The St. John’s Caps posted back-to-back wins over Deer Lake Red Wings to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Herder Memorial Trophy final. The provincial senior hockey series now shifts to the province’s west coast next weekend.

The Caps, who won the Avalon East title to advance to the Herder, defeated Deer Lake 3-2 in the opener and found their offense in Game 2 with a 7-4 decision over the west coast champions.

Since the 1934–35 season, the trophy has been awarded 84 times. The first winners of the Herder trophy was a team from Corner Brook that won the inaugural all-Newfoundland ice hockey championship on March 22, 1935. Teams from St. John’s (St. Bon’s, St. John’s Capitals) have won the Herder Trophy 19 times. Deer Lake has won a couple of Herder titles, their last championship win coming in 2005.