs Grand Forks Border Bruins (9)
Border Bruins win series 3-1
“It’s unreal, especially being from Grand Forks,” said Alex Edwards on winning the Mowat Cup. “I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s no better feeling than winning in front of the people that I’ve known my entire life.”
Edwards scored the eventual Mowat Cup winning-goal, giving the Border Bruins a 7-3 lead over the Ridge Meadows Flames in the third period.
The local product led the Border Bruins with three goals and four points, while Levi Astill scored twice and added an assist. Eric Kahl stopped 30 of 36 shots for the Border Bruins. The Border Bruins led 3-1 after the first period and 5-3 after two.
“It was an interesting game, obviously ending up 9-6, but just sticking to it, the no quit, the couple power-play goals against that tied up the game,” said Border Bruins head coach-general manager Dave Hnatiuk. “The resilience to keep going, to keep pushing, just a great win.”
Zack Lagrange led the Flames with two goals, both on the power-play, and added an assist. The Flames were 3-for-5 on the man-advantage. Starter Matthew Candusso stopped 25 of 32 shots in 47:02 of action, then was pulled in favour of Josh Vallee, who stopped six of eight shots.
April 26/25
Ridge Meadows Flames (5) vs Grand Forks Border Bruins (4)
Border Bruins lead series 2-1
The Flames used three third-period goals, including a late power-play tally with two minutes remaining to defeat the Border Bruins at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena in front of 1,000 spectators.
Flames captain Lukas Ravenstein led the team with two goals, including the winner. Goalie Matthew Candusso saved 35 of 39 shots. Tyler Burke led the Border Bruins with a hat-trick, while goalie Jasper Tait stopped 18 of 23 shots. The Border Bruins went 1-for-2 on the power-play, and the Flames were 2-for-4. Game 4 is at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
April 23/25
Grand Forks Border Bruins (5) vs Ridge Meadows Flames (3)
Border Bruins lead series 2-0
Levi Astill led the Border Bruins with four points, including one-timing the winning goal on the power-play against the Flames with 46 seconds remaining in regulation. It was their lone goal on the man-advantage on three tries, but it was a key one.
Tyler Burke had a three-point performance for the Border Bruins, opening the scoring, then setting up the winner. Jasper Tait stopped 26 of 29 shots, allowing goals to Theo Kochan and Jakob Loewen on the power-play (2-for-5) and Zack Lagrange – who had given the Flames a 3-2 lead 6:23 into the third period. The Border Bruins responded with three straight goals by Burke, Astill and Ryker Rougeau with the insurance goal in the final half of the third. Flames goalie Matthew Candusso stopped 26 of 30 shots.
April 22/25
Grand Forks Border Bruins (3) vs Ridge Meadows Flames (2)
Border Bruins lead series 1-0
The Border Bruins’ special teams was key to their Game 1 victory in the Mowat Cup against the Flames. They went 2-for-4 on the power-play, and the penalty-kill was perfect – 3-for-3. Thomas Clarke backhanded the winning goal past Matthew Candusso five-hole with 7:22 remaining in regulation time. Also scoring for the Border Bruins was Tyler Burke, who opened the scoring, and KIJHL MVP Levi Astill, who tied the game with a laser wrist shot high past Candusso’s blocker. He finished with 35 saves on 38 shots.
Border Bruins goalie Jasper Tait wasn’t busy, but was good when needed and saved 19 of 21 shots. He allowed goals to Jonah Power Smith and Nolan Bowsher.
