News briefs for Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Moose clinch playoff berth

6:52 AM

The Manitoba Moose punched their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 7-5 win over the Texas Stars on Tuesday.

It’s the second straight season the Moose have made the post-season.

Leon Gawanke and Jansen Harkins scored twice, including the game winner, while Jeff Malott, Ashton Sautner and Cole Maier rounded out the offence. Goaltender Oskari Salminen made 33 saves in the clinching victory.

The Moose have three games left on the regular-season docket and are back at it Wednesday against the Stars in Texas, 7 p.m. puck drop.

NHL fines Pionk for cross-check

12:19 PM

Neal Pionk has been fined by the NHL for his heavy-handed work Tuesday in Minnesota.

The Jets defenceman’s wallet is $5,000 lighter — the punishment for a cross-check he delivered to Wild forward Marcus Johansson during Winnipeg’s 3-1 victory.

The incident occurred at 19:10 of the third period. Pionk was assessed a major penalty for the infraction.

The money goes to the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Nova Scotia man killed in collision near The Pas

12:25 PM

A 59-year-old Truro, Nova Scotia man is dead after his semi-trailer collided with another semi-trailer near The Pas early today.

The Pas RCMP said on Wednesday the man was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:10 a.m., while the 22-year-old male driver of the other semi-trailer, from Assiniboia, Sask., was taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries.

RCMP said the semi-trailer being driven by the Truro man south on Hwy. 10, about two kilometres north of Hwy. 60, suddenly crossed into the northbound lane of the highway and collided with the other truck.

RCMP continue to investigate.

Thompson RCMP ask for help identifying robbery suspects

3:10 PM

Mounties in Thompson are asking for the public’s help to identify three suspects believed to be involved in an armed robbery.

Shortly before midnight on March 26, police in the northern city responded to reports of a robbery in the parking lot of a business on Public Road. An unknown man armed with a sawed-off shotgun allegedly robbed a 43-year-old man before fleeing the scene with another unidentified man and woman, RCMP said in a release.

The robbery suspect was wearing a black and grey sweater, red ball cap and runners. The other two suspects wore dark clothing. The RCMP has released surveillance footage from the robbery and is asking anybody with information to come forward.

Firefighters called to third blaze in Ross Avenue house in less than a week

4:11 PM

Winnipeg firefighters doused flames in a Ross Avenue house Wednesday for the third time in less than a week.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews were called to the house on the 500 block of Ross Avenue, between Sherbrook and Isabel streets, at about 11:46 a.m., where they found smoke coming from a window, the service said.

Firefighters got inside and got the blaze under control by 12:07 p.m. No one was hurt.

The service responded to fire calls last Saturday and on Monday.