(-) 1st – Dauphin Kings
This Week: 4-0
Overall: 20-4
Impressive Player: Forward Kayden Bryant – 8 goals, 4 assists
The top team in the MJHL is also the hottest as the Kings have won 8 in a row and 9 of 10 in the month of November. They impressed at the MJHL Showcase and continue to roll. They have six more games to close out the calendar 2021 and by the looks of it, they’ll be a hard team to stop now and into 2022.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd @ Pistons. Saturday, Dec 4th vs Pistons
(+1) 2nd – Winnipeg Blues
This Week: 2-2
Overall: 17-6-0-1
Impressive Player: Forward Josiah Vanderhoof – 1 goal, 6 assists
The Blues have really started to find secondary scoring and it’s going to help a lot going forward. Even as teams try and plan against the big line, they keep finding ways to score and impact games. How they handle the bigger teams from the West will be interesting as they look to close out 2021 tops in the East or at least, close to it.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd vs Titans. Saturday, Dec 4th @ Titans
(+2) 3rd – Steinbach Pistons
This Week: 3-1
Overall: 18-5-1
Impressive Player: Forward Davin Griffin – 4 goals, 2 assists
The injury bug has bit and taken out to key forwards but the Pistons keep finding ways to win. An offensive explosion against the Titans will give some players confidence heading into the weekend against Dauphin. The Kings schooled the Pistons at the showcase. Has the student become the teacher or will there be another lesson learnt?
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd vs Kings. Saturday, Dec 4th @ Kings
(-) 4th – Winkler Flyers
This Week: 2-1-1
Overall: 14-8-1-1
Impressive Player: Forward Jayden McCarthy – 3 goals, 4 assists
When the big boys are rolling, the Flyers are a hard team to beat. They showed they can play a skill game or a gritty, in your face style game. They keep hanging around outside the top two seeds but have a real chance to move up if they can stay engaged and stay hungry in the final games before the Christmas break.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd @ Oil Capitals. Sunday, Dec 5th vs Oil Capitals
(-3) 5th – Waywayseecappo Wolverines
This Week: 1-3
Overall: 15-7-2
Impressive Player: Forward Kolten Shindle – 2 goals, 3 assists in 1 game
What a wild week for the Wolverines. Trades that shook up the team, putting up a touchdown and a field goal in their last game but still coming off a losing stretch. Lots going on for Waywayseecappo. Getting that win against the Freeze should stabilize them as they look to make up some ground they lost to Dauphin in the standings before the Kings run away and hide.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 2nd vs Selkirk. Saturday, Dec 4th @ Selkirk
(+2) 6th – Virden Oil Capitals
This Week: 2-2
Overall: 10-12-2
Impressive Player: Forward Tyler Theondel – 2 goals, 2 assists
The Oil Caps just keep grinding away on the schedule. They put up a good effort then follow it up with one not so good. When they’re on, they are very difficult to contain. When they’re off, they look as though they can’t get out of the rink fast enough. If they thought they would roll over the East teams, they were mistaken. They do have the size and skill to get on a roll to put some points in the bank pre-Christmas break.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd vs Flyers. Sunday, Dec 5th @ Flyers
(-1) 7th – Selkirk Steelers
This Week: 1-3
Overall: 10-12-0-2
Impressive Player: Forward Quinton Hill – 3 goals, 4 assists
A hard-working team that never really gives up. They’ve found more scoring of late but they just can’t seem to get all the way over the hump. A tough stretch of games coming up will show what the team is made of. Play like they can, they’ll be fine. Not put in the effort and they could be looking up at the Portage Terriers for 4th spot in the division before they know it.
Up Next: Thursday, Dec 2nd @ Wolverines. Saturday, Dec 4th vs Wolverines
(+4) 8th – Swan Valley Stampeders
This Week: 3-1
Overall: 10-12-0-2
Impressive Player: Goalie Kobe Grant – 3 wins, 126 saves on 135 shots
One of teams that showed really well over the past week is the Stamps. After struggling to get consistent momentum, they put up a pair of excellent games at the Showcase and continued that into the next set. They are right on the edge of claiming third place but with it so clogged in the West, if they get ahead of themselves, they could be in last again.
Up Next: Saturday, Dec 4th @ Freeze. Sunday, Dec 5th @ Freeze
(+1) 9th Portage Terriers
This Week: 2-1-1
Overall: 7-13-2-1
Impressive Player: Forward Mason Smith – 2 goals
Hosting the Showcase may have done wonders for the Dogs who showed they won’t be rolling over and playing dead any time soon. The new players brought in definitely gave them a shot in the arm and help them pick up a couple wins in the process. A trip up north can bring a team really together and the Terriers being so young, can use it as something to build on going forward. A pair of wins will also really help.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd @ Blizzard. Saturday, Dec 4th @ Blizzard
(+1)10th- Winnipeg Freeze
This Week: 2-2
Overall: 5-16-2
Impressive Player: Forward Nathan Driver – 3 goals, 1 assist
After parting ways with their head coach, the Freeze pulled off back-to-back wins before playing one of the wildest games in MJHL history combining for 16 goals in a single game. They came out on the losing end of it but showed they have guys that can put the puck in the net. They just have to work on the other end of the ice if they truly want to challenge for 5th or even 4th spot.
Up Next: Saturday, Dec 4th vs Stampeders. Sunday, Dec 5th vs Stampeders
(-4) 11th – OCN Blizzard
This Week: 1-3
Overall: 10-13-0-1
Impressive Player: Forward Dain Sardelli – 4 goals, 3 assists
A real disappointing Showcase for the Blizzard. After getting shutout, they put it in cruise control up by two and ended up losing in overtime. The sputtered again in a split but maybe that last win will get them back on track. They have a chance for revenge on the team that came back to beat them in the extra frame and expect the Blizzard to be more of what they showed before the Showcase.
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd vs Freeze. Saturday, Dec 4th vs Freeze
(-3) 12th – Neepawa Titans
This Week: 1-2-1
Overall: 7-12-2-3
Impressive Player: Forward Riley Gudnason – 2 goals, 2 assists
The Titans exploded for 8 against the Freeze and really opened eyes at the Showcase. They work hard, have some big bodied forwards, some excellent puck moving defensemen but may struggle with depth scoring. They are right there in the West division though and if they can get hot, they can make a serious run all the way up to 3rd before shutting down till 2022
Up Next: Friday, Dec 3rd @ Blues. Saturday, Dec 4th vs Blues
