The Winkler Flyers and OCN Blizzard are one win away from advancing to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Turnbull Cup final. Flyers captain Trent Penner scored 11:13 into the second overtime period to lift Winkler past the Virden Oil Capitals 2-1 at the Centennial Arena. Zach Nicolas also scored for the Flyers who lead the best-of-seven semifinal three games to two. Grady Lane had the lone goal for the Oil Capitals. Game six goes Monday night in Virden. Sam Zagari scored the go-ahead goal with just 39 seconds left in the third period as OCN shaded Steinbach 2-1 at the HyLife Centre in La Broquerie. The Blizzard lead that series three games to two. Marlen Edwards had the other OCN goal. Trey Sauder replied for the Pistons. Game six will be played Monday at the Roy H. Johnston Arena.


Matthew Mason-Vandel scored 11:17 into double overtime to lift the defending Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League champion St. James Canucks past the Pembina Valley Twisters 4-3 at the Morris MultiPlex. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven final three games to one. Slade Sotheran scored twice for the Twisters who trailed 3-0 with five minutes left in the second period. Derek Wiebe had the other Pembina Valley goal. Game five goes Sunday at the Ab McDonald Arena in Winnipeg.


For the second year in a row, the Ste. Anne Aces and Miniota/Elkhorn C-Hawks will play a third and deciding game in their Hockey Manitoba Senior “A” Championship. Brenden Walker scored five times including three first period power play goals as the Aces defeated the C-Hawks 7-2 Saturday afternoon in Niverville. Matt Bailey and Cody Fowlie also scored for the South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League champions who evened the best-of-three series at a game apiece. Jason Bowles and Zeanen Zeimer replied for the Tiger Hills Hockey League champions. Game three goes Sunday (4 p.m.) at Tundra Oil & Gas Place in Virden. The C-Hawks captured the Manitoba Cup last April thanks to a 7-3 victory over the Aces in game three.


The Winnipeg Jets have reached the 50-win plateau. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and Sean Monahan and Adam Lowry scored two goals each in Winnipeg’s 7-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. Gabriel Vilardi, Josh Morrissey and Tyler Toffoli also found the back of the net for the Jets who extended their winning streak to six games. Winnipeg will meet Colorado in round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Jets are two points ahead of the Avalanche for second in the Central, and home-ice advantage in the first round. Each team has two regular-season games remaining. The Dallas Stars clinched the division with a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.


The Manitoba Moose have earned a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs. Kristian Reichel had a hat trick and Kyle Capobianco chipped in with three helpers as Manitoba defeated the Iowa Wild 7-4. That Moose win coupled with the Chicago Wolves 3-1 loss to the Grand Rapids Griffins cliched a playoff berth for the Moose.


Canada will face the United States in the gold medal game at the 2024 World Women’s Hockey Championship Sunday in Utica, New York. Ste. Anne’s Jocelyne Larocque had a goal and an assist in Canada’s 4-0 victory over Czechia. Emily Clark, Sarah Fillier and Blayre Turnbull also scored for Team Canada. Ann-Renee Desbiens made nine saves in recording the shutout. The U.S. blanked Finland 5-0 in the other semifinal.


Brad Gushue will face Joel Retornaz in the men’s final and Silvana Tirinzoni will meet Isabelle Wrana in the women’s final at the Players Championship in Toronto which is the last Grand Slam curling event of the season.