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May 11, 2008
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CORNWALL, ON – For the second time in five years, the Humboldt Broncos have won the National Junior A
Championship.
Edward Gale scored the game’s lone goal late in the first period and Taylor Nelson made that goal stand up
as the winner with a 30-save shutout performance as the Broncos claimed the 2008 RBC Cup with a 1-0 win over
the Camrose Kodiaks on Sunday at the Cornwall Civic Complex.
The win came five years to the day – May 11, 2003 – that the Broncos won their first national
championship, beating, ironically, the Camrose Kodiaks, 3-1 in Charlottetown, PEI.
With the Broncos on a powerplay nearing the 17-minute mark of the opening period, Gale stepped out of the
corner and snuck a shot past Camrose goaltender Allen York – who was named the tournament’s top goaltender
for the second straight year at Friday night’s awards banquet.
The goaltenders took over following Gale’s goal, as York and Nelson combined to turn aside all 38 shots
they faced over the final 40 minutes in a classic duel of elite goaltenders.
Nelson saved his best stop for last, as he robbed Camrose sniper Joe Colborne on the doorstep with a glove
save with just one second remaining on the clock and the Kodiaks enjoying a six-on-four advantage.
Humboldt won their third medal in three trips to the National Junior A Championship – in addition to their
national title in 2003, they were runners-up in 1987 when they hosted the tournament, falling to the Richmond
(BC) Sockeyes in the championship game.
The Kodiaks lost the championship game for the third time in five trips to the tournament – after winning
their first, and only, national championship in their first trip, in 2001, the Kodiaks lost to Humboldt in
2003 and Weyburn in 2005 in the final game. Camrose lost a five-overtime semi-final to Prince George at the
2007 RBC Royal Bank Cup, the only time in their five trips that they have failed to advance to the
championship game.
Despite the loss, the Kodiaks set a RBC Cup (since 1996) record by allowing just five goals in their six
games, breaking the mark of seven set by the 1997 South Surrey Eagles. York finished with a remarkable 0.80
goals against average, not allowing more than one goal in any of his five appearances.
The 2009 RBC Cup will be held in May 2009 in Victoria, BC, where the Victoria Grizzlies will be the host
team.
» 2008 RBC Cup
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