The Dauphin Kings are 2-0 at the 2022 Centennial Cup in Estevan, Sask., after the opening weekend.
The Kings opened the national championship tournament with a 2-1 win over the Central Canada Hockey League’s Ottawa Jr. Senators, Friday afternoon.
Phillipe Jacques staked Ottawa to a first-period lead with a power-play goal with 24 seconds left in the period.
Luke Morris pulled the Kings even at 6:06 of the second stanza and Nakodan Greyeyes netted the winner on a power play at 12:53.
Dauphin’s Carson Cherepak was named Player of the Game for the Kings, stopping 30 of 31 shots. Ottawa’s William Desmarais made 22 saves in the loss.
Dauphin scored once on four power-play opportunities, while Ottawa was one-for-three.
Dauphin’s offence exploded in game two, Sunday evening, scoring five times in the second period, four on the power play, as the Kings skated to a 7-1 win over the Maritime Hockey League’s Summerside Western Capitals.
After a scoreless opening frame, Nick Braun opened the scoring on a power play at 3:50 of the second and he made it 2-0 on another man advantage at 15:31.
Just 18 seconds later, Logan Calder made it 3-0 with an even-strength marker, before Parker Malchuk scored twice on the power play to put the Kings up 5-0 heading into the second intermission.
Goals from Kaden Bryant and Brayden Dube on another Dauphin power play, extended Dauphin’s lead to 7-0 before William Irvine’s power-play goal with 2:55 left snapped Cherepak’s shutout bid.
Cherepak was outstanding once again, with 35 saves to his credit. Felix-Anthony Ethier made 17 saves on 21 shots before giving way to Jacob Leblanc, who made 10 stops on 13 shots the rest of the way.
The Kings were five-for-seven on the power play, while Summerside was one-for-seven.
Dauphin’s defence has been outstanding of late. Going back to game four of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League final, the Kings have only allowed seven goals in their last six games, winning five of those contests and three in their last four tilts, all victories.
With the win, Dauphin moved into first place in Group B at 2-0. They will face the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Flin Flon Bombers on Tuesday and the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League on Wednesday.
Both games begin at 5 p.m., Manitoba time and can be viewed on the Centennial Cup website at hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/national-championships/men/national-junior-a/2022.
