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It’s as Canadian as maple syrup, toques, and poutine… it’s the PV Cup!
We’ve taken the classic hockey pool and given it a Pembina Valley twist with the PV Cup Corporate Challenge. Sixteen local businesses were randomly assigned one of the 16 NHL playoff teams—and the last business standing wins the coveted PV Cup (and major bragging rights).
It’s been a wild ride through the playoffs, but now we’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final—and it’s Borderview Electric (Florida Panthers) vs. Morris Bigway Foods (Edmonton Oilers). Two businesses. Two teams. One Cup.
This year’s PV Cup is proudly presented by:
Loadline Mfg., Heat Master SS, Morris Bigway, CDK Electric, Borderview Electric, Heat Innovations, Carman Granite, Best Western, Sunny Day, DA Loewen Electric, RONA, A&W, Carman Ford, Centennial Supply, Janzens GM, and Morden Home Hardware.
As the Panthers and Oilers go head-to-head, we caught up with representatives from each finalist to talk hockey, confidence, and business names starting with the letter B (apparently a winning formula).
“If they could get by Tampa…”
Kevin Wall, co-owner of Borderview Electric in Winkler, says his team—both in the office and on the ice—has surprised him. Assigned the Florida Panthers early on, Kevin admitted he wasn’t sure they’d make it this far.
“My thoughts were, if they could get by Tampa, they had a pretty good chance,” he said. “They finished the season hot.”
Now watching the Stanley Cup Final unfold, Kevin’s keeping an eye on the Oilers’ penalty minutes.
“If Edmonton can stay out of the box, they’ve got a chance. But Florida has been the better team so far,” he said. “Game 3 was wild. No one left on the Edmonton bench.”
Kevin hasn’t watched every minute of the series, but he’s hopeful.
“If Edmonton wins today(he said to us on Thursday morning), I think it goes to Game 7. If not, Florida might close it out next game.”
And the mysterious secret to success? Apparently, businesses starting with the letter “B.”
“I didn’t name the company,” he laughed. “My dad and Jake did. They wanted ‘Valley View Electric’ because of the area, but that name was taken. Since we’re close to the border, they changed it to Borderview.”
Classy to the end, Kevin says he won’t trash-talk his opponent.
“That’s the Canadian team over there. You always cheer for that. So it’s kind of a win-win—Florida wins, we get the PV Cup. If Edmonton wins, Canada gets the Stanley Cup.”
“They’re in it to win it.”
Over in Morris, Pat Schmitke, owner of Morris Bigway Foods, is all in on the Oilers.
“I would’ve been more excited to get the Jets,” he laughed. “But I’m having second thoughts now. Edmonton is the team I should’ve had.”
Pat, a longtime Jets fan and season ticket holder, isn’t surprised by Edmonton’s performance this postseason.
“They’re hungry. You can tell. They were so close last year, and they want it bad. I’m pretty confident they’re going all the way.”
He also sees a bit of hockey history repeating itself.
“Wayne Gretzky lost a Cup Final before winning it. Crosby too. Now McDavid’s got that same chance. It’d be perfect. A guy like that deserves to win the Cup.”
Pat has even seen McDavid live.
“He’s unbelievable. You watch him in person, and it’s just… different. What he does with the puck—it doesn’t seem possible, and yet he makes it look easy.”
So what’s his prediction?
“I think Edmonton finishes it in 6. (He said to us on Thursday morning) Last game was a fluke. They’ll come back hungrier than ever tonight.”
And as for a little friendly chirping?
“I feel bad for Borderview that they got the Panthers,” he laughed. “If they want them to win, they’re gonna have to run into the dressing room with a 240-volt line and electrify that team. Otherwise, they’re toast!”
He also has a theory about why “B” businesses are dominating.
“We didn’t want to be A’s. We wanted to be second best… but here we are, being the best.”
The final faceoff
Whether it’s Edmonton for the Cup or Florida for the win, the PV Cup has been a fun, community-building way to celebrate playoff hockey with a local twist.
Follow the action at PembinaValleyOnline.com and on social media as we prepare to deliver the PV Cup trophy directly to the winning business—either in Winkler or Morris.
May the best team (and business) win.