Kings’ Morrison Commits To Concordia

Romano Morrison is the latest Dauphin King to commit this off season! The Kings are proud to announce the soon to be 21 year old (May 6th) has committed to the Concordia University Thunder of the ACAC for the upcoming season. Morrison was with the Kings this past season after being acquired in a trade during the summer of 2015.  During his time in Dauphin Morrison put up five goals and 30 assists for 35 points which was fourth on the club in the 2015-16 campaign.  "We're extremely happy for Romano, he's a very good two way forward whose game should translate effectively at the next level" said Kings Head Coach and GM Marc Berry.  "It's good to see another former King commit to a Canadian school and we wish him and his family all the best in the future" Berry added.  Morrison will join fellow Albertan and former King Chance Thomas who committed to Concordia earlier this off season.

Terriers’ Leipsic living the hockey dream

Some days Jeremey Leipsic must feel like he’s won a lottery. No, not the retire-for-life mega-million dollar one (drats!), but the hockey lottery. Leipsic is currently enjoying life as a Portage Terrier ─ MJHL champion, playing in the Western Canada Cup; 12-1 run in the MJHL playoffs and regular-season winning streak of 31 games. And now, hoping to earn a berth at the RBC Cup. For a junior hockey player, it doesn’t get much better than that. Leipsic is living a hockey dream. Leipsic’s lottery win kicked in after he was traded at the deadline from the Powell River Kings to the Terriers. It was win, win and win for the product of the Winnipeg AAA midget Wild. Win: he joined an MJHL powerhouse. Win: he was closer to friends and family who live in Winnipeg. Win: he quickly established himself as a solid, go-to player for the talent-rich Terriers. “Yeah, the trade really couldn’t have worked out better for me,” he said with a laugh. “I got lucky you might say. After I graduated midget I went out to BC, to give that league a try. I wanted a different experience. When I got traded to Portage I knew they had a good team.” These days Leipsic is bunked up in Estevan with his pals, competing in the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup. Thanks to a quick 2-0 start, the Terriers have guaranteed themselves one of four playoff spots. Two teams will then move on to next month’s RBC Cup in Lloydminster. “When you get to this level, the players and teams are very good,” said Leipsic, 18. “The other night we played Estevan Bruins, and everyone knows that crest and jersey. They’ve been around for a very long time. It was a good experience.” Not so good ─ but definitely a learning experience ─ for Leipsic was a very unusual penalty called on him prior to the drop of the first puck. At high-level events such as the WCC, players are not allowed to touch the red line during pre-game warm-up. This is to prevent any pre-game shenanigans (IE: fighting). “I guess my skate blade touched the red line,” Leipsic said. “I was trying to grab a puck and I guess I touched the red line. We had been told before the tournament that people would be watching. After the warm-up, someone told Blake (Spiller) that I was given a 10-minute misconduct. And no, I won’t go near the red line anymore.” While Leipsic might not be the biggest guy on the ice, 5-foot-8, 155-pounds, he plays at a high speed and brings an impressive hockey pedigree. His older brother, Brendan, 21, suited up for a handful of games this past season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. These days the older Leipsic is playing with the American League Toronto Marlies. While Jeremy is quick to say his brother had an influence on his game, the younger Leipsic credits another person for his hockey success: Teemu Selanne,  the Finnish Flash. Winnipeg Jet legend and Stanley Cup winner. And one day, a Hockey Hall of Famer. “My mother became friends with Teemu’s wife when he was in Winnipeg,” said Leipsic. “Teemu would come over and visit. He’d play road hockey with us. My family has remained good friends with Teemu and his family.  He’s a great guy.” Leipsic is now cutting his own way through the hockey world. And just like one of his hockey heroes, he’s hoping it all ends this spring, lifting a national championship trophy.            

Steinbach Pistons’ Smith named RBC Player of Month

Cole Smith of the Steinbach Pistons has been named the RBC Player of the Month for April. Smith, 20, recorded 10 points (4-6) in eight games for the Pistons who lost to Portage Terriers in the Turnbull Cup final. A native of Brainerd, ND., the 6-foot-3, 190-pound forward has committed to University of North Dakota. The runners up are 20 year old forward Brad Bowles of the Portage Terriers and 19 year old defenseman Brett Orr of the Portage Terriers. Sher-Wood Hockey Defenseman of the Month For the second consecutive month a member of the Terriers has won this award: Brett Orr. The 18-year-old blueliner was outstanding in helping the Terriers capture their second consecutive Turnbull Cup. Orr, who hails from Elkhorn, recorded five points (0-5) in five championship games. The previous Terrier to win was Dean Stewart, who was a runner-up in April. The other runner-up was Ryan Carlson of the Steinbach Pistons. MGEU Goaltender of the Month Nathan Park of the Portage Terriers was outstanding during the Terriers’ playoff run. The Edmonton native posted a 5-1 record, highlited by back-to-back shutouts. His save percentage was .940, with a 1.50 GAA. It was recently announced that Park is one of five nominees for the CJHL Top Goaltender Award. The winner will be announced at next month’s RBC Cup in Lloydminister. The runners up are 19 year old Roman Bengert of the Steinbach Pistons and 20 year old Nathan Warren of the Winkler Flyers. IBAM Rookie of the Month For the third consecutive month, a member of the Portage Terriers has won this award. This month its Jeremey Leipsic, who tallied eight points (4-4) in five games. Leipsic’s teammate,  Nick Henry,  had won this award in February and March. Leipsic, who hails from Winnipeg, is currently playing in the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup in Estevan. The runners up are 18 year old forward Chase Brakel of the Portage Terriers and 18 year old forward Mackenzie Graham of the Steinbach Pistons.  

Terriers remain undefeated at WCC

Portage Terriers have qualified for the playoff round of the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup, thanks to a 3-2 win Sunday over host Estevan Bruins. Terriers improved their record to 2-0, while the Bruins fell to 0-2. Two teams from the WCC will advance to the RBC Cup next month in Lloydminister. "I thought it was a struggle of game," Terriers' GM/Head Coach Blake Spiller told CFRY-Radio. "It was strange. I didn't think we were real smart and they weren't real smart either. We spent a lot of time killing penalties. "Our first period was probably our worst in a long time. It really was a special-team game. We'll take the 2-0 record; looking forward to a day off on Monday. It definitely won't be getting any easier as we move along. "West Kelowna is big and physical," said Spiller. "Brooks seems real quick. It's definitely going to be a challenge for us. It was our goal to play on Saturday, so we have to be happy about that. But we still have a lot of work to do." Terriers' captain Brad Bowles led the winners with a pair of goals, while Adam Wowryk rounded out the scoring. Terriers' netminder Nathan Park was kept busy, having his shutout snapped early in the third period. Terriers successfully held off a late-rally by the Bruins, who pulled within one with less than two minutes remaining. The WCC field is rounded out by Brooks (AJHL), West Kelowna (BC) and Melfort (SJHL). Terriers are off on Monday, returning to the ice Tuesday afternoon against West Kelowna. EXTRA POINTS: Terriers are the youngest team at the WCC with an average age of 18.2. Estevan is the oldest team with an average age of 19.6. Brad Bowles was awarded Player of the Game award. Terriers' playoff game is Saturday.

Pistons’ Eades Great Example of Pistons Community Impact

There is a school of sad kids now that all of the Steinbach Pistons players have officially headed home for the summer and mostly because of one player; Pistons defenseman Eddie Eades. Eades was acknowledged earlier this month for being the MJHL’s Manitoba Peak Performer of the Month for March because of his involvement in the community. And the 20 year-old defenseman has done more than his share over this past season. He arrived in Steinbach this past August from East Grand Forks, Minnesota knowing very little about the Pistons or the community of Steinbach. His 6’ 5” stature made him hard to miss, helping him get a roster spot on a Pistons team that was seeking a veteran presence on the backend.   He was quickly made aware that things were going to be a little different in Steinbach and players who weren’t working or attending school had to volunteer a minimum of 3hrs a week. “I heard we had to do a lot of volunteering, and I wasn’t sure how much I would really enjoy it,” said Eades, who was held accountable on his hours monthly by the organization. “But after thinking about it, I realized it would be a good use of my time since I didn’t have a job. “ The team helped place the d-man at one of the local elementary schools to kick off the year. Originally Eades, along with his teammate Joe Carney at the time, did something they were very comfortable with and that was helping the students skate. The players helped the students tie their skates and then assisted with teaching them how to skate. “It was a lot of fun, the kids loved it,” Eades said. “They were always tough to get off the ice, they loved it a lot.” His time with the students eventually morphed into reading, doing math problems and helping with arts and crafts in the classroom. He also joined the students when they attended the Rest Haven Nursing Home as a part of the school’s Grand Partners program. This is a program where the students are teamed up with an elderly person, spending time with them on a consistent basis; talking, reading and playing games with their grand partner. Eades jumped right in not showing any hesitation. His many hours volunteering turned into a very memorable experience for Eades when 50 kids or so, arrived at a Pistons morning skate during the playoffs with Eddie Eades posters. And that wasn’t all; they even chanted ‘Eddie – Eddie’. “There aren’t many times where people are chanting your name, let alone at a morning skate,” Eades said with a big smile. “At that time I wasn’t in the line-up because of injury, and I made sure I was out there for morning skate because I knew they were coming, but I wasn’t expecting the signs and the chants.” While the Pistons were in the midst of their MJHL Championship Series with the Portage Terriers, the students went out of their way to make Eades cards wishing him and the team all the best as they continued to battle from a series deficit. And then when the season came to a close, the school did a presentation in the gym for Eades, saying goodbye with another bag full of cards and some cake. “I just want to say thank-you to the school for allowing me in their classrooms,” commented Eades about how this experience has helped him grow as a person. “And since I don’t know what I want to do career-wise, after all of this experience it may be something I want to look into in the future.” His required three hours of volunteer became just the tip of the iceberg, as Eades and many other Pistons players also assisted at minor hockey practices, school floor hockey events and the local food bank to name a few. Eades was one of three Pistons players who received the MJHL Manitoba Peak Performer of the Month Award for their community service. The Pistons organization is proud to see the award getting presented to a Pistons player three out of the six times it’s given out.  Connor Martin and Roman Bengert also were recognized earlier in the season.  

