The Steinbach Pistons season will be on the line Friday night at the Centennial Arena. Lucas Ens scored 7:14 into overtime to lift the Winkler Flyers past the defending Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions 4-3 Tuesday night at the Niverville Recreation Centre. Ens potted his second of the post-season one second after Steinbach defenseman Shane Burns' two-minute boarding penalty expired. Brody Beauchemin, Jayce Legaarden and Avery Anderson also scored for the Flyers who lead the best-of-seven final three games to none. Leo Chambers, Trey Sauder and Jack Cook replied for the Pistons. Cook's goal 2:09 into the third period tied the game at 3-3. Winkler's Malachi Klassen made 24 saves while Cole Plowman stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced in net for Steinbach.


The Brandon Wheat Kings have a 1-1 preliminary round record at the Telus Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia. The Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League champions scored five third period goals en route to a 7-4 victory over the host Sydney Rush. Jaxson Brick, Colten Worthington, Jonah Lemoine, Josh McGregor, Nolan Saunderson, Brady Turko and Ethan Stewart did the goal scoring for the Wheat Kings who will face the Kensington Wild today at 1 p.m.


Matthew Schaefer scored 2:18 into overtime as Canada shaded Norway 4-3 to close out its pre-tournament schedule ahead of the 2024 World U18 Hockey Championship. Ryder Ritchie, Caleb Desnoyers and Liam Greentree also scored for Team Canada. Ryerson Leenders and Carter George split the goaltending duties. Leenders turned aside 16 of 17 shots, while George made four saves. Canada will play its preliminary round opener Thursday at 11 a.m. against Sweden in Vantaa, Finland.


The Winnipeg Jets gave up four second period goals and lost 5-2 to the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre. Miles Wood, Artturi Lehkonen, Zach Parise, Josh Manson and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche who evened the NHL's best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series at a game apiece. Manson's goal with seven seconds left in the middle frame extended Colorado's lead to 4-2. Nichushkin added an empty netter with 57 seconds left in regulation. David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele replied for the Jets. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 shots in net for Winnipeg. Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves for the Avalanche after allowing seven goals in 23 shots in the series opener on Sunday night. Games three and four will be play in Denver Friday night and Sunday afternoon. 


Mavrik Bourque had two goals and two assists to lead the Texas Stars past the Manitoba Moose 6-3 in game one of the American Hockey League's best-of-three Central Division opening round series. Daniel Torgersson, Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford did the goal scoring for Manitoba. Kyle Capobianco, who was named the Eddie Shore Award winner as the AHL's outstanding defenceman, chipped in with two assists. 


Kadriana Lott & Colton Lott have a 5-1 round robin record at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Oestersund, Sweden after dropping a 6-5 decision to Isabella Wrana & Rasmus Wrana of Sweden in a battle of unbeaten teams. Canada’s only game today is at 7 a.m. against China’s Ying Yang and Jiafeng Tian.

hockey_2023Moose Jaw captain Denton Mateychuk and Brandon forward Jayden Wiens in the handshake line after the Warriors eliminated the Wheat Kings in round one of the WHL playoffs (photo courtesy Scramble Studio/Brandon Wheat Kings)

The Moose Jaw Warriors and Saskatoon Blades will meet in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference final. Warriors captain and Dominion City native Denton Mateychuk will join Clayton Dreger on Sportsbeat which airs Wednesdays at 5:15 p.m. on AM 1250 Radio.