Steinbach Huskies back on top of HTJHL standings

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This article was published 12/01/2024 (492 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Steinbach Huskies are back at the top of the Hanover-Tache Junior Hockey League (HTJHL).

After a slow start thanks to a couple overtime losses and playing fewer games than their competition, the Huskies have battled back and now hold a three-point lead on the Springfield Xtreme for first place in the eight-team loop.

That advantage is thanks to a dramatic 8-7 shootout victory over the third-place Red River Mudbugs Jan. 7. Steinbach trailed 5-2 after giving up two goals in the opening minute of the second period, before storming back to take a 7-5 third period lead.

The game wasn’t done, as the fiesty Mudbugs scored twice with their goalie pulled to force overtime.

After a scoreless five minutes of three-on-three action, Steinbach scored with their third shot of the shootout to force extra shots, before Kailen Penner ended it in the fourth round.

With the ice inside the T.G. Smith Centre chewed up, player after player tried and failed to beat the goalies on deke moves, but Penner was the only one who was able to pull off a goal on a deke, nicely moving the puck to his backhand before flipping it past the outstretched arm of Ryan Geirnaert.

“It’s a move I do a lot,” Penner said after the game.

“Just come side-to-side and see what’s open for me… It’s really easy when the ice is this bad to overhandle it, so (I just took) it one step at a time.”

It looked like Penner wouldn’t get a chance to play hero after the Huskies’ disastrous start to the game. After a first period filled with uncontested, screened point shots led to a 3-2 Red River lead, the Mudbugs found yet another point shot goal just 30 seconds into the period, prompting a goalie change from Steinbach.

There was no rest for backup Brandon Palmer, who gave up a goal on a Ty Tarnick breakaway just 20 seconds after entering the game.

From there, the Huskies took control before yet another spell of bad hockey late in the third to give away a sure lead.

“Not every game is going to be pretty,” Penner said, laughing.

“You’re going to have ups and downs, but as long as you’re able to keep your head up through the adversity, good things are going to happen.”

It is Penner’s first junior season after playing U18 AAA last year. He said the experience of playing with the Huskies while going to university has been enjoyable.

“I value hockey and the time it gives me,” Penner said.

“I find once you leave high school your options are pretty limited. A lot of times it means committing full time to something like junior A or the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League. It gives me an opportunity to balance school, work or whatever that may be. It’s a really great league.”

The HTJHL is a much stronger league this year, especially at the top of the standings. While Steinbach cruised to an easy championship last year, barely losing a game all season, they already have four losses, while teams like Springfield, Lorette and Red River have battled at the top of the standings throughout the year so far.

“There’s a lot of good players coming in, and a lot of competition,” Penner said.

“No game is a lock.”

Playoffs in the HTJHL are fast approaching, with the final regular season game of the season set for Feb. 3. With the St Clements Gators joining the league this season, the HTJHL is moving to a eight-team playoff, with all teams qualifying. The first round will be five games, with the semi-finals and finals seven games.