Mar. 1/10
Saints Up Two On Blues
After shutting out the Blues in game one Friday at Dakota, Justin Leclerc led the Saints into Century Sunday night.

After taking an early lead on a goal by Jesse Hall with his 2nd of the post-season, the Blues matched it with one of their own. Kael Peterson gave the Saints they'd never relinquish when he hammered one home from the slot with a minute and a half left to make it 2-1.

Brett Chartier increased the lead early in the second but that was matched four minutes later by the Blues to keep it a one goal game. Simchuk, who was clearly getting under the Blues skin all night added to their frustration with his goal midway through the frame chasing their starting goaltender. The backbreaker for the Blues was still to come. With the Blues on a two-man advantage, Ryan Audino poked the puck past the Winnipeg South d-man, raced in alone and slid in past the keeper to make it 5-2.

With no further scoring, but a few penalties, the intensity for game three at Dakota on Tuesday night will be high. As usual, gametime is 7:30 but get there early as it's Spring Sports Registration Night at Dakota and parking will be at a premium.

Feb. 27/10
Saints/Blues Series Opens Tonight
The season-long battle between the Saints and Blues will continue tonight as the two teams open their Addison Division Semi-Final at Dakota.

While the Blues won the early season portion going 4-0-1, the Saints won the remaining four games. This proves to be a close series as eight of the nine games were decided by one goal. The other game was a 10-3 blowout Saints victory on Dec 29 at Century. Gametime tonight is 7:30 at Dakota.

Feb. 17/10
Two Out of Three With Playoffs Looming
Two big victories over the weekend set the Saints up for a chance to clinch first place in Neepawa on Tuesday night.

Saturday saw the cross-town Blues pay a visit to the Saints. Crane opened the scoring in the first but with Winnipeg South scoring powerplay goals in the second and midway through the third, the Saints were down 2-1 late in the game. With Leclerc pulled for the extra attacker and the faceoff deep in the Blues end, the draw went to the corner. Audino got to it first and quickly fired it towards the front of the net where it somehow made its way past the stunned Blues netminder as the buzzer went. After much discussion amongst the officials, the goal stood and we headed for OT. Again, nothing was solved so it was left to Leclerc to once again shut the door on the opponent as Brett Chartier scored on the final Saints shot for the heartstopping 3-2 victory.

The Pistons chugged their way to Dakota on Sunday night with a bit of a spark as they took a 1-0 lead five minutes in. Two late goals by Brett Chartier and Conrad made it 2-1 after twenty. The lead was extended by Conrad with his second and Davies later in the period before Steinbach scored late to make it 4-2 after two. The third saw the Pistons make it a very interesting game with their third 11:15 in but Conrad completed his hat trick into the empty net to make it a 5-3 Saints victory.

Done with the home portion of their schedule, the team headed to Neepawa on Tuesday looking to wrap up first in the Addison. The Natives had a bit to say about that as they let the Saints score the opening goal but than reeled off nine straight goals to hold period leads of 2-1, 6-1 and 9-1.

Luckily for the Saints, as they were handed one of their worst defeats in recent memory, the Blues were beating Selkirk. Not only did the Blues victory ensure first place for the Saints, it gave the Blues the points required to qualify for the post-season instead of a possible cross-over for the Saints with the Sher-Wood Division's OCN Blizzard. Round one of the playoffs will see the Saints host either the Blues or potentially Winkler at Dakota. Be sure to watch the MJHL's website for the complete MJHL playoff schedule.

Feb. 10/10
Second Period Too Much For Blues
Looking to expand on their lead in the Addison, the Saints took on the Blues.

Following a scoreless first, newfound d-man Hayduk opened the scoring 1:15 into the second with his 13th of the year. Five minutes in, Hrabowych increased the lead to 2-0 and with Hayduk's second of the night, this time on the powerplay, the Saints led three to zip. The Blues scored a powerplay goal of their own later in the period to get within two but Crane's shorthanded goal with :12 left regained the Saints three-goal lead heading to the third.

Almost six minutes into the final period, Winnipeg South cut into the lead again to make it 4-2 and with another midway through the period, the game was on, 4-3 Saints. But that was as close as the Saints would allow their hosts as they held off the Blues for a well-earned victory.

Feb. 4/10
Win Over Pistons Follows Disappointing Effort Against Natives
Their final "home" game outside of Dakota saw the Saints take on Neepawa at Southdale on Tuesday before traveling to Steinbach for a Wednesday matchup versus the Pistons.

Against the Natives, Neepawa took the lead one minute in and expanded that to 2-0 prior to the 13 minute mark. Conrad's goal with 1:46 left cut the lead in half before the end of the period. The second saw the Saints tie it up in the first minute on Brett Chartier's goal and take the lead on Froese's marker a minute and a half later. Midway through the period, Neepawa tied it up at three and the teams headed for the final period even up. Neepawa took advantage on the powerplay early on and made it a two-goal game two minutes later. The Saints had plenty of chances to cut into the lead but couldn't convert, handing Neepawa a well-earned 5-3 victory.

Against the Pistons, the Saints jumped into a 1-0 lead on the younger Chartier's 9th of the year. After Steinbach tied it up on the powerplay, the teams were deadlocked at one after one. Following two early goals by the Pistons to open the second, Bodnaruk got the Saints back to within one before Steinbach regained their two-goal advantage. Davies' 3rd of the season made it 4-3 midway through the period. With Bodnaruk's second of the game with just over four minutes remaining, the teams headed to the third tied at four. The final period had a mix of everything, especially penalties (64 minutes in total). What counted in the end was that the Saints outscored the Pistons three-to-one. Audino, Pruden, and Conrad into the empty net gave the visitors the 7-5 come from behind victory.

Jan. 31/10
Two Huge Wins Vault Saints Back Into First
With a month left in the regular season, the Saints needed to start gaining momentum for a long playoff run.

