It’s affectionately called the “Second Season”. Yes, it’s playoff time in the MJHL. The two Survivor Series have been settled, and now it’s on to first-round action. Below are First-Round previews. See you at the rink!
MJHL Playoffs – First Round Preview
(1) Portage Terriers vs. (8) Selkirk Steelers
The Portage Terriers begin their run at a second straight MJHL Championship when they meet the Selkirk Steelers. The regular season series was an interesting one between these two teams. The Terriers owned it when it came to wins, going 5-1-0 against the Steelers. However, four of the six contests were decided by two goals or less with Selkirk winning one of them.
SCHEDULE
GM 1 – Friday Mar. 11 – Selkirk @ Portage – 7:30pm
GM 2 – Sunday Mar. 13 – Portage @ Selkirk – 7:30pm
GM 3 – Tuesday Mar. 15 – Selkirk @ Portage – 7:30pm
GM 4 – Friday Mar. 18 – Portage @ Selkirk – 7:30pm
*GM 5 – Saturday Mar. 19 – Selkirk @ Portage – 7:30pm
*GM 6 – Monday Mar. 21 – Portage @ Selkirk – 7:30pm
*GM 7 – Wednesday Mar. 23 – Selkirk @ Portage – 7:30pm
Key Regular Season Stats
Goals For Average
Terriers: 4.60
Steelers: 3.27
Goals Against Average
Terriers: 2.05
Steelers: 4.25
Power Play
Terriers: 24.57% (3rd)
Steelers: 16.96% (8th)
Penalty Kill
Terriers: 88.80% (1st)
Steelers: 75.58% (8th)
Portage’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Brad Bowles (45G, 57A = 102 PTS)
2. Adam Wowryk (24G, 41A = 65 PTS)
3. Shawn Bowles (19G, 46A = 65 PTS)
Selkirk’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Riley Derlago (27G, 29A = 56 PTS)
2. Dallas Starodub (21G, 35A = 56 PTS)
3. Ty Kraus (18G, 38A = 56 PTS)
(2) Steinbach Pistons vs. (7) Swan Valley Stampeders
The Swan Valley Stampeders will hope the momentum from their survivor series win against Wayway will carry over into this series. During the regular season the Steinbach Pistons did not lose to the Stampeders, going 6-0-0 against them. Three of the meetings were decided by just one goal, with two of them going past the 60 minute mark.
SCHEDULE
GM 1 – Friday Mar. 11 – Swan Valley @ Steinbach – 8:00pm
GM 2 – Saturday Mar. 12 – Swan Valley @ Steinbach – 8:00pm
GM 3 – Wednesday Mar. 16 – Steinbach @ Swan Valley – 7:30pm
GM 4 – Thursday Mar. 17 – Steinbach @ Swan Valley – 7:30pm
*GM 5 – Saturday Mar. 19 – Swan Valley @ Steinbach – 7:30pm
*GM 6 – Tuesday Mar. 22 – Steinbach @ Swan Valley – 7:30pm
*GM 7 – Wednesday Mar. 23 – Swan Valley @ Steinbach – 7:30pm
Key Regular Season Stats
Goals For Average
Pistons: 4.18
Stampeders: 2.90
Goals Against Average
Pistons: 2.30
Stampeders: 3.45
Power Play
Pistons: 27.51% (1st)
Stampeders: 17.69% (6th)
Penalty Kill
Pistons: 81.20% (6th)
Stampeders: 76.32% (7th)
Steinbach’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Daniel Taillefer (22G, 59A = 81 PTS)
2. Cole Smith (26G, 35A = 61 PTS)
3. Tyler Penner (23G, 35A = 58 PTS)
Swan Valley’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Josh Tripp (24G, 24A = 48 PTS)
2. Cody Ellingson (14G, 28A = 42 PTS)
3. Colton Brausen (17G, 24A = 41 PTS)
(3) Winkler Flyers vs. (6) OCN Blizzard
The only other series in the first round of the MJHL Playoffs that will see teams go with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. Will this be an advantage for either the Winkler Flyers or OCN Blizzard? During the regular season it was a mixed bag of results between these two teams. Winkler won most of the games (4), some were a blow out and some were very close. The first team to gain momentum in this series might have a big advantage moving forward.
SCHEDULE
GM 1 – Thursday Mar. 10 – OCN @ Winkler – 7:30pm
GM 2 – Friday Mar. 11 – OCN @ Winkler – 7:30pm
GM 3 – Monday Mar. 14 – Winkler @ OCN – 7:00pm
GM 4 – Tuesday Mar. 15 – Winkler @ OCN – 7:00pm
*GM 5 – Friday Mar. 18 – OCN @ Winkler – 7:30pm
*GM 6 – Monday Mar. 21 – Winkler @ OCN – 7:00pm
*GM 7 – Wednesday Mar. 23 – OCN @ Winkler – 7:30pm
Key Regular Season Stats
Goals For Average
Flyers: 4.33
Blizzard: 3.08
Goals Against Average
Flyers: 2.55
Blizzard: 3.57
Power Play
Flyers: 26.88% (2nd)
Blizzard: 16.13% (10th)
Penalty Kill
Flyers: 85.86% (2nd)
Blizzard: 81.88% (5th)
Winkler’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Tristan Keck (39G, 44A = 83 PTS)
2. Cam Whyte (35G, 35A = 70 PTS)
3. Scott Gall (34G, 27A = 61 PTS)
OCN’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Logan Harland (39G, 56A = 95 PTS)
2. Jeremy Dumont (23G, 28A = 51 PTS)
3. Brady Keeper (16G, 28A = 44 PTS)
(3) Virden Oil Capitals vs. (5) Winnipeg Blues
On paper this is the series that should go the longest according to a number of factors. When you go back and look at the regular season Virden won four of their six games against Winnipeg. These two teams have met four times in the last two months and all the contests were entertaining. Pretty much all the stats between the Oil Capitals and Blues are even with all indications pointing to this being a very close series.
SCHEDULE
GM 1 – Friday Mar. 11 – Winnipeg @ Virden – 7:30pm
GM 2 – Sunday Mar. 13 – Virden @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm
GM 3 – Tuesday Mar. 15 – Winnipeg @ Virden – 7:30pm
GM 4 – Thursday Mar. 17 – Virden @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm
*GM 5 – Saturday Mar. 19 – Winnipeg @ Virden – 7:30pm
*GM 6 – Monday Mar. 21 – Virden @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm
*GM 7 – Wednesday Mar. 23 – Winnipeg @ Virden – 7:30pm
Key Regular Season Stats
Goals For Average
Oil Capitals: 3.25
Blues: 3.53
Goals Against Average
Oil Capitals: 2.35
Blues: 2.90
Power Play
Oil Capitals: 23.94% (4th)
Blues: 21.68% (5th)
Penalty Kill
Oil Capitals: 83.26% (4th)
Blues: 83.51% (3rd)
Virden’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Drake Bodie (18G, 39A = 57 PTS)
2. Mack Hardy (27G, 28A = 55 PTS)
3. Bennett Dalke (29G, 22A = 51 PTS)
Winnipeg’s Top 3 Scorers
1. Kamerin Nault (37G, 39A = 76 PTS)
2. Taeron Lewis (26G, 41A = 67 PTS)
3. Reid Stefanson (18G, 31A = 49 PTS)
