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The Dauphin Kings have split their first two games of 2025.

Following a solid win on Saturday against the Winnipeg Blues, the Dauphin Kings found themselves down 3-0 and couldn't fight their way back on Wednesday in a 5-2 loss against the Portage Terriers.

Matthew Thomas scored both of Dauphin's goals in the game as they dropped to 22-9-1 on the season.

Special teams were a massive problem for Dauphin as they went 2-for-5 on the penalty kill and despite getting eight power play chances, they scored just once on the man advantage.

Portage became the second team to win 25 games on the season.

The Kings will look to ride the ship on Saturday when they welcome the Winnipeg Freeze to town. 

Wednesday is your day if you live in the Russell area or are up for a ride because you're a fan of Ryder Thompson or the Western Hockey League.

As the Portland Winterhawks have arrived in Manitoba ahead of a game against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, Thompson and his teammates are stopping in Russell for a practice at the arena in that community on Wednesday afternoon starting at 4:30. 

Following practice, you can lace up your skates and skate with the hometown star and his teammates until 5:45.

Tyson Zimmer is set to play for the fourth team in his Western Hockey League career and this will be his last.

After playing 35 games with the Vancouver Giants to start the season, scoring 10 times, the Russell native has been traded to the Wenatchee Wild as the Friday trade deadline approaches.

Zimmer, originally drafted by the Brandon Wheat Kings sixth overall in the 2019 WHL U-15 Draft, played 82 games with the Wheat Kings before he was dealt to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He recorded 73 points in 105 games with Lethbridge before he was dealt to the Vancouver Giants.

In 35 games last year, Zimmer had 22 points and was off to a solid start this year with 25 points in 35 games. Tyson joins a Wenatchee club that currently occupies the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference as they're three points ahead of the Kelowna Rockets. They have won six of their last 10.

Following this season, Zimmer's hockey journey will continue at the NCAA Division 1 level as he announced his committment to Niagara University. 

It was a game the Parkland U-18 Rangers expected to win, especially after their outstanding performance just two days prior against Southwest.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Kyle Pelletier gave up six goals on 27 shots as the last-place Yellowhead Chiefs came to Dauphin and downed the Rangers, 7-5, on Tuesday night at Credit Union Place. 

The Rangers scored the first two goals in the game but Yellowhead wasn't phased as they put their best offensive performance forth of the season, including in the third when they scored four times. 

Dayson Martin scored twice for the Rangers while Forrest Karlson, Landyn Garton, and Ryzlie Nepinak also scored for Parkland in the defeat.

Yellowhead won for just the fifth time this season while the Rangers are now tied for sixth place in the league, two points behind Eastman, with a game in hand. Things get much tougher for Parkland as they're off to Brandon to play the first-place Wheat Kings on Wednesday.

That's followed by games against the Thrashers and Lightning this weekend on the road. 

Carter Zalischuk grew up with the Dauphin Kings as more than just his hometown hockey team—they were his heroes. From a young age, he was the wide-eyed kid in the stands, never missing a game, always ready to collect autographs from the players he idolized. Little did he know, he was destined to skate in their footsteps.

Carter’s own journey was nothing short of remarkable. A standout player in Dauphin’s minor hockey scene, he quickly earned a reputation for being a game-changer. With a national title as part of Team Manitoba under his belt, and a historic playoff run with the U-18 Rangers in 2022—breaking a 20-year drought—it was clear he was a player built for big moments. By the spring of that same year, his childhood dreams became reality: Carter Zalischuk was officially a Dauphin King.

In his rookie season with the Kings, Carter proved himself, playing 44 games, scoring five goals, and adding five assists. He returned the following season, suiting up for 47 games and continuing to make his presence felt with eight points. But his value to the team wasn’t measured in goals alone—it was in his grit, heart, and hustle. Whether it was killing penalties, delivering a thunderous hit, or energizing his teammates, Carter became the player his coaches could always rely on.

With Carter in the lineup, the Kings battled their way to the Turnbull Cup playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Fans won’t soon forget the seven-game showdown against the Blizzard—a series that will go down in Dauphin hockey lore.