The ball started rolling on Friday night in Winkler. The Saints held the lead after the first on Conrad's 14th of the year. The Flyers tied it up early in the second but that just seemed to fire up the Saints as they replied with three straight. Pruden's team-leading 27th was followed up with a pair from Brett Chartier and the Saints led 4-1 after 40 minutes. Winkler poured it on in the third directing 17 shots at Leclerc, but to no avail as he stopped them all. The only shot to hit the back of the net was Crane's goal late in the game to make it a 5-1 final.

Thankfully back at Dakota on Saturday night, the Saints hosted the league-leading Dauphin Kings. For the second straight night, the Saints opened the scoring as Blake Chartier netted his 22nd of the year with 3:13 left to give the Saints a 1-0 first period lead. Hrabowych extended the advantage to 2-0 just over four minutes in. With five minutes to go, Olynyk slipped in his 4th on a scramble to leave it at 3-0 with a period to play. The third saw the Saints keep a lifeless Kings team at bay. With their goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, Brett Chartier deposited his thrid goal of the weekend into the empty net and the Saints handed one of the top ranked teams in Canada a convincing 4-0 loss.

Jan. 19/10
Saints Look To Regroup At All-Star Break
With their final game prior to the All-Star Weekend in Winkler, the team traveled to take on their division rivals in Selkirk.Nee

Hrabowych opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 1:19 in after a giveaway by the Steelers goaltender. But that would be the highlight of the night for the Saints. Selkirk held a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes with a goal three minutes after the Saints opened the scoring and again with 2:38 remaining.

Selkirk doubled their lead early in the second but the Saints had no luck beating the Steeler tender heading to the third down 3-1. The final period saw the home squad score two more late to take the game in a convincing 5-1 win.

Jan. 18/10
Saints Representing at All-Star Weekend
The Saints are pleased to announce that they will be well represented at MJHL's upcoming All-Star Weekend in Winkler.

Not only will the coaching staff of Keith Cassidy, Chris MacKinnon, and Ted Ryplanski be behind the bench for the Addison Division Prospects as they take on the Sherwood Prospects on Friday, January 22nd, they will be joined by their support staff and five players. Jeff Ayre, Rob Terin, and Ken Berthlette will have their hands full taking care of the players needs while Tyler Wiwchar, Jeff Mitchell, Derek Whitehill, Lucas Froese and Paul Crane will be on the ice looking to impress the many fans and scouts that will be attending the weekends activities.

On Saturday the 23rd of January, Josh Eason, Craig Simchuk, Blake Chartier, and Cole Pruden will look to light the lamp as the Saints selections to the Addison Division All-Star team.

Jan. 14/10
Shutout In The Shootout...Again!
For the 4th Annual Daryl Steen Challenge Cup matchup, the Saints and Portage hooked up at the MTS Centre.

Simchuk once again opened the scoring, this time thirteen minutes in to give the Saints a 1-0 lead after the initial 20 minutes. It took until there was over two minutes gone in the third for the next goal but this time it was by the Terriers on a breakaway. Portage followed that up :24 later as a shot deflected off of a Terrier forward and got by Leclerc. The lead was shortlived as Pruden capitalized on a Saints powerplay forty seconds later to tie it up at two.

Again, the goaltenders stood their ground the rest of the way and the Saints headed to extra time for the 5th game in a row. The Terriers outshot the Saints in OT 7-0 but, once again, Leclerc did his part, allowing the Saints a chance for a W in the shootout. The Saints shooters remained snakebitten in the last two shootouts, extending their shootout chances to 0 for 12 as they once again couldn't beat the opposing tender. The game came down to the 5th Portage shooter, who managed to slide one by Leclerc for the 3-2 Terrier victory.

Jan. 12/10
Shootout Loss In Transcona
The Saints and Steelers met up at Transcona's Roland Michener Arena for Tuesday's matchup.

The teams were tied at one after one. Simchuk's goal just over two minutes in was matched by the Steelers five minutes later and the remainder of the period remained scoreless. In the second, the Saints lost Simchuk when he was assessed a Major for charging just over three minutes in. Shortly afterward, Audino gave the home squad a lead that would hold up for 15 minutes. The final minute and a half of the second was all Steelers as they not only tied the game up but took the lead 3-2 before the period was over. Conrad's goal five minutes into the third would once again even the game and with no further scoring, the Saints headed for overtime...AGAIN!!

Selkirk had their chance in OT with a powerplay but couldn't convert so a shootout loomed. It was the goalies turn to shine as they thwarted the first 13 shots fired their way, some good, some bad. It was the unlucky 7th shooter for the Steelers that put the game away for the visitors as he beat Leclerc high to give Selkirk the important 4-3 victory.

Jan. 10/10
One Goal Games Becoming The Norm
Starting their annual January tour of Winnipeg rinks, the Saints played the Blues Friday night at Southdale.

It only took two and a half minutes for the Saints to get on the board as Hrabowych gave them a 1-0 lead after one. They doubled that 8:20 into the second when Crane spun around in the slot and backhanded it past the Blues goaltender. Before the period ended, Winnipeg South cut the lead to 2-1. Two Blues goals a minute apart early in the third put the Saints behind before Froese's shorthanded goal tied it up and the teams headed to OT. With no scoring in OT. it was left to a shootout. After the Blues scored on their first shot there were no more goals until Brett Chartier snapped one in with the Saints third attempt. After Leclerc stopped the Blues third attempt, Audino beat the Winnipeg South tender leaving it up to Leclerc to preserve the victory with a save against the final Blues shooter, giving the Saints a 4-3 shootout victory.

After Friday's game, a better effort was going to be required against the energetic Steinbach Pistons. Following a scoreless first, Pruden's powerplay goal :20 into the second and Simchuk's four minutes later gave the Saints a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes. The lead was extended to 3-0 on Brett Chartier's 5th of the year but a strong push by the Pistons in the final half of the third tied it up and the Saints headed to OT for the second straight night. An early penalty to Steinbach opened the door for the Saints and they took advantage. Blake Chartier gave the visitors the win with his 21st of the season and the Saints headed home with another 4-3 victory, this time in OT.

Jan. 3/10
Conrad Completes Comeback
The Saints opened 2010 in Winkler with a frigid road trip Sunday night to take on the Flyers.