Terriers’ Brad Bowles nominated for CJHL’s MVP and Top Forward Award

Portage Terriers’ Brad Bowles continues to show he’s regarded as one of the best players in the CJHL. The native of Elkhorn has been nominated for two CJHL awards: MVP and Top Forward. Bowles, 20, has dominated the MJHL, reflected in his MVP award this season. He also led the league in scoring with 102 points. Bowles is the fourth member of the Terriers to be nominated for a prestigious CJHL award: Brett Orr (Top Defenceman), Nick Henry (CJHL Rookie of the Year) and Nathan Park (CJHL goaltender of the year). Each of the 10 leagues within the CJHL selected a nominee for respective awards. Following the initial round of voting, five players qualified as finalists for the award and will now advance to the final stage of the selection process. Bowles and his teammates are now in Estevan participating in Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup. Their first game is Saturday against Melfort. Five teams are participating in the round-robin tourney; two teams will then advance to the RBC Cup. All award recipients will receive a special ring designed by Jostens Canada the official award supplier to the CJHL. Winners will be announced at next month’s RBC Cup in Lloydminister.  

Pistons’ Taillefer awarded 2016 IBAM-MJHL Scholarship

The Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba (IBAM) and the MJHL are pleased to announce the 2016 IBAM-MJHL Scholarship is awarded to forward Daniel Taillefer of the Steinbach Pistons. A cheque for $2,000 was presented to Daniel at the 2016 IBAM President’s Dinner, Thursday April 28, 2016 at The Fairmont Winnipeg. Daniel grew up in La Broquerie, Manitoba and started his Junior hockey career at the young age of 16. From that point he played in nearly every game over a five seasons with the Pistons, totalling 298 games played – second all-time in the MJHL. He holds countless Steinbach Pistons team records and was recently recognized by the MJHL as the recipient of the Lorne Lyndon Trophy, given to a player demonstrating tremendous hockey ability and sportsmanship. Daniel has spent many hours volunteering and taking university courses while balancing life as a hockey player. His goal is to continue to further his education while playing hockey at the collegiate level. He will be an outstanding addition to any CIS or NCAA program. Congratulations Daniel and all the best!    IBAM President’s Dinner Emcee, Joe Aiello, presents Dan Taillefer with a cheque for $2,000 as the recipient of the 2016 IBAM-MJHL Scholarship.

Terriers plan to bark up a storm in Estevan

Blake Spiller knows his Portage Terriers have their work cut out for them as they prepare for the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup which opens Saturday in Estevan. Five teams.  Only two move on to the RBC Cup next month. The MJHL champions are aiming to be one of those two. “We know there’s going to be pressure on our guys and a bit of nerves,” said the Terriers’ GM/Head Coach. “But pressure and nerves can sometimes be a good thing. We know it’s going to be tough. I also know that our guys are going to do what they have to do to get the job done.” Including Spiller, four other Terriers have previous WCC experience: Brad and Shawn Bowles, Dean Stewart and Brett Orr. For everyone else, the WCC will be a new experience. A grinding experience to be sure, with four games scheduled over five days. “Once you get to this level, all the teams are good,” said Spiller. “That’s a given. There’s not going to be an easy game. Last year was a good experience…..we ended up losing the final in overtime. “It’s a short tournament and it’s important you get your team going early. If you have a bad game or two early, even if you do start to win later in the week you could find yourselves out of it. One loss doesn’t mean you’re out of it, but you can’t afford to have a couple of bad games.” While Spiller supports the WCC concept, he also believes the former best-of-seven ANAVET Cup playoff had its share of benefits. “In a best-of-seven, it gives a more accurate indication of who the better team is,” he said. “There was also the rivalry aspect for the fans. And, there was also the financial stand-point, where you would host a series of games and the attendance was usually very good.” Spiller admits that this year’s WCC experience will have more pressure than last year’s tournament staged in Fort McMurray. “We knew going in (last year) that we were hosting the RBC Cup,” said Spiller. “There was pressure to do well and compete, but not the pressure we’ll face this year.” Drawing upon last year’s experience, Spiller and his coaching staff have an active agenda set-out for their club heading into Estevan. “We obviously want to keep the focus on hockey, but we also realize they are young guys and we want their experience to be a positive one. We’ll have team meals, team meetings, video sessions and skates. “There’s going to be pressure, but our team has shown they can rise to the occasion.” Dauphin Kings hosted the WCC back in 2014. The 2017 WCC will be held in Penticton, B.C.  

Terriers’ Orr nominated for CJHL top defenceman award

Portage Terriers’ continue to gain national attention. Brett Orr of the Terriers is one of five nominees for the CJHL top defenceman award, the CJHL announced. Orr, 20, is not related to NHL great Bobby Orr, but the two have one thing in common: both are outstanding hockey players. The native of Elkhorn was recently presented the Brian Kozak Trophy which is awarded to the MJHL’s top defenceman. He’s also known for his strong offensive play, reflected in 42 points (13-29) in 52 games played. In addition to winning the Turnbull Cup, another highlight of his season came in December when he was named to the Canada West squad which won gold at the World Junior A Challenge. Orr is now the third member of the Terriers to be nominated for a CJHL award: Nick Henry (CJHL Rookie of the Year) and Nathan Park (CJHL goaltender of the year). Each of the 10 leagues within the CJHL selected a nominee for respective awards. Following the initial round of voting, five players qualified as finalists for the award and will now advance to the final stage of the selection process. The recipient of the 2015 CJHL Goaltender of the Year and all CJHL League Awards will be announced during the week of May 9th-13th. All award recipients will receive a special ring designed by Jostens Canada the official award supplier to the CJHL Rounding out the final top four defencemen nominees:  *Brinson Pasichnuk**, Bonnyville Pontiacs, AJHL (52 GP, 20 G – 45 A – 65 PTS)*  Brinson Pasichnuk led all AJHL defencemen in scoring with 61 points (18G, 43A).  Pasichnuk was identified in the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings and represented Team West at the 2016 CJHL Prospects Game.  He also won a Gold Medal with Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge.  Brinson and his brother Steenn recently committed to the NCAA Division I Arizona State University Sun Devils.  *Dante Fabbro, Penticton Vees, BCHL (45 GP, 14 G – 53 A – 67 PTS)* Fabbro put up 67 points to lead all BCHL blueliners and his 31 power-play points helped the Vees to a league-best 30.7 per cent success rate. The Coquitlam, B.C. product is committed to Boston University for next season and is expected to be a first-round selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.  *Patrick Kudla, Oakville Blades, OJHL (50 GP, 13 G – 53 A – 66 PTS)*  Kudla led all OJHL rearguards with 66 points on the season, which was the 14th best total by a defenceman in league history. Kudla confirmed his commitment this season to join the NCAA Division I, Arizona State University Sun Devils (currently independent) beginning with the 2017-18 season.  *Jonathan Fillion, **Collège Français de Longueuil**, QJHL (52 GP, 26 G –43 A – 69 PTS)* He was selected on the QJHL All-Star team and named defenceman of the year in the QJHL.

Flyers’ Keck Lands Division One Scholarship in Omaha

The Winkler Flyers are pleased to announce that graduating forward Tristan Keck has committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (NCAA Div I) for the 2016-2017 season. After a stellar four year Junior Hockey career, Keck will now move on to play at the top collegiate level in North America. Joining the Flyers in 2012, after lighting up the Manitoba high school hockey scene, Keck quickly proved to be one of the most dangerous offensive players in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Morris, Manitoba native was named the Manitoba Junior Hockey League Rookie of the Year in 2012/2013. That same season, he was also named the Rookie of the Year in the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). After leading the MJHL in goals in 2014/2015, Keck was honored with the MJHL's Most Valuable Player award and was a finalist for the CJHL MVP trophy. He was an MJHL All-Star in three of his four seasons and served as an Assistant Captain for the Flyers during his last three years. "We are thrilled for Tristan." said Flyers Head Coach and General Manager Ken Pearson. "He's a very special player, and it's great to see all his hard work and talent pay off. He has done a lot for us over the past four seasons and I have no doubt that he will continue to succeed in Omaha" added Pearson. In 212 regular season games played, Keck recorded 244 points (131 Goals – 113 Assists). He also had 21 points in 25 playoff games. His tremendous work ethic, blazing speed, devastating wrist shot and humble nature made him a true fan favorite both on and off the ice. The University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks play in the NCHC Conference of NCAA Division I Men's Hockey with the likes of the University of North Dakota, Denver, St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, Miami, Western Michigan and Colorado College. The Flyers would like to congratulate Tristan on his commitment to the University of Nebraska-Omaha and wish him and the Mavericks all the best in the future. Keck becomes the fourth member of the Flyers to make a college commitment this year, joining Tyler Jubenvill (Bemidji State – NCAA Div I), Jordan Williamson (Curry College – NCAA Div III) and Kurt Sonne (Northland College – NCAA Div III).  

Portage holds Pep Rally for their Terriers

Several hundred fans got up close and personal with their favourite Portage Terriers on Wednesday nite, with a Pep Rally held for the loyal Terrier fans. Fans were at the rink early, watching the Terriers practice, preparing for the upcoming Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup in Estevan. The team then headed to the lobby for a meet and greet where they took pictures and signed autographs. The fans were also treated to food, compliments of sponsors Champs Corner, CFRY and Pratt's Wholesale. Captain Brad Bowles addressed the crowd and thanked all the Portage fans for their season long support. "We'd like to thank our fans and sponsors. The best in the MJ and we couldn't have done it without you." Assistant Captain Brett Orr was asked why these kinds of events are important to the team. "I think it's important as players to meet our fans off the ice. It's a great reminder who we're playing for each night and it's nice to be able to meet the people that cheer us on. I also feel like it's a small way we can give back to the community and it's always a lot of fun." The Terriers first game in the Western Canada Cup is Saturday at 2:00pm vs the Melfort Mustangs. You can listen to the game live on CFRY.

