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The Dauphin Kings have forced game seven.

The Kings came from behind, scoring twice in the final 3:58, as they stunned the Northern Manitoba Blizzard, 2-1, on Tuesday night in a must-win contest, Dauphin's second straight.

Dauphin is now 2-for-2 on the power play in the last two games as Naaman Hofer scored his second of the playoffs, with 1:50 left in the third period and Dauphin held on from there.

Rylan Gage tied up the game on an intense battle in the blue paint with just less than four minutes left.

Game seven will be Thursday night at Credit Union Place at 7:30.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 29, 2025 - 10:22 pm

The Predators 15U volleyball team had an excellent weekend in Winnipeg at the provincial championships.

Entering the tournament ranked fourth, the Predators finished second in their round-robin pool. They beat the Carman Spurs and Selkirk Royals, their lone loss against Sturgeon Heights. In the qualifying round, the Predators came out on fire. They beat Russell and the Winnipeg Wild to advance to the quarterfinals.

They ran into an excellent 14U Bisons Gold, losing in three sets. Next up for the Predators was the Selkirk Royals, a team they had beaten previously. The rematch offered the same as the Predators won the match in three sets to advance to the fifth-place match. The team's tournament ended with a hard-fought three-set loss against the WinMan Tide. Out of 37 teams, the Predators finished sixth.

Dave Sigvaldason is the team's head coach.

"There were a ton of strong teams, so we knew it was going to be a tough weekend," said Sigvaldason. "I thought our girls handled it well, and to get into the quarterfinals was big for our group. To come out in sixth is something to be very proud of."

If there's one word Dave believes captures the spirit of his team, it's resilience — a relentless drive to overcome, adapt, and push forward no matter the challenge.

"One of the staples of our team, they're very good at battling. Our team has a ton of skill, but their work ethic and drive to succeed are very unique," continued Sigvaldason. "No matter what the situation is, the girls battle, and they never take defeat easily. It's a very special group to be a part of."

Next up for the team is a challenge on the national stage. The Predators are taking their talents about 10 hours down the road to compete in Volleyball Canada's national championships from May 15 to 17 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.

"We're ready for the challenge, have a couple of weeks of practice here to clean some stuff up," commented Sigvaldason. "The players are very excited."

Adding to the excitement is that this is the team's first time playing together at a national tournament. The best teams from coast to coast will be under one roof for three days of intense volleyball action.

"The excitement will be there, and I think that's something that will push the girls; they want to prove that we belong," ended Sigvaldason. "We've been playing good teams all season long, so running into to top ones from across the country won't shake us up. The team is ready to prove that they're one of the top teams in the country."

Around the Parkland, the 14U Vipers will be in Winnipeg from May 9 to 11 for the national tournament at the RBC Convention Centre.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 28, 2025 - 11:02 am

We are heading back to the Roy H Johnston Arena.

The Dauphin Kings put together their best effort of the Turnbull Cup final, Cole Sheffield was nothing short of spectacular as he turned away all 42 shots he faced, and the Kings kept their season alive with a 3-0 win over Northern Manitoba on Sunday evening.

The win trims the deficit for Dauphin, as the Blizzard now lead the series three games to two.

They will once again have a chance to win the Turnbull Cup on Tuesday evening.

Dauphin blocked dozens of shots in the game and found a way to stay in the series. Cayden Glover scored the game-winner for Dauphin, and now has goals in back-to-back games.

Ethan Stewart and Gabriel Bugeaud also scored for Dauphin.

Game six will be on Tuesday evening in The Pas.

You can hear the game on 730CKDM with Darnell Duff and Jeff Henson, starting with the Parkland Source for Sports pregame show at 6:45.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 27, 2025 - 10:31 pm

The Parkland 2015 Junior Rangers were in tough this weekend.

Playing in the AAA Challenge in Brandon, they went up against some outstanding competition, but that did not stop them. The Rangers finished with three wins and a bronze medal.

In the bronze medal game, Brett Hrappstead was outstanding as he made 44 saves, and Dauphin found the back of the net nine times in a high-scoring 9-6 win over the Stars.

Easton Mateika had the hot-stick for the Junior Rangers with four goals while Greyson Uyaivato notched a hat-trick. Easton Billett and Brody Nepinak scored a single goal apiece in the victory.

The Junior Rangers won two other games:

Vs PHD Hockey 2015 - won, 8-3. Brody Nepinak and Easton Mateika both had two goals. Easton Billett, Gabriel Pawlachuk, Tucker Rezansoff, and Greyson Uyaivato scored singles.

Brett Hrappstead made 23 saves.

Vs Bakken Oilers - won, 6-4. Easton Mateika led the way with three goals while Brody Nepinak found the back of the net twice. Greyson Uyaivato rounded out the scoring.

Vs Dakota - lost, 4-10. The Rangers were trailing 5-4 after the second period, however, Dakota scored five times in the third period to cruise to the victory, advancing to the gold medal game in the process, which they won.

