The Virden Oil Capitals are heating up as the playoffs approach.
While going 3-1 over its last four games, the squad clinched a Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoff berth. As of Monday, the Oil Caps were 30-18-4-4 this season. Their 68 points placed them fourth in the MJHL.
“We were pretty solid,” Virden head coach Troy Leslie said of the last four games. “The goal going into that four-game stretch was to win three of them and we were able to do that.”
As of Monday, Virden had four games remaining before the postseason. The Oil Capitals host the Winnipeg Blues on Thursday and the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Friday. The team concludes a homestand hosting Dauphin on March 2 and caps the regular season on the road on March 3 against Waywayseecappo.
Awards
Oil Capitals captain Ben Dalke has been named a finalist for the MJHL’s Frank McKinnon Memorial Trophy for hockey ability and sportsmanship. As of Monday, Dalke had 54 points and 37 penalty minutes in 56 games.
Virden forward Kolten Kanaski was named the Recycle Everywhere MJHL Player of the Week. He racked up nine points in a trio of games while helping the Oil Capitals win all three.
Oil Caps 6, Natives 3
After a scoreless period on Feb. 13, both teams exploded offensively in the second session. The Oil Capitals outscored Neepawa, 5-3, in the period. Virden added a goal in the third to earn a 6-3 road victory.
The Oil Capitals’ depth was on display as six players lit the lamp: Tristen Cross, Tristan Thompson, Hunter Cloutier, Dalke, Blake Sidoni, and Kanaski. Kanaski racked up four points, while Sidoni and Cross had three each. Virden goalie Dalton Dosch made 29 saves.
Oil Caps 5, Terriers 4
Loving being home on Valentine’s Day after an extended stint on the road due to the Viterra Curling Championship, the Oil Capitals jumped out to a 4-2 first period lead. Portage scored twice to tie things up at 4-4 in the second. Hometown hero Cross delivered the game-winning goal in the third period on the power play. Virden scored three times on the power play.
“With a team like Portage, it is hard to score five-on-five,” Leslie said. “Our power play really gave us a lift.”
Jack Einarson led Virden with two goals. Sidoni and Kanaski also scored for the Oil Capitals. Dosch stopped 44 of the 48 shots he faced to pick up the win.
Oil Caps 5, Natives 3
Virden outshot Neepawa 12-7 on Feb. 16 to grab a 3-0 first period lead at home. The Oil Caps added two goals in the second period to hold a 5-1 lead. Neepawa rallied for two goals in the third, but it was not enough to stop Virden from winning its third straight game.
Dalke had two goals and three points for the Oil Capitals. Cloutier, Kanaski, and defenceman Jacob Evans had the team’s other goals. Goalie Riley Wallace of Oak Lake made 23 saves.
Terriers 5, Oil Caps 2
On Louis Riel Day, the Oil Capitals fell behind 3-1 in the third period on the road in Portage. Virden was unable to come back.
Kanaski and Tanner McKechnie had Virden’s goals. Dosch made 16 saves on 20 shots.
Benchmarks
Cross reached the 100-point plateau as an Oil Capital last week. Brock Shwaluk competed in his 200th junior hockey game. Josh Belcher, Einarson and Jayden Wojciechowski all played in their 100th games as Oil Capitals.
