The Riot Cup is like the Stanley Cup of hockey tournaments for local rec players.
The unique trophy with a beer keg on it and made to look like the Stanley Cup gave players something to shoot for in keen competition.
The action was fast and furious at Fuller Lake Arena, beginning last Wednesday and Thursday nights and continuing Saturday through Easter Sunday for the eight competing teams split up into two divisions. All the teams are from the Cowichan Valley.
Icehogs, Bandits, Aces and Chiefs made up the A Division for round robin play while the Bears, Kings, Cougars and Spurs were the B Division combatants.
The Bandits won the A Final Sunday 5-2 over the Aces in a fast-paced game.
The Kings needed overtime to win their semifinal game and did it again 35 seconds into the four-on-four overtime of the B Final to defeat the Spurs 5-4.
“It used to be the Unity Cup,” explained the Icehogs’ Graham Cousins, organizer of the tournament.
Since operating as the Riot Cup, “I basically run it and the guys on my team help out,” he added.
“Teams seem to have a good time.”
This is just the second year of the Riot Cup and the Bandits also won it last year. This is the first year with an A and B Division.
The Kings, as the B champs, received a smaller trophy and move into the A Division next year. The organizing Icehogs team had the misfortune of finishing last in the A Division and will be relegated to the B Division next year.
It’s the final major event of the season at Fuller Lake before the ice comes out.
