The South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League tightened further this week as the Winkler Royals strengthened their hold on first place, the Morden Bombers prepared for a key home date, and the Red River Wild lit up the scoreboard on the road.
Royals defenseman Mike Heppner tries to keep a Carman player from deflecting a shot in front of goalie Matt Thiessen
The first-place Winkler Royals (5-0-1) showed no signs of slowing down, powering past the Carman Beavers 7-3 on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Winkler.
Winkler struck early and often, building a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from Brett Stovin and Jamie Thiessen. Carman briefly cut into the lead with a second-period power-play marker, but Lawson McDonald responded just 26 seconds later, restoring the two-goal cushion.
McDonald added the eventual game-winner at 3:22 of the third—part of a standout night for his line—as Winkler pulled away with a four-goal third period. Marcus Neufeld and Adam Henry also found the back of the net before Stovin capped the scoring with his second of the night.
Goaltender Matthew Thiessen was sharp, stopping 41 shots in the win. Carman’s Luke Zacharias made 35 saves in a busy night for the Beavers.
Winkler now turns its attention to a marquee test this weekend, travelling to face the Red River Wild on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 3 p.m.
The Morden Bombers (4-2) held onto second place despite a quiet week on the schedule. With the standings tightening below them, the Bombers will look to create some separation when they return to action on Friday, Nov. 28 at 8 p.m., hosting Portage. It marks the start of an important stretch for Morden as they try to keep pace with first-place Winkler heading into December.
The Red River Wild (2-2) made the most of their lone game of the week, erupting for an 8-4 victory over the Warren Mercs on Friday, Nov. 21.
Red River opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Justin Baudry, but Warren answered with two late first-period markers to carry a 2-1 lead into intermission.
The Wild responded with force in the second, scoring three straight—two from Jonah Wasylak and another from Matthew Hill—to regain control. After Warren briefly closed the gap, Teagan Fillion’s late second-period goal stood as the game-winner.
Red River piled on in the third, striking for three goals in under 10 minutes, including Wasylak’s fourth of the night and a shorthanded tally. Wasylak finished with a remarkable five-point outing.
Jayden Catellier made 27 saves for the Wild, who now hit the road again on Friday, Nov. 28 to face Île des Chênes before hosting Winkler on Sunday afternoon.
Winkler continues to lead the SEMHL with 11 points, followed by Morden at 8. Springfield sits close behind with 7, while Île des Chênes is at 5. Five teams—Notre Dame, Red River, Carman, Portage and Warren—are locked in a tight cluster at 4 points each as the season settles into its mid-November rhythm.
