U18 AAA WEEKLY ROUNDUP: High-scoring Brandon wins pair of games

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This article was published 03/02/2025 (277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOYS

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The first-place Wheat Kings (32-4-3) met the ninth-place Pembina Valley Hawks (17-17-6) and their rival the Southwest Cougars in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League over the weekend.

On Sunday at Morden’s Access Event Centre, the Wheat Kings played some old-fashioned river hockey with Pembina Valley, earning an 8-6 victory.

Cole Dupuis had a hat trick, Reid Nicol had two goals and two assists, Jaxson Brick had a goal and three helpers and Kale Jones, and Jonah Lemoine also sniped.

Brady Low made 19 saves for Brandon, with Karsen Dyck and Ryler Gates combined to block 24 shots for Pembina Valley.

On Friday at J&G Homes Arena, Kale Jones, Hunter Ethelston and Konner MacKay gave Brandon a 3-0 lead in the first period as they cruised to a 6-2 victory over Southwest.

Jonah Lemoine, Jaxson Brick and Easten Turko also scored for the Wheat Kings, while Eric Berger and Spencer Cullen replied for the Cougars.

Matthew Michta made just 13 saves for Brandon, with Micky Gross facing a busy night as he turned aside 43 shots for Southwest.

The Wheat Kings are on the road next weekend, meeting the Interlake Lightning at Teulon-Rockwood Arena on Friday at 7 p.m., and visiting the Southdale Community Centre to play the Winnipeg Bruins on Saturday at 4 p.m.

SOUTHWEST COUGARS

After the loss to Brandon on Friday, the fourth-place Cougars (23-12-5) fell in dramatic fashion to the second-place Winnipeg Wild (32-6-2).

On Saturday at Souris/Glenwood Memorial Complex, Ludovic Perreault scored with 27 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Wild to a 4-3 victory over the Cougars. Jack Swaenepoel, Connor Hoemsen and Eric Berger scored for Southwest as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game. Micky Gross made 38 saves for Southwest, with Justin Perreault blocking 20 shots for Winnipeg.

The Cougars head to Seven Oaks Community Centre on the weekend for a pair of games against the Winnipeg Thrashers, on Friday at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday at 7 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The 13th-place Chiefs (7-30-2) had a pair of inhospitable visitors from Winnipeg on the weekend after a hard-fought overtime loss in Dauphin.

On Sunday at Shoal Lake Communiplex, Colby Asselstine and Riley Swereda scored for the Chiefs after the Wild had already built a 4-0 lead, but Winnipeg scored the final five goals in a 9-2 rout.

Cole Lelond made 61 saves for the Chiefs, with Justin Perreault blocking 25 shots for the Wild.

On Saturday at Shoal Lake Communiplex, Alec Strachan had two goals and an assists and Grady McNish also sniped in a 7-3 loss to the third-place Bruins. (29-6-2).

Connor Rapley made 46 saves for the Chiefs, with Zak Matheson blocking 37 shots for the Bruins as the teams combined to put 93 pucks on net.

On Thursday at Dauphin’s Credit Union Place, Cade Legaarden scored his third goal of the game 16 seconds into overtime as Parkland earned a 6-5 victory. Quinten Fisk, Landyn Garton and Ryzlie Nepinak also sniped for the Rangers.

Grady McNish gave Parkland an early lead, and Winston Lepp scored twice and Riley Swereda and Alec Strachan also sniped as the Chiefs mounted a furious comeback with four goals in 15 minutes in the third period to tie the game 5-5.

Connor Rapley made 24 saves for Yellowhead, with Kyle Pelletier blocking 30 shots for Parkland.

The Chiefs have three games at the Shoal Lake Communiplex in the coming week, hosting the Rangers on Tuesday at 8 p.m., and the Eastman Selects on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

PARKLAND RANGERS

After Thursday’s overtime victory, the sixth-place Rangers (21-18-1) had the weekend off.

Parkland hosts the Chiefs on Tuesday, and the Kenora Thistles visit Credit Union Place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

GIRLS

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The fifth-place Wheat Kings (13-14-2) swept the sixth-place Pembina Valley Hawks (13-16-1) in a home-and-home series in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA.

On Saturday at J&G Homes Arena, Danica Averill made 45 saves as the Wheat Kings blanked the Hawks 2-0. Jordan Bell and Sydney Sass had the Brandon goals. Madison Froese made 28 saves for the Hawks.

On Friday at Morden’s Access Event Centre, Paige Crossley scored twice in the second period in a 2-1 Brandon victory. Danica Averill made 38 saves for Brandon, with Kasia Rakowski stopping 22 shots.

The Wheat Kings return to the ice when they visit Hartney Arena to meet Westman on Friday at 7:30 p.m., travel to Portage la Prairie’s BDO Centre for the Community to meet the Central Plains Capitals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and finish up a busy weekend at J&G Homes Arena when the Winnipeg Ice visit on Sunday at noon.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The fourth-place Chiefs (16-12-1) had next weekend off from regular season action, returning when the Winnipeg Ice visit the Shoal Lake Communiplex on Friday at 7:30 p.m. They head out on the road for the rest of the weekend, visiting Winnipeg’s Seven Oaks Arena to play the Avros on Saturday at 6 p.m., and the Niverville Recreation Centre to skate against the Eastman Selects on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

WESTMAN WILDCATS

The seventh-place Wildcats (10-16-2) also had the week off from league play.

They host Brandon at Hartney Arena on Friday at 7:30 p.m. They continue the weekend’s action by hosting the Winnipeg Ice at Hartney Arena on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and visit Portage la Prairie’s BDO Centre for the Community to meet the Central Plains Capitals on Sunday at 2:45 p.m.

» The Brandon Sun