Sabres seek to extend championship run

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This article was published 29/11/2023 (974 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Steinbach Sabres hockey program has collected a lot of hardware in the last two seasons. There’s one trophy that’s missing, one the Sabres hope to add this week.

The reigning provincial champs have won three straight tournaments to open their title defence and have every intention of making it four in a row at the Victoria Inn tournament in Brandon, beginning Thursday.

The Sabres open action in pool seven against St. Thomas Acquinas (Kenora) at the Keystone Centre (8 p.m.). Sandy Bay is also in the pool.

“This tournament is definitely circled on my calendar,” said Sabres head coach John Laninga.

The 24-team tournament is arguably the most significant of the season outside of league play, featuring many of the heavyweight programs from across the province and a few out-of-towners. It’s also the last tournament before the Manitoba High School Athletic Association releases its first power rankings of the year.

Garden City will be the team to beat this week as the two-time reigning tournament champions (2019, 2022).

The Sabres are a middling squad in league play at 3-6 but have found a way to turn it on during tournaments, boasting an unblemished 16-0 record with titles at the Morris Mavericks tournament, Sturgeon Heights Husky Classic and the SRSS Invitational.

“The Sturgeon Heights Husky Classic is a very historical tournament, as well, so that was a huge honour to win that tournament and there was a lot of good teams in that tournament,” Laninga said. “The (Victoria Inn), with 24 teams, just the way that the tournament works, it’s super important to have a really good round robin and ensure that you get into the A bracket.

“And then just the fact that there’s teams coming from four or five different divisions, it’s pretty exciting. I think it’s really fun to play against new teams and team you don’t see often, so just the magnitude of the tournament is really exciting for our team.”

The Sabres returned eight players from its provincial championship squad but its physical brand of hockey has continued to bruise opponents into submission while the team hits full stride.

Sabres defenceman Preston Perreault said he can feel the target growing on the team’s back as it continues a stellar run that dates back to last season, but he and the rest of the squad are welcoming the attention.

“It’s a good feeling, coming from our Grade 10 year where we weren’t winning very much. It’s a good feeling, our team’s come together,” said Perreault, who’s registered five goals and four assists in eight contests.

“I’m excited to play different teams throughout our league to see what we’re up against and we’d like to go four-for-four so a lot of the boys are excited to try and win this tournament.”

The Westwood Warriors have been about as competitive a hockey program the province has offered over the last three seasons, yet have never found themselves standing in the winner’s circle.

It certainly hasn’t discouraged the team, as the Warriors have clawed their way to the provincial championship game and provincial semi-finals in each of the past two seasons. Still, head coach Steve Christie would like to see his team play their best hockey in these events, even if they don’t count toward the overall standings.

“For whatever reason we haven’t done well in our two tournaments this year,” said Christie, whose club was 10-2 in league play ahead after defeating the Beliveau Barracudas 3-1 on Wednesday. “So just trying to get them to have the same mentality that they would for a regular season-game into the tournaments. They’re fun to win and they’re hard to win but it teaches you how to prepare for it come playoffs, how to win a championship.

The young Warriors have been a pleasant surprise to their coaches this season, icing just four players in Grade 12 after losing nine seniors from a season ago, including a few of their best offensive weapons.

That’s required the players to buy into a more balanced game. To see the buy-in, look no further than defenceman Nikolaj Bilenko, a Danish-born student who played forward his entire life before making the transition this off-season. The change has paid off in spades.

Bilenko, who has 13 points in 11 games ahead of Wednesday’s action, is a two-way player who understands the importance of protecting his own end but isn’t afraid to flaunt his offensive prowess.

“We needed a couple of (defencemen) on the team, and I like playing defence,” said Bilenko, in Grade 12. “It’s been good. I like everything about it.”

The Warriors will face some tough competition out of the gates in pool eight with Neepawa (6-1 in the Westman league play) and St. Paul’s (9-4 in the Platinum Promotions division play).

The Warriors open the tournament Thursday against Neepawa (8:15 p.m.), who they have yet to play this season. The Crusaders are a familiar opponent, as the two programs have been at the centre of some thrilling contests over the last couple of seasons. Friday’s matchup figures to be another good one.

“Against St. Paul’s, that game will be good to see how they are now, halfway through the season so we’re ready for when we play them during the actual season,” Bilenko said.

The Crusaders won a 5-4 decision earlier this month that saw them mount a comeback and win in overtime.

Christie added: “I hope for their sake that they’re up because they’re usually good ones. It’s a big game for many reasons, one to get the bragging rights and whatnot and to set yourself up good for the tournament.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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