Defending MMJHL champs off to red-hot start

St. Boniface

The St. Boniface Riels are sending a message to opponents: watch out!

The defending Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League champions were undefeated in regulation time through the first 14 games of the season to sit atop the 10-team loop with a quarter of the 2025-26 schedule played. The Riels lost 4-3 in a shootout neighbourhood rivals the St. Vital Junior Victorias on Nov. 18, then lost 3-1 to the Charleswood Hawks on Nov. 21. The Riels were back in the win column again with a decisive 8-3 win over the Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins on Nov. 23.

“It’s been a great start for us,” coach Paul Kastes said ahead of the Nov. 21 game. “It’s something we’re really proud in, and a lot has to do with the foundation we built last year. If you throw the playoffs in, that’s 25-1-1. It’s been an interesting run.”

At press time, the Riels held first place in the MMJHL with 29 points, two up on second place Transcona Railer Express, eight points ahead of third place Charleswood.

“We’ve had a ton of injuries. But it’s about the culture and the systems we’ve put in place that’s allowed us to have success,” Kastes said. “We know when we get healthy we’ll keep moving. We’re only going to get better.”

The Riels goaltending and penalty kill were the best in the league at press time. Combined, the Riels boasted a 1.69 goals against per game average, with league-best Owen LaRocque owning a 0.99 goals against average and .969 save percentage, while fellow tender Alex Domenico’s 2.10 GAA and .922 save percentage were third-best in the league at press time.

“We always build our teams from the net out,” Kastes said. “We’ve gotten great goaltending this year. Our D-corps is a big part of our strength.”

Fourth-year veteran forward Cole Davis led both the team and the league in scoring, with nine goals and 17 assists in 16 games at press time, while Nathan Burzynski, another fourth year Riels forward, was third in the league, with 12 goals and 11 assists in 12 games ahead of a Nov. 28 tilt against the River East Royal Knights (result not available at press time).

“We’re in a window now to compete,” Kastes said. “The goal is absolutely to win again.”

However, Kastes noted that winning a championship certainly puts a target on your back.

“When you’re the champs, you get everybody’s best,” he said. “We’ve had some great games, but we believe in our ability to repeat. When you’re on top, you can only compare yourself to yourself. We don’t sit back. Our standard is what we set last year.”

For more information, visit mmjhl.ca