The Morden Redskins are South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League champions for the 13th time.

The Redskins defeated the Mercs 5-3 Tuesday night in Warren and took the best-of-seven final four games to three.

"The guys never gave up," said Redskins captain Jay Fehr. "There was lots of momentum swings throughout the game and guys just kept pushing and kept pushing."

Jordan Valentino scored a pair of goals for the visitors.

His first with 19 seconds left in the first period tied the game at 1-1.

His second goal of the night came four seconds after the Mercs killed off Braydon MacDonald's two-minute minor for interference and gave the Redskins a 4-3 lead with 9:27 remaining in the third period.

The Redskins defenseman describe their epic seven-game series with Warren.

"It was back-and-forth, up-and-down...you name it. It was a battle right to the end."

Playoff MVP Mike Rey added a goal and two assists while Tyler Grove and Karl Fey also scored for Morden.

Fey's third of the postseason with 4:22 left in regulation extended the Redskins lead to 5-3.

Mitch Hansen had a pair of goals for the Mercs while Brock Genyk had the other.

Morden enjoyed a 3-1 lead until Hansen cut the deficit scoring with 57 seconds left in the second period.

His second 5:27 into the third period tied the game at 3-3.

Redskins goaltender Reed Peters made 40 saves Tuesday night and said it was a huge bounce back victory for the team after losing 5-4 in overtime to Warren Sunday night in Morden.

"You lose game six, a heartbreaker like that when you want to end it at home for the fans - then you win it for all the fans that came out tonight. Every championship you win gets more and more special because you don't know when the end of the road is or when you're going to get that chance again."

 

 

This marked the third time the Mercs lost the final since winning their only SEMHL championship back in 2010.

"It's disappointing especially when it's in your own barn," said coach Gerry Minaker. "We forced it back here so I'm still proud of the guys. They got a few bounces. That one power play at the end, we never got a shot at a power play so that's a little disappointing that a penalty was called at that stage of the game but it is what it is. Morden is deserving for the victory. They played better tonight."

The Redskins were the SEMHL's best in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2015 and now again in 2019.

"It was a lot of hard work," said head coach Mark Thiessen who got a little bit emotional when asked how if felt to win it all this season. "This is what we play for all year and this is what we get out of it - winning a championship."

Morden will join the Tiger Hills Hockey League champion Boissevain Border Kings, the North Central Hockey League champion Miniota/Elkhorn C-Hawks and the Carillon Senior Hockey League champion Ste. Anne Aces at Hockey Manitoba’s Provincial Senior A Championship which takes place March 28, 29, 31, April 5 & 6.