Fast forward to the 2024-25 season, and everything changed. Just as Carter was gearing up for another year with his hometown team, the unexpected happened: a trade. He was sent to the Swan Valley Stampeders, a team in the middle of a rebuild, with a roster brimming with untapped potential. For the first time in his career, Carter packed his bags and left the familiar comforts of home behind, embarking on a nearly two-hour journey north to Swan Valley.

Now, 27 games into his debut season with the Stampeders, Carter is thriving. While he misses the tight-knit community of Dauphin and the faces he grew up with, life in the valley has brought new challenges and fresh opportunities. Surrounded by a mix of rising stars and seasoned talent, Carter is carving out his place in this next chapter of his hockey career, proving that no matter where he plays, his passion for the game and his drive to succeed remain unshakable.

"Things have been going great, we have a great group of guys, we're all super tight," said Zalischuk. "I'm having a ton of fun here and I have a great billet family as well, definitely happy to be a Stampeder."

Carter has stepped into a new role with the Stampeders. He is enjoying more ice time and while it has been a relatively tough season for the team, Carter is soaking it all in and trying to improve his game while helping the team make a jump up the standings.

"It's been an awesome experience meeting new guys and it means a lot to me knowing how I was welcomed with open arms," said Zalischuk. "We have had a lot of fun as a group and everyone is pushing to become the best versions of themselves."

Recently, Carter Zalischuk took center stage at the Swan Valley Stampeders' inaugural skills competition inside the buzzing Centennial Arena. It was a clash between Team White and Team Black in a series of thrilling events: the hardest shot, fastest skater, obstacle course, shootout, and the jaw-dropping goaltender goal challenge.

Carter, representing Team Black, didn’t just show up—he put on a show. In the highly anticipated obstacle course event, all eyes were on the Dauphin native as he navigated the cones and challenges with precision and great speed. With a blazing time of 25.66 seconds, Carter narrowly edged out his fierce competitor, Landen Gulutzan, dramatically clinching the crown. 

The competition wasn’t just about the results—it was about camaraderie, entertainment, and celebrating the skill and spirit of the game. Players and fans alike left the arena energized and excited for what was to come, and Carter once again proved why he’s a fan favourite—both for his on-ice brilliance and his love for the game.

"That was a lot of fun to be able to do that in front of some great fans, it was great for the organization and I know everyone had a blast," continued Zalischuk. "I was happy to win that medal in the obstacle course, it was an event that I won't forget. I was hoping our team came out on top but that's okay," said Zalischuk with a chuckle.

Carter was back on the ice with the team practicing on Monday as they prepare for a pair of games this weekend against the Blues and Waywayseecappo and when they hit the ice on Friday, they'll do so riding a three-game winning streak. 

Powered by an 11-goal output in two games against the Wolverines over the weekend, Swan Valley completed their first-weekend sweep of the season. The two wins also saw the team sit within four points of the fourth and final playoff spot in the West Division. Swan Valley beat Virden right before dispatching the Wolverines twice. 

The Stampeders have also won five of their last seven games and are quietly becoming a team that if you take any shifts off, they'll make you pay.

"The morale in the room is very high right now, we want to make a push to the playoffs," ended Zalischuk. "I believe that we have the group to make that push and get into the big dance. Exciting times here, we're looking forward to moving ahead with this group."

Carter has two goals and five assists this season, to go along with 41 penalty minutes. 

The Russell U-11 Rams took the Hamiota Arena by storm over the weekend and arrived back home with another banner to hang up in the rafters.

Brixton Desaulniers was named to the tournament all-star team as the team capped off the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Virden in the championship final. Previously, the Rams earned a spot in the final by downing the hosts, 9-5. 

In other action for the team throughout the weekend, they beat Tri-Valley, 11-0, Deloraine, 9-1, and they also opened up the tournament with a 10-1 win over Deloraine. This was the team's second championship this season as they also won the Dauphin event. 

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They placed third in their home tournament in November and will look to capture their third championship this weekend when they head to the Grand Plains tournament. 

Just one game didn't allow the Dauphin Kings to jump up the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Top 20 rankings as they perhaps could have.

