Twins double-trouble for opponents

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This article was published 12/12/2023 (638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Delainey and Vayda Rigaux are in Grade 10 and only getting better — a terrifying reality for the rest of the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League.

The 15-year-old identical twin sisters have taken the MWHSHL by storm through the first 11 contests of the season, sharing the league lead in points (20) while guiding the Glenlawn Lions (9-2) to the top of the Division 1 standings.

Delainey, the younger sibling by one minute, leads the league with 15 goals — five on the power play — while Vayda, a two-way pillar on the blue line, paces all players with 16 assists.

While the Winnipeg siblings have shocked their opposition on a near-nightly basis, their success has been anything but a surprise to them.

“No matter who else is on the ice, if we’re on the ice we know we can rely on each other,” said Delainey, who had 18 goals a season ago, a number she’ll likely obliterate with 11 games left this year.

“We’ve been on two teams for the past couple of years, which has helped us a lot because double the ice time. And then we see each other on the ice a lot so that’s probably how I get all my points.”

Currently, the twins split time between the Lions and the Interlake Lightning, a U18 AAA squad in the Manitoba Female Hockey League. It’s rare for them to spend time apart, and even more unlikely that they’re on the ice without the other.

“Last year, we kind of saw each other on the ice too,” said Vayda, who has contributed the primary assist on six of her sister’s markers. “We had a really successful season last year with the St. Vital (Victorias). We won the championship and then it was just up from there. We went to (Lightning) tryouts and that team has just been making us better every day, like on the ice and we get to work on a lot of our skills.

“And then, just seeing each other that much on the ice, and we know how we play so we know if we can receive a pass or shoot.”

The twins were destined for the rink from a young age, growing up in a family that saw their dad Derek and two brothers, Evan and Noah, all play hockey. Derek coached Delainey and Vayda until they reached high school, and after spending last season learning from a coach who is not a family member, the girls have a familiar face behind the bench again in their uncle Dean.

Dean, who spent eight years heading Glenlawn’s boys’ hockey program, took over the girls’ program this season specifically to fulfil his longtime wish of coaching his nieces.

“I’ve always wanted to coach them. I wasn’t sure what high school they were gonna go to, I didn’t know if they were going to play (high school) because they’re playing triple-A as well … so I thought this was the time to jump,” Dean said.

“I think it’s a family thing, you get to spend a lot more time with your nieces and it was like that with my nephew too when I coached him, and it’s exciting to see them play well and it’s exciting to see them excel. It’s exciting to watch.”

Dean said the twins’ chemistry on the ice has been noticeable for a long time and a reason he looks for every opportunity to get the dynamic duo on the ice together.

“They see each other all the time on the ice and they play the power play together. There’s that sister-twin connection that you just can’t coach,” he said. “They know where each other are, kind of like the Sedin twins.”

Just like Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the Rigaux twins want to play together for as long as possible. With university hockey in both of their aspirations, perhaps they will need to be a packaged deal if a program wants their services.

“I think we would feel more comfortable doing it together because we’ve always been together and we’ve had the most success together,” Delainey said.

Added Vayda: “I feel at this point it wouldn’t be the same playing without my sister because we’ve played together our whole lives.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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