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The Winkler Flyers will play on the weekend at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ontario. The Flyers are the team that eliminated Portage from the MJHL playoffs this past season and they are representing the province and this years national championships after winning their first league title since 1998.
Monday night, Malachi Klassen stopped all 24 shots he faced as the Flyers shutout the host Oakville Blades 4-0. The win clinched a playoff spot for the team.
The game was scoreless until the second period when Dalton Andrew got the Flyers on the board as he scored his sixth of the tournament 3:27 into the middle frame.
James Richards extended Winkler's lead to 2-0 just over three minutes later.
"It was good to find our game as the game went along," texted Flyers head coach Justin Falk. "Bit of a feeling out process again as you play an unknown team and will we continue to work on finding our game early. In the second and third period we started to find our groove and understand the adjustments on the big ice surface."
Avery Anderson and Nicolas McKee scored empty net goals late in the third period.
Discipline also played a huge role in Winkler's win Monday night as the Turnbull Cup champions took just one minor penalty after taking nine in their 6-5 shootout loss to the Melfort Mustangs on Saturday afternoon.
The Flyers have moved into first place in Group B with seven points.
Winkler will clinch at the very least second place with a regulation win in their final preliminary round game tonight (6:30 p.m.) against the Miramichi Timberwolves.
The Maritime Junior Hockey League champions have six points with one game left.
Melfort has five points and two games remaining.
"Lots to play for standings wise," noted coach Falk when asked about his team's final round robin game. "More importantly we're looking for consistency in our process."