Steinbach Piston Hoffman commits to Tennessee State

The Pistons’ Grady Hoffman is taking a chance with his NCAA division 1 decision.

The 2005-born Hoffman has committed to Tennessee State University, the first historically black college and university (HBCU) in the United States to start a division 1 hockey program.

The school’s program is headed by Duanté Abercrombie, who will become the first black head coach in NCAA hockey history when the Tigers take to the ice to start their first year of play in 2025.

Hoffman is one of seven players who are listed on Elite Prospects on Tennessee State’s roster, including three other Canadians. Just hours before Hoffman’s commitment was announced, Brooks Bandits goaltender Johnny Hicks also signed for the Tigers.

DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: My coldest hockey take

In sports, a controversial opinion, given for attention is called a ‘hot take.’ While I have plenty of those I’ll eventually get to in this column, I’d also like to share my coldest take.

There should be more penalty shots in hockey.

Not once have I heard a fan in hockey say ‘oh, I don’t want to watch a penalty shot.’ Even when the team I am rooting for gives one up, I’m happy to give my team’s goaltender a chance to make a stop and not be forced to watch extended pressure that comes from a powerplay.

The penalty shot is a high-stakes one-on-one match-up in a sport dominated by team play. It allows for both skaters and goalies to show personality on the ice and creates a ‘must-watch,’ moment whether it be on TV or in your local arena.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1987: Hawks’ rookie stakes Coach Hares to 300th win

Steinbach Hawks’ rookie goaltender Russell Mehling put on a stellar performance for two periods before leaving with an injury, and Darren Ivanyshyn came on in relief to stop the St Boniface Saints 6-4 and help Coach Al Hares to his 300th Manitoba Junior Hockey League victory.

A night earlier, the Selkirk Steelers defeated the Hawks 9-3, making sure the coach they had fired a year earlier did not earn his 300th win in their building.

Hares would like to have posted his 300th victory in Selkirk Friday, but settled instead for a little pre-game excitement and a home ice victory against the St Boniface Saints Saturday.

Mehling made 13 saves in the first period, and it looked like the Hawks were headed to the dressing room with a 1-0 lead, compliments of Mike Martens’ power play marker. But the Hawks got sloppy in their own end and Greg Lajoie banged in a second rebound to even the score with 10 seconds on the clock.

Puck drops on new era of hockey in La Broquerie

The long wait for La Broquerie hockey fans to see a team from their town take to the ice for competitive junior or senior hockey games finally came to an end last weekend.

After playing their first two games on the road, the Capital Region Junior Hockey League (CRJHL) expansion La Broquerie Habs finally got a chance to kick off their home schedule with a pair of games Oct. 11 and 13.

Connor Tallaire scored the first goal for the Habs in the HyLife Centre in a 5-1 loss to league-leaders Beausejour Friday night, before a 8-1 blowout victory over Lundar Sunday. Tallaire is from La Broquerie and just 16-years-old.

Despite the 1-1 record, La Broquerie head coach Dan Taillefer was glowing after the weekend’s action.

Steinbach’s Heide goes from walk-on to starter at Waterloo

The Providence Pilots women’s soccer team is playing close to or at a USports level.

If it wasn’t shown by an exhibition victory over the University of Winnipeg, it’s shown by Steinbach’s Paige Heide finding success at Waterloo University.

Heide played four years with the Pilots, winning the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) player of the year award last year and helped the team to a national championship in the Christian Colleges Athletic Association in 2022.

She’s since moved to to Waterloo University in Ontario to begin her schooling for optometry.

Steinbach Regional Sabres ground game too much for Garden City

Thanks to a dominant running game, the Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres are one win away from returning to the top tier of the playoffs in the Winnipeg High School Football League.

The Sabres rolled right over the Garden City Gophers at A.D. Penner Park Oct. 10, to the tune of a 60-20 victory.

On an unusually warm fall afternoon, Steinbach’s offensive line looked unbeatable, with the team racking up more than 300 yards in the victory.

Josiah Griener continued his outstanding season, breaking the 900 yard mark on the year while scoring five touchdowns.

Carillon Sports second shots from Oct. 10th edition

Featuring Steinbach Regional Secondary School varsity volleyball matches Oct. 1 and 2 in Steinbach, the Zone 13 soccer championships hosted in Niverville Oct. 3, an Eastman Selects 18U female hockey game in Niverville Oct. 5, a Niverville pickleball tournament Oct. 5 and a SRSS junior varsity football game Oct. 8.

New captain Spirig hoping Niverville Nighthawks can take next step

The Niverville Nighthawks have turned to Carter Spirig to lead them into their third year.

Spirig, a 2004-born forward from Peace River, Alta. has been a member of the Nighthawks since they first joined the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 2022, and was named the team’s captain before the start of this season.

“Growing up as a kid, it’s always something you work towards,” Spirig said before Niverville’s weekend road trip.

“I’ve had opportunities where I’ve worn a letter, just an ‘A.’ This year I got named captain, which is a pretty big stepping stone for me. Now I get a chance to lead a good team to hopefully a championship this year.”

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1960: Dutchmen surprise Winnipeg football crowd

The Steinbach Landmark Dutchmen shut out the West Kildonan Mustangs 18-0 in the 1960 season opener of the Manitoba Intermediate Football League. Both the victory and the score came as a huge surprise to the Winnipeg football crowd, which included Henry Janzen, who had written off the upstart rural team before it even hit the field for league play.

Janzen, who played with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for seven seasons, earning rookie-of-the year, CFL all-star honors and a spot in the CFL Hall of Fame along the way, came out to watch his friend Wilmer Penner and the Landmark Dutchmen practice.

Wilmer Penner, who brought football back to rural Manitoba in the late 1950s and was still at the helm when his team won another league championship decades later, recalls Janzen’s comments prior to that first game in 1960.

Janzen, at the time, pretty well ruled out chances for a viable football program in a community as small as Landmark, which he referred to as “Penner’s folly.” After watching that pre-season practice, the future Winnipeg Blue Bomber star predicted a short run for the Dutchmen in league play.

Providence Pilots need name for new mascot

The Providence Pilots are asking for their fans’ help in naming the school’s new mascot.

The Otterburne-based college looked to the community’s name for inspiration, choosing an otter as the mascot.

The Pilots are accepting name suggestions online until Oct. 11, with voting beginning on Oct. 14 and the winning name announced Oct. 18.

The person who first suggested the chosen name will be rewarded with team gear.

SRSS volleyball aiming to continue standout AAAA run

It is a season of high expectations for the Steinbach Regional Secondary School’s varsity boys volleyball team.

That isn’t reflected by the team’s wins, but how head coach Kyle Martens responded after the team’s first league loss of the season in four sets to Dakota Oct. 2.

“We didn’t show up tonight,” Martens said.

“Everything from serving to passing to offense, defense. Nothing really looked good tonight. We’ll try to regroup.”

Niverville sweeps Zone 13 soccer banners

The Niverville High School Panthers made the soccer zone championships look easy, winning both the boys and girls banner, defeating Gabrielle-Roy in both matches.

The playoffs were hosted inside Niverville’s Hespler Park Oct. 3.

The boys match was scoreless through the first half, and a single goal was all that was needed for the Panthers to advance. Niverville also defeated Landmark 1-0 in a semi-final match earlier in the day to advance to the final.

Gabrielle-Roy defeated Niverville 3-1 in exhibition play earlier this year.