– The Brandon Wheat Kings got a much-needed win Tuesday night, downing the Saskatoon Blades 8-5. The Wheat Kings got goals from eight different players, with Ryan Pulock and Richard Nejezchleb having a goal and two assists each. The victory snapped Brandon’s four-game losing streak and moves the Wheat Kings two points ahead of Red Deer and Prince Albert in the race for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The Rebels and Raiders both have a game in hand. CKLQ’s Bruce Luebke has more on the game on his blog at http://luberslounge.blogspot.ca/
– The Moose Jaw Warriors scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat Prince Albert 6-3 in one of the other games in the WHL Tuesday night. Other action included Elkhorn product Travis Sanheim scoring his fifth goal of the season to help the Calgary Hitmen to a 5-3 win over Lethbridge. The Hitmen remain tied with Edmonton for first-place in the Eastern Conference. The Oil Kings blanked Kootenay 1-0 Tuesday night as Triston Jarry made 20 saves for his league-leading eighth shutout of the season.
– It was deja vu for the Dauphin Kings and OCN Blizzard Tuesday night. Michael Stiliadis stopped 19 shots for his second straight shutout as Dauphin blanked OCN 5-0 to take a 2-0 lead in the MJHL’s Sher-Wood Division semifinal. The Kings also took Game #1 by the same score. Meanwhile, Liam Bilton scored a power-play goal in double overtime as the Winnipeg Blues beat Selkirk 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their Addison Division semifinal. The Blues finished 32 points behind the Steelers in the regular season standings.
– The Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and went on to a 5-2 victory over the Grandview Comets to open the North Central Hockey League’s Championship Series Tuesday night. Jason Bowles had a goal and an assist for the C-Hawks while Cody Gardham stopped 31 shots in the Miniota-Elkhorn net. Game #2 of the Best-of-Five League Final is Friday in Grandview.
– Jaycee Magwood scored 11:40 into the second overtime as the Westman Wildcats downed the Winnipeg Avros 3-2 in Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League action Tuesday night. The Wildcats overcame a 2-0 third period deficit to send the game to extra time, with Katie Crowe scoring the game-tying goal with 3:07 left in regulation. Westman has a 2-0 lead in the Best-of-Five semifinal, with Game #3 in Winnipeg on Friday night.
– It’ll be minor tweaks, not major overhauls, to come from this week’s NHL general managers meetings in Florida. There were a number of radical ideas discussed to try and reduce the number of games decided in a shootout but, in the end, none gained much traction. However, a recommendation is expected to be put forth to have teams switch ends to begin overtime. The GM’s are also recommending some minor adjustments on faceoffs moving forward.
– The Dallas Stars say forward Rich Peverley is in stable condition and resting comfortably in hospital. Peverley collapsed on the bench in the first period of Monday night’s home game against Columbus. The 31-year-old has a history of heart issues. The Stars edged St. Louis 3-2 in overtime in one of the nine NHL games Tuesday night. The victory for Dallas leaves them six points ahead of the Winnipeg Jets for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
– The Chelsea Carey curling team is parting ways. The reigning provincial women’s champions delivered the news via a message on the team’s Facebook page Tuesday. Carey is moving to Edmonton to form a new team with former Canadian Junior Champion Laura Crocker, while third Kristy McDonald is returning to the skip position on a new team consisting of third Kate Cameron, second Leslie Wilson and lead Raunora Westcott. No word on where the former Carey front-end of Kristen Foster and Lindsay Titheridge will play next season.
– Former Brandonite Israel Idonije is officially looking for a new team. Idonije became an NFL free agent Tuesday, and Detroit Lions’ general manager Martin Mayhew confirmed the team won’t be bringing the 33-year old defensive lineman back. Idonije had 11 tackles and 1/2 a sack with Detroit last season after spending the previous nine years with the Chicago Bears.
– Both Neelin Spartans teams have earned spots into the Provincial AAA High School Basketball Championship. Quinton Hunter and Andrew Paul had 29 points each as the Spartans beat Swan Valley 83-65 Tuesday night in a Varsity Boys’ Interzone Playoff. The Spartans’ Varsity Girls’ team was awarded a wildcard berth, while the Interzone Playoff Tuesday had top-ranked Virden trouncing Swan Valley 82-24.
– Another gold medalist from the 2014 Olympics will be in the Wheat City later this week. Jocelyne Larocque will be at the Hockey Mantioba Senior Women’s Provincials at the Keystone Centre on Saturday and Sunday. Larocque helped Canada’s women’s hockey team to gold at the Sochi Games. She and former Olympian Fiono Smith-Bell will participate in a hot stove session Saturday afternoon, followed by an autograph session. Larocque’s visit comes on the heals of gold medal winning curler Kaitlyn Lawes visiting Brandon on Monday. You can find more information on the visit here.