The Saints remained cool in the first and the Flyers held a 2-0 lead going into the second. It took until the final minute of the middle frame for either team to hit the board as Simchuk cut the Flyer lead in half with his 18th of the year.

The Saints tied the game up 4:21 in when Conrad notched his 10th in only his 16th game with the Saints. With no other scoring in the third, the teams headed to overtime. With the Flyers taking a penalty 1:37 into OT, the Saints were given the opportunity to complete the comeback. Unable to convert during the man advantage, the Saints continued the pressure and Conrad netted the winner only five seconds after the penalty ended, giving Leclerc his first MJHL win and the Saints an all-important divisional victory.

Jan. 3/10
Saints Acquire WHL Veteran
The Saints are pleased to announce that they've traded for five-year WHL veteran goaltender Justin Leclerc from the Melville Millionaires of the SJHL.

A 20 year old Saskatoon native, Justin has guarded the nets for the Kamloops Blazers and Lethbridge Hurricanes for the past five years, compiling 82 wins and a 3.48 goals against average. During his three years in Kamloops, he was the number one netminder, amassing over 7400 minutes played.

Prior to the 2007-08 season, he was dealt from Lethbridge to Kamloops for a second round draft pick.

In exchange for Justin and future considerations, the Saints sent forward Cody Gross and future considerations to the Millionaires.

Dec. 20/09
Saints Hand Blizzard Early Xmas Gift
Their final game before Xmas had the Saints hosting the OCN Blizzard.

A parade of Saints to the penalty box in the first gave the Blizzard the chances they'd need to take a 2-0 lead into the dressing room after the first period. In the second, as Henry went to play a shoot in by the Blizzard, the puck careened off the glass dividers into the Saints open net and OCN led 3-0. Another giveaway by the Saints led to the Blizzard fourth goal with just under six minutes remaining. On the powerplay to end the period, Pruden finally gave the Saints some life as he made it 4-1 after two. The Saints opened the third with another as Brett Chartier made it 4-2 but that would be as close as the Saints would get on this night.

Dec. 18/09
Gross Nets OT Winner in Comeback
Their final trip prior to Xmas saw the Saints traveling to Winkler.

It turned out to be a quick trip for Audino and Hayduk as they were both thrown out following a squirmish 6:11 into the game. The early loss of the two meant some line juggling by the Saints and the Flyers took advantage scoring only :06 after and three minutes later to take a 2-0 lead. A third marker by Winkler with :21 left in the period made it 3-0.

The second period saw the Saints get their first of the game from Crane 4:23 in. That's as close as they'd get this period and a Flyers goal with 2:47 left restored the three goal lead after two.

The second intermission rejuventated the Saints as they'd outshoot the Flyers 16 to 8 and outscore them 3 to 0 in the third. First, Simchuk beat the Flyer's netminder 1:35 in and back-to-back powerplay goals from Blake Chartier and another from Simchuk would tie the game with half a period still to play. Neither team was able to capitalize for the remainder of the period and we headed to overtime.

Starting overtime on the powerplay, the Saints were unable to score but before the penalized Flyers player could rejoin the play, Chartier fed Gross with a pass that he was able to get by the Winkler goaltender, completing the Saints comeback and heading home with a 5-4 victory.

Dec. 16/09
Saints Double Up Neepawa
With the holiday season approaching, the Saints welcomed the Neepawa Natives to the chilly confines of Southdale Arena.

The first period remained scoreless until a flurry of activity eleven and a half minutes in. Back-to-back goals by Pruden and Davies gave the Saints a 2-0 lead before the Natives hit the board. Peterson's second goal in the past three games made it 3-1 before Neepawa closed out the first period with another to leave it at 3-2 after one. Eight and a half minutes into the second, Neepawa evened it at three but the Saints regained the lead with just over two minutes left on the powerplay when Blake Chartier notched his 19th of the season to make it 4-3 with the third still to come. The final period saw the Saints put the game on ice as Brett Chartier increased the lead to 5-3 only 1:15 in while Hrabowych's 12th eight minutes in left it a 6-3 final.

Dec.14/09
Saints Take Bite Out of Wolverines
Waywayseecappo was in town for back-to-back games against the Saints over the weekend.

On Saturday night, the Wolverines jumped into a 1-0 lead before Pruden and Conrad replied shortly after to make it 2-1 after one. Froese extended the lead to 3-1 in the second but Wayway got back to within one two minutes later. Peterson's goal midway through the period once again made it a two goal game until a late Wolverine goal left it at 4-3 heading for the third. The visitors had their chances but Crane's goal 10:13 in regained the two-goal lead. Goals forty seconds apart by Conrad, his second of the night, and Blake Chartier, on the powerplay, gave the Saints a 7-3 lead with four minutes left. A Wayway goal with two and a half minutes remaining made it a 7-4 Saints victory.

Sunday night saw a ferocious Wolverine team take a 2-0 first period lead over a shell-shocked Saints team. The second period was much different as the Saints scored three straight by Gross, Hrabowych, and Hayduk to take a 3-2 lead with 8:10 left. Shorthanded, Wayway tied it up two minutes after Hayduk's goal and the teams headed into the third even at three. Just past the midway point of the third, Brett Chartier scored his first goal since his return. Not to be outdone, older brother Blake followed that up :18 later with what would turn out to be the game winner. After the Wolverine's scored with just over two and a half minutes left, they pulled their goalie for the extra attacker but to no avail as Henry held off the final push and skated out with a 5-4 win. Hopefully the sound system will be fixed for the December 20th game against OCN.

Dec 9/09
Meet the Newest Saints
With the December 1st trade that saw Dustin Bruyere, Kyle Lee, and Brett Charette head to Portage, the Saints acquired forward Ryan Audino and defenceman Rob Paulsen.

Last season with the Terriers, his second, Audino set career highs in goals (28) and assists (34) and looks to better those numbers this year. Paulsen, in 24 games this season with Portage, had one goal and six assists along with 68 penalty minutes.

