SPORTS FLASHBACK 1980: American teams no match for Steinbach Millers in Utah

The Steinbach U18 Millers had been scoring one-sided victories in the first two months of the 1979-80 season and their trip to Salt Lake City, Utah in December proved to be no different.

With the exception of the first game against the host team, which Steinbach won by a single goal, teams from Salt Lake, Phoenix, Arizona and Aspen, Colorado provided little opposition for the Millers on their way to a six-game winning streak. The Millers completed the tournament undefeated, outscoring the opposition 59-10 in six games.

The only disappointment for the trip was that teams expected from Calgary and Sweden were unable to attend the Salt Lake City tournament.

Millers coach Randy Penner said he was disappointed his team had not faced stronger opposition at the tournament, but thought the trip had been a worthwhile experience for the boys.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: ‘Too late’ MJHL thoughts and predictions

I know it might come off as disingenuous, but I saw the Niverville Nighthawks season coming.

There were two predictions I made before the start of this Manitoba Junior Hockey League Season that I considered outside common knowledge.

That the Niverville Nighthawks were the best team in the league and that the Winnipeg Blues would be competitive for a playoff spot.

While the Blues have certainly taken a step forward, it’s not quite as big a leap as I had hoped. But the Nighthawks have certainly made me look smart to anyone I told those two predictions to before the start of the year.

MJHL trade market heating up

The region’s two Manitoba Junior Hockey League teams are tweaking their rosters, as the annual Canadian junior hockey roster freeze is just over a month away.

The Niverville Nighthawks, in the middle of an undefeated month of November, added 2006-born forward Renat Nahnieiev. Nahnieiev is a Ukrainian International, joining Canadian minor hockey ranks in the 2022/2023 season. After graduating high school, he spent a year with the Winnipeg Blues, before moving to Weyburn of the Saskatchewan junior league at the start of this season.

Niverville sent a player development fee to Weyburn in exchange for the 2006-born forward.

Nahnieiev’s 24 points across 37 games played was good enough to put him third on the Blues for points per game in the 2024/2025 season.

Niverville and Oakbank finalists for Jets Town Takeover

Voting is now open to see which Manitoba town will welcome the Winnipeg Jets for a day.

Gimli, Niverville and Oakbank were announced as the three finalists for the Jets Town Takeover. The Jets first Town Takeover took place in Morris in 2019, with Stonewall and Oakville hosting in years following the pandemic.

“I am excited to see our community chosen as one of the finalists for the Jets Town Takeover,” Niverville Mayor Myron Dyck said in a town news release.

“Being selected as a finalist is an honour and is in large part due to our many great volunteers. Just being selected as a finalist puts a spotlight on us and our small-town feel. I can’t wait to see Niverville win and have the Jets in our community come March.”

Gabrielle-Roy, Steinbach Regional fall in provincial AAAA semis

Dreams of adding a top-tier volleyball banner to the walls of a local high school gym came to an end Nov. 27 in Winnipeg as both Gabrielle-Roy and Steinbach Regional Secondary School’s varsity boys volleyball teams fell in the provincial semi-finals.

Les Roys were taken down in straight sets by eventual champions St Paul’s in convincing fashion. The small school, which normally plays at the AA level but moves up to the AAAA level for boys volleyball, were dominated in the first two sets, falling behind 16-6 and 21-12 in a pair of lopsided scores.

The third saw the underdogs come alive, as the top ranked St Paul’s team were pushed to the limit, with Les Roys taking a 19-17 lead, before finally falling 27-25.

It was the closest any team came to giving St Paul’s a set loss at provincials, as the Crusaders swept all three matches they played at the tournament to clinch their first provincial volleyball championship since 2015.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: Nov 27th edition

Featuring photos from an SRSS Sabres hockey game Nov. 19, Providence volleyball games Nov. 21, a CRJHL game in La Broquerie Nov. 22, a Steinbach Pistons game at the SEC Nov. 23 and the junior varsity AAAA MHSAA finals at Tec-Voc Nov. 24.

