The Brooks Bandits will square off against the Pickering Panthers in the 2022 Centennial Cup finals.

Both the AJHL champions and OJHL champions advanced to the big game after semi-final wins on Saturday at Affinity Place. 

The Bandits hammered College Français de Longueuil 11-2 in a game that was never close, while Pickering blanked the Dauphin Kings 2-0 in a game that was close through out.

Panthers head coach Rob Pearson said his team had to adjust with a quick turnaround after a double overtime win on Friday night.

"We knew that we had to come here and maybe play a little bit more of a mucky game and slow things down, which is not what we truly like, but we did that and (goaltender Zachary) Roy actually played a fantastic game for us, and that's what we truly needed. We needed him to backstop us to the finals," Pearson said.

Roy stopped all 32 shots he faced.

"The last two games he's played, he's feeling better, more confident, the way he's moving now in the crease," Pearson said. "At the end of the day, he's feeling healthy, he's feeling more confident, and you can really tell."

The Panthers have scored three shorthanded goals in the last two games, including the game winner from Jacob Partridge on Saturday night.

"They have the green light when they think they can do it, and when they can rush they go for it and they can make things happen and they've done it all playoffs for us. I think that's like our ninth or tenth playoff goal shorthanded."

Pickering will now go up against a Brooks Bandits team that has steamrolled through their competition at the tournament. The Bandits beat the Panthers 9-1 in the round robin.

"Let's be honest, they're a fantastic team," Pearson said. "We're excited to have another chance to go against them, and you never know. It's always one game, and you never know what can happen."