CAMROSE, Alta. – The 2011 RBC Cup, Canada's 41st National Junior A Championship, held its awards banquet on Friday night at the Camrose Regional Exhibition. The recipients of all five individual awards were announced at the banquet.

The awards were based on the tournament's preliminary round, which ran from Saturday to Thursday.

The 2011 RBC Cup award winners are:

Most Valuable Player (Roland Mercier Trophy) – Dalyn Flette (Camrose Kodiaks)
Top Goaltender – Dalyn Flette (Camrose Kodiaks)
Top Forward – Matthew Peca (Pembroke Lumber Kings)
Top Defenceman – Adam Thompson (Vernon Vipers)
Most Sportsmanlike Player (Tubby Schmalz Trophy) – Dylan Walchuk (Vernon Vipers)

In addition, Hamilton Red Wings (Ontario Junior Hockey League) forward Zach Hyman was presented with the 2011 RBC Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year award. Hamilton’s captain for a second season, Hyman earned a spot on the OJHL’s North-West Conference First All-Star Team after finishing second in league scoring with 102 points in just 43 games, leading all Canadian Junior A players with 2.37 points per game. He was also named the OJHL’s Most Gentlemanly Player, and helped Canada East win a silver medal at the 2010 World Junior A Challenge in Penticton, B.C.

Geoffrey Gieni of the Soo Thunderbirds (Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League) was on hand in Camrose to receive the RBC National Junior A Scholarship. Gieni was chosen from 10 finalists – one from each of the Canadian Junior Hockey League's member leagues – to receive the $5,000 scholarship.

The RBC Cup Legacy Scholarships were also handed out at the awards banquet. Established following the 2004 RBC Royal Bank Cup in Grande Prairie, Alta. and contributed to following successful National Junior A Championships in Weyburn, Sask., Prince George, B.C., and Cornwall, Ont., these $500 scholarships are awarded to one graduating 20-year-old player from each of the five participating teams.

The RBC Cup Legacy Scholarship winners are:

Camrose Kodiaks – Brooks Myers
Pembroke Lumber Kings – Tyler Tosunian
Portage Terriers – Kyle Turgeon
Vernon Vipers – Steve Weinstein
Wellington Dukes – Sean Rudy

After five days of preliminary round action, the semifinals are set for Saturday. In the early game at 2 p.m. MT, the Vernon Vipers (4-0) will face the Wellington Dukes (1-3), while the host Camrose Kodiaks (3-1) will face the Pembroke Lumber Kings (1-3) in the late semifinal at 6 p.m. MT.

The winners of the semifinals will go head-to-head on Sunday, May 8 in the championship game of the 2011 RBC Cup, with face-off set for 6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

In addition, all 10 preliminary round games, along with both semifinals on Saturday, May 7, will be available via webcast through FASTHockey at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com. All games are available on a pay-per-view basis for $7 each.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of media relations and communications, will be on site at the 2011 RBC Cup and will be the media contact for interviews, information or photos. He can be reached at 587-999-5681 or [email protected].