Matt Dunstone will meet Reid Carruthers in the final of the 2023 Viterra Provincial Men’s Curling Championship at 2:30 p.m. at the Yellowhead Centre in Neepawa. Dunstone defeated Braden Calvert 8-4 in this morning's semifinal. Carruthers beat Calvert 7-4 in the 1-2 page playoff game Saturday night and earned a bye to the final.
 

The Springfield Xtreme, Macdonald Swarm and Lorette Comets were winners in the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League playoffs Saturday night. Kai Orchard, Cayden St. Laurent and Evan Veinot did the goal scoring as the Xtreme shaded Landmark 3-2. Kieren Reimer and Jacob Penner replied for the Blues. Talon Weselak had a hat trick and Adam Bossuyt added a goal and three helpers as the Swarm downed the Red River Mudbugs 7-4. Those were the first games in their respective best-of-five opening round series. Callum Tremblay had a goal and two assists as the Comets beat the Niverville Clippers 5-3 and evened that series at a game apiece.


Nicholas Mikan scored Steinbach’s lone goal in the Pistons 4-1 loss to Selkirk. Carter Cormier and Lucas Brennan had power play goals for the hometown Steelers.


Ginger Fast scored the lone Eastman goal in the Selects 2-1 loss to the defending Manitoba Female U18 AAA Hockey League champion Westman Wildcats in their regular season finale. Eastman will meet the Yellowhead Chiefs in round one of the playoffs.


The Portage Islanders are one win away from advancing to round two of the SEMHL playoffs. Steve Christie made 32 saves as the Islanders defeated the Winkler Royals 3-1 and now lead the best-of-five quarterfinal two games to none. Matt Jacobucci scored twice as the Warren Mercs downed the Notre Dame Hawks 6-1 and Brendan Walker had a goal and two assists as the Ste. Anne Aces shaded the Red River Wild 4-3. Those were the first games in their respective series.


The Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Ice were winners on home ice Saturday night. Brett Hyland and Dawson Pasternak scored two minutes and thirty-three seconds apart early in the third period as the Wheat Kings rallied from a 2-0 deficit and beat the Calgary Hitmen 3-2. The Ice scored five first period goals en route to a 7-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings.


Blake Wheeler had two goals and an assist as the Winnipeg Jets downed the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 at Canada Life Centre. Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele with his 32nd of the season also scored for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for the Jets who played their first game since January 30th.


Oskari Salminen made 35 saves as the Manitoba Moose defeated the Grand Rapids Griffins 5-1. Jansen Harkins and Kristian Reichel each had a goal and an assist for the Moose.


Shaela Hayward of Carman and Colton Olafson of Portage Collegiate captured the 2023 Provincial High School Curling Championships Saturday in The Pas. Hayward, Keira Krahn, Rylie Cox and India Young defeated Dahlia Snaith of Carberry 10-4 in the “B” side final. The Carman Cougars foursome went undefeated and won the provincial championship banner for the second year in a row. Olafson, Nolan Ross, Tristan Blight and Hunter Jeffries downed Scott Gower of Dauphin 12-7 in the “B” final and also went undefeated.


Shyla Johnson & Max Barrett of Garden City won the Provincial High School Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Rivers. Johnson & Barrett shutout Luke Robins & Ella Robins of West Kildonan 10-0. Rayna Plett & Colton Penner of Steinbach Christian lost 8-2 to Eva Cross and Kieran Reid of Nellie McClung Collegiate in Manitou in the round of 16.