SPORTS FLASHBACK 2000: Warriors cling to lead in tight HTHL race

Despite an 8-3 loss to the La Broquerie Habs last Wednesday, the St Malo Warriors still hold a precarious one-point lead atop the standings in the Hanover Tache Hockey League.

But the four HTHL teams that will be involved in the first round of the Allan Cup playdowns later this month are within easy striking distance of the Warriors and all four have several games in hand. Springfield and Ile des Chenes are a point back. Springfield has three games in hand on the Warriors and the North Stars have two.

Grunthal and La Broquerie are tied with 16 points each and each have played only 13 games compared to 16 for St Malo, in what is turning out to be one of the tightest races in the HTHL in years.

Wednesday at La Broquerie, when Michel Normandeau opened the scoring for the Habs with a shorthanded marker just two minutes into the game, it set the stage for a surprisingly easy victory for the Habs, who held period leads of 2-1 and 5-1 on the frontrunners. Normandeau also scored the final goal of the game for the Habs in the third.

The Warriors played three games in six days before Christmas, winning one, losing one and also garnered a point in a shootout loss.

December 23 at St Malo, Grunthal beat the Warriors 7-6 in overtime, as Jon Stroich got the winner. But the game belonged to Pat Penner, who had four goals and an assist. Larry Woo and Harold Rempel also connected for the Red Wings. Matt Friesen set up three goals.

The Springfield 98’s scored a big 3-2 victory over the Ile des Chenes North Stars, December 21 at Ile des Chenes. Springfield sits in second spot behind the Warriors with a 9-4 record.

The North Stars, with a record of 9-5, did win a pair of games, outscoring Ste Anne 5-3 and handed the St Jean Royals a 10-4 drubbing.

In the scoring race, Dorian Miller of Springfield leads with 37 points, including a league leading 20 goals in 13 games. Kevin Convery of St Malo and Springfield’s Grant Sellen are tied with 36 points.

It is not surprising that the four teams pressing St Malo for the league lead are all going to be in the hunt for the Allan Cup this season.

Four HTHL teams will be involved in a three-team home and home Allan Cup Manitoba Playdown series in January. The Grunthal Red Wings, who are affiliated with the La Broquerie Habs, and the defending provincial champion Ile des Chenes North Stars, who are affiliated with the Springfield 98’s, will join Wise Guys of Winnipeg in the round-robin series during the next three weeks.

The top two teams will then advance to a best-of-five series in February. The Manitoba champion will host Saskatchewan in March for the right to compete in the Allan Cup final four.

With files from Terry Frey