Local Sports

The Innisfail Eagles' 2024/25 season is officially over.

The North Central Hockey League champions were scheduled to participate in the provincial tournament in Lethbridge next week, however due to low participation, that tournament has been cancelled.

It was a stellar season for the U15 AA  Eastman South Blizzard and the team capped it off by winning the Eastman League Championship.

"After winning Provincials last month, we went on a playoff run," Head Coach Nico Chiasson says proudly. "It was a new format this year, it was round-robin. We tied our first game, won our second game and it came down to a third game in the round-robin where it was lose and it's over or win and we're into the semi-finals. We came out and dominated, winning 8-3."

The Kindersley Jr. Klippers kept their season alive on Wednesday night, defeating the Melfort Mustangs 3-2 in overtime to stay in the hunt in the first round of the SJHL series. The win also marked the club's first playoff victory since 2019.

After good starts in Games 2 and 3, the Klippers managed to survive a first period onslaught from the Mustangs in Game 4. Cody Jaman got the start for Kindersley and made 17 of his 29 saves on the night in the opening frame, as the Klippers managed to escape relatively unharmed only down 1-0 after a Melfort powerplay goal.

Fresh after clinching a playoff spot while resting on a bye week, the Saskatchewan Rush are ready to get back to work with a home game against the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday. 

Rush transition Jarret Smith is a huge fan of the reimagined jerseys that the Rush will be wearing during the game. 

“The more I see them, the more I like them, honestly. I'm excited to wear them.” 

It's all on the line tonight for Moose Jaw's Winmar Warriors as they head into game three of their best-of-five Sask Male AAA Championship final against the Regina Pat Canadians.

The Winmar Warriors trail two games to none in the best-of-five, game time is 7:30 at the Co-operators Arena.

In the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks are staying in the playoff hunt. They beat the New York Islanders 5-2 last night. The Canucks trail St. Louis by three points for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Oilers fell to the Dallas Stars, 4-3 in Edmonton.

The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings pushed the Battlefords North Stars to the brink of elimination Wednesday night, and they did it in dramatic fashion. Liam Fitzgerald scored the overtime winner with 7:21 left in the first overtime period to lift the Red Wings to a 3-2 victory. 

The puck drops at 10 a.m. today (Mar. 27) for the first game of the Yelnats Cup, a unique and celebrated tournament that attracts U18 hockey teams from across Western Canada.

Yelnats, Stanley spelled backward, marks the end of the minor hockey season by giving U18 players a chance to enjoy their final minor hockey games. For some families, it's a teary, sentimental weekend as they watch their children end what has been a huge part of their lives for over a decade.

A big summer for baseball in Estevan is seeing the first steps towards multiple tournaments and other events in the southeast. Estevan Minor Baseball is working towards those events, with teams from across the province getting involved.

President of Estevan Minor Baseball, Mel Murray, says that they're still in the early stages.

"Right now, the AA teams and the AAA teams are getting formed. Once everything gets going, we'll pick our host teams and get them established for the first of May."

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH

MJHL
Playoffs - Quarter-Finals - Best of 7
Game 4
Northern Manitoba 4 Neepawa 3 (Double Overtime)
Northern Manitoba leads series 3-1

Manitoba U15 AAA Female Hockey League
Finals - Best of 5
Eastman 3 Central Plains 2
series is tied at 1-1

Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League
Finals - Best of 5
Game 3
WPG Wild 4 Brandon 3 (Overtime)
Wild win series 3-0

Aviendah Plett started out playing volleyball in Landmark and after years of dedication, hard work and love of the game, she was part of the U of M Bisons that claimed the National Championship this season. 

"Honestly, the feeling is so surreal, I don't think it's fully sunk in yet," Plett says with a big smile, still energized when thinking about what her team accomplished. "It's been almost two weeks, but it is just really, really cool. I'm so grateful for the opportunity, for my coaches and for my teammates, it's just awesome."