The biggest tournament in Junior A Canadian Hockey is only a few months away, and we now know exactly when the puck will drop in Portage la Prairie.
The 51st edition of the Centennial Cup will feature ten of the nation's best teams as they duke it out at Stride Place between May 11-21. The hometown Portage Terriers will be joined by each champion of the nine CJHL leagues.
"On behalf of the local tournament organizing committee, the City of Portage la Prairie and the Portage Terriers, we are excited to be hosting Canada's National Junior A Championship in our community again," said tournament chair Dale Deschouwer. "We know this will be 11 days of exciting hockey and look forward to the opportunity to showcase our city and surrounding region. We invite the entire country to come and cheer for your favourite team and to experience our hospitality."
Twenty preliminary-round games will be played, which will kick off on May 11th at 11:30 a.m. when the champion of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) takes on the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) champs.
"With our nine member-league playoffs rapidly approaching, we look forward to seeing who will be crowned champions and join the host Portage Terriers at the Centennial Cup," offered CJHL president Andy Harkness.
The Portage Terriers will begin the run for their third national championship on day two of the competition when they take on the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) champions on May 12th. Quarterfinals and semifinals will be played on May 19th and 20th, with the championship game taking place on the 21st.
TSN will broadcast the final, and all other games will be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca
"The Centennial Cup features the best Junior A hockey in the country and gives fans the opportunity to watch each of the CJHL's league champions," said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties for Hockey Canada. "It is an exciting time to announce the schedule and be one step closer to one of Canada's most prestigious national championships."
The Portage Terriers last hosted the tournament in 2015, which was also the last time the Dogs were national champions. Portage la Prairie was initially selected to host the 2020 edition of the tournament, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans can purchase a full tournament package, locking in their seat for all 25 games, by clicking here.
GROUP A
AJHL, CCHL, LHJAAAQ, MHL, NOJHL,
GROUP B
HST – Host/Hôte (Portage Terriers), MJHL, OJHL, SJHL, SIJHL
Thursday, May 11, 2023 / Jeudi 11 mai 2023
1 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire SIJHL – SJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
2 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire MHL – AJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
3 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire OJHL – MJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Friday, May 12, 2023 / Vendredi 12 mai 2023
4 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire CCHL – LHJAAAQ Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
5 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire NOJHL – MHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
6 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire MJHL - HST Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Saturday, May 13, 2023 / Samedi 13 mai 2023
7 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire SJHL – OJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
8 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire AJHL – CCHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
9 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire HST – SIJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Sunday, May 14, 2023 / Dimanche 14 mai 2023
10 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire LHJAAAQ – NOJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
11 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire MJHL – SIJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Monday, May 15, 2023 / Lundi 15 mai 2023
12 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire CCHL – MHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
13 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire AJHL – NOJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
14 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire HST – SJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 / Mardi 16 mai 2023
15 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire SIJHL – OJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
16 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire LHJAAAQ – AJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
17 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire SJHL – MJHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 / Mercredi 17 mai 2023
18 11:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire NOJHL – CCHL Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
19 15:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire MHL – LHJAAAQ Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
20 19:30 Preliminary / Préliminaire OJHL – HST Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Thursday, May 18, 2023 / Jeudi 18 mai 2023
Off Day / congé
Friday, May 19, 2023 / Vendredi 19 mai 2023
21 15:30 Quarterfinal/Quart de finale TBD / à déterminer Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
22 19:30 Quarterfinal/Quart de finale TBD / à déterminer Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Saturday, May 20, 2023 / Samedi 20 mai 2023
23 15:30 Semifinal/Demi-finale TBD / à déterminer Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
24 19:30 Semifinal/Demi-finale TBD / à déterminer Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.
Sunday, May 21, 2023 / Dimanche 21 mai 2023
25 -- Championship / Championnat W23 – W24 / G23 – G24 Stride Place Portage la Prairie, Man.