Terriers’ Park nominated for CJHL top goaltender award

Nathan Park is one of five nominees for the CJHL top goaltender award, the CJHL announced today. Park, 20, was ranked No. 1 in a number of MJHL goaltending categories: Wins (38), minutes played (2,655), shutouts (7) and goals against average (1.92).  The Edmonton native then capped his season by being named the MJHL’s top goaltender. Park is the second member of the Terriers to be nominated for a CJHL award: Nick Henry is vying for CJHL Rookie of the Year honours. Each of the 10 leagues within the CJHL selected a nominee for respective awards. Following the initial round of voting, five players qualified as finalists for the award and will now advance to the final stage of the selection process. The recipient of the 2015 CJHL Goaltender of the Year and all CJHL League Awards will be announced during the week of May 9th-13th. All award recipients will receive a special ring designed by Jostens Canada the official award supplier to the CJHL.   Rounding out the top five finalists are:  *Matthew Murray, Spruce Grove Saints, AJHL (29 GP, 23 W – 4 L – 2.59 GAA – .910 S% – 3 SO)* Matthew Murray had a season filled with awards and recognitions beginning in December as he won a Gold Medal with Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge.  The 18 year old from St. Albert, Alberta, has committed to the University of Massachusetts of the NCAA Division I.  *Zach Driscoll, Penticton Vees, BCHL (26 GP, 21 W – 4 L – 0 T – 1.90 GAA – .933 S% – 4 SO)*  Driscoll, 19, won the BCHL Goaltending Award after posting a 1.90 goals-against  average to go along with a 21-4 record. His .933 save percentage was also  tops in the BCHL, aided by his four shutouts. He has committed to St. Cloud State University and will play one more season with the Vees before heading off to college.  *Andrew Masters, Georgetown Raiders, OJHL (43 GP, 28 W – 9 L – 3 T – 2.00  GAA – .934 S% – 4 SO)* The 20-year old Kitchener, Ontario native was a rock between the pipes for the Raiders during his first season in the OJHL, helping lead the club to a second consecutive West Division and South-West Conference regular season title, while also finishing as runner-up for the overall OJHL crown to the Trenton Golden Hawks.  He posted a 28-9-3 record for the league's second best win total, along with four shutouts, which was tied for the third best total.  *Jack Burgart, Weyburn Redwings, SJHL (43 GP, 27 W – 10 L – 4 OTL – 2 SOL – 1.97 GAA – .935 S% – 3 SO) Burgart was the only puck stopper to register a GAA of less than  2.00 per game (1.97). A three year veteran and second year starter, Burgart's coming out party began in the second half of last season and he carried that momentum through, going 27-10-4-and-2.  

Puck ready to drop at Western Canada Cup

By Derek Holtom MJHL Web Correspondent The field is set for the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup (WCC), and the MJHL champion and defending RBC Cup champion Portage Terriers now know who they’ll have to overcome to get a chance to defend their national title. First up for the Terriers are the Melfort Mustangs. Over the course of five days, the Terriers play four games. When the dust settles, they hope they’ve earned themselves a trip to the RBC Cup. The format is simple: two teams from the WCC move on to the RBC. The field sports two teams from Saskatchewan (host Estevan) and the league champs from Melfort. Alberta is represented by Brooks Bandits, while West Kelowna (BC) and Portage round out the field. All five teams will face each other in a round-robin tournament. The top two seeds will then play off for the first spot at the RBC Cup, while the loser of that game will face the winner of the three vs. four match for the other spot. The action kicks off this Saturday (April 30), and ends with the finals on May 7 and 8. Here then is quick look at each team and how they got to the WCC. Melfort Mustangs The two-time SJHL champions punched their ticket to the WCC with a six-game victory over the Flin Flon Bombers in the final. The Mustangs, who had the second-most points in the regular season, posted a 12-5 record to capture the league title. They were led offensively in the playoffs by Travis Mayan, who had 12 goals and 11 assists in 17 games. Justin Boyer (six goals, 14 assists), and Tristan Frei (eight goals, 11 assists) were also big contributors. In goal, Evan Plotnik appeared in 14 games for the Mustangs, posting a 3.22 GAA and a .902 save percentage. Richard Palmer was in the other three games, going 3-0 with a 1.25 GAA and a .968 save percentage. Estevan Bruins The Bruins will be well rested after falling in the quarter-finals in six games to the Nipawin Hawks (who in turns fell to the eventual champions from Melfort in a seven-game classic between the two northern rivals). Braden Oleksyn had three goals and five assists to pace Melfort’s attack, while Owen Laclare had four goals and one assist. Daniel Wapple went all six games for the Bruins, posting a 2.51 GAA and a .912 save percentage in losing to the Hawks. Brooks Bandits The Brooks Bandits were the class of the Alberta Junior Hockey League this year, going a stellar 12-1 en route to the title – with four shutouts. The final, which they won in five games over the Spruce Grove Saints, was very close though, as the first three games went into overtime (and one of those into double overtime). Derek Lodermeier led the team in scoring with five goals and 19 assists in 13 games. Dylan McCrory had 11 goals and six assists as the team’s top scorer. And in goal, Garrett Hughson was impressive, going 12-1 with a 1.10 GAA and a .957 save percentage. West Kelowna Warriors Due to the number of teams in the BCHL, they employ an interesting playoff format. The three teams survive the first two rounds face each other in a round-robin series. From there, the top two advance to the final. And that is how the West Kelowna Warriors put together a 15-9 record to win the league title, beating the Chilliwack Chiefs in six games. To get to the final, the Warriors upset the Penticton Vees in the second round – a team that finished 22 points ahead of them in the standings. Kylar Hope led the team in scoring with 15 goals and nine assists for 24 points. Liam Blackburn (seven goals, 16 assists) and Jonathan Desbiens (15 goals, five assists) were next in team scoring. And in goal, Matthew Greenfield played the bulk of games for the Warriors, going 14-8 with a 2.25 GAA and a .932 save percentage. Portage Terriers Defending RBC Cup champions. And they’re making noises of wanting to repeat. The Terriers almost ran the table during the MJHL playoffs, putting together a 12-1 record,  in another dominating playoff performance to capture the Turnbull Cup. The MJHL champs were led by league MVP Brad Bowles, who had 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 13 games. Rookies Jeremy Leipsic (seven goals, eight assists), Nik Henry (eight goals, six assists), as well as Shawn Bowles (eight goals, six assists) also had a productive post season. In goal, the Terriers to Nathan Park, who played every minute of the post season for them, going 12-1 with a 1.87 GAA and a .924 save percentage with three shutouts.    

MJHL grads commit to University of Manitoba Bisons

Quintin Lisoway (Steinbach) and  Kamerin Nault (Winnipeg Blues) will battle for spots next season with the University of Manitoba Bisons. Lisoway, 20 (turning 21 on Nov. 2016), was a point a game player with 33 points (18g, 15a) in 27 games. In the 2016 MJHL playoffs, the Neepawa, MB native added 16 points (8g, 8a) in 16 post-season contests.  Lisoway commented, "I am very excited about joining the Bisons! They have an excellent program and a great group of core players so I'm excited for what's to come. The decision to commit to U of Manitoba was an easy one. Not only will it be competitive hockey, but I will also get a top-notch education from a highly regarded school." Nault, 20 (turning 21 on Sept. 2016), played the last four seasons (2012-16) with the Winnipeg Blues (MJHL). In 2015-16, the 6'1", 185 lbs. forward posted his best MJHL stats as he accumulated 76 points (37g, 39a) in 54 regular season games while adding seven points (3g, 4a) in 10 playoff games in the 2016 MJHL post-season. Over the four years with the Blues, the Winnipeg native was part of the Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (2013-14) – where he scored 11 playoff points in 11 games en route to the league championship, MJHL Performer for the Month of February (2016) and MJHL Second All-Star Team (2015-16). Nault has averaged almost a point a game as he produced 202 points (98g, 104a) in 208 regular season games while adding 26 playoff points (14g, 12a) in 34 games and was assistant captain of the Blues.  Nault said, "The Bisons are a good young team that is developing quickly and I want to be part of that development. I have researched a lot of schools but I feel the U of Manitoba and the Bison program is the perfect place to receive a great education while at the same time allowing me to continue to develop and pursue my hockey goals. I am very excited to be part of the great dynamics on this team and to work toward winning a national championship." Bisons’ head coach Mike Sirant said the two new additions will add depth to his lineup.  "We are thrilled to have Kamerin Nault and Quintin Lisoway commit to the Bison Men's Hockey program. These are very important signings that will help the Bisons take the next steps towards a championship season. Kamerin, and Quintin are outstanding two-way players that will bring offensive skill combined with a very high compete level, grit and solid defensive play to the Bisons. “They all have exceptional character and played important leadership roles on their previous teams.”

Flyers’ Sonne headed to Northland College

Winkler Flyers’ graduate Kurt Sonne is headed to Northland College of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association. Sonne finished fourth in club scoring this past season with nine goals and 47 points in 56 games. A native of Maple Ridge, B.C., Sonne (6-foot, 175-pounds) is expected to make an impact on the Northland lineup. “We have been recruiting Kurt for quite some time,” said Seamus Gregory, Head Coach, Northland College, which is a Division 3 school located in Ashland, Wisconsin. “Kurt is exactly the type of player but more importantly the type of person our young locker room needs right now. He's had a tremendous year in Winkler and we feel the sky is limit for Kurt as he continues to improve as he gets a little older. He understands what it takes to win and coming from a storied franchise like Winkler we couldn't be happier to have him at Northland for the foreseeable future."

Terriers’ Henry nominated for CJHL Rookie of the Year Award

Portage Terriers’ outstanding forward Nick Henry is one of five freshman nominated for the CJHL Rookie of the Year Award. Henry, who hails from Portage, topped all MJHL rookie scorers with 61 points (26-35) for the Turnbull Cup champions. Henry and his teammates now travel to Estevan to play in the upcoming Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup. Two teams from that tournament will then advance to the RBC Cup next month in Lloydminister. Henry, 16, is a key member of the Terrier machine, playing in all situations. The recipient of the 2015 CJHL Rookie of the Year and all CJHL League Awards will be announced during the week of May 9th-13th. All award recipients will receive a special ring designed by Jostens Canada the official award supplier to the CJHL. The other four rookie nominees are:  *Cale Makar, Brooks Bandits, AJHL (54GP, 10G – 45A – 55PTS)*  The 17 year old defenceman is second overall among AJHL rookie scorers with 50 points and 43 assists, and leads all Bandits players in assists.  He is currently on an 8 game point streak.  "Based on Cale's exceptional play in last year’s playoffs as an affiliate, our staff expected him to have an outstanding rookie season,” said Bandits GM / Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou. “His abilities with the puck are second to none and he sees the ice extremely well. Cale loves to jump into the rush and push the pace offensively. He is a key component you our team success and this recognition as rookie of the year is a great vote of confidence from opposing coaches."  Makar dressed in all 20 playoff games as an affiliate player last season, and has averaged 1.0 points per games in his first full season with the Bandits.  *Kohen Olischefski, Chilliwack Chiefs, BCHL (57GP, 13G – 35A – 48PTS)*  Olischefski missed just one game on the season, on the way to posting 13-35-48 in his first BCHL campaign. His assist total was third-best on his team. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound forward had a multiple-point game on nine occasions and had two six-game point streaks. Olischefski provided secondary scoring and played a clean game, being assessed just 16 minutes in penalties on the season. The Abbotsford, B.C. native is committed to the University of Denver for the 2017-18 season.  *Jack Jacome, Georgetown Raiders, OJHL (54GP, 23G – 44A – 67PTS)*  After playing seven games as an affiliate out of the Brampton 45's Midget 'AAA' program in 2014-15, Jacome joined his brother Brendan full-time with the Raiders this season and surprised many with his offensive skills that saw him lead the club in scoring during the regular season.   The Caledon, Ontario native's totals of 44 assists, 67 points and 18 power play points were all tops on the club, while he finished second with 23 goals and 6 game-winning goals.  Not only were his totals tops on the Raiders, but he led all rookies in scoring and ranked among the league's elite, finishing fifth in assists, sixth in scoring and ninth in game-winning goals.  Jacome's award-filled season saw him finish as runner-up for OJHL Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month honours in January, recording 20 points in 13 games played and following the season, he was named both a 1st Team All-Prospect, as well as a 2nd Team All-Star for his performance.  Most recently, Jacome confirmed a commitment to join the Clarkson University Golden Knights beginning with the 2017-18 season.  *Charles Levesque**, Hawkesbury Hawks, CCHL (62GP, 19G – 42A – 61PTS)*  The 98’ born rookie finished 9th overall in CCHL scoring with 61 points in 62 games.  He was named CCHL Rookie of the Month in both November and December.  Not the biggest guy but has a never-ending motor and doesn’t shy away from the corners or the front of the net where he scores most of his goals.   The Top 5 finalists for all CJHL Awards will be announced over the coming week. 

