LLOYDMINSTER, Alta./Sask. – The excitement has been building as the puck officially drops on the 2016 RBC Cup on Saturday. Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League and the Alberta Junior Hockey League, will welcome the nation’s top teams who will contend for Canada’s National Junior A Championship from May 14-22.

Five teams - the host Lloydminster Bobcats, Brooks Bandits (West #2), Carleton Place Canadians (East), Trenton Golden Hawks (Central), and West Kelowna Warriors (West #1) – have travelled to the Border City to contend for the prestigious title at the Centennial Civic Centre.

"Our city is thrilled once again to be on the national stage as we host the best five Junior A teams in Canada," said Malcolm Radke, co-chair of the host committee. "It should be an exciting week for the community of Lloydminster as we celebrate the great game of hockey."

This year’s event marks the first appearance for the Bobcats at Canada’s National Junior A Championship, and it is the sixth time the tournament will be hosted by an Alberta Junior Hockey League team, joining Camrose (2011), Grande Prairie (2004), Fort McMurray (2000), Olds (1994) and Edmonton (1975).

The tournament begins with the West Region representative Brooks Bandits taking on the Central Region champion Trenton Golden Hawks at 3:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. ET on May 14, while the host Bobcats will make their debut against the West Region champion West Kelowna Warriors at 7:30 p.m. MT/9:30 p.m. ET.

The championship game will be held Sunday, May 22, at 4 p.m. MT/6 p.m. ET and will air on TSN and RDS 2, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters (check your local listings). All preliminary-round games and the semifinals can be seen live via FASTHockey webcast at HockeyCanada.ca/RBCCup. 

For more information on the 2016 RBC Cup, please visit Hockey Canada, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.