The top three teams in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's East Division are in the Canadian Junior Hockey League's Top 20 Rankings as the 2022 portion of the season is winding down. The Steinbach Pistons remain at number six. The Portage Terriers stayed at number 10 while the Winkler Flyers moved from 19 to 14. The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Battlefords North Stars are the number one nationally ranked team for the ninth week in a row. 


Shane Wright scored twice and added an assist to help Canada down Switzerland 6-0 in its first pre-tournament game Monday in Moncton. Joshua Roy, Nathan Gaucher, Brennan Othmann and Olen Zellweger rounded out the scoring for Team Canada. Connor Bedard chipped in with three assists. Thomas Milic turned in a 19-save shutout. Canada's next pre-tournament game is Wednesday against Slovakia. The 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship begins Boxing Day in Moncton and Halifax.


Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team swept the second leg of the Rivalry Series after a 3-2 overtime win over the United States Monday night in Los Angeles. Danielle Serdachny potted the winner 2:16 into overtime. Sarah Fillier and Laura Stacey scored second period goals for the Canadians. Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin drew an assist on Fillier’s goal, the 199th point of her international career. Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 32 of the 34 shots she faced. The Rivalry Series returns north of the border in February for the final two games. The United States leads the series 3-2. 


The Winnipeg Jets play their final home game before the Christmas break tonight against the Ottawa Senators at Canada Life Centre. Winnipeg will then play road games against the Boston Bruins on Thursday and the Washington Capitals on Friday. The Jets will have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day off before hosting the Minnesota Wild on December 27th. 


The 12-team field is set for the 2023 Provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts which will be held January 24th-29th in East St. Paul. Four former Scotties champions are skipping teams they hope can take them back to the national Scotties where they will challenge the best in Canada including Team Canada skipped by Gimli’s Kerri Einarson. Jennifer Jones (St. Vital), skipping the defending champion Mackenzie Zacharias team; Jones’ former third Kaitlyn Lawes (Fort Rouge), skipping part of the former champion Tracy Fleury team; Chelsea Carey (East St. Paul) with Liz Fyfe from that Fleury team; and Darcy Robertson (AMCC), with a young but capable supporting cast, all know the pressures and pleasures of playing and winning the Manitoba final. The group of four former champions will be tested this year by a group of eight challenger teams which includes three teams in the CTRS top 30 (as of December 18); a pair of teams aiming for a Manitoba Junior title this season, and three other very competitive teams. Abby Ackland (East St. Paul), an MCT rankings qualifier; Beth Peterson (AMCC), the Minnedosa berth bonspiel winner who was so impressive in a 2021 national Scotties wildcard appearance; and 2022 Manitoba Scotties finalist Kristy Watling (East St. Paul) are currently ranked #8, #21, and #29 on the Canadian Team Ranking System. Winnipeg Scotties berth winners Katy Lukowich (Granite) and Grace Beaudry (St. Vital), who are CTRS #85 and 97 respectively, both have aspirations to win the Manitoba Junior title in Portage in mid-January. Both will be hoping to play the East St. Paul Scotties as a tune-up for the national Juniors. The final three entries for this year’s provincial Scotties include Lisa McLeod (Portage), Alyssa Vandepoele (Carberry) and Emma Jensen (Heather).