U18 AAA WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Wheat Kings set to face Wild again

BOYS

The best-of-five quarterfinal series have now ended in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League, setting up a pair of intriguing semifinal matchups.

The third-place Brandon Wheat Kings and second-place Winnipeg Wild will have their annual series on one side — they’ve met in the playoffs every season since 2017-18 — with the fourth-place Thrashers and first-place Bruins meeting in an all-Winnipeg affair.

The two series begin on Tuesday in Winnipeg, with the two Game 5s set for March 18 if needed.

SOUTHWEST (6) vs. BRANDON (3)

The Brandon Wheat Kings have advanced, but the Southwest Cougars certainly made them work for it.

In Game 2 at Souris/Glenwood Memorial Complex on Monday, Taylor Lockhart scored the overtime winner for the Cougars 9:41 into overtime for a 3-2 Southwest victory.

Spencer Cullen and Gavin Anderson had the other Southwest goals, with Jaxson Brick and Matthew Dupuis replying for Brandon.

Southwest’s Brady Shields was sensational in making 48 saves, while Brandon’s Urijah Moosetail stopped 24 shots.

In Game 3 at J&G Homes Arena on Wednesday, Reid Nicol scored his hat-trick goal with five seconds remaining in regulation in a 6-5 Brandon victory. Crew Elder, Brick and Easten Turko had the other Brandon goals, with Spencer Cullen and Shane Elder scoring in the first period for Southwest, and then Gavin Anderson, Lockhart and Riley Fluker sniping in the third as the Cougars rallied from a 5-2 deficit.

Brandon’s Urijah Moosetail stopped 21 shots, while Southwest’s Brady Shields made 38 saves.

In Game 4 in Souris on Friday, Nicol and Owen Stanley put Brandon up 2-0 late in the first period and from there the Wheat Kings cruised to an 8-3 series-clinching victory.

Hudson Champagne had a hat trick and Brick, Cole Dupuis and Kale Jones also scored for Brandon, with Coleton Koop, Jack Polasek and Jaxsten Hansen-Young replying for Southwest.

Brandon won 6-1 in Game 1.

PARKLAND (8) vs WPG BRUINS (2)

The Bruins swept the Rangers.

In Game 3 at Southdale Community Centre on Tuesday, Winnipeg held a 1-0 lead 28 minutes into the game but exploded for eight goals in the next 32 minutes en route to a series-clinching 9-1 victory.

Noah Smigelsky had the Rangers goal, with James Nicholls scoring twice and adding a pair of assists for the Bruins.

Eddy Person made 31 saves for Parkland, with Logan German stopping 15 shots for Winnipeg.

The Bruins won 8-1 in Game 1 and 7-4 in Game 2.

PEMBINA VALLEY (7) vs WPG WILD (3)

The Wild swept the Hawks.

In Game 2 at Morden’s Access Event Centre on Monday, Max George scored 1:46 into overtime for a 3-2 Wild victory. Winnipeg’s Ardan Downey and Pembina Valley’s Koen Bleznuk both made 41 saves.

In Game 3 at Hockey For All Centre on Wednesday, Carson Hiebert had a pair of goals for the Hawks, but Calum Brownlee’s late empty netter added insurance for the Wild in a 4-2 victory.

Winnipeg’s Chase Kettles and Pembina Valley’s Bleznuk both made 23 saves.

The Wild won 9-2 in Game 1.

EASTMAN (5) vs WPG THRASHERS (4)

The Thrashers bounced back after a Game 1 loss to win the next three.

In Game 3 at Seven Oaks Community Centre on Wednesday, the teams were tied 3-3 15 minutes into the third period when Ed Saly scored the winner. Winnipeg then added a pair of empty netters for a 6-3 win.

Tate Barnaby made 27 saves for Winnipeg, with Zaiden McDonald Horvath stopping 33 shots for Eastman.

In Game 4 at Steinbach’s Southeast Event Centre on Thursday, Ty Mistelbacher tied the game for Eastman in the first period, but the Thrashers added five more goals in the final 40 minutes for a 6-1 victory.

Tate Barnaby made 30 saves for Winnipeg, with Carter Warren stopping 21 shots for Eastman.

Eastman won 3-2 in Game 1, with Winnipeg taking Game 2 by a score of 6-3.

GIRLS

The best-of-five semifinal series are underway in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA.

WESTMAN (3) vs EASTMAN (2)

The Selects are up a game after three matchups in their series.

In Game 1 at the Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre on Monday, Émilie Carrière scored twice as the Selects won 5-3.

Rachel Lyver, Charlie Shearer and Ivy Perkin replied for the Wildcats.

Shannon Hees and Indigo Stone made 22 saves for Westman, with Addison Tomes blocking 17 shots for Eastman.

In Game 2 at Hartney Arena on Thursday, Ivy Fry, Jaedyn Hoemsen, Lucy Waldner, Charlie Shearer and Ava Snyder scored in a 5-1 Westman win. Émilie Carrière replied for Eastman.

Indigo Stone made 26 saves for Westman, with Isabelle Labossiere blocking 14 shots for Eastman.

In Game 3 in Niverville on Sunday afternoon, Eastman went up 2-0 in the first period, Shearer and Ivy Perkin tied it for Westman in the second period with goals 46 seconds apart, both assisted by Quinn Twordik, and Londyn Hrubeniuk gave them the lead five minutes into the third period on the power play.

But with five minutes left, Cheyenne Scott Cooke replied with a power-play goal for Eastman, sending the game to overtime tied 3-3.

The Selects escaped with the 4-3 victory when Émilie Carrière scored 35 seconds into double overtime on the power play. Stone made 31 saves for Westman, with Tomes blocking 27 shots for Eastman.

Game 4 is in Hartney on Wednesday at 8 p.m., and if necessary, Game 5 is in Niverville on Friday at 8 p.m.

WPG AVROS (4) vs WPG ICE (1)

The battle of Winnipeg has also proven to be a compelling series.

In Game 1 at Hockey For All Centre on Wednesday, Robyn Klassen scored the winner 8:19 into overtime in a 2-1 Avros victory.

In Game 2 at Seven Oaks Arena on Thursday, Sophie Woznesensky potted the winner 5:40 into overtime in a 3-2 Ice victory.

In Game 3 at HFAC on Saturday afternoon, Cassie Carvalho scored twice as the Ice overcame a 2-1 deficit to win 5-3.

Game 4 is at Seven Oaks Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., and if necessary, Game 5 is at HFAC on Saturday at 6:50 p.m.

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