LLOYDMINSTER, Sask. – For the first time in its history, the South East Prairie Thunder has won the Allan Cup, claiming Canada’s 104^th National Senior Championship with a 4-1 victory over the Rosetown Redwings in Saturday’s championship at the Centennial Civic Centre.

Brad Purdie scored the game-winner 8:48 into the third period to break open a 1-1 tie, and helped set up Devon Leblanc for the insurance goal into an empty net with less than two minutes to go as the Prairie Thunder became the first Manitoba team to win the Allan Cup since the Île-des-Chênes North Stars in 2003. Tim Plett and Anders Strome also scored for South East, while goaltender Justin Harris made 32 saves.

The Prairie Thunder, which lost in the final in 2009, semifinals in 2010 and quarter-finals last year, went through the tournament undefeated, beating the Redwings 2-1 and Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts 5-2 during preliminary round play, and knocking off the Cataracts 7-2 in Friday’s semifinal.

J.J. Hunter scored the lone goal for Rosetown, which made its first appearance in the championship game and lost despite outshooting the Prairie Thunder 33-29, including 26-14 in the first 40 minutes.

The Allan Cup is one of the oldest club-team hockey competitions in North America, having been first competed for in 1908. Only once in the past 105 years, in 1945, has an Allan Cup champion not been crowned.

Bentley, Alta., will host the 2013 Allan Cup in April 2013.

For more information on the 2012 Allan Cup, please visit www.allancup.ca.