In addition to acquiring Audino and Paulsen, the Saints had a surprise returnee as 18 year old Brett Chartier came back from a stint in the USHL with Lincoln and Green Bay. As a 16 year old with the Saints in 2007/08, he hit the 20 goal mark while assisting on 24 as the Saints made it to the MJHL finals against Portage.

Dec. 8/09
Neepawa Nips Saints in OT
A trip up the Yellowhead on Tuesday brought the Saints to Neepawa.

With Peloquin back between the pipes following his shutout on Sunday, the Saints took a 1-0 lead 5:45 in on Hrabowych's 9th of the season. Neepawa tied it up less than two minutes later but the Saints retained the one-goal lead before the period was over when Froese scored with four minutes left.

The second period was scoreless despite the Saints having a 5-minute power play early on and the Saints clung to their 2-1 lead. The Natives tied it at two early in the third and took their first lead of the game with eight minutes left. Heading toward the final minute, Hrabowych scored his second of the night to even it at three and head for overtime.

In OT, the Saints had some early pressure but it only took one Neepawa shot to give the home side the 4-3 victory and send the Saints home with a single road point.

Dec. 7/09
Peloquin Seizes Pistons
Chris Peloquin was between the pipes Sunday night as the Steinbach Pistons paid a visit to the Saints.

Hall opened the scoring six minutes in with his second since joining the Saints from Brandon. Froese extended the lead to 2-0 with his sixth with seven minutes remaining and the Saints led after one. The only goal of the second was Simchuk's 13th with 3:09 left to give Peloquin a 3-0 lead after two.

The lead grew to 4-0 early in the third when Chartier beat the Pistons tender. Weselake, moving up to forward for this game, notched his 2nd of the year with six and a half minutes left to make it 5-0. All that was left was to preserve the shutout for Peloquin. The Saints defence held strong, giving Peloquin his 1st shutout of the season and 2nd career as the Saints won 5-0.

Nov. 29/09
Saints Slide By Blizzard in Shootout
With the streets of Winnipeg iced up from snowfall earlier in the day, the Saints and Blizzard hit the ice at Dakota.

It took almost seventeen minutes before anyone could beat the netminders as Davies, with his first of the year, made it 1-0 Saints after the first. The second saw the Blizzard tie it up eleven and a half minutes in and take a two period lead with three minutes left.

The Saints tied it up seven minutes into the third when Conrad stole the puck deep in the OCN zone and fed Hayduk for his 10th of the year. The Blizzard took a 3-2 lead with 4:06 left but Hayduk's second of the night with 2:52 remaining tied it up and the teams headed to OT. With Peloquin making a spectacular save in OT to save the game, a shootout was needed to decide this one. And there's a reason they call it a shootout as the advantage certainly seemed to be in the shooters favour as the first five scored, leaving it up to OCN's final shooter. This time, Peloquin didn't need to make the big save as the shot went wide and the Saints won in a thrilling 4-3 shootout.

Nov. 27/09
Steelers Swamp Saints in Showdown
Thursday Night at the MTS Centre, the Saints and Steelers met in the Inaugural Red River Showdown.

Simchuk put the Saints on the board first with his 12th of the year midway through the opening period. Selkirk followed that up seven minutes later with one of their own and the first ended tied at one. During the first intermission, the crowd was entertained by the reigning three time Manitoba champion University of Manitoba Ice Intrepid synchronized skating team.

The second remained scoreless again until midway through when the Steelers went up by one and extended their lead to 3-1 with a power play marker with two and a half minutes to go. Down 3-1 heading for the third, the Saints were going to need some of Dancing Gabe's energy to get back in the game.

Two and a half minutes into the third, Hrabowych, named the Jim Gauthier Hardest Working Player and second star, than got the Saints to within one with his 8th of the season but that would be as close as the Saints would come to a victory. Back-to-back Selkirk goals a minute apart late in the third sealed the victory for the Steelers as they skated home with a 5-2 victory and the Red River Showdown Trophy.

Nov. 24/09
Big Win Prior to Showdown
With Thursday's Red River Showdown at the MTS Centre looming, Selkirk played host to the Saints.

The hosts jumped out to an early 1-0 lead before Froese tied it up midway through the period with his 5th of the season. Selkirk's second goal with just over six minutes left made it 2-1 for the Steelers after one period. Selkirk extended their lead five and a half minutes into the second. Conrad brought the Saints back to within one with his first of the night with 3:14 left and the second ended 3-2 Selkirk.

Simchuk opened the scoring a minute and a half into the third and the Saints took their first lead of the night with Conrad's second two minutes later. The lead however was short-lived as the Steelers tied it up again shortly after. The remainder of the third remained scoreless and overtime approached and less than a minute away when Conrad completed his hat trick, giving the Saints the well earned 5-4 victory.

Nov. 22/09
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
With three games in three days on their latest northern trip, the Saints looked to build on their lead in the tight Addison Division.

Friday in Swan River, three first period penalties to the Saints led to the only goal. The Stampeders took advantage playing 5-on-4, beating Henry and taking a 1-0 lead. The Stampeders extended their lead, again on special teams, when they scored shorthanded five minutes into the second. Chartier cut the lead in half when he scored :40 later and tied it up on the powerplay with his second of the night with 7:40 left. A second shorthanded goal by the Stampeders with three and a half minutes left regained their one goal lead into the third. Midway through the third, Chartier would tie it up with his third and Gross would give the Saints their first lead. On the powerplay to end the third, the Saints gave up their third shorthanded goal of the evening with just over a minute left and the game headed for OT. With nothing decided in OT, the Saints shot first in the shootout. After Gross scored on the second shot, Peterson found the back of the net with the Saints final shot and Henry stood tall again as the Saints won 5-4.

Following their shootout victory, the team headed for Waywayseecappo for Saturday's matchup. The Saints took a 2-0 lead after one on goals by Froese and Gross. The middle frame saw the visitors put four more by the Wolverines goaltender as Conrad, Hayduk, Gross with his second, and Bodnaruk all lit the lamp. All that was left in the third was for the Saints and Peloquin to preserve the shutout but that ended five minutes in. With the remainder of the game scoreless, the Saints headed for their Dauphin Sunday matinee with three straight wins.

