Junior Pilots off to nationals after provincial success

The Junior Pilots volleyball club is continuing a strong run of form, with teams set to participate at upcoming national championships.

The club’s 18U team girls team, coached by Kyla Zacharias, rounded off a five-season run of medal finishes at provincials, starting with a bronze medal in the 2022 14U championships and ending with a silver medal this season.

“This team is nothing short of elite,” Zacharias said in a news release.

“We are so proud of this group. The ability to work with athletes who are not only talented but solid in character — on and off the court — is incredibly rewarding.”

Brett Howden powers Vegas into second round of NHL playoffs

Brett Howden has become one of the Vegas Golden Knights’ key contributors, as the Oakbank forward was tied for the team lead in goals following their first-round series victory over the Utah Mammoth.

Howden had no goals through three games, but came alive with his team down 2-1 in the series, finding the back of the net in three straight Vegas wins to clinch the series.

“I just try to put pucks to the net,” Howden said in a post-game five news conference.

“Sometimes they go in, and sometimes they don’t but right now they’re going in.”

Edwards pair gives Niverville Nighthawks Centennial Cup victory on opening night

Marlen Edwards showed his Centennial Cup experience, nabbing Niverville's first and last goal at the national championships, powering his team to a 5-4 national championship win over the host Summerside Western Capitals May 7. Edwards suited up for Northern Manitoba at last year's nationals.

The Nighthawks broke up a set play in overtime, with the Capitals trying to spring a forward after winning the opening faceoff. Edwards was the closest man to the breakout pass, and picked it off, backhanding a shot into the net for a Niverville victory, flapping his arms like his team's namesake in celebration.

"I was reading the eyes of (the defender) and I could tell by watching him during the game they like to swing the middle," Edwards said in a post-game interview during the game broadcast on HNLive.

"Obviously, taking the middle away from them is probably the key part to all of it."

The Carillon heading East for Centennial Cup

Readers of The Carillon will get the inside scoop at the Centennial Cup.

Sports Editor Cassidy Dankochik will be at the tournament, hosted by Summerside P.E.I. to cover the Niverville Nighthawks attempt to win Manitoba’s first national Junior A championship since Portage claimed the title on home ice in 2015.

Manitoba teams have won the cup just three times, with Portage and Selkirk claiming the trophy in the 70s. The 1974 Selkirk Steelers were powered by a slate of Eastman players who made the jump to play for the team, including five from Steinbach.

There are other Manitoba connections at the tournament, with the Flin Flon Bombers representing the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League at the 2026 edition of the Centennial Cup after they swept Yorkton in the league championship series.

Niverville Nighthawks land in P.E.I for national championship

The Niverville Nighthawks won the Manitoba Junior Hockey League thanks to structure, discipline, skill and a deep roster of experienced players who knew how to handle the long hockey season.

There won’t be as many experiences to lean on at the Centennial Cup, but the Manitoba representative has a couple players with experience at the national junior A championship. Marlen Edwards and Aaron Krestanowich played for Northern Manitoba last season, helping their team to a quarterfinal appearance. Edwards had five points in four preliminary round games, including a three assist performance in the team’s 6-3 win over Greater Sudbury.

Head coach Dwight Hirst repeated his mantra from the entire season, “pressure is a privilege,” during an interview after the team arrived in the Maritimes.

“We’ve come a long way from the beginning of the year to where we are now,” Hirst said.

CARILLON SPORTS SECOND SHOTS: Nighthawks championship edition

Featuring photos from the Niverville Nighthawks Turnbull Cup championship win in Virden April 23 and game six of the MMJHL championships in Winnipeg April 26.

Steinbach Pistons raised $25K for minor hockey this season

It isn’t just the Steinbach Pistons reaping the benefits of the increased attendance and revenue at the Southeast Event Centre.

All season, the Pistons have been raising money for Steinbach’s minor hockey through their 50/50 draws.

“Our partnership with the Pistons has been fantastic,” Steinbach Minor Hockey President Josh Plett said in a Pistons news release.

“The money we get from the 50/50 proceeds goes directly into lowering costs for families to register their kids as costs continue to increase.”

Audette and Kidd honoured by MASRC at banquet

A current and a now retired hockey player from the region who are Red River Métis were recognized for their acheivements last week.

St Adolphe’s Taylor Audette was named as one of the 2025 Maniotba Indigenious athletes of the year and Trevor Kidd was inducted into the Manitoba Indigenous Sports and Hall of Fame.

