HELENA — The Helena Bighorns’ chase for a second Fraser Cup in three years lives or dies this week.
The Bighorns advanced to the NA3HL’s national playoffs after claiming their fifth straight division title Saturday. But even before winning this year’s Frontier division crown, the team already had its eyes set on reclaiming the national throne.
“I think it would mean everything,” coach Damon Hanson told MTN Sports. ”But I think a second Fraser Cup would mean more.”
“Well, I came back here for a second year for the main goal: and that’s obviously a Fraser and a five-peat,” second-year center Jeffrey Hershberger said.
So with the five-peat already locked up, the team is nowin St. Peters, Missouri, getting ready for national playoffs action.
Six teams have advanced to the final site. Those six teams have been split into two pools, A and B. The Bighorns are in Pool A, alongside the Rochester Grizzlies and Louisiana Drillers.
Each team plays two games in pool play, and the top two teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination rounds. Semifinal action is on Saturday. And the Fraser Cup championship is set for Sunday.
That means a potential Bighorns run to winning their second Fraser Cup in three years would entail playing four games in five days — and likely require Helena to win all four.
The Bighorns open pool play against Rochester (Minn.) with puck drop set for 3 p.m. Mountain time.
