Multiple leagues set to join HTJHL in post-season play

The quarterfinals are set for the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League, as the Ste Anne Aces and Red River Mudbugs took care of business in their respective play-in series.

The Aces dropped game one to the lower-seeded East St Paul Gators, before battling back to win the best-of-three series, eking out a narrow 4-3 victory in game three Feb. 10 in Ste Anne.

Both game one and game two featured plenty of penalty minutes, with the game nearly devolving into a full blown brawl after the final whistle sounded in Ste Anne.

There wasn’t even a traditional post-series handshake line, as several players refused to interact with their opponents, although many players remained on the ice to individually talk with each other following the brawl.

Tyson Gratton was suspended for a gross misconduct in the final moments of game two, and will need to serve two more games of his suspension as Ste Anne takes on top-seeded Springfield in the best-of-five quarterfinals.

There was much less drama to be had in the series between Red River and Grunthal, with the Mudbugs earning a hard-fought 3-2 victory in game one thanks to a Will Sawatzky third period goal before a dominant 7-2 performance in game 2 in front of a great crowd in Grunthal Feb. 6.

All four quarterfinal series, including Steinbach and Mitchell’s match-up, will be in full swing this weekend. The two franchises faced off in a memorable series in the 2007 finals, with Steinbach taking a 3-0 lead before a comeback attempt from Mitchell fell short in game six.

The full schedule of games can be found on The Carillon Sports Scoreboard on page B4.

SEMHL

It came down to the final day of the regular season, but local hockey fans are getting a classic match-up in the first round of the South East Manitoba Hockey League playoffs.

Ile des Chenes was tied with Carman for the final playoff spot and needed some help to secure that eighth seed. They would get it, as Notre Dame took down the Beavers 7-2, giving the North Stars a playoff spot thanks to goal difference and a 9-3 thumping of last-place Portage in their own final game of the season.

Game one of the series was completed after press time Feb. 12. The Aces won both games the teams played in the regular season.

Games two and three are set for Ile des Chenes Feb. 15 and Feb. 19.

The St Jean-based Red River Wild got a little out of town scoreboard help as well, securing third place thanks to Ste Anne’s 6-0 victory over fourth-place Morden Feb. 8. They’re set to play the Warren Mercs in the quarterfinals.

Those teams also play a game Feb. 12, with Red River next hosting game three Feb. 17. If a game five is needed, it will be in St Jean Feb. 21.

All series in the first round are best-of-five.

HIGH SCHOOL

The Platinum Promotions Division of the Winnipeg High School Hockey League is the first collegiate league to start playoffs across the province.

Springfield and Steinbach both are playing in the preliminary round, with best-of-three series against JH Bruns and West Kildonan respectively.

Springfield took a one game lead in their series, winning 4-2 Feb. 11, while Steinbach’s series didn’t get underway until after press time Feb. 12.

If a game three is needed, it will take place at the T.G. Smith Centre Feb. 14 at 3 p.m.

Games still need to be played in the Winnipeg Free Press and Price Divisions to round out the Winnipeg High School Hockey League. The same is true for division two and three of the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League.

In the Zone 4 league, the third-seeded Morris Mavericks are also in the post-season, taking on Winkler’s Garden Valley Zodiacs in a best-of-three quarterfinal series. If a game three is needed, it will take place in Morris Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. The Mountain Mustangs took down Portage Collegiate 4-3 in the play-in game.

CRJHL

The battle between Selkirk and La Broquerie to see who will get home ice advantage in their first round series in the Capital Region Junior Hockey League will come down to the final weekend of regular season play.

The teams are locked into playing each other, but are only separated by a single point in the standings. A key win for La Broquerie over the North Winnipeg Satelites Feb. 11 gave the Habs the advantage heading into the final weekend of play.

The Habs play North Winnipeg one more time Feb. 14 before matching up against the top-seeded St Malo Warriors Feb. 16. Both games are at the HyLife Centre in La Broquerie.

The Fishermen have a much tougher path to home ice advantage, needing to visit third-place Lundar before hosting second-place Beausejour on back-to-back days.

Defending champions St Malo are on the precipice of clinching first place in the standings and a first-round bye. They’re four points up on Beausejour, with a single game left to play. Beausejour will need a strong finish to the season to catch the Warriors and will need some help from La Broqurie on the final day to nab the coveted bye.

U18 AAA

The Female U18 Eastman Selects earned a first-place regular season finish the hard way, defeating the Winnipeg Avros 4-0 in a de facto match for first place.

The victory gave them the advantage and a follow-up 6-0 blowout of Yellowhead Feb. 9, powered by a Danyel Heppner first period natural hat trick, locked up top spot in the standings despite the Avros picking up a win of their own over Pembina Valley the same day.

Eastman finished one point ahead of Winnipeg in the standings.

The strong defensive results are no surprise for a team that has only allowed 33 goals in 32 games this season.

The Selects are now waiting to see which team wins the league’s play in series, with Central Plains and Interlake battling to see who joins the playoffs, with Central Plains holding a 1-0 lead in the best of three series as of Feb. 11.