Niverville Nighthawks win Centennial Cup national championship

The Niverville Nighthawks returned to a hero's welcome after winning the Centennial Cup. CTV’s Joseph Bernacki has more.

The Niverville Nighthawks are now the champions of Canadian Junior A Hockey after the final game of the Centennial Cup, having only gotten Ws throughout the tournament.

Selling out the 7 p.m. AT game on Sunday at Credit Union Place in Summerside, P.E.I., the Nighthawks battled the host Summerside Western Capitals – scoring at least one goal each period, solidifying their win with a final score of 4-1.

Before the puck dropped, the team’s captain, Adam Vigfusson, was declared the Most Valuable Player for the tournament.

In the first period, Hayden Wheddon struck Capital’s net at 8:07, with Vigfusson and Merik Boles’ assists.

About 40 seconds later, a two-minute penalty was given to Capitals’ Alexandre Guy for boarding.

At the 10:09 mark, Capitals’ Jordan Shaw made it even with a shorthanded goal.

Moving into the second, Wheddon brought the balance back to the Nighthawks at 8:48 with Boles’ assist.

The third and final period started with a two-minute penalty for Nighthawks’ Thomas Phillips for tripping, but that didn’t bring the mood down for the Nivervillian team.

Marlen Edwards made the scoreboard 3-1 for the Nighthawks with Evan Panzer and Jase Knoecsni’s assists at 14:34.

With less than a minute left in the third, Tyler Bernier’s puck hit the Capitals’ net, stamping Niverville on the championship cup. It was his first goal in the Centennial Cup.

The horn was blown, helmets and sticks were dropped, and the Nighthawks erupted in cheers for their first national championship win in just four years since the team started.

Channelling support from Niverville

Back in the team’s hometown, Smitty’s Niverville was the official watch party headquarters and the level of excitement was nothing short of the arena in P.E.I., with fans fully booking up the reservations.

“This is incredible,” Kevin Dunn, the team’s public relations director and PA announcer who was the host of the watch party, told CTV News on Sunday.

“This is a special group where these guys have had to overcome adversity numerous times this season, whether it was our captain (forward Adam Vigfusson) breaking his jaw, our starting goaltender (Ben Chornomydz), who’s the MVP of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, going out for a couple of weeks.”

The adversity layered on and on – but so did the prayers and cheers.

Speaking before the game, Dunn said, “The roof might come off,” considering the outstanding energy of Nighthawks fans.

The team’s effort for the community connection hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“It’s not just about on the ice; it’s also off the ice -- how they have integrated themselves into the community through volunteering, going to the schools,” said Niverville mayor Myron Dyck.

“What does it mean to the community? What I hear from the parents is that when the kids are playing their mini sticks and it’s the Nighthawks against the Jets, the Nighthawks always win.”

One fan didn’t hide his surprised emotion but said: “thank god they made it through.”

“It’s good for the community, it’s good for the fans, it’s good for hockey, in other words – excellent … we’ll do it again,” he said.

The Nighthawks are throwing a community celebration at the Niverville Community Resource & Recreation Centre at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.