On Saturday night, the Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks beat the Minnedosa Bombers, 6-3, to win the best-of-five Tiger Hills Hockey League finals series 3-1. The senior C-Hawks flew to the title in their first THHL season after claiming championships in six of the last nine seasons of the North Central Hockey League, including in 2022.
“It was exciting for all of us to come to the Tiger Hills Hockey League and win it in our first season,” C-Hawks captain Devrin Stonehouse said. “We were confident coming in that we would stack up well with the top teams in the league with the depth we have on our team. There aren’t many teams that can handle our speed and depth as we just keep coming in waves. We knew that coming in, and just very happy that we were able to get the job done.”
With the THHL championship win, the C-Hawks have earned a spot in the Senior A provincial playoffs. At the Empire-Advance deadline, dates had yet to be announced. They will be posted on the C-Hawks’ social media.
The Miniota-Elkhorn crew succeeded with a homegrown squad. Stonehouse noted that except for one player, who is the brother-in-law of two teammates, all of the C-Hawks grew up playing minor hockey in Elkhorn.
“Everyone in that room gets along, spend hours in the room after games together and I think that goes a long way as we all go out for the same goal and stick up for one another when needed,” Stonehouse said.
The C-Hawks claimed the NCHL title in 2013 and 2014. After a two-year gap, they won in 2017 and earned back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2021 season, but the Miniota-Elkhorn team won again in 2022. Of the team’s continued success, coach Garth Mitchell said, “(it) just speaks volumes of the skill and quality of our group that has essentially stayed consistent through this run. Very talented and dedicated group of men.”
In this year’s THHL finals, Mitchell pointed to the C-Hawks’ depth at forward and defence as being the difference. He said, “Really solid team effort that kept the pressure on Minnedosa throughout the series.”
The C-Hawks had posted the best record in the THHL regular season at 17-1-0-0. The squad swept its way through its first three playoffs series. In the opening weekend of the league finals, Miniota-Elkhorn won 6-3 at home and lost 4-3 in overtime on the road. Last Friday, the C-Hawks shut out the Bombers, 6-0, to take a 2-1 series lead. Goalie Curtis Gardham made 18 saves and praised his teammates for their role in the shutout.
“We had a strong defensive game, and the guys did a great job keeping most of their shots to the outside,” he said. “We really limited their chances and that made a big difference. It makes things easy when the team plays like that in front of you.”
Shawn Bowles had a hat trick for Miniota-Elkhorn. Also scoring for the C-Hawks were Jason Bowles, Brad Bowles, and Dustin Fisher. Bombers goalie Devon Fordyce made 50 saves.
The C-Hawks closed out the Bombers with a 6-3 road victory last Saturday in a packed Minnedosa District Arena. It will be one of the last contests played there as a new arena will be opened next season. An arena closing presentation was conducted at game two of the series.
In game four, the C-Hawks led 1-0 and 4-1 at the intermissions. Curtis Gardham and Taylor Sanheim each had two goals and an assist. Brad Bowles and Fisher also scored for Miniota-Elkhorn. Cory Gardham made 20 saves, while Fordyce stopped 44 for Minnedosa.
