The Brandon Wheat Kings defeated the Saskatoon Blazers 1-0 in overtime on Sunday at Scotiabank hockey for all centre to claim the 2024 Men’s U18 AAA Hockey Western Regional Championship and advance to the 2024 TELUS Cup Men’s U18 National Club Championship, April 22-28 at the Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre.

After a scoreless first three periods, McCreary’s Brady Turko scored 2:21 into overtime to punch Brandon’s ticket to the 2024 TELUS Cup. U16 Team Manitoba Alumni Burke Hood (Brandon) stopped all 30 saves he faced, recording a crucial shutout for his hometown team. The Wheat Kings are the first Manitoba team to win the TELUS Cup West Regionals and advance to the TELUS Cup since the Winnipeg Thrashers won the National U18 AAA championship in 2011. The Wheat Kings finished their Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League season with a record of 52-0-1 (regular season and playoffs).

 

About the TELUS Cup

Since 1974, the best under-18 teams in the country have gathered to compete for Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship. Five regional champions join the host team in a week-long marathon to crown the very best in Canada. The LHM18AAAQ champions advance directly to the TELUS Cup as Quebec representatives, while the other four regional spots are filled by the champions of Pacific (B.C. and Alberta), West (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, NW Ontario), Central (GNML, MHAO, GTHL, OMHA, HEO) and Atlantic (N.S., N.L., N.B., P.E.I.).

The TELUS Cup has been a starting point for hundreds of NHL careers; alumni include a trio of first-overall picks (Gord Kluzak, Wendel Clark, Sidney Crosby), and a who’s-who of Canadian stars past and present – names like Brind’Amour, Drouin, Eberle, Francis, Letang, Rielly, Roy, Sakic and Yzerman.