Tonight’s Game Notes:
Welcome fans to tonight’s MJHL action featuring the visiting Winkler Flyers (24-10-7) and your home townVirden Oil Capitals (20-14-6).Tonight’s game is brought to you byRBC Royal Bank in Virden.
We’re one day away from the Canadian Junior Hockey League trade deadline and so far things have been pretty quiet around the MJHL. The Oil Caps made a splash on Wednesday this week, acquiring defenseman,Owen Solecki, from the OCN Blizzard in exchange for list palyer, Mark Klassen, and future considerations. At 20 years of age, Solecki will add depth and experience to the Oil Caps blue line having played the past two seasons for La Ronge in the SJHL. The Burns Lake, BC native will make his Oil Caps debut tonight wearing #7 for the burgundy and black.
The Flyers have made a pair of trades at the time of print, adding Boissevain product and former Southwest Cougar, Jagger Thomas, from the Swan Valley Stampeders. The 20-year-old will bring depth and leadership to the high-scoring Flyers attack. One key member of that attack is Virden native, Cam Whyte (19 G, 22 A). You can circle the hometown product on your program as he will be wearing #19 for the Flyers. The other move saw Winkler acquire goaltender, Devon Fordyce, from the OCN Blizzard for goaltender, Casey Parker, prospect Matt Bullard, and future considerations.
With the Flyers roster in transition, they have called up a pair of Southwest Cougars in goaltender, Jay Pringle, and forward, Braden Billaney, both from Boissevain.
Despite the Oil Caps having played 40 games this season, this is just the second matchup of the year between them and the Flyers. The first meeting took place in Winkler on November 30th where the Oil Caps came away with a 6-4 win on the strength of a Devan Schram hat trick. This leaves five more meetings between the two clubs in the next 20 games which should ultimately determine the final standings. With Portage all but locking up the regular season pennant, the race for 2nd is about to heat up in the final third of the season.
In case you missed it, Jordan Greig was recently named the MJHL’s Sherwood Hockey Defenseman of the Month for December while Soren Frederiksen was named the Oil Caps MNP Player of the Month. Both players helped lead the Oil Caps to a 5-2-2 record during the final month of 2014.
Tonight kicks off the beginning of five straight home games for the Oil Caps in the next 12 evenings. It will also be the final game tonight to qualify for this season’s Sunrise Credit Union Hockey Challenge. Eight qualifiers have already advanced in this year’s season-long contest where three people will have the chance to win $50,000 towards the end of the season.
Make sure you sign into tonight’s game on the Oil Caps App and enjoy the first contest in this stretch of five games at Tundra Oil & Gas Place.