Chris Clegg
South Peace News
After years of having their hearts broken, the Falher Pirates are celebrating their fourth NPHL title!
The Pirates shutout the arch-rival Manning Comets 5-0 March 22 to win the best-of-seven final series 4-2. Remarkably, in the long history of the Pirates, it’s the first time they won the league title on home ice since 1955 – a span of 70 years – when they defeated the Fairview Monarchs 9-8.
The wins also comes on the heels of losing the last two league finals in seven games, first to Dawson Creek in 2023 and to Spirit River in 2024. The Pirates had also lost five final series since last winning the Campbell Cup in 2012 after defeating the Grande Prairie Athletics in a seven-game thriller.
But the wait is over! Goaltender Ryan Noble made 31 saves in the shutout win. The win was a league record third shutout in the finals. Earlier in the series, the Comets set a record with two shoutouts, the only two losses the Pirates suffered in the final.
In the Cup-clinching game, the Pirates erupted for three goals in a 1:05 span in the first period. Bailey Tokarz opened the scoring at the 10:56 mark. It would prove to be the only goal the Pirates would need. Only 51 seconds later Isaiah Letendre made it 2-0, then 14 seconds later Brett Edwards made it 3-zip and the celebration was on the rest of the night.
Dallas Brochu added a second period goal and a third period marker with 3:46 left to seal the win and the title.
The Pirates outshot the Comets 43-33. They were scoreless on four power play chances while the Comets were blanked on five chances.
The win also set another obscure league record. The 10-goal turnaround between Game 5 and Game 6 marked the largest in history in the final two games of the league final, breaking the record of eight set in 1962 by Grimshaw and High Prairie, and in 1968 by Fairview and Peace River.
Defenceman Tyrell Boucher accepted the Jack McAvoy Memorial Trophy for being named Playoff MVP from Patty McAvoy before the Pirates accepted the real prize – the Campbell Cup. Boucher led the Pirates in scoring in the playoffs with 5-13-18 points and played stellar defence.
After the win, Pirates’ general manager Gil Desharnais took to Facebook to thank “the best fans in the league” and the entire club for a job well done.
“In 11 years of managing, I’ve never worked with such a great group of guys, that I had the enjoyment of watching them gel throughout the season,” he wrote.
And even though the champagne had barely dried in the Campbell Cup, he wished fans a great summer and, “See you next year!” as the Pirates look to defend the title and win a second straight for the first time in team history.
The Comets forced Game 6 with a 5-0 shutout of their own in the fifth game. Braden Gamble made 31 saves to record the win and set a record with two shutouts in the final.
Ty Wiebe scored in the first period. Kye Whillans and Brinson Pasichnuk scored in the second to make it 3-0 before Wiebe’s second of the night made it 4-0.
Kurt Bensmiller added a third period goal to end the scoring.
The Comets were 1-for-3 on the power play, the Pirates blanked in four chances with the man advantage.
