Six Teams Remain As The Road To The Baggataway Cup Leads To Ottawa
The field is set for the 2026 Baggataway Cup, with six teams heading to Ottawa November 12–14 to battle for the CUFLA championship. Western, Guelph, Nipissing, McGill and Trent earned their spots through Super Qualifier victories, joining the host Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The qualifying weekend offered a little of everything. Western, Guelph and McGill used big scoring runs to take control, while Trent came from behind to eliminate Queen’s. Nipissing also punched its ticket with a victory over Brock. With the field now down to six, the challenge becomes putting together complete performances against opponents who have earned their place.
Western Mustangs
Western advanced with a 9–3 victory over McMaster, building a 7–0 halftime lead before closing out the win. The Mustangs showed their scoring depth, with seven different players finding the net. Mason Williams and Zach Abu-Ali scored twice each, while Christopher Da Silva contributed a goal and two assists.
Western’s ability to get contributions throughout the lineup makes the Mustangs a difficult team to contain. Against McMaster, they held the Marauders scoreless through the opening half and gave themselves room to manage the rest of the game. Western receives a bye into the November 13 semifinal, where another balanced effort will be needed to reach the championship game.
Guelph Gryphons
Guelph left little doubt in it's Super Qualifier, defeating Toronto 22–4. The Gryphons built a 6–1 first-quarter lead, then added eight goals in the second, including five in just seventy seconds, to take a 14–2 advantage into halftime.
Robert Baxter, Sam Savery, Ben Lawlor and Carter MacKay each recorded a hat trick, while Brandon Orr and Ethan Brown contributed five points apiece. That spread of scoring gives Guelph plenty of options. The Gryphons will open against Trent, where establishing their offence early could again be an important part of the game.
Nipissing Lakers
Nipissing earned it's trip to Ottawa by defeating Brock, giving the Lakers an opportunity to carry their qualifying success onto the championship stage. Their opening assignment will be against the host Gee-Gees on November 12.
Ben King and Zach Tarr give Nipissing a dangerous offensive combination. In the Lakers’ final regular-season victory over Laurentian, King scored seven goals and Tarr added five, with both contributing two assists. Nipissing will look for that production, along with support throughout the lineup, as it tries to move through the tournament.
McGill Redbirds
McGill advanced with a 14–8 victory over Bishop’s, using nine unanswered goals to turn a 3–2 deficit into an 11–3 lead. The Gaiters worked their way back within four in the final quarter, but the Redbirds answered to secure the win.
Liam Miletich and Tyler Miocevich scored four goals each, while Zack Page added two goals and two assists. McGill also received goals from Massimo Thauvette, Cam Prior, Torsten Blodgett and John Miraglia. The Redbirds have shown how quickly they can change a game with a scoring run, but maintaining that control will be important against the remaining field. McGill opens in the November 13 semifinal.
Trent Excalibur
Trent earned it's place with a strong finish against Queen’s, scoring the final seven goals in a 10–5 victory. Trailing 5–3 early in the third, the Excalibur tied the game before scoring five unanswered in the fourth.
Nick Fournier, Jaiden Maseko and Dallyn Rai scored twice each, with Fournier supplying the eventual winner. The victory showed Trent’s ability to stay within reach and take over late. Against Guelph, the Excalibur will look to carry that second-half performance into the opening faceoff.
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Ottawa enters as the host, receiving a bye through the Super Qualifier weekend. The Gee-Gees will face Nipissing in the second game on November 12, with a semifinal berth on the line.
Hunter Lubiniecki, Julien Belair and Elliot Malcolm give Ottawa several scoring threats. In their recent 12–9 victory over Bishop’s, Lubiniecki scored five, while Belair and Malcolm added three each. Ottawa will look to establish that offence while keeping the Lakers’ leading scorers in check.
The Schedule
The tournament opens November 12 with Guelph facing Trent at 5 p.m., followed by Ottawa against Nipissing at 8 p.m.
McGill plays its semifinal November 13 at 5 p.m., with Western taking the field at 8 p.m. Their opponents remain to be determined.
November 14 features the Rookie Showcase at 11 a.m., followed by the championship game at 2 p.m.
Six teams have earned their opportunity. Now the focus shifts to Ottawa, where a strong regular season and a qualifying victory have brought them to the same place — a chance to finish the year with the Baggataway Cup.
