The Fort St. John Huskies captured their third straight North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) title March 27 with a thrilling Game 6 triple overtime victory over the Grande Prairie Wheat Kings.

Four Yukoners represented the territory for the Huskies, including Oscar Burgess, Ashton Underhill, Cole Cowan and Connor Cozens, although Underhill and Cowan were injured.

The Huskies had a stellar regular season, going 38-3-1 to finish atop the NWJHL standings with 77 points.

They swept the Dawson Creek Kodiaks four games to none in the NWJHL semifinals, having earned a bye into the semis due to their incredible regular season run.

The Star spoke with Burgess Wednesday. He said the series against Dawson Creek went well.

"It was definitely great for our confidence. Dawson put up a good fight but we were just ready to go every night and ended up taking the first four."

The finals against Grand Prairie were a different story.

"They came out really hot," recalled Burgess. "They were ready to go, ready to play and they got us on our heels the first two games with a regulation win and then an overtime win in Game 2.

"And then we rallied. We put our heads down and put our work boots on. We ended up getting one (win) and then we got another and then another one after that and we just kept building."

Game 6 was in Grand Prairie.

"We went into triple overtime," related Burgess. "Everyone was pretty gassed. Nathan Brownlee ended up putting one in the net after six periods of hockey to win it, so it was a pretty fun series."

Brownlee scored 2:04 into the period, making the final score 5-4 for the Huskies.

When asked if he felt relieved when the cup-clinching goal went in, Burgess replied "Oh, man! Relived in the sense that we were allowed to go eat and sleep because we'd been playing hockey for five hours."

As for how he felt to win the championship a third straight time, Burgess said, "It feels awesome to be on top and have everyone want to beat you and then continue to win. It's a pretty cool feeling."

Burgess said winning it with his Yukon teammates made the championship that much more special.

"It makes it really cool. I've known a lot of those guys for a really long time, so it's really neat to come see them join the squad and have success as well."

Burgess, in fact, has known Underhill, Cowan and Cozens most of his life.

"At least all my life that I've been playing hockey, which is since I'm five years old. It's really cool to see these guys grow and be who they are today."

Alternate captain Burgess and Cozens were defensive partners and played together throughout the playoffs.

Burgess enjoyed playing with his Yukon D-partner this year.

"Playing with Connor has been a blast. He's an incredible hockey player and made it a blast for me on the back end as his partner. He's a super-fun guy to be around and I consider him a close friend."

Things didn't go as well for the Huskies at the Alberta Junior B Champs in Okotoks, Alta., which took place April 5-9.

"We played four games," related Burgess. "Unfortunately, we lost the first three, which kind of booted us out of any medal game.

"But we had a good four games. We had some guys out of the lineup that we really needed in the lineup, so it was kind of unfortunate. Can't win 'em all. I think we all had a good time there."

The Huskies edged the CBHA Rangers 3-2 in their final game of the Alberta B Champs on April 8.

Burgess said the competition was fairly similar to last year.

"Last year, we had a bit more in the tank and … we got lucky. We had a great squad."

Burgess, 21, has hit the end of his NWJHL career, as he has now aged out of the league. When asked how he feels about that, Burgess responded "Mixed emotions, man. I had a really fun time playing here for the four years that I was here. Super lucky with some great coaches. Todd Alexander here is awesome. The whole coaching staff and the whole community is awesome here, but it's got to come to the fact that I'm 21 now so I gotta move on to other things. I had a great time. I'm gonna miss it crazily, but it's time to move on."

As for what he's going to do now hockey-wise, Burgess said he was "not quite sure, as of yet. I'm moving back home for the summer to work there and continue working to become an electrician, which is kind of the main focus right now. But I do have some other hockey options. I just haven't fully decided what I want to do yet."

It doesn't look like Burgess will be plying his hockey trade in Europe anytime soon.

"I don't want to say it's off the table, but I haven't had any direct options to do that yet.

"The main other option would be going to college. I've been talking to a few teams, but I just haven't quite made up my mind."

Burgess is potentially looking at playing in college in B.C., Alberta or even down in the States.

"There's so many colleges that have hockey teams that you can always kind of find one."

Burgess said the NCAA might be a possibility, or the ACHA (American College Athletic Association).

He added "I'm super-lucky with my junior career and all the winning that I've been able to do and I couldn't do it without the community in Fort St. John and again, the coaching and the staff in the Fort St. John Huskies is just next level and without them it wouldn't be what it is today."