Warriors Crowned CIHL Champions with RBC Asia Cup Victory

HONG KONG, April 01, 2014 (Press-News.org) The AsiaXPAT Kowloon Warriors have won their second CIHL championship title, with a 6-5 victory over the RBC South China Sharks in the final game of the 2013-2014 season. The Warriors, who entered the playoffs in last place but on a five-game winning streak, hoisted the RBC Asia Cup as the team became the first team to win two CIHL titles in Hong Kong's first full-contact elite ice hockey league.

With the Warriors, who also won the title in the 2011-2012 season, facing off against the Sharks, the 2012-2013 champions, it was sure to be a thrilling game at Mega Ice in Kowloon Bay and as expected, both teams came ready to play. While the teams traded goals, it was the Warriors who came out on top and earned the RBC Asia Cup, named after the CIHL's founding league sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

"We're delighted to have won the RBC Asia Cup and be the 2013-2014 CIHL champions," said Warriors' GM Art Tam. "It started off as a difficult year, but in the second half of the season it all started coming together. The Sharks made for tough competition and the CIHL Final was a great game for hockey fans in Hong Kong."

The Sharks drew first blood with two goals early in the fist period, but the Warriors responded with two goals of their own to even up the score at 2-2 at the end of the first. The second period saw an onslaught of goals: the Warriors took a 5-2 lead a minute into the period, before the Sharks got a goal back less than 30 seconds later. Falite's hat-trick goal came short-handed, giving the Warriors a 6-3 lead, before the Sharks closed the gap to 6-4 heading into the third. While the Sharks pressed, the Warriors defended well. The Sharks managed to come within a goal, but time ran out on the clock before they could tie the game up and send it into overtime.

With the RBC Asia Cup in the Warriors hands for the next year, the CIHL 2013-2014 season has officially come to a close. As the Warriors, Sharks, Galaxy Macau Aces and Quam Hong Kong Tycoons enter the off-season, the CIHL will shift its focus to further developing and expanding the league's cornerstone programmes, including the RBC Adopt a School program and the league's partnership with Hong Kong's U18 team. Applications for the 2014-2015 CIHL Intern program are still being accepted, while the CIHL continues to seek out Hong Kong partners who would be interested in offering an internship position.

"The 2013-2014 CIHL season has been our best yet," CIHL co-founder and director Greg Smyth said. "Every year the CIHL becomes more and more competitive, in part through the growth in the sport and through the specific programs the CIHL has created to develop the sport in Hong Kong. I'd like to congratulate the Warriors and all of the CIHL players for a fantastic, competitive and entertaining season and we look forward to continuing our efforts to grow both the CIHL and the sport of ice hockey in Hong Kong."

For more information about the CIHL or to get involved, please contact Devin at info@cihl.com.

About the CIHL

The CIHL is Hong Kong, Macau and Southern China's first elite contact ice hockey league. Founded in 2010, the CIHL provides high-level, entertaining hockey, while working to develop future generations of Chinese hockey players.

The Royal Bank of Canada is the official league sponsor for the 2013-2014 CIHL season. This year, the league will feature four teams: the Quam Hong Kong Tycoons, AsiaXPAT Kowloon Warriors, Galaxy Macau Aces and South China Sharks.

Saturday nights from October 5, 2013 through March 22, 2014, the teams will face off at Mega Ice for two back-to-back games. Family entertainment, community events and on-ice kids' competitions are aimed at making Saturdays a true "Hockey Night in Hong Kong". The official website of the CIHL is http://www.cihl.com and a free iPhone app is available through the iTunes store.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name RBC. We are Canada's largest bank as measured by assets and market capitalization, and are among the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, and investor services and wholesale banking on a global basis. We employ approximately 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 15 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 44 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.

RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2012, we contributed more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in sponsorships.