U18 AAA WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Brandon wins regular season crown

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This article was published 24/02/2025 (207 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOYS

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The Wheat Kings (40-5-3) finished first overall after they hosted the Parkland Rangers on Wednesday and then wrapped up the final weekend of the regular season at Thompson’s C.A. Nesbitt Arena against the 11th-place Norman Northstars (13-32-3) in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League.

On Sunday afternoon, underage forward Reid Nicol and Ethan Stanley both scored twice and Nolan Saunderson and Cole Dupuis added singles in a 6-3 Brandon victory over Norman. Brady Low made 25 saves for Brandon, with Lincoln Richcoon blocking 34 shots for Norman.

On Saturday, Nicol and Easten Turko both scored twice and Stanley and Jaxson Brick added singles as the Wheat Kings overcame an early 1-0 deficit to post a 6-2 victory. Matthew Michta made 19 saves for Brandon, with Austin Kindrat blocking 53 shots for Norman.

On Wednesday at J&G Homes Arena, Stanley scored twice and Dupuis and Nicol added singles in a 4-3 Brandon victory over Parkland.

The Rangers goals came from Quinten Fisk, Alex Campbell and Brayden Budolowski. Low made 20 saves for Brandon, with Piet Mierau blocking 48 shots for Parkland.

SOUTHWEST COUGARS

The fifth-place Cougars (26-16-6) headed out on the road to meet the Yellowhead Chiefs, the third-place Winnipeg Bruins (35-8-5) and the second-place Winnipeg Wild (40-6-2).

On Sunday at Hockey For All Centre, Jack Polasek, Jack Swaenepoel and Bryan Laing scored for the Cougars as they rallied from a 4-1 deficit but fell 4-3 to the Wild. Micky Gross made 31 saves for the Cougars, with Justin Perreault blocking 18 shots for the Wild.

On Saturday at Southdale Community Centre, Connor Hoemsen scored his second goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation and Laing potted the winner 55 seconds into overtime as the Cougars beat the Bruins 5-4.

Swaenepoel and Eric Berger had the other goals. Brodie Cameron made 25 saves for the Cougars, with Jackson Hoes blocking 20 shots for the Bruins.

On Tuesday at the Shoal Lake Communiplex, Laing had a hat trick, Shane Elder sniped twice and Lynden Gould, Spencer Cullen, Taylor Lockhart and Cole Forbes also scored in a 9-4 Southwest win.

Konnor Klemick, Chase Cochrane, Nolan Kozak and Colby Asselstine replied for the Chiefs. Micky Gross made 39 saves for Southwest, with Connor Rapley blocking 38 shots for Yellowhead.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

After the loss to Southwest on Tuesday, the 13th-place Chiefs (8-38-2) finished up the final week of what’s been a tough season with weekend games against the 12th-place Central Plains Capitals (9-39-0) and the sixth-place Interlake Lightning (24-19-5) at the Shoal Lake Communiplex.

On Sunday, Colby Asselstine and Winston Lepp put the Chiefs up 2-0 in the first period and the Lightning tied it in the second. Riley Swereda put Yellowhead back in the lead 4:43 into the third period, but Interlake scored three goals in the next two minutes and went on to a 7-3 victory.

Connor Rapley made 51 saves for Yellowhead, with Dylan McFadyen blocking 35 shots for Interlake.

On Saturday, Chase Cochrane ended McFadyen’s shutout bid with less than eight minutes remaining but the Chiefs fell 5-1. Cole Lelond made 22 saves for Yellowhead, with McFadyen blocking 42 shots for Interlake.

On Friday, Grady McNish, Riley Swereda, Nolan Kozak and Winston Lepp scored in a 4-1 Yellowhead win. Connor Rapley made 27 saves for Yellowhead, with Riley Foster blocking 43 shots for Central Plains.

PARKLAND RANGERS

After the loss in Brandon, the ninth-place Rangers (23-23-2) finished up the regular season against the eighth-place Eastman Selects (23-20-5) at Beausejour’s Sun Gro Centre.

On Sunday, Brayden Budolowski and Alex Campbell had the only goals for Parkland as they were blasted 8-2. Piet Mierau made 40 saves for Parkland, with Wyatt Minsky blocking 28 shots for Eastman.

On Saturday, Cade Legaarden, Quinten Fisk and Brayden Budolowski scored but the Rangers dropped a 6-3 decision. Mierau made 38 saves for Parkland, with Wyatt Minsky blocking 22 shots for Eastman.

