Field set for Canada's RBC Cup; Minnesotan-filled Penticton favored

The Penticton Vees, after an amazing season which included a 42-game winning streak, have one goal left.

That's to win the RBC Cup in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. It's a five-team tournament starting Saturday and the winner is recognized as the national junior A champion in Canada.

Why should anyone in Minnesota care? There are at least nine good reasons.

Mike and Ryan Reilly, two brothers from Chanhassen, are among the Vees' players. And both will be Gophers next season along with another brother Connor, sidelined for the playoffs by knee surgery.

Mario Lucia, the son of the Gophers' head coach Don Lucia, is one of the Vees' top scorers.

Also on the team are Joey Benik of St. Francis, Steve Fogarty of Edina and defensemen D.J. Jones of Plymouth and Chad Bannor of Hermantown.

Even the Vees' coach, Fred Harkinson, has state ties. He was a St. Cloud State assistant coach for five seasons.

The final team in the field was determined on Sunday. The Woodstock Slammers of New Brunswick edged Nepean 3-2 for the Fred Page Cup and a chance to represent the East in the RBC Cup.

Here is the RBC Cup schedule:

Saturday

Soo Thunderbirds (Ontario), Dudley Cup champions (Central region)

vs.

---

Humboldt Broncos (Saskatchewan), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Anavet Cup champions (host)

vs.

Woodstock Slammers (New Brunswick), Fred Page Cup champions (East) , 7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Monday, May 7

Woodbury (East) vs. Portage (West), 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 8

Humboldt (host) vs. Soo (Central), 3 p.m.
Penticton (Pacific) vs. Woodstock (East), 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 9

Thursday, May 10

Woodstock (East) vs. Soo ( Central), 3 p.m.
Portage (West) vs. Humboldt (host), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 12

Semifinals, 2 and 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 13

STATS UPDATES

Joey Benik and Mario Lucia are second and third on the Vees in playoff scoring. Both have played in every Vees' games in the playoff, which is 15. Here are the Vees playoff stats:

Goals Assists Pts. College

Benik 8 10 18 St. Cloud State

Lucia 6 10 16 Notre Dame

Fogarty 4 4 8 Notre Dame

R. Reilly 3 4 7 Gophers

Jones 0 3 3 Army

Bannor 0 0 0 ---

M. Reilly Injured Gophers

Seven of the eight Minnesotans on the Vees are going on to Division I programs. So are 16 of the 21 total players on the team.

Two are going to Minnesota State Mankato. They are forward Bryce Gervais of Battlefords, Sask., and defenseman Nick Buchanon of Victoria, B.C.

The other Division I programs who have gotten commitment from one Vees player are Denver and Nebraska Omaha of the WCHA, Penn State, which will start as an independent next season and join the Big Ten in two seasons.

Quinnipiac also has commitment from two Vees, Merrimack and UMass-Lowell from one.

There are 133 junior A teams in Canada -- a notch below major juniors in Canada where players are paid and thus become ineligible to play Division I. Junior A players don't get paid.