By Jason La Rose via Hockey Canada

There’s no place like home.

The Tisdale Trojans proved that this season, riding home-ice advantage all the way to the TELUS Cup.

It’s the first time the Trojans will step on the ice at Canada’s National Midget Championship since they won the national title in 2002, beating the Dartmouth Subways and a 14-year-old Sidney Crosby in the final.

Tisdale was lights-out at the RECplex, going 18-4 in the regular season and finishing with an 86-43 goal differential as the host.

It stumbled in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League playoffs, losing both home games in a semifinal setback against the Saskatoon Blazers, but bounced back with an unbeaten four-game run as host at the West Regional that included a pair of wins over the TELUS Cup hosts, the Thunder Bay Kings.

There is some irony in the home-ice success of the Trojans, considering only two players on the roster call Tisdale home, while nine come from hometowns more than 300 kilometres from Tisdale.

Regardless of where they come from, though, the Trojans will have to be considered among the favourites in Thunder Bay.

While the offence did its part in the regular season (their 160 goals were tied for fifth in the SMAAAHL), Tisdale has leaned heavily on its defence. It allowed only 91 goals in 44 games, and goaltender Tanner Martin topped the league in wins (24), goals-against average (1.68), save percentage (.933) and shutouts (8).

The Trojans are out to keep the TELUS Cup in the West Region after Notre Dame claimed the 17th gold medal for the region with a perfect performance a year ago in Sudbury, Ont.

HOW THEY GOT TO THUNDER BAY

Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League

Quarter-final: defeated Beardy’s 3-0 (4-3, 4-0, 5-4)

Semifinal: lost to Saskatoon Blazers 3-1 (2-3, 5-4, 2-3 OT, 2-5)

West Regional

Preliminary round: 3-0 – first place (defeated Thunder Bay 3-1, defeated Notre Dame 3-0, defeated Brandon 6-1)

Championship game: defeated Thunder Bay 6-5 OT

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 32-7-5 (2nd in SMAAAHL)

Goals for: 160 (T-5th in SMAAAHL)

Goals against: 91 (2nd in SMAAAHL)

Longest winning streak: 10 (Dec. 2-Jan. 13)

Top 3 scorers:

• Cade Hayes – 23G 35A 58P (6th in SMAAAHL)
• Landon Kosior – 9G 43A 52P (12th in SMAAAHL)
• Trenton Curtis – 19G 19A 38P (31st in SMAAAHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 8-3

Goals for: 42

Goals against: 29

Top 3 scorers:

• Kalen Ukrainetz – 6G 9A 15P
• Landon Kosior – 0G 14A 14P
• Jayden Wiens – 7G 6A 13P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

• 2002 – Tisdale Trojans | gold medal | 5-2-0 | 26GF 16GA

PLAYERS TO WATCH

• CADE HAYES: pure goal scorer … very good wrist shot … leads by example … makes his teammates better … knows how to create chances
• LANDON KOSIOR: makes a great first pass … quarterbacks the PP … not afraid to jump into the rush … smart with the puck … smooth skater
• JAYDEN WIENS: offensive catalyst … sees the ice very well … knows how to make plays… excels in all situations … strong on his skates

WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS

• Jeremy Hancock – Red Deer 2018 (4th round, 72nd overall)
• Zac Robins – Spokane 2017 (4th round, 80th overall)
• Jayden Wiens – Saskatoon 2018 (8th round, 155th overall)
• Cade Hayes – Moose Jaw 2017 (8th round, 169th overall)
• Kalen Ukrainetz – Everett 2017 (9th round, 196th overall)
• Davis Chorney – Medicine Hat 2017 (14th round, 307th overall)