On Sunday, the Kings jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before the first was ten minutes old and held onto that lead through one. The second saw the visitors get on the board as Hall scored his first as a Saint to get within one with a period to play. The opportunities in the third were there but the Saints just couldn't capitalize as the Saints headed home losing 2-1 but going 2 and 1 on this road swing.

Nov. 16/09
Saints Split With Stamps
The Saints hosted Swan Valley in back-to-back games this weekend.

A chilly Southdale Arena was home on Friday as the teams opened up their two-game series. But is was the Stampeders who were well warmed up as they took a 1-0 lead only 1:05 in. The Saints had plenty of opportunities through the rest of the first period but the score remained 1-0 after one. Two minutes into the second, the Saints drew even on Hrabowych's 7th of the year. On a power play shortly after, Swan Valley regained their one-goal advantage and extended it to two a couple of minutes later. The Saints got back to within one on a goal by Pruden with five minutes left to make it 3-2 after two periods. Chances were few and far between for the Saints in the third. The Stampeders battened down the hatches and protected their lead, giving the Saints very few good scoring chances as they skated out of Southdale with a 3-2 victory.

With the Saints looking for a series split, Saturday saw the rematch back at Dakota. On this night, it was the Saints who jumped out to an early lead on Chartier's power play goal 3:21 in. The lead was however short-lived as the Stampeders tied it up three minutes later. Gross's first goal as a Saint with 2:09 left in the first made it 2-1 after one period. The second saw a little of everything, from plenty of goals to numerous powerplays for both teams. Getting into penalty trouble early, the Saints gave up three straight power play goals in a two-minute span to fall behind 4-2. Gross's second of the night :13 after the last Swan Valley goal brought the Saints to within one. Little tied it up with his 4th and Gross completed his hat trick with a short-handed goal 6:44 in, regaining the lead for the Saints. On the powerplay late in the period, Chartier extended the lead to 6-4 with his second of the night before the Stampeders rounded out an eight-goal second period scoring barrage with 2:30 left to leave it at 6-5 with a period still to play. With under three minutes gone in the final period, Swan Valley tied it up and with no further scoring, the teams headed to overtime. A late penalty to the Stampeders in OT gave the Saints the man-advantage and it didn't take long for them to capitalize. Setting up Hayduk in the high slot, his one-timer from Gross beat the Swan Valley tender, giving the Saints a hard-fought 7-6 overtime victory.

Nov. 10/09
Goaltending Duel at Century
On Tuesday night, the Saints traveled to Fort Garry to take on the Blues.

In the first, both teams had their chances but it was obvious that the goaltenders were focused on this night. Scoreless after one, the teams took to the ice in the second but after 40 minutes, the game remained scoreless.

The third finally saw a red light as Froese opened the scoring eleven minutes in to give the Saints a short-lived 1-0 lead. Less than a minute later, the Blues tied it up on a deflection that made it's way up and over Peloquin. It looked as though this game was headed for overtime...until a giveaway in the Saints end left the Blues in the slot and the puck in the net, giving the home team the 2-1 lead with just over three minutes left. The Saints had their chances with Peloquin pulled but it wasn't meant to be as the Blues edged the Saints 2-1.

November 9/09
Weekend Split
Two important divisional games saw the Saints host the Steelers and Flyers.

On Saturday, Pruden was on fire with four goals and a helper as the Saints edged by the Steelers 5-4. The Saints held a 2-0 lead after the first on Pruden's 14th and 15th of the season. The second saw Selkirk get within one only to be answered back by Crane :46 later. The Saints replied to another Steeler goal with six and a half minutes to go when Pruden netted his third of the night four minutes later. An early goal in the third, again by Pruden, made it 5-2 Saints. Only some sloppy play by the Saints late in the third made the game closer than it should have been when Selkirk scored two to make it a 5-4 final.

The following night, Winkler and the Saints took to the ice. The game remained scoreless until late in the first when the Flyers scored two in a minute and a half to take a 2-0 lead. The Saints cut the lead in half four minutes into the second when Whitehill notched his 7th. Winkler regained their two goal lead with five minutes left in the second. The Flyers extended their lead 9:21 into the third but off the ensuing faceoff, Crane scored for the second night in a row only :14 later to again make it a two goal game. With Henry pulled for the final two minutes, the Saints had sustained pressure on the Flyers netminder but he held the Saints at bay, preserving a 4-2 victory for the Flyers.

October 30/09
Saints Rev By Steinbach
The Pistons made their way to Winnipeg on Friday night to take on the 1st place Saints.

The Saints jumped into an early lead only :38 in when Wiwchar netted his 1st Junior A goal. That lead was short-lived as the Pistons scored just over a minute later on the powerplay. The visitors would jump into the lead a little over seven minutes in. This time is was the Saints turn to draw even when Crane lit the lamp. Steinbach led after 20 minutes on a goal with four and a half minutes left.

The second saw the tide turn as the Saints scored three unanswered to take a 5-3 lead. Weselake's first of the year two minutes in was followed five minutes later by Pruden with his 1st of the night. Hayduk's breakaway goal with 8:25 left rounded out the second period scoring.

Pruden opened the scoring in the third with his second of the night with just under five minutes gone. Following a spirited tilt, the Pistons scored shorthanded to make it 6-4. On the powerplay to end the game, Pruden completed his hat trick with three seconds remaining to make it a 7-4 final in favour of the Saints.

October 29/09
Blues Sneak By Saints
Another divisional matchup saw the Blues visit Dakota on Thursday night.

Nine minutes into the first, Saints veteran Chartier and his Blues counterpart exchanged pleasantries (and a few rights). Hrabowych got the Saints on the scoreboard with a powerplay goal with 3:39 left and the Saints held a 1-0 lead after one.

Early in the second, a breakaway by the Blues tied it up but Pruden's 9th of the season six minutes in regained the Saints one goal advantage. The Blues continued to pressure the Saints and were rewarded with 7:20 left to once again tie it up, this time at two apiece. However before the period would end, Little would once again put the Saints ahead as they took a 3-2 lead into the third.

