MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwire) -- 02/11/13 --

Editors note: There are 11 photos associated with this release.

Eleven lucky fans from QMJHL teams are now eligible to win a trip to the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup, after being named the BMO Ultimate Fan for each of their respective teams.

The contests were held to celebrate BMO Financial Group's partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the official bank of the CHL. BMO Ultimate Fan Appreciation Nights were held in 11 hometowns of QMJHL teams.

Each team encouraged fans to attend a BMO Ultimate Fan Appreciation Night during their local QMJHL hockey game and dress up in their team's colours, jerseys and costumes. Participants were then entered into the BMO Ultimate Fan Contest for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (May 24-26, 2013).

In addition to being crowned the BMO Ultimate Fan for their team and getting the chance to win the grand prize, each winner received an autographed team jersey crested with 'BMO Ultimate Fan' and a $50 prepaid MasterCard.

"BMO is proud to support CHL communities across Canada, and it was a thrill for our local branches to recognize fans in 11 QMJHL hometowns," said Justine Fedak, Senior Vice-President, Branding, Advertising & Sponsorships, BMO Financial Group. "Congratulations and good luck to all of the BMO Ultimate Fan winners in the QMJHL. We look forward to giving one lucky fan from the QMJHL the ultimate fan experience at the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup!"

BMO Ultimate Fan Winners in the QMJHL are:

Troy Porter, BMO Ultimate Moncton Wildcats Fan                              
Dallas MacLeod, BMO Ultimate PEI Rocket Fan                                 
William Dorion, BMO Ultimate Sherbrooke Phoenix Fan                         
Josee Ramsay, BMO Ultimate Shawinigan Cataractes Fan                        
Yves Boisvert, BMO Ultimate Rouyn-Noranda Huskies Fan                       
Sebastien Losier, BMO Ultimate Acadie-Bathurst Titan Fan                    
Sylvain Ratelle, BMO Ultimate Drummondville Voltigeurs Fan                  
Kyle MacMullin, BMO Ultimate Halifax Mooseheads Fan                         
Johnathan MacInnis, BMO Ultimate Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Fan           
Guillaume Pronovost, BMO Ultimate Blainville-Boisbriand Armada Fan          
Line Bouchard, BMO Ultimate Chicoutimi Sagueneens Fan                       

BMO and the Canadian Hockey League

BMO Financial Group is the official bank of the Canadian Hockey League, as well as its member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The sponsorship builds on BMO's partnership with the CHL of more than 10 years and affirms BMO's exclusivity as a financial services sponsor of the league in the retail banking category. It also engrains a presence with the 46 teams who currently participate in the BMO CHL Affinity MasterCard program, which enables CHL fans to support their favourite teams through branded credit cards.

About BMO Financial Group

For more than 195 years, BMO Financial Group has believed in community reinvestment and corporate and social responsibility in the communities it serves. In 2012, BMO contributed more than $87.6 million in donations, sponsorships and events in Canada and the United States to groups, organizations and programs that help build and sustain resilient, vital and healthy communities.

About the Canadian Hockey League

The Canadian Hockey League is the world's largest development hockey league with 52 Canadian and eight American teams participating in the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League. CHL players graduate from high school at a rate higher than the Canadian national average. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the MasterCard Memorial Cup. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League than any other league. Last season 636 graduates attended North American post-secondary institutions on scholarships from CHL teams.

To view the photos associated with this press release, please visit the following links:

Acadie-Bathurst: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey18.jpg

Blainville-Boisbriand: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey228.jpg

Cape Breton: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey38.jpg

Chicoutimi: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey48.jpg

Drummondville: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey58.jpg

Halifax: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey68.jpg

Moncton: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-hockey78.jpg

PEI: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-BMOPEILG.jpg

Sherbrooke: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-BMOSherbrookeLG.jpg

Shawinigan: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-BMOShawiniganLG.jpg

Rouyn-Noranda: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20130207-BMORouynNorandaLG.jpg