U18 AAA WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Nicol scores OT winner against Thrashers

BOYS

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS

The first-place Wheat Kings (6-0-0-0) remained unbeaten after games against the fourth-place Winnipeg Wild (5-3-0-0) and the ninth-place Winnipeg Thrashers (2-3-1-0) in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League over the weekend.

On Saturday at Oaks Community Centre, Kale Nicol scored 4:01 into overtime in a 3-2 Wheat Kings victory over the Thrashers. Owen Stanley and Hunter Ethelston had the other Brandon goals.

Cooper Dryden made 21 saves for the Wheat Kings, with Champ Vannus stopping 51 shots for the Thrashers

On Friday at J&G Homes Arena, Cooper Dryden stopped all 18 shots he faced and Graycen Van Meijl, Ty Aldcroft and Ethelston scored in a 3-0 Wheat Kings victory over the Wild.

Reid Nicholson stopped 41 shots for Winnipeg. Brandon now has 3-0 victories in both games the teams have met this season.

The Wheat Kings visit the Yellowhead Chiefs at Shoal Lake Communiplex on Thursday at 8 p.m., then head to the Teulon-Rockwood Arena to play the Interlake Lightning on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and the Wild at Hockey For All Centre on Sunday at 12:45 p.m.

SOUTHWEST COUGARS

The seventh-place Cougars (4-5-0-0) beat the Yellowhead Chiefs on the road and then were swept by the sixth-place Interlake Lightning (5-1-0-0) at Souris/Glenwood Memorial Complex.

On Sunday, Jordan Knox, Gavin Anderson and Sam Clark all scored for Southwest but Interlake forward Ty Kopys had two goals and an assist as the Lightning earned an 8-3 victory.

Liam Banga made 36 saves for Southwest, with Connor Lemieux blocking 37 shots for Interlake.

On Saturday, Southwest’s Jaxson Cullen scored twice in a 4-2 Cougars loss.

Dawson Smart made 29 saves for Southwest, with Sawyer Henkelman blocking 27 shots for Interlake.

On Thursday at the Shoal Lake Communiplex, Skyler Deacon scored the winning goal in the fourth round of a shootout as the Cougars emerged with a 4-3 victory.

Jordan Knox, Gavin Anderson and Ethan Chen scored for Southwest, with William Marvin, Sawyer Lepp and Redden Richmond replying for Yellowhead. In the shootout, Jaxson Cullen and Anderson also scored for the Cougars, with Lepp and Lane McDonald sniping for the Chiefs.

Banga made 37 saves for Southwest, with Darby Wilson blocking 19 shots for Yellowhead.

The Cougars host the Norman Northstars on Friday at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday at 8 p.m.

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The eighth-place Chiefs (2-2-1-1) saw their only action of the week against Southwest.

Yellowhead stays at home this week, with Brandon visiting on Thursday at 8 p.m., and Norman travelling to the Shoal Lake Communiplex on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

PARKLAND RANGERS

The 13th-place Rangers (0-9-0-0) were swept by the 10th-place Kenora Thistles (2-5-1-0) during a doubleheader at Dauphin’s Credit Union Place.

On Saturday, Parkland’s Felix Huberdeau scored the opening goal but Kenora counted the last five in a 5-1 victory.

Connor Thorn made 24 saves for Parkland, with Keanu Waasa’aanakwad blocking 19 shots for Kenora.

On Friday, Drayson Demeria, Kellan Shtykalo, Carter Rands, Ashton Dutkewich and Lyric Smith scored for Parkland, but Walker Holowanky’s goal with less than three minutes remaining led to a 6-5 Kenora victory.

Benji Gardner and Connor Thorn made 25 saves for Parkland, with Maddox Boutette blocking 27 shots for Kenora.

The Rangers head out on the road on the weekend to meet the Winnipeg Bruins at Southdale Community Centre on Friday at 7 p.m., the Winnipeg Thrashers at Seven Oaks Community Centre on Saturday at 7 p.m., and the Interlake Lightning at Teulon-Rockwood Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m.

GIRLS

YELLOWHEAD CHIEFS

The fifth-place Chiefs (1-2-0-0) had a pair of games at Shoal Lake Communiplex, hosting the second-place Eastman Selects (4-1-0-0) on Friday and the third-place Winnipeg Avros(4-1-0-0) on Saturday in the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 AAA.

On Saturday, Nicole Rozdeba and Aubree McKinnon staked the Chiefs to a 2-1 lead but the Avros scored the final three goals in a 4-2 Winnipeg victory.

Kylie Hack made 29 saves for Yellowhead, with Anya Kauenhowen stopping 22 shots for Winnipeg.

On Friday, Scotia Smith scored late in the third period to end Madison Fleury’s shutout bid but the Selects won 3-1.

Gracie Johnston took the loss, but shot statistics weren’t kept.

The Chiefs return to the ice when the Westman Wildcats visit on Friday at 7:30 p.m., and the Winnipeg Ice on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

WESTMAN WILDCATS

The first-place Wildcats (5-1-0-0) had a busy weekend, with games at Hartney Arena against the Avros, Selects and the eighth-place Interlake Lightning (0-4-0-0).

On Sunday, Alana Champagne made 21 saves for the shutout, Georgia Koop scored twice and Logan Rome and Ava Snyder added singles in a 4-0 Wildcats victory.

Emma Cassils stopped 35 shots for Interlake.

On Saturday, Indigo Stone stopped all 24 shots she faced and Ava Snyder’s shorthanded goal midway through the third period stood as the winner in a 1-0 Wildcats victory over the Selects.

Delaney Dreger stopped 17 shots for Eastman.

On Friday, Aubrey Sykes and Andyn Ewald staked the Avros to a 2-0 lead, and Fergie Berthlolet’s power-play goal late in the third period wasn’t enough in a 2-1 Westman loss.

Alana Champagne made 21 saves for Westman, with Olivia Roberts stopping 30 shots for Winnipeg.

The Wildcats visit Yellowhead on Friday and host the Winnipeg Ice at Hartney Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m.

» The Brandon Sun