It didn't take long for the Blues to even it up as they scored only seventeen seconds in. With the remainder of the game scoreless, we headed to overtime. The Saints had the early advantage in OT as they buzzed the Blues net but came away with nothing. On the ensuing Blues rush, Henry got a piece of a knuckle-ball from the face-off dot but not enough as it just rolled over the line to give the Blues a 4-3 OT win.

October 27/09
Henry Blanks Flyers
It was another midweek matchup with the Flyers Tuesday night at Dakota.

As the game progressed in the first, it seemed the rink was generously tilted towards the Winkler end as the Saints held an 11-1 shot advantage until the last couple minutes of the scoreless first. The barrage of shots at the Flyers net continued throughout the second with only Glowa being able to get a puck past with 9:35 remaining.

The Saints headed into the third with a precarious 1-0 lead on the scoreboard but with a commanding 28-9 shot advantage. The third saw the Saints continue to stifle any Flyers pressure or shooters, again allowing only four shots through the period. On the powerplay, Steen extended the lead to 2-0 with his 3rd of the year 8:50 in. Chartier rounded out the scoring, again with the man advantage, with his 10th to make it a 3-0. The shutout for Henry, his first as a Saint, gives him seven wins for the year and moves him into the MJHL lead in both the goals against average and save percentage categories.

October 23/09
Kings One Up Saints In Shoot-out
A Friday bus ride to Dauphin was the Saints only game this week as leaders in the MJHL's respective divisions faced off.

Following a scoreless first period, Dauphin opened the scoring early in the second on a breakaway. Even though they were outshot 22-7 in the second, the Saints pulled even with two and a half minutes left when Popel netted his second of the year. However, the Kings would regain the one goal advantage in the final minute of the period to take a 2-1 lead into the third.

The Saints would once again pull even on Whitehill's powerplay goal 2:11 in. A Dauphin goal with four minutes remaining didn't look good for the Saints but the visitors perseverance paid off as Froese made it three a piece with 2:24 left. The remainder of the third stayed scoreless and the teams headed to overtime.

After overtime solved nothing, a shootout loomed. With each teams initial three shooters unable to score, it came down to shot vs shot. When the Kings fourth shooter beat Henry, it was up to Froese. When Dauphin's goaltender stopped his attempt, the Saints headed home with a well-earned shootout point.

October 15/09
Saints Soar Back With Win Over Flyers
Following a lackluster performance two nights earlier, the Saints hosted Winkler.

It was definitely a different team on this night as they came out flying in the first and took the game to the Flyers. Outshooting the visitors 11-3, the Saints and Henry held a three goal lead after one on goals by Pruden, Hrabowych, and Popel with his 1st of the year. The second remained scoreless until the final :10 when Olynyk scored on the powerplay to make it 4-0.

Five minutes into the third and with the Saints shorthanded, Crane weaved his way around the Flyers netminder and pocketed his third to make it a five goal advantage. The Flyers finally beat Henry eight and a half minutes in on the powerplay. The Saints third powerplay goal of the night, this time by Hrabowych with 6:30 remaining, made it 6-1 and that would close out the scoring as the Saints bounce back from a poor performance against the Terriers with one of their best against the Flyers.

October 13/09
Terriers Take Bite Out of Saints
The Saints hosted the Portage Terriers Tuesday night at Dakota.

And the Saints treated their guests very kindly, offering up a 1-0 lead only :41 in. Portage extended the lead to two 11:20 in but that was matched four minutes later with Glowa's 4th of the year. The Terriers skated out of the first with a 3-1 lead after they beat Gagnon with 1:35 remaining. Five minutes into the second, Portage would make it 4-1 and make it a four goal advantage two minutes later. At that point, Henry took over from Gagnon and kept the visitors off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Problem was, the Saints couldn't get one by the Portage goaltender as well as the final score ended in the visitors favour, 5-1.

October 11/09
Showcase Weekend Good To Saints
After only getting one point out of a possible six last weekend, the Saints hoped the Thanksgiving Weekend wouldn't be a turkey.

A rematch against OCN on Friday was the start of the Saints Showcase. An early goal by Little was shortly matched by the Blizzard and a late OCN goal made it 2-1 after 20 minutes. The second saw the Blizzard score two more to extend their lead to 4-1. Whatever was said in the dressing room between periods sure must have had some impact as the Saints came out flying. After Pruden and Whitehill scored 30 seconds apart just over five minutes in, Chartier's goal midway through the third tied it up 4-4. Olynyk's powerplay goal on a nifty three-way passing play with Chartier and Simchuk gave the Saints their first lead of the game with 7:37 left. The comeback was completed when Simchuk scored into the open net with :25 remaining giving the Saints a 6-4 victory.

Saturday was another rematch against an opponent from the previous weekend as thr Saints played visitor to the Stampeders. The first period saw each team hitting the scoreboard with Crane getting the goal for the Saints. The second period was scoreless so we headed to the third tied at one. For the second night in a row, the Saints came out flying in the third. Four minutes in, Pruden made it 2-1 and Bodnaruk doubled it to 3-1 with his first of the year. Two powerplay goals, by Chartier and Froese (his first), made it 5-1 Saints as the third period was once again the turning point.

The Blues hosted the Saints at Century on Sunday night. Simchuk opened the scoring for the Saints in the opening minute. A Winnipeg South goal with 5:26 remaining left it tied at one after one. The teams exchanged goals in the second as each time the Blues took a lead, the Saints would tie it up shortly afterward with Pruden and Chartier lighting the lamp for the Saints. The third remained scoreless until there was 6:16 left when the Blues beat Gagnon. The Saints turned up the pressure in the final minutes and even had a powerplay but couldn't beat the Blues tender and left Century with a 4-3 loss.

October 5/09
Saints Cooled On Northern Trip
On their first extended road trip of the season, the team headed to OCN for two and ending with a Sunday matinee in Swan.

