ROCANVILLE WINS EMILE BALOGH TROPHY

For the second time in three seasons, the Rocanville Tigers are Emile Balogh Trophy winners.

Taylor Thompson scored two goals and set up another in leading the Tigers to a 5-2 win over the  Canora Cobras, completing a three game sweep in the best of five series.

The Tigers opened the scoring early in the first period when Stephane Fouillard's point shot was redirected a couple of times on the way to the net and getting by Rylan Palchewich, with Jacob Tibbatts getting the credit.

From there, Palchewich kept his team in the game until Thompson took matters into his own hands late in the second by dancing around a check in his own end and then stick handling by three others on his way up the ice and going top shelf for a 2-0 lead.

Thompson scored on a wicked backhand early in the third and Dakota Odgers tacked on a fourth to put the game out of reach midway through the final frame.

Canora got on the board with under eight to go. Logan Foster, playing in a full shield after suffering a serious facial injury in game two, broke Dakota Berezowski's shutout bid and then Jake Heerspink fired a shot by Berezowski a little over a minute later to close the gap to two.

Landyn Cochrane responded for Rocanville, putting an end to any thoughts of a late comeback.

The Tigers have been in the SEHL finals for three straight years, winning a five game thriller against Theodore in 2022.  The Buffs avenged that defeat in 2023, but the Tigers are back in top in 2024.

The playoff MVP was Thompson, who scored 8 goals and 11 assists in 7 post season games, that includes 3 goals and 4 assists in 3 games in the league final.  

The SEHL will hold a Spring Meeting in the coming days to put an official wrap on the year.