Flyers’ Williamson Commits to Curry College

Graduating forward Jordan Williamson has committed to the Curry Colonels (NCAA Div III) for the 2016-2017 season. The Flyers grinding forward spent one season with the Orange and Black and was a heart and soul player who was a key contributor on the Flyers penalty-kill. His work ethic and veteran attitude were great assets to the Flyers this past season. The Okotoks, Alberta native recorded 33 points (17 Goals – 16 Assists) in all 60 regular season games this season. He is a versatile player who can play in all situations and at all positions. The Curry Colonels play in the North East Division of NCAA Division III Men's Hockey and are located in Milton, Massachusetts. Former Winnipeg Blues' Jake and Mack Heisinger also play for the Colonels. The Flyers would like to congratulate Jordan for his commitment to Curry College and wish him and the Colonels all the best in the future. Williamson will be studying Business Management.  

OCN accepting applications for hockey staff

Head Coach Term: 2 years Salary: TBN Duties: Work with the Board of Directors and the General Manager to establish and achieve the team's goals, objectives and priorities. Must be aware of MJHL and Hockey Canada rules, regulations, policies and procedures and maintain and develop close relationships with MJHL and Hockey Canada and related hockey organizations. Coach all games and establish appropriate on-ice strategies and techniques to be implemented by the team. Develop and implement a team schedule, including practices and activities, and conduct practices, exercises and activities according to the schedule. Recruit players as required. Other related duties that are required by the Club.   Assistant Coach Term: To be determined Salary: TBN Duties: Work with the General Manager and Head Coach to establish and achieve team goals, objectives and priorities. Assist with the effective, smooth running of the hockey organization that is in harmony with the vision, mission and philosophy of the organization. Delivering day to day fitness components to the team roster in season. Assist in the day to day business of the hockey club such as curfew calls, team building activities, player meetings, etc. Other related duties that are required by the Club.   Athletic Trainer / Equipment Manager Term: To be determined Salary: TBN Work with General Manager, Head Coach and other team staff to achieve the team's goals, objectives and priorities. Provide medical attention to players to level of training. Provide rehab plans/programs for injuries to ensure return to action is done safely and without further injury. Skate maintenance. Maintenance and cleanliness of dressing room. Monitor all hockey equipment and disperse to players as needed. Ensure all travel supplies are on the bus when on road trips. Other related that are required by the Club.   Deadline: May 13, 2016 @ 4:30 pm Send resume to email: ocnblizz@mymts.net or fax: 204-623-1007. For more information on these positions, please call 204-627-7077.

2016 Exposure Showcase and Combine

The MJHL has partnered with The Rink Training Centre to conduct an exposure showcase and combine for players aged 15 to 19. The event will be held at Dakota Community Centre from May 27 – 29. NCAA Coaches and MJHL Coaches along with The Rink Training Centre staff will conduct all of the on – ice and off – ice events during the weekend camp. Please view the pdf below for more information.

MJHL Seeking Hockey Professional

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) is seeking a dedicated hockey professional to serve in the newly created position of Director of Operations. This is a full-time role and will be based out of the league office in Winnipeg. The successful applicant must have a significant and successful level of experience at either the Junior A level, university, college or professional hockey. Ideally, you will possess a post-secondary university/college degree, or an equivalent background in management in a Junior or professional hockey organization. The successful applicant must have a proven track record of teamwork and cooperation with colleagues/suppliers/other organizations and be highly motivated. You must be proficient in the use of all contemporary office/business programs (Microsoft and/or Mac systems). Proficiency in the use of all social media platforms would be an asset. Interested individuals, who are committed to excellence in your work, are encouraged to submit a detailed resume and cover letter no later than 4 p.m, Friday, May 20. Please forward all materials related to your application via email to the attention of Mr. Kim Davis, MJHL Commissioner at commissioner@mjhlhockey.ca. Primary Duties and Responsibilities: •    Participate with the Commissioner in the on-going development and implementation of a vision and strategic plan to guide the MJHL •    Identify, assess and inform the Commissioner of internal and external issues that affect the MJHL •    Act as a professional advisor to the Commissioner on all aspects of the MJHL’s business activities •    Foster effective teamwork between the Commissioner and league office staff, suppliers, member teams and volunteers •    Work with member teams to identify needs and develop solutions to meet those needs and generally ensure the MJHL office is working on behalf of all member teams •    Search out new innovations and trends in the sport of hockey and communicate those findings to the Commissioner •    In addition to the Commissioner, act as a spokesperson for the MJHL •    Represent the MJHL at community, local, regional and national events to enhance the MJHL’s community as required •    Work to ensure that all member teams feel valued, respected and listened to or “heard” by the league office Responsibilities: •    Report to the Commissioner of the MJHL •    Participate as a non-voting member of the MJHL Management & Finance Committee and take part in all MFC meetings as required •    Carry out the league goals and policies as laid out by the MJHL Bylaws and Rules and Regulations as approved by the MJHL Board of Governors and as directed by the Commissioner •    Assess, evaluate and implement the MJHL Discipline Regulations with a primary focus on the Junior A Supplement as approved by the MJHL Board of Governors •    Work with the Commissioner to assess, evaluate and implement all MJHL Hockey Operations regulations as approved by the MJHL Board of Governors •    Direct and coordinate the work of the MJHL Department of Officiating. This includes working with the MJHL Director of Officiating to ensure the long term effectiveness of the MJHL Officiating program. •    Attend league games, tournaments, meetings and other relevant events as directed by the MJHL Commissioner •    Review and approve all trades between CJHL teams and MJHL teams •    Ensure all league trades and suspensions are entered onto the MJHL website and communicated and posted to all relevant public sources •    Manage and update all aspects of the league’s player protected list (PPL) database ensuring timeliness and accuracy •    Monitor the league website scoreboard for every game during the season. Follow up with corrective action if required. •    Ensure that all players and team staff are properly registered and approved on the Hockey Canada Registry (HCR) prior to participating in any league games •    Ensure that all league teams are compliant with HCR training on a yearly basis. Work with Hockey Manitoba staff to ensure HCR compliance. •    Prepare and organize all league Board meetings including the Annual General Meeting in conjunction with the Commissioner •    Recording and preparation of all Board meeting minutes including conference calls. Distribution of meeting minutes to league members. •    Participate in the implementation of all elements of league special events in conjunction with the Commissioner. This includes the annual Showcase, the annual Draft and the annual Schedule meeting •    Assist the league Commissioner as required and directed Please note that only those persons selected for an in person interview will be contacted. References will be required and will be contacted. These may be submitted with the application. Compensation package including vacation will be negotiated based on the selected applicant’s experience and qualifications.  

Terriers win Turnbull Cup!

Portage Terriers are champions of the MJHL. Again. Before 1,700 frenzied fans at the PCU Centre, Terriers claimed the Turnbull Cup with a 5-1 victory over Steinbach Pistons. Terriers claimed the best-of-seven series in five games. It was the second consecutive MJHL championship for the Terriers and their sixth Turnbull title over the last 10 years (2016, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2009 and 2008). Terriers will now advance to the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup later this month in Estevan. Two teams from the WCC will qualify to compete in the RBC Cup next month (May 14-22) in Lloydminster. “This is an unbelievable feeling,” said Terriers’ captain Brad Bowles, 20. “This is what you work for all season. It’s awesome. We still have a lot of hockey to play. But tonight is fantastic. We were expected to do nothing, but we came out and won a championship. Unbelievable. “Our rookies were a huge factor for us this year and tonight. I knew when we were up 4-0, I started thinking championship.” Terriers’ GM/Head Coach Blake Spiller said this year’s championship run was less stressful than last year’s championship. “It seemed there a bit more pressure last year, hosting the RBC last year,” Spiller told CFRY-Radio. “It seemed like a very long season. This season didn’t seem so long without that pressure (hosting the RBC). “Anytime you can win a championship at any level of hockey is awesome. We had a young group of guys, who really matured as the year went on. That’s incredible. We played a solid game tonight after losing on Sunday. I’m really proud of our guys. It’s always tough to repeat. You have to have things go your way and obviously we had a lot going our way this year.” A highlight of this season was an incredible 31-game winning streak. Consider there were only four returnees from last year’s championship squad: Brad and Shawn Bowles, Dean Stewart and Brett Orr. “This is an unbelievable feeling,” said Braydon MacDonald, 20. “This is a perfect ending to my MJHL career. I just can’t describe the feeling.” Terrier netminder Nathan Park was once again outstanding, turning aside 20 of 21 shots. Tyler Anderson managed to snap the shutout midway through the third period. “This never gets old,” said Park. “We stuck to our game plan. We have a real well-rounded good team. That was the key to success. We still have things to do and stay focused on our plan.” For one Terrier, the win was extra special. Rookie Nick Henry is a native of Portage and admitted the crowd’s energy was motivating. “I can’t believe how great this feels,” said Henry, who was named the MJHL rookie of the year. “The crowd was fantastic.” Rookie Chase Brakel, who hails from Winnipeg, said his first championship in the MJHL was amazing. He also scored a key goal after the Pistons pulled their goaltender. “They put the pressure on the end,” said Brakel. “It was a bit nerve wracking, but scoring the goal was the icing on the cake. I’ve gained a lot of confidence throughout the year.” Terriers rebounded nicely from a 6-2 loss in Steinbach last Sunday, holding period leads of 1-0 and 3-0 after 40 minutes. Brakel scored a pair for the Terriers, with singles going to MacDonald, Adam Wowryk and Brandon Stanley scored for the Terriers. EXTRA POINTS: The playoff MVP was presented to Terrier captain Brad Bowles, who recorded 24 points (7-17The last team to win back-to-back RBC Cups was Vernon Vipers (2009, 2010). Three stars were Park, Brakel and Stanley, respectively.    

