VERNON, B.C. – After posting semifinal wins Saturday, the Carleton Place Canadians and Yorkton Terriers will meet Sunday for the 2014 RBC Cup, Canada’s 44th National Junior A Championship. The Canadians defeated the Dauphin Kings 5-3 in the late semifinal, while the Terriers doubled the host Vernon Vipers 6-3 in the early game.

Sunday’s championship game faces off at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT live on TSN/RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

The Canadians are appearing in their first national championship in only their fifth season in Junior A hockey, and will look to become just the third team from the Central Canada Hockey League to be crowned national champions, joining the Rockland Nationals in 1976 and Pembroke Lumber Kings in 2011.

The Terriers, who are making their fifth appearance at the RBC Cup, are trying to win their first national championship and become the first team from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to win the RBC Cup since the Humboldt Broncos in 2008.

In Saturday’s early semifinal, Daylan Gatzke had a pair of goals to lead the offence and Kale Thomson made 34 saves to help the Terriers to a win, sending Yorkton to the championship game for the second time; it reached the final in its last appearance, in 2006, but lost 8-2 to Kyle Turris and the Burnaby Express. The Terriers will try to become the second straight team from the West Region to win the RBC Cup, joining the Brooks Bandits last year.

In the late game, the Canadians were led by Andy Sturtz, the RBC Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year, who had a goal and two assists. Anthony McVeigh added a pair of goals, and Guillaume Therien made 29 saves for Carleton Place. It’s the third time in four years the East Region champions have reached the RBC Cup final; Pembroke beat Vernon in 2011, while Woodstock lost to Penticton the following year.  

The teams met Wednesday in preliminary round action, with Yorkton earning a 3-1 victory.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Keegan Goodrich, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of media relations, is on site at the 2014 RBC Cup and is the media contact for interviews, information or photos. He can be reached at 403-519-5754 or [email protected].

For more information on the 2014 RBC Cup, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/rbccup, or follow the tournament via social media at www.facebook.com/rbccup and www.twitter.com/hc_rbccup.