The Westman Wildcats dropped a 4-1 decision to the Notre Dame Hounds in game one of their best-of-three Esso Cup West Regional series. Paige Kozak had the lone goal for the Wildcats. Game two goes today (5 p.m.) in Hartney.


The 2021-22 Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League season will come to an end tonight in Brandon as the Wheat Kings host the Winnipeg Wild. The best-of-five final is tied at two games a piece. Brandon won the first two games of the series. The Wild took games three and four.


The Virden Oil Capitals face the Steinbach Pistons tonight at the T.G. Smith Centre. The best-of-seven semifinal is tied at two games a piece. The Dauphin Kings will advance to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League final with a win tonight over the Winkler Flyers. The Kings lead that series three games to one.


The Western Hockey League playoffs began Friday night. The Brandon Wheat Kings fell 5-0 to Red Deer. Rebels netminder Chase Coward stopped all 18 shots he faced in recording the shutout. Brandon’s Ethan Kruger made 23 saves in the series opener. Jakin Smallwood, Owen Pederson and Connor McClennon did the goal scoring as the Winnipeg Ice defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 3-1. Daniel Hauser made 19 saves in net for the Ice.


Canada will face the United States in its preliminary round opener today at the 2022 World U18 Hockey Championship in Germany. Four Manitobans are on Team Canada’s roster including forward Josh Filmon of Winnipeg, defenseman Owen Pickering of St. Adolphe and goaltenders Reid Dyck of Winkler and Ethan Buenaventura of Winnipeg.
 

Olympians Jocelyn Peterman of Winnipeg and Brett Gallant of St. John’s won their opening round robin game at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Geneva, Switzerland. Peterman & Gallant beat Pia-Lisa School & Klaudius Harsch of Germany 9-3. The World Senior Curling Championships are also in Geneva. Wade White of Stony Plain defeated Timo Kauste of Finland 6-3 and Milan Bubenik of Slovakia 12-3. Sherry Anderson of Saskatoon lost her lone game of the day 8-2 to Edith Hazard of Scotland.