Eastman Selects perfect to start MFHL U18 AAA season

The Eastman Selects have started the Manitoba Female Hockey League U18 season with a bang.

The Selects are 3-0 to start the season, boasting wins on back-to-back days inside the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre Oct. 3/4 over the Winnipeg Avros (3-0) and Central Plains Capitals (4-3 in a shootout).

“We liked our pace, we liked our compete,” head coach Trevor Hildebrand said after the shutout victory over Winnipeg.

“The Avros are quicker this year so they come at you with some pace and some speed. There were some parts in the game we got away from the way we want to play and it cost us and allowed the Avros to come at us a little bit… When we get on the forecheck, put pressure in all three zones, that’s what we want to do and we were able to find some success.”

The MFHL games weren’t the start of the season for Eastman, as the team went to the Stoney Creek Showcase Tournament in Hamilton. They had an excellent showing in the 68-team event, going undefeated in pool play and making the final four alongside top programs from across North America.

“That was massive and an opportunity to showcase ourselves and get players acclimated,” Hildebrand said, adding they also had a strong showing at a pre-season tournament in Portage.

“It’s been a busy September.”

It’s a year with big roster turnover for the U18 Selects, as seven key players graduated from the program, including standout twins Vayda and Delainey Rigaux. Top goaltender Addi Tomes also aged out, with Isabelle Labossiere moving to play for Balmoral Hall in the academy ranks.

With those losses, new veterans have stepped up to fill leadership roles.

“We’ve got some key third year players who have been in the program for many years,” Hildebrand said.

“They know how we like to play. They’re just dependable, reliable, two-way players. We defend really well.”

The Avros found some success killing penalties. Winnipeg did concede a powerplay goal, but generated some of their best scoring chances of the game when they were short-handed.

“What tends to happen sometimes on the powerplay is you take your foot off the gas,” Hildebrand said.

“We didn’t really attack some lanes like we like to. It will be something when we get to the drawing board, when we get to practice, we’ll key in on and as the season goes on we’ll clean up.”

The Selects lost last year in the league finals to the Winnipeg Ice, which are 2-0 to start the season. Last year the two teams combined for just four regular season losses between the two teams.

“We feel really good about our roster again,” Hildebrand said.

“We can compete with the top two/three/four teams. We feel we can be in the mix at the end of the season again… With some new faces here we’ve got to be reasonable about our expectations and not push to much on them too quickly.”

Hildebrand said he expects more parity in the league this season.

“Games on a nightly basis are going to be a little tighter, a little closer,” he said.

“It’ll be great for the league.”

The Selects will next be in action in Niverville Oct. 31. They’ll be in Edmonton this weekend to play at the U18 Female Canadian Crown Tournament.