After 360 minutes of hockey and 41 goals, the 61 players (30 from Manitoba, 31 from Saskatchewan) headed back home after another successful SJHL/MJHL Showcase in Regina. The two-day event wrapped up with three more games Wednesday.

After winning four of the six games, this is the first time the MJHL has “won” the Showcase, picking up two wins on Tuesday, and two more wins on Wednesday.

The first game of the day was Wednesday morning when the MJHL’s Team Zajac took on the SJHL’s Team Kunitz. The game was also the SaskTel Be Kind game, with the teams wearing special jerseys designed for the event. There were also hundreds of school children in attendance for the matchup.

The crowd was treated to an exciting back and forth game, which ultimately saw the Manitoba squad picking up a 4-3 victory.

Elijah Loon-Stewardson (Battlefords North Stars), Tian Rask (Melfort Mustangs) and Austin Becker (Battlefords) were the goal scorers for Team Kunitz. For Team Zajac, the goal scorers were Jack Kennedy (Waywayseecappo Wolverines), Conrad Phillips (Waywayseecappo), Brayden Pawluk (Dauphin Kings) and Grady Hobbs (Dauphin).

The mid-afternoon game saw the SJHL’s Team Mitchel take on the MJHL’s Team Belfour. The SJHL squad took a 3-1 lead into the third period, but three goals in the final frame lifted the Manitoba team to a 4-3 victory.

Team Mitchell had a goal from Jordan Simoneau (Nipawin Hawks) and two from Jake Tremblay (Nipawin). Answering for Team Belfour were Blake Burr (Selkirk Steelers), Griffin Leonard (Winkler Flyers), Brett Namaka (Portage Terriers) and Cole DeKoninck (Dauphin Kings).

The final game of the showcase featured some of the top players 18 and under from both leagues. Team Schwartz from the SJHL took on Team Garbutt of the MJHL. The back and forth high scoring affair would result in the lone win for the SJHL of the day, as Team Schwartz picked up an 8-6 victory.

Evan Bortis (Nipawin), Zach McIntyre (Melville Millionaires), Steven Kesslering (Battlefords) and Tristan Shewchuk (Humboldt Broncos) scored a goal each, while Tristan Lemyre (Flin Flon Bombers) and Ben Tkachuk (Melfort) had two goals apiece. The Manitoba team had goals from Ty Naaykens (Steinbach Pistons), Kolton Shindle (Portage), Kyle Lamoureux (Winkler), Brayden Foreman (Winnipeg Blues), Mikol Sartor (Winnipeg) and Jayden McCarthy (Winkler).

The players are now returning to their respective clubs, where the regular schedules will pick back up this weekend.

Leading scorer Liam Fraser was at the Showcase as well playing for Team Mitchell. Photo from Kindersley Klippers.