MJHL sweeps day two, takes MJ/SJ Showcase 4-2

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League picked up wins in all three games of day two at the MJHL/SJHL Showcase, giving the hosts a 4-2 record to close out the event.

MJHL U20 Black vs SJHL U20 Gold

On the back of an excellent goaltending performance and some detailed defensive zone adjustments, MJHL’s team black got the day started with a 5-1 statement win.

Right from puck drop, there was a buzz, an electricity, knowing the MJHL needed a strong start to the game if they hoped to improve on the first day’s 1-2 record.

“We want to come out and set the tone,” a coach said prior to the game. “We want to show the other teams that we’re in the fight and a good showing would do that.”

For a fourth straight game of the event, the MJHL opened the scoring.

Portage Terrier standout Cam Bullinger finished off a wonderful rush by the MJHL, giving them a 1-0 lead. Dauphin Kings Matthew Thomas and Caydin Glover picked up the assists.

As has been a theme, when the MJ scores, the SJ answers. They did so again with a power play goal to tie things up 1-1.

That’s the last time the game would be deadlocked as the MJHL took over the scoreboard from there.

Steinbach Pistons forward Grady Hoffman gave the MJHL the lead back as the 19-year-old fought his way to the front of the net and cashed in on a pass from fellow Piston Connor Paronuzzi. The 2-1 goal was also assisted by Swan Valley Captain Landen Gulutzan. 

In the second, it was the Niverville Nighthawks forward Matteo Speranza taking a pass from Piston Brett Kaiser and roofing a perfect shot that hammered the inside bar so hard, the puck shot out and for a few moments, no one was sure if the puck went in. The official was emphatic that it did in fact go in and Speranza celebrated his second of the event and a 3-1 lead for the MJHL. Glover of Dauphin nabbed his second helper of the game.

Nolan Nenow of the Portage Terriers would get the MJHL another goal in the middle frame as the dynamic sniper used an excellent decoy move, freezing the goalie before snapping home a perfect shot to make it 4-1 for Team Black. Fellow Terriers Decker Mujcin and Owen Witt collected the assists.

While the guys in front did the scoring, the reason they were able to go out and hunt for goals was because of the sensational work by Cole Sheffield. 

The Dauphin King netminder was spectacular throughout the game, making save after save. From deflections on points shots to jam plays in tight, to even a penalty shot in the later stages of the second, the 20-year-old had an answer for anything and everything the SJHL through at him.

That play continued in the third as the MJ worked the clock down to the final few minutes. 

Trying to find goals, the SJ pulled the goalie but Bullinger sealed it as the Terrier notched his second of the game. The unassisted empty netter sealed a 5-1 win.

Sheffield was named player of the game after making 43 saves for the win.

MJHL U20 Red vs SJHL U20 White

In a physical, back and forth heavy weight slugfest, MJHL Team Red managed to score four third-period goals and with some timely saves late, secured the MJHL’s second win of the day, 6-4.

For the first time, it was the SJHL that scored first, taking a 1-0 lead on a shorthanded goal before the midway point of the period.

MJHL responded on a 5-on-3 power play as Winkler Flyer defender Isaiah Peters hammered a point shot through traffic and in to tie the game 1-1. Fellow Flyers Nic Gudmundson and Brody Beauchemin picked up the assists.

In the second, Beauchemin would give his team the lead as the Flyers captain came off the bench, took a pretty feed from Jayce Legaarden, worked his way around the SJHL netminder and tucked home a backhander to make it 2-1 MJHL. Brady Craik, another Flyer, also picked up an assist.

Again, the SJHL responded, scoring less than three minutes later to knot the game again 2-2 and that’s the way things went into intermission.

Before the final period was three minutes old, the SJHL took the lead, 3-2.

It would be the last time the SJHL would lead the game.

Quincy Supprien of the Northern Manitoba Blizzard got the scoring party started as the speedster took a perfect pass, broke in on a semi-breakaway, deked the goalie and tucked in the 3-3 marker. Fellow Blizzard teammate Keenan McNeil had one assist as did Virden Oil Capital defender Ty Plasier.

Just over three minutes later, Sean Williams walked in from the half-wall and wired a perfect shot for his first of the event. The Niverville Nighthawks scoring machine started the play by keeping a puck in at the blueline then finished it off with a beauty with the assists going to another Nighthawk, Merik Boles and Neepawa Titan forward Caden Hegarty.

The MJ wasn’t done scoring as they pushed the lead to 5-3 thanks to Nighthawks scoring leader Adam Vigfusson, who used the distraction of Plaisier getting runover behind the net to sneak out front and bury his first of the event. Plaisier who took the hit to make the play, nabbed the lone assist.

Another shorthanded goal later in the period by the SJHL brought it to 5-4 but that would be as close as they would get.

Jayce Legaarden sealed the victory with an empty netter, which also happened to be shorthanded, giving Team Red the 6-4 win. Plaisier picked up his third assist of the game while Blizzard standout Miguel Bouvier also picked up a helper.

Austin Dubinsky was rock solid in goal for Team Red as the Nighthawk starter finished a strong 20 saves, including several shots that changed direction and plays that forced the goaltender to show off his insane athletic ability, stretching all the way across the net several times to either makes saves or force the SJHL into missing the net completely.

MJHL U18 White vs SJHL U18 Blue

For a second straight game, the U18’s couldn’t decide a winner in regulation or overtime, so the game required a shootout, one which saw 15 rounds go by before the MJHL was crowned the winner.

In the final game of the day, the SJHL would grab a 1-0 lead, scoring in the first period for the second straight game, taking a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

After a sleepy first, the MJHL woke up and upped the pace, using that speed to tie the game as Blizzard defender Esteban Cinq-Mars scored his second of the event, snapping home a quick shot from near the side boards. Owen Warnick of Selkirk and Mathis Laplante of Steinbach picked up the assists.

The rest of the game was a goalie battle as Taye Timmerman from Northern Manitoba and the SJHL netminder went save for save through the second and third periods, as well as overtime.

With no winner through all of that, a shootout was needed and it would turn out to be an unlikely hero getting the job done as Flyer defender Max Lavoie, the 15th MJHL shooter to take part, scored on a quick shot that surprised the Team Blue goalie, giving the MJHL the hammer.

Timmerman, who was sensational throughout the shootout, made the last big save of the game and gave the MJHL the 2-1 shootout victory, completing the sweep of the day and ending the Showcase with a 4-2 record.

On top of the shootout, Timmerman finished with 34 saves.

Back To Reality

After a fun few days as teammates, the MJHL and SJHL stars are set to return home with regular season games starting up for some as soon as Friday night.