Brody Nepinak, Gabriel Pawlachuk, Zander Ledoux, and Jaxon Thompson did the scoring for the Rangers in the defeat.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 27, 2025 - 8:49 pm

Kayden Caumartin wasted no time.

Opening his golf season at the McCreary Golf & Country Club on Saturday, Kayden aced the par 3, third hole.

It was a gorgeous day on the course and a day that Kayden will remember forever.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 27, 2025 - 7:01 pm

For the first time in the playoffs, the Dauphin Kings are on the brink of elimination.

They opened up the scoring on Friday, but didn't get much else going. The Blizzard scored five straight goals and completely took over in a 5-2 win.

The victory has put the Blizzard one win away from winning their first Turnbull Cup since 2003, when they capped off a five-peat.

Havryil Simchuk and Cayden Glover scored for Dauphin in the defeat, as they're down three games to one in the final. Sunday evening is now a must-win for Dauphin if they want to keep their season alive.

If Northern Manitoba is to win on Sunday, they'll head to the Centennial Cup from May 8 to 18 in Calgary.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 26, 2025 - 1:42 am

Two stars from Swan River are one win away from heading to Calgary to compete in the national championships.

The Melfort Mustangs took care of business on Thursday night as they beat the Weyburn Red Wings, 5-1, to take a commanding three games to one series lead in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) final.

It was Melfort's third straight win in the series, after the Red Wings earned a 2-1 victory in game one. Bo Eisner and Will Munro are a driving force on this year's team. Eisner helped the team beat the Flin Flon Bombers in the final last year and is putting together a nice playoff run. The former Parkland Ranger has three goals and five points. Munro, meanwhile, who started the season in his hometown with the Stampeders, is tied for fourth in team scoring with five goals and nine points.

Munro, Eisner, and the Mustangs can lock up their second straight Canterra Seeds Cup and book their berth to the Centennial Cup in Calgary from May 8 to 18 on Sunday night when they host game five at the Northern Lights Palace.

Around the country, every league has entered the championship series as the Centennial Cup nears.

Alberta Junior Hockey League:

The Calgary Canucks needed just four games to complete a sweep against the Grande Prairie Storm, who featured former Brandon Wheat Kings goalie Nick Jones. The Canucks scored 29 goals in the league final and lost only one playoff game.

The Storm will represent the AJHL at the Centennial Cup. The Canucks will be the host team.

Superior International Junior Hockey League:

Ben Hackl competed in the 2022 Centennial Cup with the Dauphin Kings. Three years later, he's looking to be at the big dance as a coach. The former King is an assistant coach and general manager with the Dryden Ice Dogs, however, the Ice Dogs have plenty of work to do.

After they were shut out on Thursday, 2-0, against the Kam River Fighting Walleye, the Ice Dogs are down three games to one in the final. It's a battle between the top two teams in the regular season, and the Fighting Walleye are just one win away from the Centennial Cup.

Maritimes Hockey League:

It wasn't even close. The Edmundston Blizzard spent nearly the whole year in the top three in the CJHL's top 20 rankings, and they made it look easy in the playoffs.

They completed a four-game sweep of the Pictou County Weeks Crushers in the league final, losing just one game during the playoff run. They finished with 10 straight wins and scored 67 goals in 13 playoff games. They'll play the Central Canada Hockey League champions in their first game at the Centennial Cup on Thursday, May 8.

Quebec Junior Hockey League:

The Braves de Valleyfield won the championship series in six games over College Francais De Longueuil. Their first game in Calgary is Friday, May 9, against the CCHL champions.

Central Canada Hockey League:

The Rockland Nationals, who spent a number of weeks as the top-ranked team in the country, are in a very good spot in the CCHL final against the Carleton Place Canadians.

They won game one, 3-1, and game two, 3-2, to bring themselves two wins away from a league title. They have a chance to go up three games to nothing on Friday when they host the Canadians in game three, game four is Sunday afternoon in Carleton Place.

The winner plays their first game against the Edmundston Blizzard on Thursday, May 8.

Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League:

They've been a force all season, and on Friday, they can punch their ticket to Calgary.

The Greater Sudbury Cubs are one win away from a league championship, and on Friday, they'll be on home ice trying to lock it up. They lost the first game of the series against the Hearst Lumberjacks, but have dominated since. After a 5-4 overtime win in game two, the Cubs have outscored the Lumberjacks, 11-2, in the past two games.

If the Cubs prevail, they'll open their Centennial Cup on Friday, May 9, against the Grande Prairie Storm.

Ontario Junior Hockey League:

This one has all the makings of a long series.

Carter Bickle turned away all 28 shots he faced as the Milton Menace got back in their championship series against the Trenton Golden Hawks with a 4-0 victory. The Golden Hawks finished with 97 points in the regular season, 20 more than the Menace, however, Milton is playing some excellent hockey at the best time. They upset Collingwood in the second round and downed the second-ranked Leamington Flyers in five games in the semifinals.

Trenton is 14-4 in the playoffs. The winner opens their Centennial Cup on Thursday, May 8, against the winners from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 25, 2025 - 10:05 am

The Parkland U18 Rangers have a new leader.