GIRLS PLAYOFFS

BRANDON vs YELLOWHEAD

The fifth-place Wheat Kings (15-15-2) are knotted up after two games against the fourth-place Chiefs (17-14-1) in the best-of-five quarterfinals of the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA playoffs.

In Game 1 at Shoal Lake Communiplex on Thursday, Paige Crossley and Kaylee Dittmer put Brandon up 2-0 in the second period, and after Grace Kirk sniped for the Chiefs, Dittmer added a second goal for a 3-1 Wheat Kings victory. Danica Averill made 47 saves for Brandon, with Clair Merckx stopping 25 shots for Yellowhead.

In Game 2 at J&G Homes Arena on Saturday, Merckx stopped all 12 shots she faced, Nicole Rozdeba scored twice and the Chiefs received singles from Jordyn Veitch, Emma Pollock, Presley Hodson and Kirby Gray in a 6-0 victory. Danica Averill and Shannon Hees made 36 saves for Brandon.

Game 3 is at Shoal Lake Communiplex on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., with Game 4 set for J&G Homes Arena on Thursday at 6:15 p.m.

If needed, Game 5 is at Shoal Lake Communiplex on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

WESTMAN vs WPG AVROS

The seventh-place Wildcats (13-17-2) have pushed the second-place Avros (27-3-2) to a fourth game in their series.

In Game 1 at Seven Oaks Arena on Wednesday, Kadence Mann, Charlie Shearer and Callie Hilhorst scored but Westman fell 6-3. Kelsey Dnes and Liberty Aime both had a goal and three assists for Winnipeg.

Indigo Stone made 35 saves for Westman, with Madelynne Sylvestre stopping 18 shots for Winnipeg.

In Game 2 at Hartney Arena on Friday, Ivy Perkin had the lone goal for the Wildcats as they fell 4-1. Rio Pierre had a pair of goals for Winnipeg, including the winner. Stone made 34 saves for Westman, with Adriana Almeida stopping 25 shots for Winnipeg.

In Game 3 at Seven Oaks Arena on Saturday, Brooklyn Vandaele, Reese Schutte and Charlie Shearer scored as the Wildcats staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory. Stone made 33 saves for Westman, with Almeida and Sylvestre combining to stop 33 shots for Winnipeg.

Game 4 is at Hartney Arena on Wednesday at 8 p.m. If needed, Game 5 is at Seven Oaks Arena on Saturday at 6 p.m.

PEMBINA VALLEY vs WPG ICE

The third-place Ice (22-8-2) have taken the lead on the sixth-place Hawks (14-17-1) after three games.

In Game 1 at Winnipeg’s Hockey For All Centre on Tuesday, Cassie Carvalho gave Winnipeg an early lead but Jessica Anderson tied it for Pembina Valley and then scored the winner in the third period in a 2-1 Hawks victory.

Bailey Grunewald made 16 saves for Winnipeg, with Kasia Rakowski stopping 30 shots for Pembina Valley.

In Game 2 at Winnipeg’s Hockey For All Centre on Thursday, Gina Plett stopped all 22 shots she faced and Claire Hudson scored the winner in the second period in a 2-0 victory. Rakowski stopped 32 shots for Pembina Valley.

In Game 3 at Morden’s Access Event Centre on Saturday, the Ice took a 5-0 lead and Avary Lazarenko had a hat trick as Winnipeg won 8-2. Grunewald made 22 saves for Winnipeg, with Rakowski stopping 34 shots for Pembina Valley.

Game 4 is at Morden’s Access Event Centre on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. If needed, Game 5 is at Winnipeg’s Hockey For All Centre on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

INTERLAKE vs EASTMAN

The eighth-place Lightning (5-23-4) are down a pair of games against the first-place Selects (27-2-3).

In Game 1 at Niverville Centennial Arena on Wednesday, Isabelle Carriere scored twice and Isabelle Labossiere stopped 16 shots in a 3-0 Eastman victory. Jane Sugimoto made 35 saves for Interlake.

In Game 2 at Warren Arena on Saturday, Sophia Heidinger scored 67 seconds into the game as the Selects went on to earn a 4-0 victory. Labossiere made 19 saves for Eastman for her second shutout of the series, with Orieanna Kennedy stopping 32 shots for Interlake.

Game 3 is set for Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.

If needed, Game 4 would be at Stonewall’s Veterans Memorial Sports Complex on Thursday at 7:45 p.m., and Game 5 would be at Niverville Centennial Arena on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

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