Charley Thomas is heading back to the world championships.

The Alberta skip captured his second consecutive Canadian junior curling title with a 7-6 extra-end win over Prince Edward Island's Brett Gallant on Saturday afternoon in St. Catharines, Ont.

The victory made Thomas the first skip to win back-to-back Canadian men's juniors since John Morris in 1998-99, and earned Thomas the right to defend his 2006 world junior crown next month.

"I never thought in a million years that I'd have this chance," Thomas told CBC Sports. "I'm just so excited right now."

Needing to make something happen with Thomas lying one in the 11th end, Gallant wrecked on a guard with his final stone, sparing Thomas the necessity of using his hammer.

It was the first time since 2000 that an extra end was needed to decide the Canadian men's junior curling championship. That year, Newfoundland's Brad Gushue came up short with the final stone, handing the title to British Columbia.

As luck would have it, veteran skip Russ Howard was on hand that day, and his offering of condolences to Gushue led to a friendship that culminated in Howard's joining forces with the youngster to win Olympic gold in 2006.

Women's final set for Sunday

Down 4-2 after five ends Saturday, Thomas stormed back with a point in the sixth followed by a steal of two in the seventh to take the lead.

Tied 5-5 in the ninth and holding the hammer, the Alberta skip was a hair off with his angle raise attempt. Though he executed the desired takeout, Thomas couldn't control the roll on his other stone and had to settle for a single, leaving the door open for Gallant.

In the tenth, Gallant nailed a draw to the four-foot with the final stone to force the extra end.

The women's national junior championship will be decided Sunday (CBC, 12:30 p.m. ET), when Manitoba's Calleen Neufeld faces Stacie Devereaux of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The winner will join Thomas in representing Canada at the world junior curling championships, March 3-11 in Eveleth, Minn.