The Dauphin Kings are 2-0 to start the 2024-25 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season after sweeping a home-and-home over the Virden Oil Capitals.
The Kings scored a 3-0 victory in the season opener, Friday in Virden, before scoring a 4-2 win in their home opener on Saturday.
Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley liked the way the team played in Friday’s win.
“I think tonight (Saturday), we had a good second period. I thought we started playing the way we could, just a little bit of structure,” he said.
“The first period we were kind of all over the place in the neutral zone. Didn’t get a lot established on the forecheck. We got probably fortunate we got a couple of breaks on a breakaway to (Ethan) Williment and then another big goal to make it 2-0. But I thought our first period we were fortunate to get out of it up two.”
The Kings were a lot better in the second period of the home opener, Hedley said, adding they probably could have put the game away.
“A lot of oddman rushes, a lot of chances, a lot of opportunities, two-on-ones. Created some opportunities, which was really good. Used our speed to get the puck up ice,” he said.
The third period of Saturday’s game was reminiscent of the preseason encounter between the two teams the week before when Virden controlled the play.
In the preseason, the Kings weathered the storm and eventually won in a shootout.
Saturday, with Dauphin holding a 3-1 lead, Virden scored to make it a one-goal game. But Cayden Glover’s second of the game into an empty net sealed the deal with 1:53 remaining.
“They took it to us in the third period. We got set back on our heels. I think we just thought it was one of those things where we could just coast through it and get it done,” Hedley said.
“The good thing about it is you find a way to get it done. It’s greasy enough, whether it’s a home opener or not. It’s always tough.”
The humidity in Credit Union Place, Hedley said, is not good, which led to poor ice conditions.
“I think they’re working on it, but the ice was really bad toward the last 10 minutes of each period. The puck was bouncing,” he said.
Hedley still has some tough decisions ahead as there are still 28 players vying for a spot on the team.
Read the full story in this week’s Dauphin Herald.
