The Telus Cup West Regional Championship begins today at Tundra Oil & Gas Place in Virden. The Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League champion Winnipeg Wild will face the Saskatchewan champion Notre Dame Hounds at 5 p.m. and the host Southwest Cougars meet the Thunder Bay Kings at 8 p.m. The Kings defeated the Kenora Thistles to claim the Northwestern Ontario title. The top two teams after the completion of the round robin meet in the championship game Sunday afternoon. The winners advances to the Telus Cup next month in Okotoks, Alberta. 


Marcus Kallionkielli scored twice and assisted on Trae Johnson's first period goal as the Brandon Wheat Kings downed the Red Deer Rebels 3-1 at Westoba Place. Wheat Kings netminder Ethan Kruger made 26 saves. The Western Hockey League's best-of-seven opening round series is tied at two games a piece. Game five goes Friday night in Red Deer with game six set for Sunday back in Brandon. The Winnipeg Ice dropped a 3-1 decision to Prince Albert. Raiders goaltender Tikon Chaika stopped 26 shots. Mikey Milne had the lone goal for the Ice who lead the series three games to one. Game five is scheduled for Friday night in Winnipeg. 


The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms with forward Chaz Lucius on a three-year, entry-level contract with an average annual value in the NHL of $1,325,000. His contract will begin in the 2022-23 season. Lucius was drafted by the Jets in the first round (19th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old centre recently  completed his freshman season with the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Big-10 where he recorded 19 points (9G, 10A)  and 23 penalty minutes in 24 games. Lucius spent the previous season in the USHL with the U.S. National Development  Team where he posted 18 points (13G, 5A) in just 12 games. Internationally, the Lawrence, Kansas native represented Team USA at the 2022 World Junior Championships, but played only one game before the tournament was postponed.


Jocelyn Peterman & Brett Gallant have a 7-1 record and have clinched a playoff spot at the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Geneva. Sherry Anderson of Saskatoon and Wade White of Stony Plain have clinched playoff spots at the World Senior Curling Championships which is also in Switzerland.