The Niverville Clippers and Springfield Xtreme have joined the Steinbach Huskies in the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League semifinals. The Clippers ended the Lorette Comets reign as HTJHL champions. Teo Lambert and Micah Funk scored 75 seconds apart late in the third period as Niverville edged the Comets 4-3 and took the best-of-five opening round series three games to one. Braeden Rebeck had a hat trick and Brady Chambers had three assists as the Xtreme downed the Landmark Blues 5-1 and swept that series in three straight. The Red River Mudbugs meet the Macdonald Swarm tonight in St. Jean in the deciding fifth game of their series. Visiting teams have won the first four games.


Travis Hensrud scored the go-ahead goal at 12:25 of the third period and the Steinbach Pistons held on for a 5-4 victory over the Dauphin Kings. Ian Amsbaugh, Brett Kaiser, Warren Clark and Davin Griffin also scored for the Pistons who trailed the Kings 2-1 after 40 minutes. Niverville lost 5-3 to Swan Valley. The Nighthawks, who went winless during their five-game homestand, lead Selkirk by just one point in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s East Division. The Steelers fell 5-4 in a shootout to the OCN Blizzard.


Damon Johnson had five goals and an assist as St. Malo won its regular season finale 10-0 over the North Winnipeg Satelites. Braeden McFarlane added a goal and three helpers for the Warriors who finished in second place in the Capital Region Junior Hockey League with a record of 21-6-0-2-1.


The Eastman Selects dropped a 5-2 decision to the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League leading Wheat Kings in Brandon. Jeremiah Warkentine and Steele Jowett scored power play goals for the Selects.


The South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League semifinals are set. The Ste. Anne Aces face the Portage Islanders and the Warren Mercs will meet the Morden Bombers. Reed Peters made 36 saves as Morden defeated the Northstars 4-3 Saturday night in Ile des Chenes. Mike Rey, Jay Fehr, David Victor and Andrew Clark did the goal scoring for the Bombers who swept the best-of-five quarterfinal in three straight. Matthew Osadick, Riley Beauchemin and Brent Wold replied for the Northstars.


The Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Ice picked up road wins Saturday night. Calder Anderson had a goal and an assist and Carter Bjarnason made 21 saves as the Wheat Kings downed the Swift Current Broncos 3-1. Matthew Savoie and Zack Ostapchuk scored two goals each as the Ice beat the Regina Pats 7-4.