He's currently on the bench for a team that's looking to win the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's (MJHL) Turnbull Cup.

Rick Freese was announced as the Rangers' new head coach for the 2025-26 season. Freese has been an assistant coach with the Dauphin Kings for the past two seasons and will be a great new leader.

CKDM Sports will catch up with Freese in the coming days. Freese will be back on the bench Friday when the Kings head to The Pas to play the Northern Manitoba Blizzard in game four of the final.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 24, 2025 - 3:21 pm

Three games are in the books.

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard has won both games at Credit Union Place, Dauphin has won the lone game at the Roy H Johnston Arena. The Turnbull Cup final enters game four on Friday night in The Pas as the Kings look to earn a series tie.

Gabriel Bugeaud is in his second year with Dauphin and has become a fan favourite, soaking it all in while trying to battle for a championship.

"The boys are feeling good. Even though we're down in this series, we believe we're in a good spot," said Bugeaud. "We have a positive attitude towards this series. We're getting ready for a huge game on Friday. We have to stick to the game plan and play a full 60 minutes."

Bugeaud had the primary assist in game six against the Portage Terriers as Havryil Simchuk scored to send Dauphin to the league final for the first time since 2022.

"That was awesome, this is the best time of the year for hockey, the competition level is high, and the fans are into it," continued Bugeaud. "Everyone is bought in, we're playing for each other. There's no better feeling than winning."

Gabriel and the rest of the crew are using the fact that they're playing for the Turnbull Cup as fuel. Thirteen teams started the season on September 20, and now only the two best remain.

"It motivates us to come to the rink every day to grind, realizing that we have a chance to do something special together," commented Bugeaud. "Something like this doesn't come around often, and we're trying to enjoy every moment of this run."

Bugeaud has been paired with Simchuk and Ethan Stewart, who won a provincial championship last year with the Brandon U-18 Wheat Kings. The tremendous trio has torched opponents so far, combining for 29 playoff points. They combined for five points in game six against Portage, four in the team's game two victory against Northern Manitoba, and one on Tuesday's 4-2 defeat.

"They're great players and we've clicked pretty well," said Bugeaud. "Our strengths go very well together. Stewart is a really good playmaker, and Simchuk wins a ton of battles and is great at protecting the puck. I fit in with my skating. Especially in the playoffs, there isn't much room out there, so I think our styles complement each other very well."

Gabriel is starting to hit his stride, sitting second in team playoff scoring, with four goals and 10 points. With his outstanding speed, Bugeaud can blow by defenders, and he's a fearless worker. He's pleased with his play, but knows there is more to give.

"Yeah, I've had a pretty good playoff run here," continued Bugeaud. "With that said, all of the credit goes to my teammates and linemates. I've been fortunate to get a few bounces, and the pucks are going in."

The Kings will head to The Pas on Friday afternoon for game four, with a chance to tie the series. You can hear the game on 730CKDM with Darnell Duff, starting with the Parkland Source for Sports pregame show at 6:45.

They are down, but Bugeaud says they're ready to bounce back and give it their best shot.

"Absolutely, we have proven that we can win in their rink," ended Bugeaud. "When we work hard and compete, we can stick with them and even take over games at times. We have to buy in and play desperate."

You can also hear Gabriel's full chat with Darnell Duff during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show on Friday afternoon at 4:05.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 24, 2025 - 10:15 am

Cooper Soltys scored twice and had three points as the Parkland 2011 Junior Rangers beat the 204 Thunder, 4-3, to claim the championship at the North American Spring Classic AAA tournament.

Sawyer Lepp and Rhett Legaarden scored one goal each. In their semifinal game, Chayce Stoski was the hero as he scored the only goal of the game as the Rangers downed the 2011 Canucks, 1-0.

The team opened their tournament with a 3-3 draw against the 204 Thunder, the same team they beat in the final. Drew Luhowy, Kellan Shtykalo, and Brayden Abrams did the scoring for the Rangers.

In a dominating 6-0 win against the 2011 Grinders Black in their next game, six different Rangers scored. Legaarden, Stoski, Anson Salamandyk, Abrams, Shtykalo, and Lepp filled the net.

They wrapped up their round-robin with a 2-0 shutout against Sask Epic, with Lepp and Soltys finding the back of the net.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 23, 2025 - 10:54 am

You've been dreaming about flushing a seven-iron to two feet for a tap-in birdie.

On Saturday, you can make that dream a reality at the Neepawa Golf & Country Club. One of the top courses in the province opens at 9:30 on Saturday morning.

Landon Cameron is the course's general manager.

"We were kind of worried about the weather this week, but it didn't amount to very much," said Cameron. "We're going to get rolling here this weekend."

Host of the 2021 Nott Autocorp men's amateur golf championships, the Neepawa Golf & Country Club is one of the finest around, including breathtaking views and shots that will test every part of your game.

"It gives everything for a golfer, it's very playable for players of all skill levels," continued Cameron. "It's always manicured very well. It's a great spot to spend four hours."

If you plan on hitting the links this weekend, you'll do so on a course already in great shape.