The Kings regained the top spot in the West Division on Saturday when they beat the Winnipeg Blues in their first game of 2025 and are ranked 18th this week. The Kings are 22-8-1 on the season and are nine points behind Steinbach for first place in the league. 

Note that the Kings have games in hand for two of the three teams ahead of them. They have three on Steinbach and two on Portage. The Kings are three points back of Winkler and both clubs have played 31 games. Two games are on tap for Dauphin this week as they're in Portage on Wednesday before hosting the Freeze on Saturday. 

You can hear Friday's game right here on 730CKDM with Darnell Duff, the Parkland Source for Sports pregame show hits the airwaves at 7:20 from Stride Place.


Dauphin was one of four teams in the MJHL in the rankings, topped by Steinbach who stayed pat at number eight in Canada. Steinbach played their first game of the second half on New Year's Eve and put up a six spot to double up Niverville. They scored nine more goals over the weekend, and they're 3-0 since returning from the Christmas break. Powered by Connor Paronuzzi's 51 points and Christian Green's stellar goaltending, the Pistons have hit their stride and it will be interesting to see what additions they make ahead of Friday's trade deadline.


Jayce Legaarden and the Winkler Flyers jumped up three spots to 10th in Canada. At 23-6-2, the defending Turnbull Cup champions are six points behind Steinbach for first overall with three games in hand. The Flyers pulled off four straight shutouts in December and have 17 goals in their last three games, five of which came over the weekend against Niverville. 

The Flyers have won seven straight games and have not lost since November 29. Liam Ernst is flying high in net and Grandview's star is ninth in league scoring as Jayce has 18 goals and 19 assists. 


The Portage Terriers, who rank third in the East Division and league, are honourable mentions this week.

Backed by the outstanding play of Mitchell Kathler between the pipes, the Terriers beat the Freeze 5-1 over the weekend in their first game back from the Christmas break. The Terriers have won seven of their last eight games and are preparing to host Dauphin on Wednesday night.

Portage is paced offensively by Cameron Bullinger who has 14 goals, 28 assists and his 42 points are fourth-most in the league. 

The Parkland U-18 Rangers secured two huge points on Sunday against one of the top teams in the league.

Playing Southwest in Souris, Parkland scored three times in the third period to come from behind in a 3-2 win against the Cougars, who are in fourth place.

Piet Mierau was sensational as he made 45 saves in the win while Cade Legaarden, Carter Moncrief, and Dayson Martin scored for the Rangers in the win. The Rangers remain in a tie for sixth with the win and they're just two points back of Eastman for fifth

The Rangers have won five of their last six games and host Yellowhead on Tuesday night before heading to Brandon on Wednesday. 

The Dauphin Clippers hockey team had no trouble filling up the scoresheet on Sunday in their first game of 2025.

The Clippers put up a dozen goals in a dominant 12-2 win against Major Pratt, highlighted by a third period that saw the team score six times. Major Pratt remained winless in the defeat.

Ethan Carnegie, Ronin Mouck and Will Busby all scored a pair of goals apiece for Dauphin while Jorden Braun, Lyric Smith, Drayson Demeria, Josh Yakielashek, Noah Hanneson, and Julien Lopez all scored once.

Dauphin (11-3-0-1) head to Minnedosa on January 14 in their next league game. 

The Dauphin Kings are back atop the West with four games in hand.

Opening 2025 on home ice, the boys in Blue & Black put together a solid effort in a 4-1 win against the Winnipeg Blues.

Dauphin (22-8-1) got two goals each from Cayden Glover and Havyril Simchuk in the win. Cole Sheffield was outstanding as he made 26 saves to earn his 19th win.

Dauphin is now two points ahead of the Blizzard with four games in hand.

To note, Sunday's game between the Kings and Blizzard has been postponed. It will be made up at a later date. 

The Parkland U-18 Rangers came out flying, opened the scoring but a late goal from the Wheat Kings to end the first was the difference.

Brandon scored to tie it midway through the first and scored to take a 2-1 lead with just four seconds left as they cruised over the Rangers, 7-2, on Friday night at Credit Union Place.

Noah Smigelsky and Dayson Martin scored for the Rangers, who saw their four-game win streak snapped.

They head to Souris on Sunday to play Southwest.