By Derek Holtom
Well that was quick, wasn’t it?
Three of the four first-round series were completed in as short a time as possible as the Virden Oil Capitals, Waywayseecappo Wolverines and the Niverville Nighthawks all swept their first-round series.
As a result the second round matchups are set, both featuring East Division teams being the top seed versus West Division opponents. Here’s a preview of the second round series.
Waywayseecappo Wolverines vs. Niverville Nighthawks
This second-round matchup features two teams who won their first-ever best-of-seven quarter-final series. It also means that the MJHL will have a new first-time league finalist this year.
The odds-on favourite is the MJHL’s top seeded Niverville Nighthawks. They only lost six games in regulation in the regular season and none in the first round of the playoffs. They out-scored the Winkler Flyers 17-5 and were led by forward Marlen Edwards (seven assists), forward Adam Vigfusson (four goals, two assists, six points), and defenseman Aaron Krestanowich (one goal, five assists, six points).
The Wolverines enter the second round having swept the Dauphin Kings in a series that saw two games go to overtime. Wayway scored 14 goals in four games, led by Sebastien Hicks (four goals, one assist, five points), Dylan Duzan (three goals, one assist, four points), and both Kurt Rookes and Cole Hunter who each had two goals and three points. Ben Roulette also chipped in five assists. And Jace Wareham was rock-solid posting a 1.63 GAA and a .951 save percentage.
Wayway completed a historic feat by beating the Dauphin Kings but the Niverville Nighthawks are a whole different story. The top seed had a decided advantage, but one need only look back a year to see that major upsets can, and do happen in the playoffs.
Virden Oil Capitals versus Steinbach Pistons
The Oil Capitals easily disposed of the Neepawa Titans in the first round, out-scoring them 23-6 in their four-game series. Rookie Dysen Drake (seven points) and Marshall Light (six points) each had four goals to lead the Oil Capitals in goal scoring in the first round, while Bryce Bryant had eight points (three goals, five assists) to lead the team in this category.
The Steinbach Pistons are the only team who didn’t sweep their first-round opponent. The Pistons advanced Saturday night with a 2-0 shutout over the Portage Terriers, winning the series in five games – they lost the opener on home ice and then rattled off four straight wins to advance. They were led by first-round playoff scoring leader, defenseman Liam Doyle, who had 10 points (four goals, six assists), forward Jackson Kostiuk (six goals, two assists, eight points), forward Sam Noad (two goals, five assists, seven points), and forward Brett Kaiser (seven assists). Goaltender Chris Quizi is the only goaltender entering the second round who didn’t have a goals against average under 2.00 as he sports a 2.01 and a .938 save percentage.
The Pistons had the toughest matchup in the first round and should be dialed in for the Oil Capitals.

Asessippi Ski Area & Resort has once again been recognized as a leader in Manitoba’s tourism industry, earning a nomination for Business of the Year – Large at the upcoming provincial tourism awards.
The award recognizes a tourism business, facility, event, or attraction with 20 or more employees that provides exceptional visitor experiences and demonstrates high levels of customer satisfaction through outstanding services and offerings.
Asessippi Ski Area & Resort is honoured to be included among this year’s finalists, alongside Churchill Wild, Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Centre, Interlake Brewing Co., Winnipeg Waterways, Thermëa Spa Village Winnipeg, Assiniboia Downs, and Select Start Arcade Resto-Lounge.
This marks the third consecutive year Asessippi has been nominated for the award, having proudly received the honour in both of the past two years.
“We are incredibly proud to be recognized alongside such outstanding tourism operators across Manitoba,” said Richard, General Manager “This nomination reflects the dedication of our entire team here at Asessippi and the experience we try to provide every guest who visits the resort.”

Hi, my name is Levi Cottingham and I am a Conservative (for those who didn’t already know).
Now that we got that out of the way…
Manitobans were promised meaningful change when the Manitoba New Democratic Party formed government. Unfortunately, things are getting worse. Ask a healthcare worker. Ask a parent. Ask a tradesperson.
The reality on the ground has not improved. In fact, many would argue it has gotten worse. Access to health care remains one of the biggest concerns. Emergency rooms face reduced hours or closures, doctor shortages persist, and too many families are forced to travel long distances just to receive basic care. These are not abstract policy issues—they are everyday realities that affect people’s safety and quality of life.
The numbers back this up.
As noted by the Fraser Institute: “On the campaign trail back in 2023, Premier Wab Kinew promised to fix Manitoba’s health-care system. Fast-forward to today and the province’s health-care spending has increased 9 per cent (per person, after adjusting for inflation) while wait times have increased 34 per cent. Manitobans also continue to struggle with a doctor shortage, and patients are dying after long waits in the emergency room.” For rural communities, where access is already limited, these trends are even more alarming.

Read the whole "Letter to the Editor" on page A4 of this week's Russell Banner.

Pickleball is back on in the GPB Hall in Russell! Tuesdays from 1-3pm and Thursdays from 9-11am and again from 7-9pm! Pickleball is still ongoing at the Binscarth school on Monday evenings from 7-9pm! Pickleball is FREE and we have all equipment needed. Clean, indoor shoes required.
Badminton is back on in Russell at the GPB Hall on Sunday evenings from 7-9pm. It is FREE and we have all equipment needed. Clean, indoor shoes required. NO badminton on Easter Sunday, April 5th.
Indoor walking is back in the GPB Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30am-12 noon. Clean, indoor shoes required. FREE - NO Indoor Walking on Good Friday, April 3rd
Adults & Tots is a FREE program for adults and their littles up to age 7. Dates are as follows: Wednesdays, April 1, 8, 15, 22 from 1-3pm and Thursdays, April 2, 9, 16, from 9:30-11:30am. This is a FREE open gym time.
FREE Public Skating every Tuesday AND Thursday from 9:30-10:30am at the Russell Memorial Multiplex
Zumba is Thursday nights from 6:30-7:30pm upstairs in the Bunge Room at the Russell Memorial Multiplex, Main St entrance, $5 drop-in!
NO GYM KIDS April 1st and 2nd (Major Pratt Spring Break)
The Recreation Office is CLOSED on Friday, April 3rd.

If you’re from this area, it’s highly likely you’ll be familiar with someone from the Davidson family.
Last week, a First World War memorial medal lost for decades was returned, reconnecting them with a deeply personal piece of their history and the sacrifice of two brothers who never came home.
The medal, known as the Silver Cross, was discovered in early spring 2024 by Brandon metal detecting enthusiast Mitch Cuthbert while searching what is now the Odikia playpark at the north end of town near the Personal Care Home.
“I was in Russell for work and I thought, rather than sitting in my hotel room at night I’d take out my metal detector and see what I could find,”
Due to how the signal appeared on his machine, Cuthbert thought he had most likely found a silver dollar but what initially appeared to be a coin quickly turned into something far more significant.
“I thought it might be a silver dollar at first,” Cuthbert said. “But once I cleaned it up, I realized it was a war medal. That’s when I knew it was something special.”

Read more of this heartwarming story on pages 1 & 8 of this week's Russell Banner.