Natives’ Austin Hingtgen Commits to St. John’s University

The Neepawa Natives would like to congratulate 20 year old defenseman Austin Hingtgen who has recently committed to St. John’s Johnnies of NCAA’s III, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Austin is the first graduating player of the Neepawa Natives to move on to the next level this year.   Austin has recently committed to St. John’s University for the 2016-2017 season.  Located in Collegeville, Minnesota, the Johnnies have been MIAC Champions five times, with the most recent championship in 2013. The 2015-2016 season was an exceptional season for St. John’s as they finished one win short of first place with a MIAC record of 10-4-2-1.   Hingtgen was acquired by Neepawa early on in the season, playing an important role in both the community and with the hockey club.  Austin shared his journey of achieving his college goal, " I would like to thank my family, there's no way I would be where I am today without them.” He also expressed appreciation for many of his former teammates, coaches, and others who had helped him throughout his hockey career. Further gratitude was expressed about the Natives organization, “I would also like to thank the Natives management, teammates, and my billet mom (Mary Ellen Clark) who had given me an opportunity to play great hockey and achieve my goal of playing college hockey.” Austin who plans on studying Biomedical Science had expressed his enthusiasm for playing with the Johnnies next season, “After visits to multiple schools, St. John’s stuck out as the best fit for me. I really liked the atmosphere around the school and the team, and I am excited to contribute to the teams winning tradition.”   Head coach of St. John’s, Doug Schueller, had also express his praise for his recent recruit.  “Here at SJU we look for players that are competitive, coachable, and most importantly have character.  We felt that Austin showed all those characteristics and we are excited to see what he can accomplish here at SJU.” “We had a great visit with Austin when he visited our campus and I believe he will fit in well with our team.”   As one of the few graduating players last year, Austin accumulated five goals and five assists in 44 games this season. The Williston, North Dakota native played an important role with our organization and community last season and we would like to wish Austin future success with the Johnnies.  

Portage Terriers’ Leipsic named MJHL Recycle Everywhere Player of the Week

While he may be a rookie, Jeremey Leipsic of the Portage Terriers has played a like a veteran in the Turnbull Trophy final, earning him this week’s MJHL Recycle Everywhere Player of the Week. Leipsic, 18, registered five points (3-2) in two games for the Terriers, who hold a 3-1 lead over Steinbach Pistons in their best-of-seven series. Game 5 goes Tuesday in Portage. Leipsic, who hails from Winnipeg, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Brendan, who suited up late in the season with Toronto Maple Leafs. The runners up are 19 year old goaltender Roman Bengert of the Steinbach Pistons and 18 year old forward Chase Brakel of the Portage Terriers.

Pistons avoid elimination in Game 4

With the backs to the wall, Steinbach Pistons staved off elimination Sunday night with a convincing 6-2 victory over Portage Terriers in Game 4 of their Turnbull Trophy final. In front of nearly 1,200 fans at the T.G. Smith Centre, Pistons held period leads of 1-0 and 2-0, respectively. Pistons received a pair of goals from Bradley Schoonbaert, with singles coming from Hayden Goderis, Daniel Taillefer, Cole Smith and Tyler Penner. “We’re very pleased with our effort,” Pistons’ GM/Head Coach Paul Dyck told AM 1250. “We haven’t scored first lately and it’s something we’ve done well over the last two years. I have a lot of confidence in this group and I know they are confident in themselves. “Our 20-year-olds were facing a do or die situation. We needed them to all step up. We needed to score the first goal. I thought we also maintained our energy levels throughout the game. That was key to winning. We also did a good job eliminating their time spent in our zone. “Our goaltender (Bengert) made big saves at key times for us. He really looked like he was in the zone. We needed contributions from everyone today. And we got it. We’re a team which plays heavy. I was pleased with our effort tonight.” It was the first Terrier playoff loss in two years, their record is now 23-1.Terriers still hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven MJHL final. Game 5 is scheduled for Portage on Tuesday. “They came out hard,” GM/Head Coach Blake Spiller told CFRY-Radio. “I didn’t think we were on our game. Their team deserved the win. It was the right score based on the play. “We got a couple of goals like; probably courtesy. Hard to come back so late in the game. I thought we were undisciplined at times. It was one of their games; they were playing for their playoff lives. They have a veteran group and they brought their game. Credit to them. “Hopefully we learned a bit tonight. To use a cliché, the fourth one is the toughest game to win.” Pistons’ Roman Bengert had a shutout going late into the third until Chase Brakel scored while killing a penalty. Jeremy Leipsic scored the other Terrier goal. EXTRA POINTS: Terriers were without rookie Nick Henry (upper body injury). Pistons’ assistant coaches Rob Smith (former Winnipeg Saints) and Stephane Pattyn (Terrier grad) both played the day before in the Allan Cup final for Southeast Prairie Thunder who lost in overtime to Alberta’s Bentley Generals. The AM 1250 three stars were Schoonbaert, Bengart and Dan Taillifer.  

Pistons’ Taillefer a real ironman

For many young hockey players, it’s a dream come true to play just one game in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Steinbach Pistons’ forward Dan Taillefer has fulfilled that dream and then some. A five-year veteran, Taillefer has played a total of 298 regular-season games. Repeat: 298 games! You might be surprised to know that this ironman total is NOT a league record. Nope. The league record is 299, which is proudly held by Winnipeg Saints’ defenceman Kyle Devisser, who played from 2001 to 2006. “Every once in a while one of my buddies will remind me that I’m the record holder,” said Devisser, who now works for a Winnipeg engineering firm. “It was a long time ago and these days I don’t really give it too much thought. I really enjoyed playing junior hockey. “Congratulations to Dan and his accomplishment. Sounds like he’s had a great career.” Taillefer came to the Pistons as a wide-eyed, eager-to-impress 16-year-old rookie.   “I  had just been traded by Portage to Steinbach,” he remembers. “I was really excited about playing so close to home, my family and friends. It was a thrill to play for the Pistons.” Taillefer admits the early days with the Pistons were difficult. “Guys didn’t want to play here because we were losing,” he said. “There was a negative attitude about us. But, in my second season, a group of local businessmen took over the club. In one year we did a 180-degree turn.” Taillefer admits the highlite of his career was winning the MJHL championship at home in Steinbach over the Dauphin Kings. His personal accomplishment of longevity is also a source of pride. “I’ve been pretty lucky to have played that many games,” said Taillefer, who hails from LaBroquerie. “I was fortunate not to get hurt too seriously and miss games. I was really fortunate to have played with a great group of guys over the years.” Taillefer and his Piston teammates are currently battling for the Turnbull Trophy, facing defending MJHL/RBC Cup champions Portage Terriers.   During the course of his career, Taillefer has established himself as one of the best players in the MJHL. This past season he finished fourth in league scoring with 81 points (22-59) in 60 games. The classy forward also accomplished another rare feat: one penalty during the regular season. ONE!   “Yeah sure, I remember the penalty,” he says with a laugh. “It was a tripping penalty against OCN, and I still think the guy fell on his own.” Not one to shy away from physical play, Taillefer says he knows he’s more valuable to his team on the ice than in the penalty box. He takes pride in his disciplined style of play. A trait which did not go unnoticed by MJHL coaches. At season’s end, Taillefer was named winner of the Lorne ‘Windy’ Lyndon trophy, given to the player who shows the most hockey ability and sportsmanship. After graduating from Junior A hockey, Taillefer is hoping to combine education with hockey. He’s had conversations with several CIS teams, but hasn’t come to a final decision yet. During the past several off-seasons, he’s worked as a carpenter with his uncle and cousin. In the meantime, Taillefer unabashedly proclaimed the Steinbach fans the best in the league. “They really know their hockey, and players,” said the graduate of the Eastman Selects midget program. “They’ll come up to us on the street and talk to us. The fans in Steinbach are fantastic. I’m going to miss playing in front of them.” And after five seasons, the fans will miss Dan Taillefer.    

Playoff gates help the bottom line

When the snow starts to melt, hockey fan bases get energized. And when teams start making it into the second and third rounds of the playoffs, the crowds really start to swell. More than 1,400 fans were at PCU Centre to watch the Terriers defeat Steinbach in Game 3 of the Turnbull Trophy final. The final three teams left standing in the MJHL playoffs – defending champion Portage, Winkler and Steinbach, were all drawing more than 1,000 fans in late March and early April. For example, the Flyers really packed them in for their Game 6 tilt versus the Pistons, attracting 1,948 fans. Junior teams try and plan their budgets around the regular season. After all, there really is no guarantee of a long playoff run. It’s not that long ago that the Winnipeg Blues won the league from the wild-card position, dashing the hopes of a long and lucrative playoff runs for several higher-ranked teams. Grant Lazaruk, governor for the Steinbach Pistons, said their franchise has been very successful in terms of attracting fans in the regular season, and that these playoff runs have been great in terms of both bringing in extra dollars and energizing the fan base. “We’ve been fortunate from our standpoint, as the new group in town, but we’re doing very well from a financial standpoint,” he said. “And these playoff runs are like extra gravy for us. “It’s also important in terms of building a strong franchise in the community,” he added. “When we bought this franchise four years ago, there were lots of players who didn’t want to come to Steinbach. But you get a few playoff runs, and you start to be competitive, it helps build a strong franchise, and players wanting to come here.” The Portage Terriers will make it back-to-back league finals this year, but even then, they know the importance of striking while the iron is hot. “It’s getting harder and harder to break even,” said Dale Deschouwer, governor for the Terriers. “The costs always seem to be going up, and the crowds always have other entertainment options. “We budget to break even in the regular season, but that doesn’t always happen.” There are further expenses when you have a longer playoff run, such as billet fees and travel costs. But the positives far outweigh any extra cash the team has to put out. “Winkler had 2,000 people at one playoff game,” said Lazaruk. “Yes, there’s a cost to going to Winkler, but the benefit of having a strong home crowd, and the atmosphere it provides, far outweighs the cost. It’s a net profit.” Added Deschouwer: “Basically every extra home game you get (in the playoffs) is $10,000 in extra profit. And we’re fairly lucky that all the teams we’ve played have been close, distance wise.” Below is a chart of this past season’s attendance numbers:   Attendance Home Games Average Steinbach Pistons 27455 30 915 Virden Oil Capitals 26977 30 899 Winkler Flyers 21832 30 728 Portage Terriers 20875 30 696 Dauphin Kings 17913 30 597 Neepawa Natives 11783 30 393 Selkirk Steelers 11495 30 383 Swan Valley Stampeders 10560 30 352 OCN Blizzard 10267 30 342 Waywayseecappo Wolverines 8295 30 277 Winnipeg Blues 6571 30 219  

