Tonight’s Game Notes:
Welcome fans to tonight’s MJHL action featuring the visiting Selkirk Steelers (21-18-2) and your home town Virden Oil Capitals (23-15-6).Tonight’s game is brought to you byArlington Hotel in Maryfield. (Click to visit the Arlington Hotel on Facebook)
As it is said in horse racing, “They’re at the three quarters pole and heading down the home stretch.” That’s exactly where things are at in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League as your Oil Caps play game number 45 of the season tonight.
Virden has taken care of business so far during the first four games of their five-game homestand with their only blip coming against Wayway last Tuesday in a 3-2 loss.
These two teams are stacked up in the MJHL standings with there actually being a very narrow gap between the two squads should the Steelers win out their three-games in hand they have on the Oil Caps. Tonight’s contest will play a big factor in that as Virden could open up as much as a 10-point lead over the Steelers and climb to within a point of the idle Winkler Flyers for fourth spot.
Head-to-head on the season, the Oil Caps hold a 2-1-1 series lead over the Steelers with Selkirk taking their last meeting in Virden in a shootout on December 20th. The Steelers are coming in hot tonight with a 5-2 record since the turn of the calendar year. However, they will be playing their fourth game in five nights tonight, all of which have come on the road. This is the fifth meeting of the season tonight between the two clubs with their final regular season matchup coming on February 20th in Selkirk.
Virden has averaged 4.25 goals per game during this recent home stretch. Ben Williams finds himself on a five-game point streak heading into this evening while Soren Frederiksen andJordan Greig each look to build on their four-game streaks that they have going. Sean Kuehnis set to make his third straight start between the pipes. He’s carrying a 2.78 goals against average while his save percentage is sitting at .903%.
The Steelers are receiving their offense by committee. Five players all sit with 28 points or more in a group being led by Ty Kraus (33 points). Goaltending is a strong point for them.Teagan Sacher has been leaned on as their number one, but did not play in Virden during his only visit on December 20. Hayden Dola has proved he belongs in the MJHL as an 18-year-old. The ‘97 born net minder was the difference in the last time these two teams met.
Looking ahead for the Oil Caps, the team will hit the road for a pair of games in Dauphin and Swan Valley this Friday and Saturday before returning home on January 31st against the Stampeders in the team’s annual Virden Subway Hockey Card Night. February has the Oil Caps on home ice just four times with their final regular season contest coming on March 1st.
Keep an eye out for Kaiden Jones’ signature on your program tonight. If you have it, you have won a $25 gift certificate to the Arlington Hotel in Maryfield!
Enjoy the game.