Keifer Johnston and Cam Whyte scored the tying and go-ahead goals 22 seconds apart midway through the third period as the Virden Oil Kings edged the Melita Bisons 5-4 Thursday night at Tundra Oil & Gas Place in game one of their Tiger Hills Hockey League best-of-three West Division quarterfinal. Andrew Gerrand, Jaxon Heeney and Riley Shamray also scored for the Oil Kings. Ryan Crepeele had a pair of goals for the Bisons. The rest went to Mike Tilbury and Will Brown. Game two goes tonight in Melita.

 

The Western Hockey League announced the 2022 WHL playoffs will begin Friday, April 22, allowing for an update of the 2021-22 regular season schedule, including the rescheduling of previously postponed regular season games. The regular season is now scheduled to conclude on Sunday, April 17. Should tie-breaker game(s) be needed, it will be scheduled for Tuesday, April 19. The 2022 WHL playoffs will feature the reintroduction of the Conference playoff format, including the best-of-seven rounds followed by the best-of-seven WHL Championship Series which is scheduled to begin Friday, June 3.

 

The 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship has been rescheduled for the middle of August in Alberta. The International Ice Hockey Federation made the decision to cancel the tournament in December after three games were forfeited due to teams entering quarantine after positive COVID-19 tests. Also rescheduled is the previously cancelled World Women’s Under-18 Championship which was to be held in Sweden in January. The event will take place in June in the United States.

 

Cassie Sharp of Calgary won silver and Rachael Karker of Erin, Ontario captured bronze in women’s freeski halfpipe at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. Speedskater Laurent Dubreuil of Levis, Quebec won silver in the men’s 1,000 metres and Brad Gushue defeated John Shuster of the United States 8-5 in curling’s bronze medal game. Canada’s medal count is 24 with four gold, seven silver and 13 bronze.