La Broquerie Habs, Eastman Selects join playoff ranks
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The Capital Region Junior Hockey League became the latest hockey loop to begin their post-season play, with quarterfinal action kicking off in La Broquerie Feb. 23.
The Habs dominated Arborg 4-0, controlling much of the play and shutting down any opportunity the Ice Dawgs had before it could even begin to look dangerous.
La Broquerie had an outside chance at finishing third in the league standings, but lost on the final day of the regular season to Beausejour.
St Malo earned a first-round bye after a strong finish to the regular season. The two-time defending league champions will play home games in their upcoming semi-final in Morris, as the Pembina Valley Twisters had any chance of reaching the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League’s post season ended this week.
HIGH SCHOOL
Steinbach needed all three games to advance past Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s top division quarterfinals.
A third period marker from Daniel Schroeder was the difference in SRSS’s 3-2 win in game three. Schroeder received the puck at the top of the slot and unleashed a spinning shot which fooled the CJS goaltender.
Steinbach plays top seed Oak Park in the semi-finals and trailed 1-0 heading into game two, which finished after press time Feb. 24.
Lower division play in the WHSHL began this week, with Winnipeg Free Press Division’s Gabrielle-Roy winning their first round series against St John’s-Ravenscourt 2-0. They trailed Dakota 1-0 in the quarterfinals as of press time.
Springfield received a first-round bye in the division.
Niverville and Lorette, which finished first and second in the Price Division, got off to 1-0 series leads after earning first-round byes.
Lorette is playing Sturgeon Heights in Division 2 of the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League. The Gabrielle-Roy/Pointe des Chenes co-op team will be placed in the Division 1 playoffs after a combined regular season.
The Morris Mavericks have advanced to the finals of the Zone 4 Hockey League, defeating second seed Carman 2-0. They’ll play the winner between Morden and Northlands Parkway Collegiate (Winkler), which finished after press time.
Both Morris and Niverville will be playing in the AA Manitoba High School Athletic Association championships in Carberry this weekend as well.
HTJHL
Two of the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League’s four quarterfinal series were over in quick succession, as Springfield and Niverville earned three-game sweeps over Grunthal and Steinbach respectively.
Regular season champions Macdonald took their second loss of the season to East St Paul, giving up 10 goals in a game 2 loss to the ninth-place regular season finisher.
Ste Anne and Mitchell are locked in a battle as well, as the teams traded tight away wins to open their series. The Mustangs have the advantage after a 5-4 overtime win in game 3 Feb. 24. Captain Mark Plett scored a game-tying goal with under 30 seconds to go in the game, before striking just 26 seconds into the extra frame.
Game 4 is Feb. 26 in Ste Anne, with game five, if needed Feb. 28 in Mitchell.
SEMHL
The Springfield Winterhawks cruised past Portage in a three-game sweep in the South East Manitoba Hockey League Quarterfinals.
After a pair of close home wins Feb. 16/19, the Winterhawks dominated the decisive game three in Portage, winning 4-0.
Ile des Chenes also advanced, scoring three goals in the first three minutes of a winner-takes-all game five against Warren to jumpstart a 6-3 win. Ile des Chenes had a 2-1 series lead, but a Warren 2-1 victory in game four forced the winner-takes-all game five in Ile des Chenes Feb. 22.
The North Stars and Winterhawks will face off in a best-of-five semi-final, with games in Oakbank Feb. 28, March 5 and March 10. Ile des Chenes will host March 4 and March 7.
The series between Morden and Red River also needed five games. Red River had a 2-0 series lead, but a pair of Morden overtime victories forced a winner-takes-all contest in St Jean Feb. 24.
The Wild were finally able to put away the Bombers, winning the game 5-3 thanks to a pair of Brandon Harms goals in the third period.
Top seeded Winkler beat Notre Dame 3-1 in the league’s other quarterfinal series and will play Red River. The Wild will host game one March 1 and game four March 8 (if necessary).
U18 AAA
The Eastman Selects of the Manitoba Female Hockey League made the first round look easy, sweeping the Central Plains Capitals. The Selects only allowed three goals across the series, which was capped off with a 5-2 win Feb. 24 in Niverville.
The semi-finals have yet to be scheduled, but Eastman will play Westman, with the league’s two Winnipeg teams battling.
The fifth-place male Selects have their play-off match-up set, as they take on the fourth seed Winnipeg Thrashers in a best-of-five quarterfinal.
Star defenseman Crosby Mateychuk is back in the line-up after a stint with Vancouver in the Western Hockey League. Mateychuk has 58 points in just 36 games this season.
Eastman will play a home game at the Southeast Event Centre March 1, with a potential game four set for March 5. Games one, three and five will be at the Seven Oaks Community Centre in Winnipeg Feb. 28, March 4 and March 7 if needed.
For more photos of playoff action across the region, be sure to check out Carillon Sports Second Shots, published weekly at www.thecarillon.com/sports.