By Cami Kepke via Western Hockey League

RED DEER, Alta. - Manitoba (4-0-0-0) and British Columbia (3-1-0-0) will face off for provincial supremacy in the 2025 WHL Cup final after cleaning up their semifinal Saturday matches.

In the 2v3 semifinal, B.C. outlasted Alberta 3-1 to punch their ticket to the big dance.

With under three minutes left in the first period, B.C. broke out with 2025 WHL Prospects Draft pick Louis Oscar Holowaychuk (Vancouver Giants / Vancouver, B.C.), who sprung second overall selection Holden Wouters (Edmonton Oil Kings / Vancouver, B.C.) for a two-on-one chance.

Wouters fed Logan Henry (Regina Pats / Prince George, B.C.) for the opening strike.

Henry’s marker would stand as the game’s lone goal until the final frame, where Justin Moon (Tri-City Americans / Surrey, B.C.) netted the eventual game-winner with an end-to-end skate and sharp wrist shot.

Alberta staged a strong response minutes later with a Cohenn Rotar (Swift Current Broncos / Grande Prairie, Alta.) powerplay snipe, assisted by fourth-overall pick Thor Liffiton (Penticton Vees / Calgary, Alta.).

But the Albertans were unable to muster an equalizer before the final buzzer, ending the host province’s hopes of repeating as WHL Cup champs.

Jack Utsunomiya (Penticton Vees / Delta, B.C.) denied 42 of 43 shots (.976 save percentage) for British Columbia, while Chase Nielson (Red Deer Rebels / Fort Macleod, Alta.) stopped 21 of 23 shots (.913 save percentage).

Utsunomiya and Rotar were rewarded as the Player of the Game for their respective provinces.

In the 1v4 showdown, Manitoba continued its dominant run with a 4-1 decision against Saskatchewan.

Crosby Mateychuk (Vancouver Giants / Dominion City, Man.) broke the ice with a long wrister through traffic for the undefeated Manitobans.

The group doubled their lead early in the second period as Brady Filmon (Prince Albert Raiders / Winnipeg, Man.) sauced a backhand pass to give Talon Scinocca (Penticton Vees / Brandon, Man.) a picture-perfect chance in front of the net

Jaxon Dean (Swift Current Broncos / Winnipeg, Man.) added some insurance minutes later as he deked the Saskatchewan netminder on a two-man breakaway with Dylan Russell (Red Deer Rebels / Winnipeg, Man.).

Saskatchewan alternate captain Camryn Aebig got his side on the board by converting a chance in front of the crease that was set up by Nixxon Arcand-Vandale (Lethbridge Hurricanes / Saskatoon, Sask.) and Captain Anderson Reschny (Prince George Cougars / Macklin, Sask.).

Dean iced the match with an empty-netter for his second goal of the game and a 4-1 final.

Ardan Downey (Victoria Royals / Winnipeg, Man.) stood tall with 21 stops on 21 shots (.954 save percentage), and Ben Meyer (Medicine Hat Tigers / Regina, Sask.) denied 37 of 40 shots (.925 save percentage) in a standout effort.

Aebig and Dean got the nod as Players of the Game.

Saskatchewan and Alberta will tangle for bronze on Sunday, October 26, at 10:15 a.m. MST before the title match begins at 1:00 p.m. MST.