The Eastman Selects scored four unanswered third period goals en route to a 7-4 victory over the defending Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League champion Winnipeg Wild at the Sun Gro Centre in Beausejour. Mason Hooper scored twice for the Selects and singles went to Steele Jowett, Jeremiah Warkentine, Colton Pakoo, Luc De Gagne and Kailen Penner. Eastman netminder Jaxon Loewen made 51 saves including 19 in the final 20 minutes. 


The Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League leading Steinbach Huskies scored six first period goals and beat the Macdonald Swarm 12-3 at the T.G. Smith Centre. Brandon Thiessen had a six-point night with four goals and two assists. Seth Doerksen and Marcus Adrian added two goals each while singles went to Ethan Unger, Eric Mateychuk, Mason Martens and Ian Friesen. Coltyn Plaitin scored twice for the Swarm who dressed just 10 skaters. The Huskies improved to 18-1 and face the second place Springfield Xtreme tonight in Oakbank. 


Travis Hensrud had a hat trick and Cole Plowman made 13 saves as the Steinbach Pistons defeated the Winnipeg Freeze 4-1 at the Hockey For All Centre. Leo Chambers also scored for the Pistons who outshot the Freeze 42-14. 


The Ste. Anne Aces gave up five third period goals and lost 8-5 to the defending SEMHL champion Warren Mercs. Brenden Walker had three goals for the hometown Aces and the other two went to Braden Purtill and Ken Selby. Zack Waldvogel scored the go-ahead goal with 2:38 left in regulation as the Portage Islanders edged the Winkler Royals 3-2. Jens Meilleur had the other two goals for the first place Islanders who improved to 12-0 on the season. Portage is four points ahead of second place Ste. Anne and nine points up on the third place Ile des Chenes Northstars.


The Winnipeg Ice lost 4-3 to Seattle. Nico Myatovic won it for the Thunderbirds as he beat Daniel Hauser 3:26 into overtime. Matthew Savoie had a pair of goals for the Ice. Conor Geekie's 18th of the season tied the game at 3-3 with 5:21 left in regulation. 


Caitlin Kraemer scored twice as Team Canada defeated the United States 3-1 and finished the preliminary round with a 3-0 record at the 2023 World Women's U18 Hockey Championship in Ostersund, Sweden. Emmalee Pais also scored for the Canadians who will play in the semifinals on Saturday. 


The Manitoba Moose dropped a 3-2 decision to the Marlies in Toronto. Jansen Harkins and Dominic Toninato did the goal scoring for the Moose who have one win and three losses on their six-game road trip. Manitoba defenceman Declan Chisholm has been named to the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic taking place February 5th & 6th in Laval, Quebec. The 22-year-old Bowmanville, Ontario native ranks second on the Moose with 22 points (3G, 19A) in 30 games this season. His 19 assists lead the Moose and three power play goals are third-most among Manitoba skaters. Chisholm made his NHL debut last season, appearing in two games with the Winnipeg Jets.


The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed offensive tackle Jermarcus Hardrick to a one-year contract extension. He was scheduled to become a free agent next month. Hardrick returns to the Blue Bombers for a seventh season in 2023. He started 17 regular season games at right tackle in 2022 and was part of an offence that finished second in offensive points (28.2), first in touchdowns (58), second in rushing yards (113.5) while yielding the second-fewest sacks (29). Hardrick was a CFL All-Star in 2021 and was named to the CFL Players’ Association All-Star squad in 2022.


The 133rd Manitoba Open Bonspiel begins tonight with draws at 6 p.m. & 9 p.m. at 13 curling clubs in Winnipeg. The opening ceremonies take place at the Fort Rouge Curling Club. 187 teams entered the full bonspiel and 64 are competing in the half bonspiel. Three spots in the 2023 Viterra Provincial Men's Curling Championship next month in Neepawa will be awarded to teams who are eligible in the full bonspiel.

 

Steinbach defeated the Winnipeg Freeze 4-1 on Wednesday and will play a home-and-home with the Virden Oil Capitals this weekend. Head coach Paul Dyck will join Clayton Dreger on the Pistons Report which airs Thursdays at 5:15 p.m. on AM 1250 Radio.