Audette, who is from St Adolphe, scored 42 points in 35 games for the Silvertips in the Manitoba Women’s Junior Hockey League in the 25/26 season. She also races dirt-track and plays softball.

Kidd, who was born in Dugald and played on one of the first Eastman Selects teams when the program was founded in the 1987/1988 season, would go on to play nearly 400 NHL games.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1989: Ringette players set for Asian junket

A group of nine southeastern Manitoba ringette players are about to embark on a trip of a lifetime, as they take their ringette skills on a tour of Hong Kong and Japan during Christmas break.

The girls are part of a group of 30 ringette players from across the province, taking part in the Far East Ringette Tour. The girls range in age from 11-16 years old.

Coach of the team is long-time ringette coach Barry Mattern of Winnipeg, who will be conducting his tenth goodwill exhibition tour. This will be the second time he has taken a team to Japan, receiving an invitation to return following a similar tour four years ago.

The team will leave Winnipeg, December 26, and return on January 10.

DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Niverville Nighthawks are deserving Turnbull Cup champions

When I walked into the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre to take in a scrimmage last September, my eyes nearly jumped out of my skull.

Not necessarily by the play on the ice, although that was pretty good, but just by looking at the roster cards. The Nighthawks were bringing back so many quality, experienced players I had no idea how other teams in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League would be able to handle them.

A full season later, and it turns out the MJHL had as little a clue as I did that first day in September. The Nighthawks dominated the MJHL this season, scoring the most goals, giving up the fewest, losing just seven regular season games and going 16-1 in the playoffs.

Their sweep in the finals definitely taught me a lesson. When asked to predict the finals, even though I wanted to say “oh Niverville is going to sweep Virden,” I chickened out and picked them in five, even though I was convinced they held a decisive edge all over the ice surface.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Recapping 2 feel-good and 2 feel-bad hockey stories

Sport can inspire and it can enrage. It can cause healing and it can cause hurt. Here are two positive hockey stories and two that will (likely) infuriate you.

BIG-TIME CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NIVERVILLE NIGHTHAWKSKudos to all the players, coaches, managers, parents, billets, fans, sponsors and volunteers with the Nighthawks for winning the Turnbull Cup as the best team in the MJHL.

That the Nighthawks have won a league championship in only their fourth year in existence speaks volumes about their entire organization and everyone working in it.

With a balanced attack consisting of four lines that can do a lot of damage while they wear down the opposition, the Nighthawks convincingly defeated Virden in four games.

Larocque’s Charge outlast Kirk’s Sceptres to make PWHL playoffs

The Professional Women’s Hockey League playoffs were sure to have a Ste Anne flavour to them, but it took until the final day of the regular season to see which of the town’s two players would advance.

In the end, it was Jocelyne Larocque’s Ottawa Charge defeating Raygan Kirk’s Toronto Sceptres 3-0 to nab the fourth and final playoff spot.

Larocque, who is 37-years-old, scored a key goal for Ottawa against New York last week, tallying the game-winner in a critical 5-1 win over the Sirens to put her team on the brink of the playoffs.

“This will be one that I’ll remember for a while. The energy in the building when we were getting close to closing it out was amazing,” Charge captain Brianne Jenner said in a post-game media scrum following the game against the Sceptres.

Niverville Nighthawks sweep to MJHL championship

Any doubts the Niverville Nighthawks were a cut above the rest of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League this season were put to rest in the league finals.

The Nighthawks dominated the West Division champion Virden Oil Capitals, defeating them in four straight games, sweeping their way their first championship.

“It doesn’t even feel real,” team captain Adam Vigfusson said after a 6-2 game four victory.

“To do it with this group of guys, I don’t even know what to say. It’s the best feeling in the world and I’m so proud of this group. We love Niverville. Niverville is the best place to play junior hockey, so to bring it home for them is unreal.”

CARILLON SPORTS SECOND SHOTS: An all Nighthawks edition from April 23

Featuring photos from games one and three of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in Niverville April 17/21 and shots from the team's prospects camp hosted over the weekend.

Loeppky powers Lube into Italian league finals

For the third consecutive season, Steinbach’s Eric Loeppky will be playing in the Italian Superlega finals.

Loeppky was the key contributor for Cucine Lube Civitanova in their game four win over Rana Verona in the semi-finals, finishing with 15 points on 80 % efficiency with three aces.

“This is a wonderful moment for all of us,” Loeppky’s translated post-game comments posted to the Lube website reads.

“For the team, our families, the club, and of course, for our fans. We’ve worked so hard to reach this goal, and now I’m really excited to be playing in another Scudetto final in this jersey.”