It's a dramatic crosstown showdown nobody could have predicted.
Two Surrey minor hockey teams will skate in the final at the tier 1 midget provincial tournament.
Underdog team Cloverdale Colts face arch rivals Surrey Thunder at the provincial championships tonight in Nanaimo.
The Colts will be wearing hearts on their jersey sleeves – heart-shaped patches in honour of head coach, Mike Bose. Bose, a 21-year coaching veteran with Cloverdale Minor Hockey, is recovering from heart surgery. But he'll be watching from the sidelines.
"Surrey has beaten us five times this year, and they beat us in this tournament six-three," team manager Ric Thomsen said. "If we're going to beat them one time this year, tonight's the night to do it."
Victory within their grasp, the team was feeling giddy with excitement heading into the Wednesday night game, he said.
Whether the Colts end up first or second, it didn't seem to matter.
"There's maybe five hundred, six hundred teams in the province. This is the top two teams in the province," he said.
The game starts at 8 p.m. Watch live over the internet. Details at the Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association's website.