Reivers gunning for championship

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This article was published 25/01/2019 (2537 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Magic can happen when a team finally clicks. Just ask the Kildonan East Reivers.

The Reivers were 3-8 in their first 11 Winnipeg High School Hockey League games prior to a tournament in Anaheim, Calif., in November. And while they didn’t win any games in the Golden State, they’ve been lights-out since.

“I feel that trip helped the team a lot,” said Callum Henderson, a Grade 12 right winger and Reivers captain in his third season with the team. “We have more chemistry, and that helps on the ice.”

“The meshing I’ve seen with Grade 10s and 12s is something I haven’t seen in previous years,” added Connor Becker, a Grade 12 defenceman and assistant captain. 

“This year we have a great mix of new players adding to the systems we had in place,” added head coach Brennan Frykas. “Hard work has been the main key to them being one of the top teams in the league.”

On Jan. 22, the Reivers lost 4-3 to Winnipeg Free Press Division leading Pinawa. The loss was only their second in 10 games since the team returned from Anaheim. Kildonan East’s 10 regulation wins, an overtime winwin and three OT losses were good for 35 points and fifth place in at press time. 

Frykas added that the play of goaltenders Brendan Kraynyk and Trey Ross have been “outstanding.”

Kraynyk, a Grade 11 player, holds a 7-6 record with 2.41 goals against average in his 13 starts, while Ross, who is in Grade 10, has gone 4-4 with a 3.49 GAA. 

“They’ve both risen to the occasion, especially in the second half,” Frykas said.

With only three games left before playoffs, the Reivers are looking to stay disciplined and finish strong.

“We need to work on not so many penalties,” said Henderson, who has 38 penalty minutes this season.

“Limiting penalties and those little mental mistakes will be key,” added Becker, who has served only four penalty minutes while notching three goals and nine assists from the blueline so far this season. “At five-on-five, I don’t think there’s a team that can compete with us. If we can keep that in check, we should be fine.”

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A championship has been the goal for Kildonan East since Day 1 this season.

“At the start of the year, we had the goal to win the championship, but also recognized the skill and character of the kids on the team,” said assistant coach Josh Martineau. “That championship is a possibility.”

“They have to work together if they’re going to accomplish a goal like a championship,” Frykas said. “If they’re the hardest working team on the ice, I don’t see another team beating them.”

“If every player plays like we can, we can beat any team,” agreed Henderson, who is third on the team in scoring with six goals and 14 assists in 19 games. “Ever since I started in Grade 10, I’ve wanted a championship. I’d really like to get that ring for my last year.”

The Reivers host the Churchill Bulldogs on Feb. 1 at Terry Sawchuk Arena. Puck drops at 4 p.m.

Sheldon Birnie
Community Journalist

Sheldon Birnie is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. The author of Missing Like Teeth: An Oral History of Winnipeg Underground Rock (1990-2001), his writing has appeared in journals and online platforms across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. A husband and father of two young children, Sheldon enjoys playing guitar and rec hockey when he can find the time. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca Call him at 204-697-7112

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