Providence Pilots men’s team back on top of MCAC volleyball standings

The names and numbers carrying the on-court load may be different, but the Providence Pilots men’s volleyball team is in a familiar spot after seven games in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference season.

After dropping their home opener, the Pilots rattled off four in a row, including a straight sets victory over Assiniboine College Nov. 21.

While Providence dropped the re-match the next day in five sets, they still lead the MCAC standings, with a 5-2 record. It’s a strong start for a group dealing with the departure of several key veterans.

Grunthal’s Noah Boschman had been the go-to offensive option for the past three years but graduated at the end of last season. International players Arturo Duran (Honduras) and Sebastian Verdaguer (Australia) have also moved on, with Verdaguer continuing his collegiate career at the USports level with the University of Winnipeg.

Winnipeg Jets owner Mark Chipman to headline Pistons banquet

For the first time, the Steinbach Pistons will get to host their annual banquet on the same surface they play on.

The team will be covering the ice at the Southeast Event Centre for their annual Fire and Ice Banquet. Previous events have been held at the Niverville Heritage Centre.

”It’s an opportunity to celebrate the team’s community impact, connect with fellow supporters, and hear from a leader in Canadian hockey,” a Pistons news release reads.

With the new space, comes a high-profile speaker. Mark Chipman, the chairman of True North Sports and Entertainment, will be delivering the keynote address.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1982: Ste Anne Lynx undefeated on way to provincial ‘A’ v-ball title

The Ste Anne Lynx came close to losing a volleyball game Saturday. They have Marilyn Mourant to thank for not delaying the start of their victory party at the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association’s Provincial “A” volleyball championships..

When Mourant went to the serving line in the provincial “A” finals at St Norbert, the Lynx were trailing Ashern 14-8. When she finished, she had counted eight straight serving points and the team was the new provincial “A” champion.

The Lynx went through the round-robin of the tournament without a loss and sidelined the other Seine River Division team from St Norbert in the semi-finals.

Ashern didn’t lose a game in the round-robin either, going 10 and zero, and polished off Rosenort in short order in the semis by 15-5 scores in two straight games.

Denton Mateychuk making mark in sophomore NHL season with Columbus Blue Jackets

It was a debut nearly a year in the making.

After starting last season in the American Hockey League, Denton Mateychuk made his NHL debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets Dec. 23, 2024.

While that debut was celebrated, it came just a couple weeks after the Blue Jackets had played their lone game in Winnipeg, meaning the Manitoba debut for the Dominion City star had to come this season.

Mateychuk finally took to the NHL in his home province Nov. 18, in front of what seemed like the entire town of Dominion City who had made the trip to the Canada Life Centre watch him play.

Junior Varsity Sabres fall in AAAA finals, varsity team headed to University of Manitoba for semis

The Manitoba High School Athletic Association provincial volleyball schedule continues to roll on.

The junior varsity provincials are finished, with the Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres boys team falling in heartbreaking fashion to the JH Bruns Broncos during the finals, hosted at Tec-Voc high school Nov. 24.

The Sabres took a 2-1 set lead, but lost the fourth, setting up an absolute battle in the fifth and final. After falling behind early, Steinbach fought back to tie the set 12-12, before a three-point run from the Broncos clinched the banner.

To reach the final, the Sabres defeated Gabrielle-Roy in an all-Eastman match-up. Les Roys boys teams continue to play above their usual AA designation, and compete at the AAAA level despite the school’s small size.

Carillon Sports Second Shots: Nov 20th edition

Featuring photos from the South Central Athletic Conference semi-finals at Steinbach Regional Nov. 12, games from the SRSS hockey tournament Nov. 14, a Steinbach Pistons game Nov. 14, Providence Pilots basketball games Nov. 15, a few shots from the Niverville Nighthawks that same night and the Zone 13 AAA boys varsity championship Nov. 17.