Terriers win Game 3

Rookie Jeremey Leipsic scored a pair of goals in leading his Portage Terriers to a 3-0 win over Steinbach Pistons before 1,400 fans at the PCU Centre on Wednesday. The win gives the defending MJHL/RBC Cup champion a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Turnbull Trophy series. Game 4 goes Sunday night in Steinbach. “I thought it was a struggle for us,” Terriers’ GM/Head Coach Blake Spiller told CFRY-Radio. “Steinbach really brought their best effort of the series. We couldn’t make plays early. Obviously (Nathan) Park was huge for us tonight. He really played well for us." “This was a huge win for us,” said Spiller. “We didn’t want to go back to Steinbach with the series 2-1. It was huge for us knowing we’re going in up 3-0 going into their building, which is not an easy place to win. Hopefully we’ll be ready to go early and see what happens. I thought we looked a bit nervous and tired. A day off tomorrow will be good for our guys.” Nathan Park, who was the MJHL RBC Player of the week, was unbeatable in the Terrier net, recording the shutout. With the Terriers’ protecting a two-goal lead, Park came up big when he stopped a penalty shot. Blueliner Dean Stewart rounded out the Terrier scoring with a powerplay goal midway late in the third period. EXTRA POINTS: The pair of goals for Leipsic now gives the Winnipeg native a total of eight in the post season…With a couple of assists on Wednesday, Terrier captain Brad Bowles has now extended his points streak to 24 games. Rookie Nick Henry left the game in the first period due to an upper-body injury. Spiller said he’ll have to be evaluated to determine if he can play on Sunday. With their 3-0 win in Game 2, Terriers have gone eight periods without giving up a goal. CFRY’s Hardest Working Player of Game was given to Nathan Park.    

Terriers’ Stewart ranked by NHL Central Scouting

Portage Terriers’ defenceman Dean Stewart is one of 14 CJHL players identified in the final rankings released today by NHL Central Scouting. Stewart is ranked 131, and projected to be selected in the fifth round. Stewart, who hails from Portage, has had an outstanding season with the defending RBC Cup champions. Earlier this season he was a member of Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge, in addition to playing in the CJHL Prospects game. Stewart, who turns 18 in June, has good size (6-foot-2, 180-pounds) and excellent skills. He finished the season with 22 points (8-14) in 42 games. In total, 12 skaters and two goaltenders were identified out of the CJHL. This year’s draft boasts three players who are projected to be drafted into the NHL in the 1st round.  Leading the way at 16th overall is Tyson Jost.  Also, listed as first round picks are Dante Fabbro, Penticton Vees (BCHL) at 18th overall and Dennis Cholowski, Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) at 23rd overall. The Final Rankings includes six players from the BCHL, three players from the CCHL, two players from the AJHL and OJHL respectively and one player from each the MJHL. Rank Round Last First Team League 16 1 Jost Tyson Penticton Vees BCHL 18 1 Fabbro Dante Penticton Vees BCHL 23 1 Cholowski Dennis Chilliwack Chiefs BCHL 83 3 Murray Brett Carleton Place Canadians CCHL 86 3 Cairns Matthew Georgetown Raiders OJHL 115 4 Pasichnuk Brinson Bonnyville Pontiacs AJHL 131 5 Stewart Dean Portage Terriers MJHL 138 5 Dickinson Josh Georgetown Raiders OJHL 147 5 Betts Kyle Powell River Kings BCHL 151 6 Olischefski Kohen Chilliwack Chiefs BCHL 170 6 Grant Owen Carleton Place Canadians CCHL 178 6 Grannary Colin Merritt Centennials BCHL             4   Point Colton Carleton Place Canadians CCHL 25   Murray Matt Spruce Grove Saints AJHL   About the CJHL – The Canadian Junior Hockey League is a national organization comprised of all 10 Junior A hockey leagues in Canada. The CJHL represents more than 131 teams and 2,900 players and has over 2,900 alumni furthering their hockey careers at the professional, major junior and college levels across North America.  For the latest CJHL news and features, visit www.cjhlhockey.com and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cjhlhockey or @cjhlhockey.

Winkler Flyers’ Karlowsky awarded MJHL RBC Junior A Scholarship

  Nathan Karlowsky, a defenceman with the Winkler Flyers, has been awarded the MJHL’s RBC Junior A Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. “I’m obviously honoured to win this award,” said Karlowsky, who is studying agriculture at the University of Manitoba. “This scholarship assists me in attending university; something my father wasn’t able to do. By furthering my education, it will benefit as I move forward in my chosen career.” Karlowsky, 20, hails from Brunkild and proudly stated that he’s working land first broken by his great, great, grandfather Ludwig. Karlowsky has been helping on the family grain operation since he was 10 years ago. This past fall he started his own small operation, making him a fifth-generation grain farmer. Karlowsky was a three-year vet of the Flyers and a leader both on and off the ice, reflected in him named an assistant captain. “My time as a junior hockey player has been an experience I will always positively reflect on,” said Karlowsky. “I’ve made life-long friends and I know my hockey experience will benefit me in the next stage of my life.” Karlowsky is now one of 10 Junior A nominees eligible for a $5,000 RBC Junior A Scholarship which will be awarded at the RBC Cup next month at Lloydminister.  

Neepawa announces new coach

  The Neepawa Natives organization would like announce Dustin Howden as the team’s new Head Coach for the 2016-2017 season.  Howden, who hails from Deloraine, Manitoba, has signed a three deal with the organization. He’d been the team’s assistant coach the previous two seasons. “We are excited to name Dustin as the new Head Coach.  He believes in the development of players to the next level, which is important to our organization.  Howden is a very good hockey mind and will challenge the players to be the best they can be each and every time they step onto the ice.  He has strong community ties, passion for the game, and exerts lots of energy for the greater success of the organization.  He has been very good for the organization for the past two years and it is an opportunity for him to run the bench as the Head Coach,” stated Natives’ General Manager Myles Cathcart.    Coach Howden embraces the challenges of moving into the Head Coach position and relishes the opportunity.  “This is a great opportunity for me.  The game of hockey and coaching has always been a passion.  The Neepawa Natives have always been a team that friends and family have played for over the years.  It is a storied franchise with a cultural identity that has seen a lot of great hockey players wear the jersey during the team’s history.  It is time for the next chapter to begin,” said Howden.  

Former King Wins NCAA Championship

Last year it was former Captain Shane Luke, this year it's his line mate Bryn Chyzyk who has won the NCAA Championship. Chyzyk and the University of North Dakota won the title Saturday (April 9) night in Tampa Bay, Florida. They beat Quinnipiac 5-1 in the final. The Virden product took some time to speak with Christian Laughland about the win, what it means to Grand Forks, North Dakota and more. Listen below!!!

Park records shutout — Terriers win Game 2

Portage Terriers continued their winning streak in the 2015-16 playoffs, recording their 10th consecutive win Sunday in Steinbach. Terriers defeated the hometown Pistons 3-0, giving the defending MJHL champions a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Turnbull Trophy final. Game 3 goes Wednesday night in Portage. Nathan Park, 20, recorded the shutout for Terriers, who received goals from Brad Bowles, Braydon MacDonald (powerplay) and Jeremy Leipsic. "We wanted to make sure we dictated the flow of the game tonight," Terriers' GM/Head Coach Blake Spiller told CFRY-Radio. "We tried to set the tempo and our goaltender made some big saves when we needed it. It was a solid effort from puck drop to the final buzzer. We wanted to come in and try to get Game Two. "Steinbach has a veteran group; they're not going to pack it in." Spiller and his Terriers are aware that the Pistons will come out strong on Wednesday. "We know they will try and throw everything at us in Game Three. We need to make sure we're still moving the puck around and keep up the tempo."  

Portage Terriers honour Pettinger

In an emotionally charged ceremony Friday in Portage, the Terriers’ honoured injured defenceman Braden Pettinger. The scene was Game 1 of the Turnbull Trophy final between the Terriers and Steinbach Pistons. Pettinger, 20, came out onto the ice in his wheelchair, accompanied by his family. A near-sell-out crowed at PCU stood in unison and loudly applauded the bravery of the young hockey player, who was paralyzed after falling awkwardly into the boards back in November. The Terriers announced that Pettinger’s No. 2 jersey will be retired and never to be worn again. Pettinger participated in the ceremonial opening face-off. Pettinger played more than 100 MJHL games, beginning his career with Steinbach before moving on to Wayway and lastly Portage. To view the ceremony, click here  

Terriers Take Game One

The top two teams in the MJHL met Friday night in Portage la Prairie for Game 1 of the Turnbull Cup, taking wildly different routes to get there. The host Terriers, the defending MJHL and RBC Cup champs, swept both the Steelers and Winnipeg Blues to arrive at the league final. Meanwhile, the Pistons came into the contest following a gruelling seven-game series against Winkler Flyers, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit in the process. Portage had not played since April 1, buy they were anything but rusty, scoring early and scoring four unanswered goals to end the game en route to a 5-1 victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven final. As the game wore on, the Terriers really started to establish themselves over the Pistons, who were perhaps a little drained and fatigued after winning their Game 7 clash over the Winkler Flyers only two days earlier. The Terriers didn’t waste any time getting the league final going, as Shawn Bowles walked out untouched from the corner to score 31 seconds into the game. “We were ready to go to start the series, and they were maybe a little bit tired coming off the Game 7 game, and we expect them to be better for Game 2,” Terriers head coach and GM Blake Spiller told Portage’s CFRY. Anthony Kapelke squared things eight minutes later, as the defenceman put home his first of the post-season with a seeing-eye point shot to tie the game 1-1. But Portage would regain the lead soon after, as rookie sensation Nick Henry scored his ninth of the playoffs via the power-play. The three goals came despite the two teams only combining for 11 shots – seven for the Pistons, and four for the Terriers. Portage struck early again in the second period to stretch their lead to two goals. Brandon Stanley scored 1:09 into the period, and suddenly the home team was up 3-1. The Terriers also dominated the shots on goal in the middle frame, out-shooting the Pistons 11-6. The Terriers put the game out of reach midway through the period, again going up high and short side to light the lamp. Adam Wowryk out-waited Pistons netminder Roman Bengert, and put it upstairs for the team’s fourth goal. The goals kept coming for Portage in the third period. Michael Knaub took advantage of a defensive break down late in the period for a goal right through the five-hole to round out the scoring. Bengert ended with 22 saves while taking the loss for the Pistons. Nathan Park was almost flawless in goal, making 16 saves to earn the win for the Terriers. NOTES: Braden Pettinger was in the building for Game 1, and was honoured and recognized in a pre-game ceremony. His No. 2 jersey was retired by the Terriers’ franchise in the ceremony. Pettinger was injured earlier in the season after going into the boards awkwardly, but was showing some range in motion in his arms during the ceremony according to the Portage CFRY radio play-by-play team, something which the fans were pleased to see. Game 2 of this series goes Sunday in Steinbach. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Former Portage Terriers netminder Jason Kasdorf made his NHL debut tonight in Buffalo, falling 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kasdorf was actually drafted by the Winnipeg Jets, and was shipped to Buffalo as a part of the Evander Kane deal. An impressive crowd of 1,572 fans packed the Portage Credit Union Centre for Game 1.