Friday in OCN, a scoreless first period allowed the Saints to regain their legs after the long trip north. Simchuk opened the scoring in the second five minutes in. OCN tied it up with six minutes left and took the lead on the powerplay with :04 remaining in the period. The Blizzard extended their lead 3:13 into the third. Pruden made it a one-goal game with just over four minutes remaining. However, a late penalty to the Saints didn't allow them the full advantage of pulling Peloquin for the extra attacker and OCN scored into the empty net for a 4-2 victory.

The rematch on Saturday saw OCN take a 1-0 first period lead and that was all they'd need. With no scoring in the second, an insurance marker only :33 into the third made it 2-0. The Saints had their chance with a mid-period 5 on 3 but couldn't capitalize. A late Blizzard goal made it a 3-0 final.

Hoping to gain some points from this trip, the Saints headed into Swan Valley. However, the Stampeders had different ideas as they hit the scoreboard only :41 in. Hayduk tied the game up five minutes later but a Swan powerplay goal made it 2-1 after one. The Stampeders took a 3-1 lead in the second but two late goals by the Saints (Steen and Whitehill) left it tied at 3 after 40 minutes. The third period was uneventful with plenty of shots but no goals or penalties so the two teams headed to overtime. Swan Valley came out strong and with a late Saints penalty, outshot the visitors 10 to 4 but still couldn't beat Peloquin so we headed to a shootout. With only Steen being able to beat the Stamps netminder for the Saints in their three shots, Swan Valley's third shooter wasn't needed as Swan won the shootout 2-1 and the game 4-3.

September 29/09
First Period Powerplay Downs Saints
Hoping to build on their three game winning streak, the Saints played another important divisional game on Tuesday night in Winkler.

But an early five-minute advantage for the Flyers took the Saints out of the game early. Scoring three times while the Saints served the major, the Flyers dominated the period, outshooting the visitors 20-2 and leading 3-0 after one. The second saw the Saints with their fair share of opportunities on the powerplay but they couldn't light the lamp and remained down by three heading for the third.

The final period saw the Flyers score two early goals to go up by five and all that was left was to see if the Saints could break the shutout. Finally, Kael Peterson notched his first MJHL goal with 2:20 remaining to make the final score 5-1 Winkler.

September 27/09
Saints Forge Third Straight Over Steelers
Saturday night the Saints looked for an unprecedented third straight win over the Steelers.

And the night started off with a bang as Simchuk scored 30 seconds in give the Saints an early lead. Two minutes later, it was Glowa's 3rd of the season that made it 2-0 before Selkirk replied with one of their own 3:06 in. After Hayduk's wrist shot at 7:45 beat the Steeler netminder, the Saints finally chased him from the game three minutes later when Whitehill made it 4-1. Whitehill extended the Saints lead in the second with his 2nd of the night.

The third period saw both teams with their chances but the only shot to beat either keeper was Little's first goal as a Saint with 8:47 remaining to make it a 6-1 final as the Saints took all three crucial divisional games against the Steelers. Next game...Tuesday in Winkler...gametime 7:30.

September 25/09
Back to Back Wins Over Steelers Gets Saints Back on Track
Last Sunday saw the Saints host the Steelers in the first of three straight games in a week against Selkirk.

The Steelers came visiting for th first matchup of the season betwen the two. Selkirk jumped into an early lead two and a half minutes in. A late first period powerplay goal by Hrabowych left it tied at one and with no additional scoring in regulation time or overtime, we headed to a shootout. The shootout saw the teams match each other goal for goal, save for save through six rounds. After Kael Peterson beat the Steelers goaltender to start off the seventh, it was up to Gagnon to hold off the Selkirk shooter, which he did preserving another one goal victory, a 2-1 shootout win for the Saints.

Friday in Selkirk, Kent Henry was handed the start in net for the visitors. It took until the 16:37 mark before either team would hit the scoreboard when Chartier gave the Saints a 1-0 first period lead while on the powerplay. The Steelers tied it up with a powerplay goal of their own midway through the second period. Glowa regained the lead with 3:16 left in the middle frame. Another powerplay goal by the Saints, this time off the stick of Pruden, made it 3-1 with under four minutes to go. The Steelers made it interesting with a late marker but couldn't get another by Henry and the Saints made it two in a row over the Steelers with a 3-2 victory.

September 18/09
Saints Drop Two To Division Rivals
The Saints traveled to Century on Thursday and Winkler on Friday to take on the Blues and Flyers.

Thursday saw the game tied at one after one on Chartier's goal thirty seconds after the Blues took the lead on the powerplay. The Saints jumped ahead 2-1 early in the second on Paul Crane's first but a late Winnipeg South goal left it 2-2 after forty minutes. The game remained tied until late in the third when the Blues scored on the powerplay to make it a 3-2 final.

In Winkler, Matt Glowa's first gave the Saints a 1-0 lead 7:25 in but three late Flyer goals (two on the powerplay) left it at 3-1 after 20 minutes. The Saints got to within one in the first minute when Simchuk found the back of the net. Down 3-2 entering the third, it took over 16 minutes for the Saints to draw even as Ryan Dech scored his first MJHL goal. However for the second straight night, a late goal, this time with 1:20 left made it 4-3 and the Flyers escaped with the victory.

September 15/09
Glowa Nets Winner in Shoot-out
Tuesday night saw the Saints host their cross-town rivals Winnipeg South Blues at Dakota.

Both teams had their chances in the first but it was the Saints who held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes on a goal by Pruden midway through the period. The second saw the Saints double their lead to 2-0 when Chartier found the back of the net 6:14 in.

The third saw the Blues come out firing as they finally beat Gagnon a little over a minute in to make it 2-1. Winnipeg South tied it up at two when they scored with just under seven minutes gone. After Hrabowych batted in a rebound off a shot from Hayduk with three minutes left, it looked like the Saints would be able to take this one. The Blues still had some say in that matter and brought it even again with :28 remaining and the goalie pulled, taking it to overtime. Overtime solved nothing and the shoot-out loomed.

