The Bell Varsity Cup Championship game saw the UNB Varsity Reds defend their title and win the tourney rematch over the No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves by a 5-3 score before 2441 fans at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay. Kyle Werner, named Tournament MVP, led the V-Reds with two goals while Rob Hennigar, Craig Mahon, and Jeff Wilson rounded out the UNB scoring. Peter Cava, Chris Shaffer, and Sean Stefanski tallied for the Thunderwolves. UNB outshot Lakehead 45-43. Lakehead had beaten UNB in their round robin game of the Bell Varsity Cup.
UNB had early pressure and couldn't hit an empty net when Lakehead goalie Chris Whitley was caught outside the goal. However, Lakehead's Jeff Richards was sprung on a breakaway and UNB netminder Reg Bourcier made a great diving poke check to stop Richards. Lakehead went on the powerplay and Peter Cava scored a beautiful goal at 2:26 when he roofed it from a sharp angle off the post, onto the crossbar, and off Bourcier's back and in. Assists went to Chris Shaffer and Erik Lodge. UNB's Jeff Wilson hit the Lakehead post as the V-Reds went on the powerplay. Colin Sinclair then fired a hard shot that Whitley deflected wide. UNB then drew a minor to put the teams at even strength. Lakehead's Cava then fired a low shot through a crowd that Bourcier had to be sharp on at 7:45. Lakehead's Murray Magill then hit the left UNB post with a blast and Jouni Kuokkanen missed the wide-open rebound.
Lakehead's Jeff Richards then flew down the left side and blasted a shot that Bourcier kicked out but Shaffer jumped on it and knocked it in at 11:31. UNB roared right back when Kyle Werner beat Whitley with a beautiful wrist shot at 11:00. Werner tied it up at 11:58 when he beat Whitley five-hole. Assists went to Kevin Werner and Rob Hennigar. UNB then put on the pressure in the Lakehead end. UNB took a minor. Lakehead's Francis Walker then tipped a point shot that hit the left UNB post and the V-Reds stormed up the ice on a 3-on-1 and Troy Stonier was set up all alone but couldn't beat Whitley. Lakehead's Andrew Brown fired a point shot that careened off a lot of players and Sean Stefanski redirected it off a UNB d-man and past Bourcier at 18:37. Lakehead's Richards used his speed to go by UNB's Craig Mahon who grabbed onto Richards and was called for holding at 19:44. However, UNB broke down quickly off the faceoff and Lakehead was called for a minor to end the period. UNB outshot Lakehead 20-14 in the first.
The second opened with UNB's Hennigar firing a quick wrist shot that Whitley gloved. UNB then went down a man and Lakehead's Richards fired a rocket that Bourcier blocked. Lakehead had good pressure but no real dangerous chances. Lakehead's Cava had a breakaway but UNB d-man Kevin Werner got back to ride him out of the play. UNB's William Johnston fired a hard shot that Whitley handled but UNB kept it in the Lakehead end and Jeff Wilson tied the game at 7:38, assisted by Troy Stonier and Andrew DeSousa. UNB took a tripping penalty but the Wolves couldn't get past the V-Reds defense. UNB's Nathan O'Nabigon then broke in and ripped a shot that Whitley smothered at 12:22. Jeff Richards stole the puck from a UNB d-man at the V-Reds blue line but couldn't beat Bourcier with the wrist shot. Lakehead's Whitley then made a great sliding save off UNB's Rory McDade, followed by two more good saves and capped off by an incredible glove save, while lying on his stomach, to rob UNB's Kyle Werner. Play stayed in the neutral zone for the next few minutes. Lakehead's Chris Shaffer just missed in front of the UNB goal to end the period. Shots were 16-13 UNB in the second.
The first three minutes of the third saw a lot of one-on-one battles for the puck. UNB's Stonier fired a hard slap shot from the left circle that Whitley gloved nea