The Brandon Wheat Kings play their final preliminary round game today (1 p.m.) against the Markham Waxers at the 2024 Telus Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia. The Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League champions lost 3-1 to the Calgary Buffaloes on Thursday and have a 2-2 round robin record. Brady Turko had the lone goal for the Wheat Kings who have clinched a spot in the semifinals on Saturday. 


The Winkler Flyers can end the 2023-24 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season tonight with a win over the defending champion Steinbach Pistons at the Centennial Arena. The Flyers, who defeated the Pistons 4-3 in overtime Tuesday night in Niverville, lead the best-of-seven Turnbull Cup final three games to none. Winkler last won the MJHL championship in 1998 when they beat the St. James Canadians in the final. 


The 2024 MJHL Draft will take place on Sunday, June 2nd. This year's draft will feature Manitoba prospects born in 2008. Players who are eligible for the Draft are Manitoba players who were not auto-protected and are going into their 16th year and just finished their first year of U18 eligibility. Prior to the draft, teams may submit up to two Auto-Protect selections from their designated home zone. During the Auto-Protect process, teams have the option to decline an Auto-Protect selection and defer that pick to Round 7 or 8 of the draft. A team that defers one Auto-Protect option will be given an additional draft pick in Round 8, if a team defers both Auto-Protect options they will also be given an additional Round 7 draft pick.


Canada won its preliminary round opener Thursday at the 2024 World U18 Hockey Championship in Vantaa, Finland. Gavin McKenna scored twice in the first period and Carter George turned aside 26 shots as Team Canada defeated Sweden 6-3. Jett Luchanko, Matthew Schaefer, Malcolm Spence and Carson Wetsch also scored for the Canadians. Charlie Elick and Roger McQueen of the Brandon Wheat Kings each had an assist. Canada's next game is today (11 a.m.) against Czechia. 


The Winnipeg Jets meet the Colorado Avalanche tonight in Denver in game three of the NHL's best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Jets and Avalanche split the first two games at Canada Life Centre. Winnipeg won the opener 7-6 on Sunday while Colorado took game two 5-2 on Tuesday. 


The Manitoba Moose saw their Calder Cup playoff run come to an end Thursday night in Cedar Park. Remi Poirier made 41 saves as the Texas Stars blanked Manitoba 2-0 and swept the best-of-three Central Division opening round series in two straight games. Thomas Milic faced 22 shots in net for the Moose. 


Kadriana Lott & Colton Lott lost 6-5 in an extra end to Marie Kaldvee & Harri Lill of Estonia in qualification round at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Oestersund, Sweden. Canada will finish fifth in the championship, which puts our country in solid shape to qualify for the 10-team field for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The combined results of the 2024 and 2025 World Mixed Doubles Championships will determine seven of the teams that will compete alongside host Italy. The remaining two teams will come out of the Olympic Qualification Event in December 2025.