Capitals’ Wady heads to the Stampede City

Over the last four seasons, the Virden Oil Capitals have advanced ten players to NCAA or CIS College hockey, while another two are currently committed to the NCAA Division I ranks in the near future. However, its not just the on ice talent that has been noticed by teams at the next level. Former Marketing Manager Lindsey Gullett is currently plying his trade with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, while the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders recently hired former Athletic Therapist Stephen Wady. After three seasons with the Oil Caps and two summers with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, the Birtle, MB native finally got his big break. “The Calgary Flames restructured their training staff. They hired an AT from the Stampeders which created an opportunity and I was lucky enough to get a call,” said Wady. Wady, joined the Stampeders as the newest Assistant Athletic Therapist in March, and has begun working on a handful of Stamps players as they get set to open training camp. “There are a few Canadian guys currently getting rehab. Rookies and veterans will report in mid-May and that’s when things will pick up in a hurry,” added Wady. When it comes to job differences between hockey and football, the clubs first ever Athletic Therapist says it’s all very comparable. “There are certainly similarities between hockey and football. You’ll see a lot more acute injuries in football such as broken bones or torn ligaments. That’s just based on the violent nature of the game.” Although the Junior A Lifestyle isn’t glamorous, three years in the Oil Capital certainly paved the way for this University of Winnipeg grad to reach the professional ranks. "I was able to gain very valuable experience in Virden.  It allowed me to advance my medical knowledge working with a great group of guys as well as learning everything on the equipment side of things." As for advice for any up and coming Athletic Therapists trying to follow in his footsteps, the 27 year old says it’s all about taking risks and working hard. "You might have to make sacrifices, like moving out of your home city to chase a job, it is also important to learn the equipment side of things because that may be needed at the next level." “Working in the MJHL gets your foot in the door and you gain valuable experience. It’s a great league to get your start.” The Oil Capitals would like to congratulate Stephen on his accomplishments and wish him the best of luck with the Calgary Stampeders.  

Turnbull Trophy Preview & Schedule

(1) Portage Terriers vs. (2) Steinbach Pistons On paper it is the matchup that’s supposed to happen. The top ranked Portage Terriers and the team that finished 11 points behind them in the regular season, the Steinbach Pistons. When it came to the campaign these two teams were close. Portage took the six game season series winning four contests, but two were in a shootout. Portage went 4-1-1 against Steinbach while the Pistons were 2-2-2 against the Terriers. In those six tilts four of them were decided by just one goal and two were by two tallies while three of the meetings went to a shootout. This is the fourth straight season Steinbach and Portage have squared off in the MJHL playoffs. Steinbach won the first two with Portage sweeping last year’s championship. It’s hard not to picture this series going the distance, if that’s the case MJHL fans are definitely in for a treat.    SCHEDULE GM 1 – Friday Apr. 8 – Steinbach @ Portage – 7:30pm GM 2 – Sunday Apr. 10 – Portage @ Steinbach – 7:30pm GM 3 – Wednesday Apr. 13 – Steinbach @ Portage – 7:30pm GM 4 – Sunday Apr. 17 – Portage @ Steinbach – 7:30pm *GM 5 – Tuesday Apr. 19 – Steinbach @ Portage – 7:30pm *GM 6 – Friday Apr. 22 – Portage @ Steinbach – 7:30pm *GM 7 – Sunday Apr. 24 – Steinbach @ Portage – 6:30pm Key Playoff Stats Goals For Average Terriers: 5.62 Pistons: 4.27 Goals Against Average Terriers: 2.12 Pistons: 2.27 Power Play Terriers: 21.88% Pistons: 29.17% Penalty Kill   Terriers: 82.05% Pistons: 81.25% Portage’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Brad Bowles (6G, 13A = 19 PTS) T2. Shawn Bowles (7G, 5A = 12 PTS) T2. Nick Henry (7G, 5A = 12 PTS) Steinbach’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Daniel Taillefer (5G, 10A = 15 PTS) T2. Quintin Lisoway (8G, 6A = 14 PTS) T2. Cole Smith (6G, 8A = 14 PTS) Goalie Stats POR – Nathan Park = 8-0   /   2.12 GAA   /   .911 SV%   /   1SO STB – Roman Bengert = 8-3   /   2.08 GAA   /   .919 SV%   /   1SO Home/Away Records POR Home Record = 4-0 POR Away Record = 4-0 STB Home Record = 5-1 STB Away Record = 3-2 Last League Championship PORTAGE – 2015 STEINBACH – 2013

Kings Announce First Ever Director of Marketing & Media Relations

The Dauphin Kings are moving into a new era of managing its hockey club, and are thrilled to announce the hiring of their first full-time Director of Marketing and Media Relations. Christian Laughland will join the club on May 1st. Laughland is no stranger to the sport community in Dauphin. In his capacity as the Sports Director with local radio station, 730 CKDM, he has been the ‘Voice of the Dauphin Kings’ since he moved to Dauphin in 2010. He has made a name for himself in the industry as a talented commentator, but also with his skill in public relations and passion for the game. It was these assets that made him a great choice for the Kings. “Getting Christian on board is a great step for our organization.”, commented Marc Berry, Head Coach and General Manager of the Dauphin Kings. “His passion for the game, the Kings and the MJHL is contagious. As an organization we want to make sure we surround ourselves with good people. I know Christian will do a great job working with our sponsors and enhancing our game day experience. We’re looking forward to having him get started." Laughland is also eager to get to work, stating, "The Dauphin Kings organization is one of the top Junior A organizations in Canada and I couldn't be happier to be joining a group of people that have such a great passion for the game of hockey and winning. The fact that I have lived in Dauphin for the past six years will definitely make the transition much smoother for myself. I'd like to take this chance to thank 730 CKDM Radio for the opportunities they have given me over the past six years and I wish them all the best in the future and look forward to working with them in maximizing the coverage and exposure of the Dauphin Kings across the Parkland, Manitoba and Canada." For more information visit www.dauphinkings.com or contact Marc Berry, Head Coach and General Manager of the Dauphin Kings at 204-622-5461 or dauphinkings@hotmail.com.

OCN Blizzard – Job Competition – General Manager

Job Summary: The General Manager of the OCN Blizzard Hockey Club is responsible for the day to day administration and operation of the Blizzard. The GM will be responsible for the following: Work with the Board of Directors to establish and achieve the Team's goals, objectives and priorities Ensure effective, smooth running of the hockey organization that is in harmony with the vision, mission and philosophy of the organization Develop an annual operating plan and strategies which will include short and long range goals and objectives for all aspects of the club's operation Report regularly to the Board and provide the Board with information as required i.e. Budgets Assist in developing and preparing the Blizzard's annual operating and capital budgets Develop and implement programs to generate revenue for the Blizzard, including season ticket sales, merchandising and sponsorship Qualifications: Business Administration Diploma and/or equivalent education & training in Management Must have at least two (2) years related work experience Experience in working with budgets and reading financial statements Be aware of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and Canada Amateur Hockey, Hockey MB rules, regulations, policies and procedures Must have proficient computer skills (Microsoft Office) Good interpersonal skills and team building skills Application Deadline: April 15, 2016 @ 4:30 pm Please submit resume/cover letter to: OCN Blizzard Board of Directors P.O. Box 838 The Pas, Manitoba  R9A 1K8 Phone: 204-627-7077 Fax: 204-623-1007 Email: ocnblizz@mymts.net Please mark application "Personal and Confidential". We thank all who applied, however, only applications selected for interviews will be contacted.  

Steinbach Pistons’ Eades named MJHL Manitoba Pork Peak Performer of Month

Steinbach Pistons’ Eddie Eades has been named the Manitoba Pork-MJHL Peak Performer for the month of March. The 20-year-old Pistons’ defenceman generously volunteered his time assisting students and teachers at Elmdale Elementary School in Steinbach. “Eddie was part of the Steinbach Pistons’ community outreach program visiting schools in the morning to speak to students about making positive choices,” MJHL Commissioner Kim Davis said. “Eddie also spoke about the importance of protecting the environment through recycling.” In total, Eades volunteered more than 30 hours in the classroom last month. Standing 6-foot-5, Eades became known as the “friendly giant” to the hundreds of much smaller pre-school and elementary students. “Eddie is a positive role model for Steinbach and area youth,” Davis said of the native of East Grand Forks, ND.

MJHL grad Chyzyk playing in NCAA Frozen Four

MJHL alumni Bryn Chyzyk will be playing for University of North Dakota in the upcoming Div 1 NCAA Frozen Four National Championship at Tampa. Chyzyk, who was rookie of the year in 2010-11 with Dauphin Kings, is an assistant captain with UND. The Frozen Four is rounded out by Denver, Boston College and Quinnipiac, who holds the No. 1 seed. Chyzyk, who is studying management at UND, is in his senior year. He hails from Virden. North Dakota last won the national championship in 2000. Head coach is Brad Berry, a former defenceman with the Winnipeg Jets.

Winkler Flyers’ Keck named RBC Player of Month

Tristan Keck of the Winkler Flyers has been named the RBC Player of the Month for March. The graduating forward has enjoyed an outstanding MJHL career, highlighted by being named MVP last season. A native of Morris, Keck recorded 16 points (8-8) in 10 games last month. The runners up are 20 year old forward Brad Bowles of the Portage Terriers and 20 year old forward Daniel Taillefer of the Steinbach Pistons.   Sher-Wood Hockey Defenseman of the Month Portage Terriers’ blueliner Dean Stewart has been awarded the The Sher-Wood Defenseman of the Month for March. Stewart, 18, has been outstanding both defensively and offensively, reflected in 10 points (1-9) in eight games last month. A native of Portage, Stewart and his teammates recently advanced to the MJHL championship. The runners up are 19 year old Connor Hamonic of the Winkler Flyers and 20 year old Tyler Edwards of the Winnipeg Blues.   MGEU Goaltender of the Month The MGEU Goaltender of the Month for March is Nathan Warren of the Winkler Flyers. Warren, 20, posted a 7-2-1 record during March.  A native of Prince George, his save percentage was .952, while his GAA was 1.78. He recorded one shutout during the month. The runners up are 19 year old Roman Bengert of the Steinbach Pistons and 20 year old Nathan Park of the Portage Terriers.   IBAM Rookie of the Month For the second consecutive month, Nick Henry of the Portage Terriers has been named the IBAM Rookie of the Month. Just 16 years old, the Portage product has displayed the poise of a season veteran. In March he recorded nine points (5-4) in nine games. The runners up are 18 year old forward Mackenzie Graham of the Steinbach Pistons and 18 year old forward Coltyn Bates of the Winkler Flyers.

