LLOYDMINSTER, Alta./Sask. – The West Kelowna Warriors won Canada's 46th National Junior A Championship, winning the 2016 RBC Cup with a 4-0 victory over the Lloydminster Bobcats at the Centennial Civic Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The championship marked the first national title for the Warriors and made them the 13th team from the British Columbia Hockey League to be crowned national champions.

“This is a special group of kids we had right from the start,” said Warriors head coach, Rylan Ferster. “We had to work for everything we got here; it’s been a great ride for us and I’m really happy for the team.”

West Kelowna opened up scoring at 5:21 of the first period on a rebound goal from Jonathan Desbiens (Montreal, Que.), Reed Gunville (Prince Albert, Sask.) struck early in the second to make it 2-0 and the Warriors never looked back from there, finding the back of the net twice in the third on goals from Liam Blackburn (Prince George, B.C.) and Rylan Yaremko (Spirit River, Alta.).

Warriors netminder Matthew Greenfield (Parkland, Fla.) stole the show between the pipes, turning away all 48 of the Bobcats’ shots on net to record the first shutout by any goaltender at the 2016 RBC Cup.

“The guys in front of me were unbelievable,” said Greenfield on his performance in goal. “I wanted to do it for them; they got me here and I wanted to pay them back.”

The 2017 RBC Cup will be held in May 2017 in Cobourg, Ont., with the Cobourg Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League serving as the host team.

RBC’s commitment to communities

As part of a broader commitment to support families and communities affected by the wildfires and recent economic downturn in Alberta, RBC announced it would donate $1,000 for every goal scored during the RBC Cup to the United Way of Fort McMurray in support of rebuilding efforts. During the 13 game tournament, 79 goals were scored, which equaled $79,000 in total funds for the United Way.

On Sunday, at the final game, RBC topped up the donation to $100,000.

“The devastation of the fire is challenging our collective resolve, but Alberta was built on a foundation of hard work and community, and with the help of others, we will get through this,” says Jeff Boyd, regional president, RBC. “RBC has a long-standing history of helping Canadians and we are here to help Albertans recover and rebuild.”

RBC has proudly partnered with Hockey Canada on the RBC Cup since 1996.

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