SEVEN WHL GRADS HELP U.N.B. VARSITY REDS CAPTURE UNIVERSITY CUP – The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds captured the 2009 University Cup with a 4-2 victory over the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Championship game on Sunday, March 29th, in Thunder Bay, ON. It’s the second CIS National Championship in three years for the Varsity Reds, who also won the 2007 University Cup title. The 2009 edition of the Varsity Reds featured seven former WHL players including backup goaltender Derek Yeomans (Kel, Sea), defensemen Jonathan Harty (Evt), Dustin Friesen (S.C.), Alex Aldred (Por, T.C.) and Bretton Stamler (Sea, Edm, S.C.), and forwards Kyle Bailey (Por, Let) and Daine Todd (M.H.). Bailey picked up two assists in the Championship game on Sunday while Harty also chipped in an assist in the victory. Both Bailey and Dustin Friesen were named to the tournament All-Star team. Third-year forward Lachlan MacIntosh of Perth Andover, N.B., scored a hat-trick for the Varsity Reds in the contest. The Canada-West champion Alberta Golden Bears finished with a 1-1 record for the tournament, losing 6-3 to the Varsity Reds on the opening day of the tournament then defeating Lakehead 2-1 in their final round-robin contest. For complete coverage of the 2009 Cavendish University Cup tournament, visit the CIS Website. DASILVA NAMED CIS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Former Kootenay Ice captain Steve DaSilva was presented the Clare Drake Award as the CIS Rookie of the Year after a n outstanding first season as a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Saskatoon, SK, product became the third member of the Huskies to win the Clare Drake Award as the CIS Outstanding Freshman. The Canada West Hockey scoring champion enjoyed a stellar first season in CIS Hockey as he earned three conference trophies and was in the running for two national awards. DaSilva, 22, was also the conference’s nominee for the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy, which is awarded to the CIS outstanding player. He joins defenceman Jason Becker (1995-96) and forward Dean Beuker (2002-03) as Huskies who have won the Clare Drake Award. DaSilva played four seasons with the Kootenay Ice, scoring 103 goals and 132 assists in 271 career regular-season games. GOLDEN BEARS’ ERIC THURSTON NAMED CIS COACH OF THE YEAR University of Alberta Golden Bears head coach Eric Thurston was presented the Father George Kehoe Award as the CIS Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Bears to their 47th Canada-West title. Thurston, who has an overall career coaching record of 127-38-4 (.763), becomes the fourth Golden Bears coach to be earn the Father George Kehoe Memorial Award as the CIS Coach of the Year. In his fourth season behind the Alberta bench, Thurston guided the Golden Bears to a 32-11-0 record. Twice named Canada West Hockey Coach-of-the-Year, Thurston has led Alberta to two national championships in three trips to the University Cup tournament in his four seasons with Alberta. He joins a prestigious list of Alberta coaches who have earned the award; Rob Daum (2000-01, 2003-04), Bill Moores (1983-84, 1990-91) and Clare Drake (1974-75, 1987-88). Thurston played three seasons in the WHL for the Victoria Cougars from 1981-84. For more Canada West Hockey coverage, stats and standings, and links to Canada West teams, visit the Canada West Hockey Website |