U18 AAA WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Brandon moves to 40-0-1 in U18 AAA league

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This article was published 20/02/2024 (576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOYS

With one weekend left in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League’s regular season, only one playoff spot remains up for grabs.

The eighth-place Norman Northstars (18-22-2) are three points up on the ninth-place Eastman Selects (17-23-1), but Eastman has a game in hand.

The Yellowhead Chiefs, Parkland Rangers and Kenora Thistles will all miss the playoffs.

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The first-place Wheat Kings (40-0-1) swept Eastman at J&G Homes Arena over the weekend.

On Sunday, Jaxon Jacobson scored twice and had three assists, and Brady Turko and Ethan Stewart also scored twice and had two assists in an 8-2 rout.

Jonah Lemoine and Nash Henwood had the other Brandon goals.

Matthew Michta made 28 saves for Brandon, with Samuel Fontaine and Daniel Banman combining to stop 44 shots for Eastman.

On Saturday, Turko scored twice and had two assists, and Declan Hoad, Ethan Stewart, Kaeson Fisher, Jonah Lemoine, Nash Henwood and Loughlan McMullan also sniped in an 8-1 victory. Turko and Stewart’s goals both came shorthanded as the Wheat Kings decisively won the special teams battle by scoring twice on three power plays and killing all four penalties they took while scoring two shorties. One of the penalties was a major. Jacobson had two assists.

Grayson Slaney’s ended Michta’s shutout bid with 34 seconds remaining but the goalie made 29 saves for Brandon, with Daniel Banman blocking 33 shots for Eastman.

The Parkland Rangers visit J&G Homes Arena on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., and on the final weekend of the regular season, the Wheat Kings meet the Winnipeg Bruins at Southdale Community Centre on Saturday at 4 p.m., and host the Winnipeg Wild at J&G Homes Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m.

SOUTHWEST COUGARS

The third-place Cougars (26-13-3) had three games at the Souris/Glenwood Memorial Complex, meeting Yellowhead on Wednesday and splitting with the fifth-place Winnipeg Thrashers (24-16-1) on the weekend.

On Sunday, Tyson Draper scored twice, with singles coming from Lynden Gould, Jackson Kohut, Nate Robson and Jack Clark as the Cougars beat the Thrashers 6-3.

Evan Svoboda made 29 saves for Southwest, with Austin Kindrat blocking 27 shots for Winnipeg.

On Saturday, Drew Shiels gave Southwest a first-period lead but Rohan Guevarra scored back-to-back goals early in the second period as Winnipeg earned a 4-3 victory.

Robson and Clark also scored for the Cougars.

Micky Gross made 18 saves for Southwest, with Taye Timmerman turning aside 38 shots for Winnipeg.

On Wednesday, Gross made 23 saves — and Evan Svoboda turned aside one shot in relief — as the Cougars blanked the Chiefs 3-0.

Connor Hoemsen had the winning goal and an assist while Ryder Heaphy and Kole Beard also sniped. Gould assisted all three goals.

Kieran Madill made 23 saves for Yellowhead.

The Cougars finish up the regular season in Thompson’s C.A. Nesbitt Arena against the Norman Northstars on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The 10th-place Chiefs (13-23-6) met Southwest on Wednesday and split two games against the seventh-place Pembina Valley Hawks (18-16-8) at the Shoal Lake Communiplex.

On Sunday after Yellowhead fell behind 2-0, Bo Tibbatts, Quinn Schutte and Rowin Richmond responded in a 3-2 Chiefs victory. Yellowhead’s Kieran Madill and Pembina Valley’s Ryler Gates both made 25 saves.

On Saturday, Bryson Yaschyshyn made 29 saves in a 4-0 Pembina Valley shutout victory, with Jayden Penner’s winning goal coming on the power play early in the second period.

Connor Rapley made 35 saves for Yellowhead.

In the final weekend of the season, the Chiefs travel to the Teulon-Rockwood Arena to meet the Interlake Lightning on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and play the Winnipeg Thrashers at the Gateway Recreation Centre on Sunday at 1 p.m.

PARKLAND RANGERS

The 11th-place Rangers (13-25-3) finished up their home schedule with a pair of games at Dauphin’s Credit Union Place against the fourth-place Winnipeg Bruins (23-15-5)

On Sunday, Leyton Medwick was sensational in stopping in stopping all 41 shots he faced as the Bruins earned a 6-0 victory. Ethan Myhre made 28 saves for Parkland.

On Saturday, Tavyn Boychuk had the lone Parkland goal as they fell 4-1 to Winnipeg.

Chase Glover made 36 saves for the Rangers, with Justin Perreault stopping 26 shots for the Bruins.

In the final weekend of the regular season, the Rangers travel to Beausejour’s Sun Gro Centre to meet the Eastman Selects on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

GIRLS

WESTMAN WILDCATS

The second-place Wildcats (19-7-2) will meet the seventh-place Pembina Valley Hawks (6-18-4) in their best-of-five quarterfinal series in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA.

Hartney will host Game 1 on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Game 3 on Sunday at 5 p.m., and if necessary, Game 5 on Sunday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m.

Morden’s Access Events Centre hosts Game 2 on Friday at 7:45 p.m., and a potential Game 4 on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The fourth-place Chiefs (18-9-1) will meet the fifth-place Winnipeg Avros (15-11-2) in the first round.

The Shoal Lake Communiplex hosts Game 1 on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Game 3 on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m., and if needed, Game 5 on Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Seven Oaks Arena in Winnipeg hosts Game 2 on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and if necessary, Game 4 on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 6:30 p.m.

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