Dauphin Kings Announce Head Coach and General Manager

After a great deal of interest and an intensive selection and interview process, the Dauphin Kings Junior A Hockey Club has signed a new Head Coach and General Manager.  Dauphin Kings fans will see Marc Berry behind the bench as they take to the ice this fall.   Berry is no stranger to the hockey club, having been the Assistant Coach and Marketing Director for the past 6 seasons, and interim Head Coach and GM since December.  He has now signed a 3-year contract that will see him lead the team through to the 2018-19 season. “The Selection Committee had a tough task ahead of them in choosing a new leader for this team”, stated Kings President and Governor, Randy Daley. “We had many strong, qualified candidates but Marc put forward an impressive application and blew us away with his preparedness, as well as with his contacts, plans, and passion for the Kings.  It was a unanimous decision and we are confident that Marc can lead and develop this team.” For Berry, it is a dream come true.  “I’m excited. Getting the opportunity to be a head coach in the MJHL has been a goal of mine. Being named Head Coach and GM of the Dauphin Kings, a team with such a rich history, is an incredible honour. There will be some great challenges ahead and I can’t wait to get started.” “I want to thank the Dauphin Kings Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank Marlin Murray for giving me a chance six years ago, and all of the support I’ve received from the community since I took over in December. Lastly I want to thank my wife Michelle and our boys, Joe and Josh, for all of their support, understanding and patience. The Kings are also in the process of hiring a full-time Marketing Director, and hope to make an announcement regarding that in the coming weeks. For more information visit www.dauphinkings.com or contact Marc Berry, Head Coach and General Manager of the Dauphin Kings at 204-622-5461 or dauphinkings@hotmail.com. Listen to Marc Berry's reaction on announcement.

Playoffs – Round 2 Preview and Schedule

(1)    Portage Terriers vs. (5) Winnipeg Blues The Portage Terriers and Winnipeg Blues are set to meet in the MJHL Playoffs for the first time since 2012. That year the Terriers beat Winnipeg in six contests en route to an MJHL title over the Winnipeg Saints in the next round. This year the season series was owned by Portage who went 6-0-0 against Winnipeg. The last time the Blues and Terriers met during the campaign was in early January, the game had Portage winning 8-1. The Terriers have not lost in regulation in 2016 and are currently on a 24 game winning streak.   SCHEDULE GM 1 – Friday Mar. 25 – Winnipeg @ Portage – 7:30pm GM 2 – Monday Mar. 28 – Portage @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm GM 3 – Wednesday Mar. 30 – Winnipeg @ Portage – 7:30pm GM 4 – Friday Apr. 1 – Portage @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm *GM 5 – Sunday Apr. 3 – Winnipeg @ Portage – 7:30pm *GM 6 – Monday Apr. 4 – Portage @ Winnipeg – 7:00pm *GM 7 – Wednesday Apr. 6 – Winnipeg @ Portage – 7:30pm Key Playoff Stats Goals For Average Terriers: 6.25 Blues: 2.57 Goals Against Average Terriers: 2.50 Blues: 2.57 Power Play (Out of teams remaining) Terriers: 24.57% (3rd) Blues: 28.00% (2nd) Penalty Kill (Out of teams remaining) Terriers: 88.80% (1st) Blues: 87.18% (2nd) Portage’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Brad Bowles (2G, 7A = 9 PTS) 2. Michael Knaub (1G, 7A = 8 PTS) 3. Jeremy Leipsic (3G, 4A = 7 PTS) Winnipeg’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Reid Stefanson (2G, 6A = 8 PTS) T2. Tyler Edwards (3G, 3A = 6 PTS) T2. Taeron Lewis (3G, 3A = 6 PTS)   (2)    Steinbach Pistons vs. (3) Winkler Flyers The season series between the Steinbach Pistons and Winkler Flyers is likely one you won’t be able to get much information out of because the bulk of the contests between the two clubs were at the start of the season. The last time Winkler and Steinbach met was at the start of December. Regardless, the two teams had some good battles and ended up splitting their season series going 3-2-1 against each other. All the stats and storylines point to this best-of-seven series going the distance. Winkler has yet to give up a goal against on the Penalty Kill and have scored shorthanded three times.   SCHEDULE GM 1 – Thursday Mar. 24 – Winkler @ Steinbach – 7:30pm GM 2 – Saturday Mar. 26 – Steinbach @ Winkler – 8:00pm GM 3 – Tuesday Mar. 29 – Winkler @ Steinbach – 7:30pm GM 4 – Friday Apr. 1 – Steinbach @ Winkler – 7:30pm *GM 5 – Sunday Apr. 3 – Winkler @ Steinbach – 7:30pm *GM 6 – Tuesday Apr. 5 – Steinbach @ Winkler – 7:30pm *GM 7 – Wednesday Apr. 6 – Winkler @ Steinbach – 7:30pm Key Playoff Stats Goals For Average Pistons: 5.25 Flyers: 3.20 Goals Against Average Pistons: 2.25 Flyers: 1.60 Power Play (Out of teams remaining) Pistons: 37.04% (1st) Flyers: 14.29% (4th) Penalty Kill (Out of teams remaining) Pistons: 73.91% (4th) Flyers: 100% (1st) Steinbach’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Cole Smith (3G, 5A = 8 PTS) 2. Daniel Taillefer (2G, 5A = 7 PTS) T3. Mackenzie Graham (4G, 2A = 6 PTS) Winkler’s Top 3 Playoff Scorers 1. Tristan Keck (4G, 2A = 6 PTS) T2. Scott Gall (2G, 2A = 4 PTS) T2. Connor Hamonic (1G, 3A = 4 PTS)  

Former Blizz coach MacDougall wins CIS championship

The legend of Gardiner MacDougall continues to grow. The former OCN Blizzard coach won his fifth CIS hockey championship over the weekend with University of New Brunswick. The Varsity Red captured the national men’s hockey crown with a 3-1 over St. Francis Xavier. MacDougall’s list of accomplishments are impressive: multiple MJHL champion coach, he’s been awarded the Atlantic University Sport coach of the year three times and was named the CIS coach of the year in 2010 after leading to his team to a 27-1 record (with 26 consecutive wins), and again in 2015. In 2006, he became the all-time winningest coach in UNB history with 106 wins and in 2014, became the 1st AUS hockey coach to accumulate over 400 wins. Not only that, his players keep setting academic records, too. Congratulations to Gardiner on behalf of the MJHL and his fans.

Wayway grad Harney heading to college

By Derek Holtom MJHL Web Correspondent If the Waywayseecappo Wolverines are looking for a recruiter, they need not look any further than one of their alumni ─ Greg Harney. The Wayway netminder has great memories of playing for the Wolverines and head coach Barry Butler. While it might have been a challenging season on the ice, Harney graduated Junior A hockey, having accomplished his goal of landing a shot at a college team. The native of East Haven, Connecticut, has parlayed his Wayway experience to a commitment to play for Stevenson University, an expansion Division III school in Maryland. “Wayway is a special place to play,” he said. “There’s a lot of history here, and a lot of pride in this area, and it was an incredible experience. This was a great place to finish up my junior career, even if things didn’t go as expected on the ice. “Knowing everything, I wouldn’t change a thing.” He also has a word of advice for other junior players who have their eye on college hockey. Don’t be afraid to travel. “I think the biggest thing for Americans who choose to come here to Canada to play, it’s an attractive thing (to college coaches), because it shows you’re OK being away from home, and that you can handle yourself,” said Harney. “That you’re not going to sit around and have a pity party because you’re homesick. I think that speaks volumes. And if you can follow that up with a performance on the ice, it’s an attractive thing.” Making it easier, of course, is having a great place to play. And from that perspective, Harney has no complaints whatsoever. The Wolves clawed their way to a 10th place finish, and were ultimately swept out of the MJHL playoffs in the best-of-three survivor series by the Swan Valley Stampeders. Still, no one ever accused the Wolverines of being a lazy team. Far from it – they’re considered one of the hardest-working squads in the MJHL. That sort of hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. And just before the playoffs got under way, Harney announced his commitment to play for Stevenson University. “I began talks with (Stevenson) coach Dominick Dawes when the season was starting up, as I heard they were starting up a men’s hockey program,” said Harney. (Interesting to note, Stevenson had a women’s hockey team before they had a men’s hockey team). “I reached out to him, and there was already a connection there with (Wayway coach) Barry Butler, who helped get netminder Mitch Wiebe a spot on Neumann University, where Dawes was last year. “They both knew each other well, and Barry spoke well about me to him, and it all worked out,” he added. “Barry has always been known about getting guys to the next level.” Harney added playing on a team that isn’t perhaps getting as many looks as a top-end team is no excuse to not get noticed. In fact, playing through adversity is a trait scouts are perhaps on the lookout for. “When I played midget AAA, we were not one of the better teams, and I was busy all the time (in goal),” he said. “That’s something I’ve been used to. You take your bumps and bruises, and get back to work. That makes me push ever harder.”  

Former Blue Mack Heisinger receives rookie honours

Former Winnipeg Blues defenseman Mack Heisinger of Curry College has been voted as the 2015-16 ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Year.  In his first year with Curry College, Heisinger suited up for all 25 games, leading the team in scoring with 19 points (6g, 13a).  Fourteen of those points were in important conference play competition, and also stood as the most among all ECAC Northeast defenseman. The hardware is nothing new for the 22 year old from Winnipeg.  Earlier this year Heisinger racked up Rookie of the Week honours in December, and was also named to the ECAC Northeast Weekly Honor Roll in early December. Heisinger was a key member of the Blues during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons, suiting up for 108 games, and compiling eight goals and 53 assists over that span.    

Round Two Series – Winkler Flyers vs Steinbach Pistons

Series F – Winkler Flyers vs Steinbach Pistons March 24 Winkler Flyers at Steinbach Pistons 7:30 pm March 26 Steinbach Pistons at Winkler Flyers 8:00 pm March 29 Winkler Flyers at Steinbach Pistons 7:30 pm April 1 Steinbach Pistons at Winkler Flyers 7:30 pm April 3 Winkler Flyers at Steinbach Pistons (if necessary) 7:30 pm April 5 Steinbach Pistons at Winkler Flyers (if necessary) 7:30 pm April 6 Winkler Flyers at Steinbach Pistons (if necessary) 7:30 pm