Neepawa Titans win over Winnipeg Pair of victories keep Titans in contention for playoffs

By Eoin Devereux Neepawa Banner & Press

The Neepawa Titans collected four very important points over the weekend, with a pair of victories over the Winnipeg Blues. The first was an impressive 7-2 decision on Friday, Feb. 17. Neepawa followed that up a few nights later with a 5-2 win over those same Blues.

Game results

THHL Playoffs

East Division Quarter Finals

#1 Gladstone vs. #8 Carberry Gladstone wins series 2-0

#2 Minnedosa vs. #7 Pilot Mound Minnedosa wins series 2-0

#3 Wawanesa vs. Cartwright Wawanesa wins series 2-0

#4 Neepawa vs. #5 MacGregor

Neepawa wins series 2-1

West Division Quarter Finals

#1 Miniota/Elkhorn vs. #8 Souris Miniota/Elkhorn win series 2-0

#2 Killarney vs. #7 Melita Killarney win series 2-0

#3 Virden vs. #6 Hartney Virden win series tied 2-0

#4 Rivers vs. #5 Deloraine Rivers wins series 2-0

East Division Semi Finals

#1 Gladstone vs. #4 Neepawa

Best-of-five series tied 0-0

Sunday, Feb. 19

Neepawa 5-2 Wpg Blues

First Period

05:00 NPA B. Wood (14)

ASST: W. Highet (15), B. Michalchuk (15)

06:00 NPA B. Wood (15)

ASST: H. Stocks (19)

Second Period

00:47 NPA H. Stocks (25)

ASST: B. Wood (30)

10:24 NPA C. Bendtsen (7)

ASST: C. Trimble (14), C. Smith (18)

Third Period

02:54 WPB D. Zeller (14) PP

ASST: P. Gare (18), T. Kaufield (17)

05:26 NPA C. Trimble (8)

ASST: Unassisted

19:47 WPB K. Ekie (10)

ASST: N. Bettens (9), D. Zeller (12)

Scoring 1 2 3 Total PP

WPB 0 0 2 2 1/3

NPA 2 2 1 5 0/5

Goaltenders

WPB J. McLeod - (L) 32/37 saves

NPA G. Renwick - (W) 28/30 saves

Attendance: 225 - Yellowhead Centre

The wins were the Titans’ 19th and 20th of the MJHL regular season, but more importantly, kept them on pace with the teams they’re chasing in the standings for the playoffs. Neepawa is currently eight points out of the fourth and final playoff placement, but just 10 points away from second place in the highly competitive Western Division.

Briley Wood, who had six points for Neepawa (3 goals - 3 assists) over the course of those two games, told the Banner & Press, everyone in the dressing room understand exactly how important every single game is right now.

“We’re feeling good right now and we feel as though we’re getting dialed in. Everybody in the room knows what’s at stake and, as a team, we’re not taking any of this for granted. If we want to make the playoffs, we have to be treating every game, from here on out, as a win or go home type situation,” noted Wood.

Goaltender Gavin Renwick earned both wins for Neepawa on the weekend, with 27 and 28 save efforts, respectively.

Some of those saves included late game heroics with the glove, stealing a goal or two from the Blues. After the second game, Renwick said it wasn’t just him out there, as the team in front of him did an amazing job minimizing the opportunities for Winnipeg. He said he could have been a lot more busy if not for the Titans’ committment to playing smart defence.

“I was able to keep an eye out there on the shots and the boys were also putting in the effort in our own zone. It’s feeling like we’re finding our stride out there right now.”

With eight games remaining for Neepawa on the regular season schedule, they’re hoping to keep the momentum going this weekend against the Portage Terriers. The Tians will play in Portage la Prairie on Feb. 24, and then return to the Yellowhead Centre on Feb. 25 to face the Terriers once again. Start time for Saturday, is set for 7:30 p.m.