The Saints decided to shoot first and it paid off as Saints rookie Matt Glowa beat the Blues tender. Neither team was able to solve the opposition goalie again and when Gagnon stopped the final Blues shooter, the Saints celebrated with a 4-3 shoot-out win.

September 13/09
Opening Weekend Roundup
The Saints opened the 2009/10 season playing host to the RBC Host, Dauphin Kings, on Friday night and Winkler on Saturday night.

Following the introduction of this years team, the Saints paid tribute to the team's Chaplain, Larry Rempel and his wife Gloria as they are in the process of moving back to Melfort Saskatchewan.

Chartier opened the scoring just over four minutes but that was matched two minutes later and the 1st period finished tied at one. The second saw the teams match goals with Simchuk and Steen scoring for the Saints but a Kings goal just before the period ended left the game tied at three. Dauphin took their first lead of the game seven minutes in but that was matched by Saints newcomer Jeff Mitchell with his first and the teams headed to overtime. The Kings didn't allow a shot in OT and ended the game with :20 remaining to take it 5-7.

Saturday saw the Saints host Addison Division rival Winkler Flyers. The Flyers jumped out to a two goal lead after one period but this only seemed to wake the Saints as they came back with two of their own in the second as Hayduk and Simchuk lit the lamp. The third saw rookie Kyle Bodnaruk capitalize on a Flyer turnover in their own end and score his first MJHL goal. And it was a goal to remember as it held up to be the winner after Simchuk's second of the game into an empty net made it a 4-2 final for the Saints as they finished the weekend with three of four points.

August 19/09
2009/10 Season Around The Corner
The Saints are gearing up for the upcoming season. After a very successful Rookie Camp this past weekend (where numerous players were noticed), the coaching staff are now using this weeks Main Camp to select which players will suit up for the Saints this season.

The Saints exhibition schedule starts this Thursday night at Century where the rookies will take the stage. The Saints first home pre-season game is Monday night against the Steinbach Pistons. Gametime is 7:30.

July 9/09
Reins Handed Over to Cassidy
The Saints are pleased to announce that Keith Cassidy has accepted the position of Head Coach.

Keith comes from a successful three year stint as Head Coach with the rival Selkirk Steelers where he led them to 138 regular season wins. In 2006/07, the Steelers won the MJHL title along with the Anavet Cup as they represented Manitoba at the Royal Bank Cup in Prince George, B.C.

Beside Cassidy on the bench this year will be two assistant coaches. Ted Ryplanski, who for the last three years assisted Cassidy in Selkirk will do double duty as a goaltender consultant, and Chris MacKinnon who most recently was the Head Coach of the Central Plains Capitals of the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League in 2007/08.

June 16/09
Saints Look to Replace Stokes
Saints Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Doug Stokes has decided to retire from coaching as he needs to concentrate on improving his health after having bypass surgery.

In his two seasons with the club, he led the Saints to their best ever playoff and regular season performances in the teams nine year history as the Winnipeg Saints, reaching the MJHL finals in 2007/08 and the Addison Division finals this past season.

Doug's effectiveness with bringing the best out in his players and experience in coaching and developing will be sorely missed.

We wish Doug all the best in this important life decision

June 16/09
Saints General Manager Retires
With regret, the Saints announce that General Manager Wayne Anderson has decided to retire after nine years of service to the club.

Wayne was a valuable and dedicated volunteer that will be deeply missed by all the staff. Our sincerest wishes go out to Wayne in his retirement.

June 15/09
Saints College Commitments Add Up
The Saints are pleased to announce that graduating player Dan Watt has committed to Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario.

Dan capped his junior "A" career last year with an MJHL and CJHL leading 136 points. He finished as the Saints all-time leader in assists with 161 assists and tied for second in points with 271.

Nipissing University is a primarily undergraduate university located in North Bay, Ontario. This year will be it's first with a team in the tough OUA hockey program. In addition to Watt, Nipissing has commitments from former OHL and OJHL players and will be very competitive in their inaugural season.

The Saints wish Dan all the best as he furthers his career.

June 11/09
Another Saint Moves To College Ranks
The Saints would like to congratulate graduating player Stephane Massicotte from Ste-Anne, Manitoba on receiving a scholarship from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).

Stephane's first junior year was with the Nipawin Hawks of the SJHL. He was traded to the Saints the following year and remained with them for the remainder of his junior career.

Stephane is excited to be pursuing his post secondary education at SAIT due to its outstanding academic and hockey programs. The Winnipeg Saints organization wishes him well.

June 1/09
MJHL Draft Adds Impressive Bantams To Saints
This past weekend in The Pas, the MJHL held their Annual Meetings which included scheduling for the 2009/10 season and the MJHL Bantam Draft of 1994 born players.

The Saints first pick was in the third round when they selected defenceman Riley Kuryk from the Winnipeg Sharks. With their second selection of the round, the Saints took another defenceman, Danys Chartrand from the Winnipeg Warriors.

The fourth round saw the Saints select their third straight defenceman with Nicholas Bruyere from the Warriors. In the fifth round, Sharks goaltender Teagan Sacher was selected to break the Saints run on d-men.

A pair of Winnipeg Hawks forwards went to the Saints in the sixth round when Lyrik Friesen and Jordan Boyd were picked.

Two picks into the eighth round saw Warriors forward Danick Leveque selected by the Saints. Also with the final pick of the round, the Saints picked Monarchs forward James Bergal.

The final two rounds also each ended with a Saints pick and both were Warriors. Forward Nory Falk went in round nine and the draft was closed out with last, but not least, forward Ryan Leaf.

May 4/09
Macaulay To Join Herd
The Saints are pleased to announce that Blair Macaulay has committed to the University of Manitoba Bisons for the 2009/10 season.

Macaulay, 20, earned the Winnipeg Saints team award as Playoff MVP after he led the team (third overall in MJHL) in 2009 playoff scoring with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists). In the 2008-09 season, he registered 86 points (25g, 61a) in 38 regular season games with 39 penalty minutes for the Saints. The 5’11”, 178 lbs. forward was named twice as MJHL Player of the Week, was a runner-up for MJHL Player of the Month award and named MJHL All-Star during the past season.