The Manitoba Female U18 AAA Hockey League champion Westman Wildcats dropped a 4-1 decision to the Notre Dame Hounds Saturday in Hartney. Callie Rice had the lone goal for the Wildcats. The Saskatchewan champions swept the best-of-three West Regional series in two games straight and now advance to the Esso Cup next month in Okotoks, Alberta.


The Winnipeg Wild are Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League champions. The Wild scored five third period goals en route to a 6-3 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon and captured the best-of-five final three games to two. Kai Elkie had a pair of goals for the Wild and Andrew Ness made 51 saves. The Wild reeled off three straight wins after losing the first two games of the series. The Wild join the Saskatchewan champion Notre Dame Hounds, the Thunder Bay Kings and host Southwest Cougars at the Telus Cup West Regional Championship which begins Thursday at Tundra Oil & Gas Place in Virden.


The Virden Oil Capitals gave up three goals in the first period and four more in the second and lost 8-2 to the Pistons in Steinbach. Braden Fischer and Nathan Driver did the goal scoring for the Oil Capitals. The Pistons lead the best-of-seven semifinal three games to two. Game six goes Monday in Virden. The Dauphin Kings have advanced to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League final. Klim Georgiev scored twice and Carson Cherepak made 33 saves as the Kings defeated the Winkler Flyers 5-2 and took that series four games to one.


The Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Ice were both winners in the Western Hockey League playoffs Saturday night. Riley Ginnell scored 7:16 into overtime to lift Brandon past the Rebels 2-1 in Red Deer. Ethan Kruger stopped 38 shots including a third period penalty shot by Rebels forward Kai Uchacz as the Wheat Kings evened the best-of-seven opening round series at a game a piece. Conor Geekie had a goal and an assist and Carson Lambos chipped in with three helpers as the Ice downed the Prince Albert Raiders 5-2 and now lead that series two games to none.


Team Canada lost 8-3 to the United States in it’s preliminary round opener at the 2022 World U18 Hockey Championship in Landshut, Germany. Connor Bedard, Mathew Ward and Matthew Wood did the goal scoring for Canada. St. Adolphe’s Owen Pickering drew an assist on Bedard’s second period goal. Winkler’s Reid Dyck stopped 43 of the 51 shots he faced. Isaac Howard had four goals and an assist for the Americans. Team Canada’s next game is today against host Germany.