The Prince Albert Predators hoist the MacDonald Cup as repeat Western Champions after defeating the North Shore Indians 10-8 in overtime in the gold medal game in Abbotsford, B.C. on August 10, 2025. (Tolson Media/MacDonald Cup)

By Logan Lehmann

Going back-to-back

Predators return home from MacDonald Cup as repeat Western Champs

Aug 13, 2025 | 1:37 PM

It was a case of deja vu for the Prince Albert Predators this past weekend as they captured their second straight Western Canadian MacDonald Cup Championship in Abbotsford, B.C.

The team knocked off the North Shore Indians in the gold medal game, winning 10-8 in overtime fashion. Just like last year, the Predators ended the tournament undefeated, ending this year at 5-0 while outscoring their opponents 81-41.

Your 2025 Western Champions, Prince Albert Predators. (Tolson Media/MacDonald Cup)

“I thought overall we played pretty good,” said Head Coach Lucas Wells about his team throughout the tournament.

“Our round robin, I thought we played a little bit better than we did in the playoffs, to be very honest with you. I felt in the round robin, we just played our style and kept our foot on the gas and in the playoff round on Saturday, you have a long day off of sitting around, and we came out kind of slow and didn’t start off the way we wanted. But we took back control, and then Sunday was kind of the same thing.”

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P.A. was the only team from Saskatchewan competing at the MacDonald Cup this year, let alone the only team from outside of B.C. Along with North Shore, all of the other seven competing squads hailed from the Pacific Coast, including the Westshore Bears, Oceanside Sharks, West Kootenay Timberwolves, Langley Thunder, Saanich Express, and the host Valley Sturgeon.

Following their win in 2024, word was going around about how it wasn’t a real Western Championship because there were no teams from B.C. competing. Now in 2025, after going back-to-back against the best B.C. had to offer in Abbotsford, Wells said he feels the message has been sent that P.A. is, in fact, the best in the west.

“I think this weekend it really drove it home. Last year we felt we were the best in the west, I mean obviously no BC teams came, but that didn’t change my mind. I felt that even if there was a B.C. team there, it wouldn’t have mattered. I also think that us beating five BC teams – all of them have gone to provincials or went deep in their playoffs, it did kind of drive it home.”

“This past week, we played with a chip on our shoulder,” he continued. “Just from the fact that all of the chatter and saying how last year was fake. I think the guys proved that they are the best in the West right now.”

Prince Albert’s Brayden Rieger led the tournament in points with 24, while also leading in goals with 14, and Chase Lehner and Matthew Cudmore both finished tied for third in scoring with 17. Rieger, Cudmore, and Lehner also went in the top three in the assist department, with Cudmore leading the way with 11.

Following their second consecutive Western Championship, Wells said that he’s submitted a bid for Prince Albert to host the MacDonald Cup in 2026 so the two-time defending champion Predators can defend their crown on home soil.

“I am hoping to get it. I don’t know how you don’t give it to the team that has won two years in a row.”

He added that they would try to play the tournament at the Art Hauser Centre, or at the new Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre, if a rink is available.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

On Bluesky: @loganlehmann.bsky.social