Local hockey teams shoot into playoffs

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This article was published 08/02/2024 (853 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Business is about to pick up in arenas around Manitoba, as leagues begin post-season play.

High School

The first teams to hit the ice in playoff action in the region belong to the high school ranks. The Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres have already began play in their qualification round series against Stonewall.

It’s been a tough season for Steinbach. The Sabres are one of six teams in the top tier of the Winnipeg High School Hockey League (WHSHL) with a positive goal difference, but could only manage an eighth-place finish.

Their record of 10-14 is exactly the same as Stonewall, but Steinbach will be hosting twice during of the three-game series thanks to their goals-against advantage. (The first game of the series was played Feb. 7, after press time)

If a game three in the series is needed, it will be played at the T.G. Smith Centre at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 9. Game two will take place Feb. 8 at 3:15 p.m.

St Paul’s lead the league this season, with Sturgeon Heights and Oak Park also earning first-round byes. Action is already underway, as other teams throughout the top tier began their playoffs Feb. 5.

There is one more week of regular season action in both the Winnipeg Free Press Division (tier two) and Price Division (tier three) before playoffs begin in those leagues.

In the Winnipeg Free Press Division, the Gabrielle-Roy/Pointe des Chenes co-op team was recently knocked out of first place by Leo Remillard. The Cavaliers will have a chance to get back to the top of the standings in the final week of the year, as the two teams are currently tied in points.

Springfield is in the middle of the standings, with 35 points, and are in a battle with John Taylor, Shaftesbury and Kelvin for positioning.

In the Price Division, Lorette has finished their season, posting a 14-10 record. Before the final week of games were played, the Scorpions were sitting in fourth place, but Kildonan East was within range to catch them.

In the Zone Four hockey league, which includes the Morris Mavericks, the final games of the regular season took place Feb. 7. As of press time, the Mavericks were fifth in the league, with an 11-9 record. Altona’s W.C. Miller Aces lead the league with a 15-5 record.

In the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League, the regular season for the tier two Lorette team will end Feb. 12. The Scorpions currently sit in fourth place, the same as their male counterparts in the WHSHL Price Division.

In tier three, the Springfield Sabres will finish their regular season Feb. 13. They sit in fifth in the division right now.

HTJHL

Playoffs are completely set in the Hanover-Tache Junior Hockey League.

The Steinbach Huskies clinched first overall after defeating Macdonald 7-1 Feb. 2. With the St Clements Gators joining the junior C league this season, the now eight-team league has moved to a full quarterfinal system for their playoffs.

Steinbach will be facing off against the Gators in the first round, with games set for the T.G. Smith Centre on Feb. 9 and Feb. 16. The Gators play out of the East Selkirk Arena. In four meetings this season, Steinbach is 4-0 against St Clements.

The Springfield Xtreme had a chance to finish in first place, but came up three points short at the end of the season. They’ll be taking on the Landmark Blues in a quarterfinal match-up. Games one and two will be this weekend, with Springfield hosting in Oakbank Feb. 10 (8 p.m.) and Landmark hosting Feb. 11 at 2 p.m.

The third-place Red River Mudbugs will be hosting the Niverville Clippers for their series, with will go Friday and Saturday, hosted in St Jean at 8 p.m. and Niverville at 7 p.m. respectively. Game three will be on Valentine’s Day in St Jean.

The Macdonald Swarm and Lorette Comets will do battle in a four vs five match-up. Only the first two games of the series have been scheduled, with Sanford hosting on the ninth, and Ile des Chenes hosting on the 10th at 8 p.m.

SEMHL

In the South East Manitoba Hockey League (SEMHL), the first round will feature an all Eastman match-up. The Ste Anne Aces will be hosting the Ile des Chenes North Stars in a battle between two former Hanover-Tache league teams.

In the SEMHL, the quarterfinals are best-of-five series.

Ile des Chenes may have finished the season in eighth place, with Ste Anne in first, but the North Stars were the only team outside of the top three to take down the Aces this season.

The Aces have put together an impressive campaign this season, with a 15-3 record and plus-55 goal difference. They also boast two of the top three scorers in the league in Brendan Walker and Jordan DePape.

Ste Anne will kick off the series on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.

The league’s playoff schedule was left in limbo heading into Feb. 7, as series across the league was waiting for the final result from a game between Red River and Notre Dame (which the Wild won 5-3). While Red River was locked into third place, only four points separate fourth place Portage and eighth place Ile des Chenes this season.

Red River’s victory meant they would be facing off against Winkler in the quarterfinals, with home ice advantage. That series begins on Feb. 11 in St Jean, with puck drop at 2:30 p.m.

In the other quarterfinal series, the fourth-place Portage Islanders will take on the fifth-place Morden Bombers and Notre Dame will face Warren.

The lack of standings clarity didn’t stopped the league from handing out hardware, as Red River’s Mark Friesen took home the goaltender of the year award. The Winkler-born goalie led the league in save percentage, goals against average and shutouts.