The Warren Wildcats boys hockey team is showing no signs of slowing down after their incredible first few months of the season.
After sitting second in the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Price Division for a majority of their 2024 portion of the schedule, the Wildcats were finally able to hurdle the Louis-Riel Voyageurs for first place, in part by an 8-6 win over the Voyageurs on Dec. 17.
Since then, the Wildcats have yet to lose a game; in fact, they haven’t lost a game since mid-November and currently ride an eight-game winning streak.
“There is lots of positivity, which is always a good thing. Guys are showing up and looking forward to hockey, which is a big benefit,” said head coach Lachlan Maclean in his first season as the Wildcats head coach. “It improves overall gameplay when they are looking forward to it and a lot of friendship building.”
Their most recent example came Thursday when they downed the Glenlawn Lions 8-3 on the road at St. Vital Centennial Arena.
Colton Bruce had a hat trick, Kaelen Ivany had two goals, and Owen Shymko, Dylan Riddell, and Conaly Chrusch rounded out the scoring for the Wildcats while Dallas Shaver stopped 19 of 22 in the crease.
The win brings the Wildcats to an outstanding 14-1-1 record, which gives them a five-point cushion in first place.
With a win seemingly the only outcome for the Wildcats these days, Maclean has credited his entire team for continuing to buy into the team’s game plan, even with a jumbled lineup due to a few recent injuries.
“Throughout the course of the season I’ve seen lots of chemistry building so more familiarity of how each other play and what works and doesn’t,” said Maclean. “That’s a big part of it to, guys are learning how to play well with each other and buying into the system we’ve got setup to. It seems to be working, so we’ve been sticking to what we know, and fortunately, it’s been working out quite well.”
Maclean said he’s confident in the team’s ability to have anyone out on the ice and still have success.
This year’s squad not only has one of the best top lines in the league in Owen Shymko, Quinn McKnight, and Colton Bruce but also one of the best second lines. Not to mention their stingy defensive core and their starter, Dallas Shaver, who leads the league in goals against average and was named Price Division Star of the Week.
His 1.87 goals against average, .908 save percentage, and 9-0 record in net has helped the Wildcats continue to have the lowest goals against in the league while their offence currently ranks second in goals for heading into the final eight games of the season.
Down the stretch, Maclean is confident they can continue to find ways to elevate their game as they prepare to hopefully play their best hockey come playoff time.
Next up for them are games this Tuesday and Friday against sixth-place Niverville and seventh-place Pinawa.
Upcoming Games:
Tuesday, Jan. 14 vs Niverville, 3:15 p.m. at Access Credit Union Arena
Friday, Jan. 17 at Pinawa Panthers, 5 p.m. at Pinawa Orville Acres Arena
