Photo: Todd Pederson
DAUPHIN, MB – When the Dauphin Kings & Northern Manitoba Blizzard clash on Wednesday night in Dauphin, it will be the 7th time over the last 50 years the Turnbull Cup Final series will head to a game seven winner-take-all.
Down 3-1 in the best-of-seven McMunn & Yates Turnbull Cup Final series, the Dauphin Kings have clawed their way back into the series when it matters most to force this scenario.
The Blizzard opened the series with a 4-0 shutout win on the road in Dauphin where Taye Timmerman made 19 saves in the win before the Kings struck back on the road in The Pas and won game two in triple overtime that saw Joshua Schmidt score the winner.
Northern Manitoba cruised to a 4-2 road win in game three before returning home where they dominated game four, winning 5-2 over the Kings to give the Blizzard a 3-1 series lead.
On home ice in game five, Cole Sheffield was outstanding for the Kings, earning a 42-save shutout to send the series back to The Pas with a 3-2 series lead in favour of the Blizzard.
It looked like the Blizzard were in the drivers seat in game six on home ice as Marlen Edwards scored one minute into the third to give the Blizzard a 1-0 lead. But just as they have done all series long, the Kings found a way.
Rylan Gage put in a loose puck to tie the game with under five minutes to play before Naaman Hofer scored the go-ahead goal on the powerplay to give the Kings their first lead of the night. The Kings shut it down the rest of the way and secured a big road win to force the seventh and final game of the series.
The last time a Turnbull Cup Final series required a game seven was three seasons ago (2021-22) when the Dauphin Kings went on the road in Steinbach and won the Turnbull Cup on the heels of key performances from Carson Cherepak and Brayden Dube.
Turnbull Cup Final Game 7 Results since 1975
2022: Dauphin over Steinbach (2-1)
2019: Portage over Swan Valley (3-2 OT)
1996: St. James over Neepawa (5-1)
1987: Selkirk over WPG Blues (6-5/2OT)
1978: Kildonan over Dauphin (9-5)
1975: Selkirk over Kildonan (5-1)
