Playoff match-up set to heat up Niverville/Steinbach MJHL rivalry

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This article was published 22/03/2024 (486 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

From the beginning of their franchise’s inception, the Niverville Nighthawks have looked to the Steinbach Pistons as a model Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) franchise to follow, and a rival to defeat on the ice.

In just their second year of play, the Nighthawks will get a chance to pull off a major upset, as the neighbouring MJHL teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. The Pistons finished more than 30 points ahead of Niverville in the regular season standings.

“It’s exciting for both rinks,” Steinbach head coach Paul Dyck said.

“When they first came into the league people talked about the potential of a playoff match-up and so here in year two we have it. It should be fun.”

Both teams were happy to have a playoff opponent just 30 minutes down the road.

“I’m not too big of a fan of the bus trips where we’re sitting on a bus for five hours, getting off and playing a game,” Niverville goaltender Raiden LeGall said, laughing.

“It’ll be nice to only have to drive 30 minutes to the away (games).”

The Pistons have looked utterly dominant this season, racking up 97 points and easily finishing first in the standings. In the last two months, they’ve only lost three games, locking up first place with games to spare.

“Our focus has been playoffs for a couple weeks here now,” Dyck said.

“I thought we’ve turned the page from the regular season and (have) shifted the mindset to what lies ahead. Guys are excited to get going.”

The Nighthawks had a turbulent season, firing the franchise’s first-ever head coach Kelvin Cech and replacing him even as they held the final playoff spot in the East Division. While the move didn’t appear to pay off at first, Niverville was able to hold off a Selkirk charge for the final playoff spot, going 7-2 in their final nine games.

“Come playoff time, everyone’s got a 0-0 record,” interim head coach Dwight Hirst said after his team clinched a playoff spot in their final game of the regular season.

“For us here in Niverville, it’s going to be a different team come playoff time than what our record indicated.”

In five regular season matchups, Steinbach has four wins with the Nighthawks only win coming in overtime in mid-December.

Despite what appeared like a dominant season, Dyck said Niverville always provides a challenge.

“They’re gonna be a tough opponent, they’re playing some really good hockey here again,” he said.

“There was the one game where there was a little bit of separation, but all the games are tough. Anytime there’s a rivalry involved, that always tightens things up.”

Dyck called LeGall a “difference-maker.” The 17-year-old netminder finished the season with a 0.920 save percentage in 37 starts.

LeGall was equal in his praise, as he knows he’ll be facing down a deep group of forwards that have tons of offensive potential. Steinbach scored the most goals (244) and gave up the fewest (103) across the MJHL this season.

“They’re definitely a powerhouse team for sure,” LeGall said.

Hirst said he knows his team has the potential to pull off the upset.

“It just comes down to doing what we do well, and what we have to do well is play our game, and not get caught into playing their kind of game,” he said.

In the MJHL, the first round of the playoffs are divisional-based, with the top team in each of the two divisions playing the fourth team, regardless of their place in the complete league standings. The semi-finals throw out any divisional-based play.

“They’re the four seed, (but) that has no relevance for how we’re treating them,” Dyck said.

“We have to be at our best.”

Ethan Kelly a Niverville defenseman who potted two goals in his team’s playoff clinching victory, was projecting confidence as he enjoyed the victory.

“We’re going to go in there, and we’re going to kill them,” he said, laughing.

“When we play our game, I don’t think any team in this league can hang with us.”

The series kicks off in La Broquerie March 22, before shifting back to Niverville March 24. Puck drop for both games is at 7 p.m. There will be two mid-week games in the series as well, with Steinbach hosting Tuesday night and Niverville hosting Thursday.

A complete schedule of playoff games for teams across the region can be found on The Carillon’s scoreboard on page B4.