The Edmonton Junior Oilers (in orange) edged the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers 1-0 in overtime to win the bronze medal at the 2024 Esso Cup at Kal Tire Place in Vernon. (Hockey Canada photo)

By Pete McIntyre

tournament ends

Esso Cup ends with Regina on top, host Lakers lose nail biter for bronze medal

Apr 27, 2024 | 8:30 PM

The Regina Rebels will remember their trip to Vernon fondly.

The Western region champions defeated Ontario’s North York Storm 2-1 at Kal Tire Pace Saturday to win the 2024 Esso Cup, emblematic of the Canadian women’s under 18 club hockey championship.

The Rebels built up a 2-0 lead on goals from Berlin Lolacher and : tournament MVP Stryker Zablocki and held off a late charge from the Storm in the game televised nationally on TSN.

The Rebels finished third at last year’s Esso Cup in Prince Albert, Sask.

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It’s the first national title for the Rebels, and the first for a team from Saskatchewan since the Weyburn Red Wings claimed the national title in 2014.

Berlin Lolacher of Pilot Butte, Sask.was named the top forward of the tournament,

“This is an unbelievable feeling,” Lolacher said. “I don’t have words to describe this feeling. After the bronze medal last year, we had one goal: to win this tournament. And here we are… This is amazing.”

Regina Rebels, 2024 Esso Cup champs (Hockey Canada photo)

The Edmonton Junior Oilers, who represented the Pacific Region, won the bronze medal in Vernon after a 2-1 win in overtime over the host Thompson-Okanagan Lakers Saturday afternoon.

The only goal came from Layla Matthew of the Oilers 4:18 in OT.

Reese Sliskovic of Kelowna made 34 saves in the loss for the Lakers who finished in fourth place.

The Northern Selects from Atlantic Canada and L’Intrépide de l’Outaouais of Quebec rounded out the six-team field at the event put on by Hockey Canada and organized by a local committee.

Here are the Esso Cup tournament awards:

Top Goaltender – Jorja Burrows (New Glasgow, NS / Northern Selects)
Top Defender – Ciara Lang (Edmonton, AB / Edmonton Jr. Oilers)
Top Forward – Berlin Lolacher (Pilot Butte, SK / Regina Rebels)
Most Sportsmanlike – Sydney Bowness (Toronto, ON / North York Storm)
Most Valuable Player – Stryker Zablocki (Prince Albert, SK / Regina Rebels)

Lily Roberts of Vernon (Lakers) was named the Esso Cup scholarship recipient.