U18 AAA WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Wheat Kings rally to win in OT

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This article was published 18/12/2023 (745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOYS

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The first-place Wheat Kings (21-0-1) swept games against the ninth-place Eastman Selects (10-13-0) and the third-place Interlake Lightning (15-8-1) in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League over the weekend.

On Sunday at the Teulon-Rockwood Arena, Jaxon Jacobson tied the game with less than two minutes remaining and then scored the winner 18 seconds into overtime as the Wheat Kings eked out a 4-3 decision over the Lightning.

Aiden Laing and Brady Turko had the other goals for Brandon, which trailed 3-1 with five minutes remaining in the third period.

Burke Hood made 35 saves for Brandon, with Alex Myers blocking 37 shots for the Lightning.

On Saturday at Beausejour’s Sun Gro Centre, the short-staffed Wheat Kings received goals from different players to earn a 7-1 victory over the Selects.

Declan Hoad, Cole Dupuis, Nash Henwood, Loughlan McMullan, Brady Turko, Josh McGregor and Cole Lobreau all sniped as the team played without Jacobson and Easton Odut, who were called up by the WHL Wheat Kings on Saturday. Matthew Michta made 27 saves for Brandon, with Samuel Fontaine blocking 22 shots for Eastman.

Brandon has two games left before Christmas. On Wednesday at 8 p.m., it meets the Southwest Cougars at Souris/Glenwood Memorial Complex.

Brandon also meets the Pembina Valley Hawks on Thursday at 7:15 p.m., at J&G Homes Arena as a makeup game for one recently postponed due to bad roads.

Their next game after the break is on Wednesday, Jan. 3 when the Parkland Rangers visit J&G Homes Arena. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

SOUTHWEST COUGARS

The second-place Cougars (18-5-0) swept the 12th-place Kenora Thistles (2-21-2) at the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre.

On Sunday, Micky Gross made 21 saves and Southwest scored four times in the middle frame in a 6-0 win.

Jack Swaenepoel’s first U18 goal was the winner, with Jackson Hofer sniping twice and singles coming from Regan Anderson, Lynden Gould and Kelby Diehl.

James Hill stopped 36 shots for Kenora.

On Saturday, the Cougars scored twice in each period en route to a 6-1 victory. Jack Clark led the way with a hat trick, while Hofer had two goals and Anderson scored once in a game in which Southwest trailed 81 seconds in.

Evan Svoboda made 30 saves for Southwest, with Morgan Blackwood turning aside 46 shots for Kenora.

After hosting Brandon on Wednesday, the Norman Northstars visit on Jan. 4 at 8 p.m., in the first action for both clubs after the break.

The Cougars have a home-and-home series with the Parkland Rangers in Dauphin on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and in Souris on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 4:30 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The 11th-place Chiefs (6-13-4) were swept by the 10th-place Norman Northstars (9-12-2) at Thompson’s C.A. Nesbitt Arena.

On Sunday, Bo Tibbatts scored twice to tie the game but the Northstars responded with a pair of goals in the third period en route to a 4-2 win.

Kieran Madill made 48 saves for Yellowhead, with Preston Kaludjak blocking 25 shots for Norman.

On Saturday, Yellowhead led 2-0, 4-1 and 6-4 but gave up the final four goals and fell 8-6 to the Northstars.

Quinn Schutte, Max Collyer, Dylan Miko, Bo Tibbatts, Addison McIntosh and Rory Poole all scored for the Chiefs, with Schotte adding three assists.

Kieran Madill made 56 saves for Yellowhead, with Kaludjak and Lincoln Richcoon blocking 18 shots for Norman.

The Parkland Rangers visit the Shoal Lake Communiplex on Tuesday at 8 p.m., to kick off a six-game home stand for Yellowhead.

The Chiefs pick up after the break when the Winnipeg Thrashers visit on Friday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1:30 p.m., and the Northstars drop by again on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 1:30 p.m.

PARKLAND RANGERS

The eighth-place Rangers (9-11-3) split against the seventh-place Pembina Valley Hawks (9-10-5) at Dauphin’s Credit Union Place.

On Sunday, the Hawks raced out to a 5-0 lead and won 7-2. Maddox Shindle and Cash McCallum scored for the Rangers.

Ethan Myhre made 16 saves for Parkland, with Ryler Gates blocking 21 shots for Pembina Valley.

On Saturday, Ryzlie Nepinak scored the winner midway through the third period in a 4-3 Parkland victory.

Alex Campbell, Cam Sarna and Hayden Seib also scored for the Rangers.

Chase Glover made 34 saves for Parkland, with Bryson Yaschyshyn blocking 28 shots for Pembina Valley.

After a visit to Shoal Lake on Tuesday, they enjoy the Christmas break until Jan. 3 when they visit Brandon. They have a home-and-home with the Southwest Cougars in Dauphin on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and in Souris on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 4:30 p.m.

GIRLS

WESTMAN WILDCATS

The fifth-place Wildcats (9-6-1) swept a pair of games against the sixth-place Interlake Lightning (5-9-1) and the first-place Winnipeg Ice (15-3-1) at Hartney Arena in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA.

On Sunday, Kadence Mann’s goal in the third period broke a 2-2 tie in a 3-2 Westman win. Ivy Perkin had the other two Westman goals, with Kylie Hack earning the victory in net.

On Saturday, Reese Schutte, Marlie Rutherford and Kelsey Huibers scored and Ivy Perkin picked up three assists in a 3-1 victory over the Lightning

Danica Averill made 20 saves for Westman, with Jane Sugimoto facing 48 shots in the Interlake net.

Their last game before Christmas is a visit to the Niverville Recreation Centre on Saturday at noon to play the Eastman Selects. They return to action to host the Selects on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and visit Central Plains on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 2:30 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The third-place Chiefs (12-5-1) earned three victories, with the first coming on the road and two taking place at the Shoal Lake Communiplex.

On Sunday, Dara Thompson connected on a penalty shot as the Chiefs beat the Lightning 3-1

Mia Macgregor and Emma Pollock also scored, with Natalie Rampton earning the win in net.

On Saturday, Tara Knight and Macgregor scored in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Ice. Rampton made 39 saves for Yellowhead, with Winnipeg’s Bailey Grunewald stopping 24 shots.

On Friday at Morden’s Access Event Centre, Hannah Reagh had a goal and the Chiefs went on to earn a 2-1 shootout victory over the Pembina Valley Hawks.

Clair Merckx made 36 saves for Yellowhead, while Kasia Rakowski turned aside 42 shots for Pembina Valley.

The Chiefs return to action after Christmas at Portage la Prairie’s BDO Centre for the Community to meet the Central Plains Capitals on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m., and travel to Winnipeg’s Scotia Bank Hockey for all Centre to meet the Ice on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m.

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