Local Sports

Another young athlete has returned to Manitoba to take on what may be his final season of junior hockey.

Carson Bjarnason, from Carberry, MB, is back with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL after getting into the preseason with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers. He notes that the experience taught him a lot.

The Moose Jaw Warriors played a hard-fought road game to come away with a win in Medicine Hat.

The Warriors doubled up the Tigers, 6-3, to secure their first road win of the 2024-25 season on Saturday night at Co-op Place.

“We played hard, we knew that we had to, we knew what we were facing here tonight,” Warriors associate coach Scott King said.

The U18 AAA Weyburn Gold Wings were looking for their first win of the young season Saturday afternoon as they entertained the Prince Albert Bears at Crescent Point Place. The Gold Wings would get a stellar performance between the pipes from Tila Boyd while three players found the back of the net as Weyburn went on to a 3-0 victory. 

The Gold Wings opened the scoring late in the first period, as Jade Olszewski put the puck behind Bears goalie Annika Neufeldt with 3:03 remaining in the period. Her goal was assisted by Hallie Parada. 

The Richardson Pioneer Weyburn Red Wings had been waiting for the goals to come through the first four games of the season. Saturday night, they did come, in spades, as they tripled the Nipawin Hawks 6-2 at Crescent Point Place. 

Bryan Laing scored twice and Brodie Cameron made 19 saves in recording the shutout as the Southwest Cougars defeated the Central Plains Capitals 3-0 at Stride Place in Portage la Prairie. Lynden Gould also scored for the Cougars who will meet the Interlake Lightning Sunday in Teulon.

The Virden Oil Capitals lost 7-0 to the Selkirk Steelers at Tundra Oil & Gas Place. Noel Olsonawski stopped 39 shots in net for the Steelers who are 8-0 to start the 2024-25 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season. Virden netminder Nik Trakakis made 28 saves.

The Steinbach Pistons completed a four-point weekend road trip with a 6-2 victory over the Swan Valley Stampeders in Swan River. The visitors led 3-2 after forty minutes and pulled away thanks to a three-goal third period. Connor Paronuzzi had a pair of goals for the Pistons while the rest went to Jackson Kostiuk, James Fuchs, Cole Cairns and captain Noah Szabo. Steinbach netminder Zack Burleigh made 24 saves.

Rayna Hennie's game-winner late in the third period Saturday night lifted the Swift Current Innovation Federal Credit Union U18 AAA Wildcats to a comeback win over the Saskatoon Stars in their home opener.

Wildcats defenceman Hennie scored with 5:39 remaining in regulation to break a deadlock powering Swift Current to a 2-1 win at S3 West Arena. 

"I just saw an open net with traffic in front of the net and thought it was a good opportunity for me to shoot," she said describing her goal from the blue line. 

The Pembina Valley Hawks are 0-2 to start the 2024-25 Manitoba Female U18 AAA Hockey League season. Pembina Valley dropped a 10-1 decision to the Winnipeg Avros. Abby Brigg scored the lone goal for the Hawks who were outshot 49-31 by the Avros. Pembina Valley’s next game is Sunday (2 p.m.) against the Eastman Selects in Morden.

Pembina Valley lost 4-3 to the Interlake Lightning. Lucas Spencer scored the go-ahead goal with 1:35 left in the third period for the Lightning. Ragnar Gillis had a pair of goals for the Hawks while the other went to Haiden Friesen.

The Swift Current Comp. Colts pushed the top-ranked Greenall Griffins Saturday afternoon at home but ultimately came up short in their final game of the regular season.

Five different Greenall players found the endzone in a wildly windy contest as they downed the Colts 39-14 to remain perfect on the season. Griffins receiver Rogan Pipko had a team-high 96 yards (71 receiving and 25 passing) and a touchdown and running back Shane McDougall rushed for 82 yards including a touchdown.

Rylan Gould had a career night while Ty Coupland’s first career hat-trick would end the undefeated streak of the Saskatoon Blades with a 6-3 Swift Current Bronco victory Friday night.

The Broncos would open the scoring at 7:28 on a Blades power play Rylan Gould (Headingly, MB) would break in on a shorthanded chance and beat goaltender Evan Gardner to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead from Clarke Caswell (Brandon, MB). The Blades would come back just under seven minutes later with Cooper Williams solving Reid Dyck (Steinbach, MB) drawing things even at 1-1 after 1.