May/June Carillon Sports Year in Review

PISTONS FALL IN LEAGUE FINALS

The Steinbach Pistons just ran out of gas in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League finals, and were swept by the Winkler Flyers.

The 4-0 series wasn’t indicative of how the games were played, with Winkler picking up two overtime wins, including in the decisive game four.

“It was a series that wasn’t the best hockey if I’m going to be honest,” Winkler head coach and general manager Justin Falk said after the game.

“It was a bit sloppy, we were a bit nervous knowing the situation we were in. I (would have) liked our execution to be a bit better. But we found a way to be resilient, we found a way to be desperate enough to find a way through each moment.”

Pistons head coach and general manager Paul Dyck deployed an inexperienced forward line-up and it showed in the finals as the games tightened up.

“Some of our offense just dried up a little bit at the wrong time,” Dyck said.

“You have stretches like that maybe during the regular season, but if it happens in the playoffs at the wrong time and extends for too long of a period you’re going to be out of the playoffs.”

The series-winner came during a five-on-three advantage for Winkler, sending the 1,300-strong crowd inside Winkler’s Centennial Arena into a frenzy. Dyck obviously wasn’t a fan to see two penalties in a row against his team in an elimination overtime game.

“To me to go five-on-three you better have some severity to both of the calls in overtime,” he said.

Dyck wasted no time in reviewing film from game four, joking it was a “sickness,” during the Steinbach year-end awards ceremony just a couple days later.

“I couldn’t help myself,” Dyck quipped.

NEW HEAD AT HANOVER SOCCER

It was the end of an era this year at the Hanover Soccer Club, as long-time head of the club Norm Anderson stepped down as president.

He was replaced by Brian Froese, who noted he needed to be recruited to take up the mantle.

“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t really want to jump back into the fray,” Froese said.

“I was pretty happy right where I was. I took a little bit of time, and considered my options, whether it really was something I wanted to do.”

After talking it over with friends, Froese made the choice to return to the club board as chair.

“Ultimately I decided I was going to do it, and now I’m asking myself why I did,” he said, laughing during a pre-season interview.

Froese added the club has big projects planned as Canada ramps up to host the 2026 World Cup.

LA BROQUERIE HABS RETURN

La Broquerie had been without a high-level competitive hockey team for a while, but all that changed this season, as the Habs returned to the junior ranks.

La Broquerie made the move to enter a team in the Capital Region Junior Hockey League, taking advantage of a natural rivalry with St Malo and Beausejour.

“(A junior team) gives our younger kids something to strive for. Now they know there’s somewhere to play for another four years,” club president Ken Taillaire said.

As for the name, there was never any question. Hockey teams from La Broquerie have been called the Habs or Habitants since the town first played competitively, and the new junior B team will be no exception.

“We’re Habs to the end,” Taillaire said.

The team turned to Steinbach Pistons legend Ken Taillaire as the first head coach.

KIRK DRAFTED BY PWHL

Ste Anne’s Raygan Kirk capped off an outstanding season by being drafted by the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

Kirk led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a national championship, posting a shutout in the team’s victory. That standout performance was enough for Toronto to select the goaltender with the final selection of the league’s 2024 draft, which was hosted in Minnesota.

With several teammates projected to be taken high, and the draft a short drive away, Kirk decided to take the risk and head out to the draft, even as her draft status was in question.

“It was phenomenal,” Kirk said a couple days after the draft, noting she was still “on cloud nine.”

“It was definitely a long night, especially for me… I was speechless getting on that stage. I’m honestly so grateful for the opportunity.”