By Derek Holtom
The MJHL playoffs are well under way as the first round started this past weekend. Here’s a quick recap of the four series as of Monday morning.
Titans versus Oil Capitals
Neepawa is in big trouble following the first two games, after being out-scored 10-1 in their first two games against Virden. The Oil Capitals actually scored their 10 goals in just the first four periods as they won the opener 6-0 and the second game 4-1 in Neepawa Saturday night.
Four players from the Oil Capitals have four points after two games, including rookie Dysen Drake who has three goals and one assist. Other four-point men include forward Tyson Draper, and defensemen Austin Osiowy and Ty Plaisier. Neepawa’s lone goal came off the stick of rookie Ryan Harris.
The Titans need to solve Virden netminder Braxton Burdeny who has a 0.50 GAA, a .980 save percentage and one shutout after two games.
Wolverines versus Kings
The Wolverines lead this best-of-seven series 2-0. They are now two wins away from their first-ever MJHL best-of-seven series victory.
The Wolverines won Game 1, 4-3 in overtime Friday night thanks to a Cole Hunter goal, and won Game 2, 4-1 on home ice for the commanding series lead. Captain Sebastien Hicks, defenseman Kurt Rookes and forward Max Collyer each have three points for the Wolverines in the series so far. The Kings are led by Ethan Stewart who has two goals and two assists in two games.
Flyers versus Nighthawks
Winkler may have been one of the hottest teams in the MJHL in 2026, but that doesn’t mean a thing once the playoffs get under way. And first-place Niverville showed how hungry they are to win their first-ever playoff series as they blasted Winkler 8-2 in the series opener Saturday night.
Winkler went goal-for-goal with Niverville in the first period which ended 2-2, but the Nighthawks scored six unanswered goals to earn the home-ice win. John Scott led the hosts with three goals and one assists, while Marlen Edwards – looking to win back-to-back league titles – had four assists.
Game 2 of this series took place Monday night in Winkler before the print deadline.
Terriers versus Pistons
Home ice meant nothing through the first two games of this series as both teams won on the road. The Terriers opened up the playoffs with a 3-2 victory on Friday night in Steinbach, and the Pistons responded with a 4-2 victory Sunday night in Portage la Prairie.
Of note, goal-scoring phenomenon Trevor Hill has been held to just one assist in two games for the Terriers. Drayden Uhrina has a pair for Portage in two games, while Steinbach defenseman Brett Kaiser has five assists.
• The Waywayseecappo Wolverines and Portage Terriers both started the playoffs short-handed as some of their players were suspended in their final game of the year in separate games.
Wayway won Game one without the services of Noah Oughton. He was handed a one-game suspension for getting into a second fight in a stoppage in their season-ending win against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard.
The Portage Terriers were without both Ben Albers and Hunter Dingman. They both were handed two-game suspensions for taking part in a three-fight in the same stoppage situation in their final game against the Winnipeg Monarchs. Like the Wolverines, the Terriers didn’t miss them in their first game as the Terriers won their Game 1 against the Steinbach Pistons.
• The final Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Players of the Week start with a great ending to a tough season for Winnipeg Blues forward Lucas Lagoutte. In a very busy week, Lagoutte scored five goals and added four assists in five games for nine points to win this honour.
Next up is Virden goaltender Braxton Burdeny. He won all three of his starts down the stretch, posting a 1.67 GAA, a .948 save percentage, and one shutout, to earn his award.
The final winner is also from the Virden Oil Capitals, as forward Cohen Lewko was recognized. He scored three times and added five assists for an eight-point week in five games played to win this honour.

The Manitoba government is encouraging campers and outdoor enthusiasts to mark their calendars as the Parks Reservation Service opens for the 2026 camping season in less than a month, Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes announced.
“Manitobans are eager to get outside and enjoy our provincial parks this summer,” said Moyes. “Whether families are planning a weekend getaway or a longer summer adventure, our Parks Reservation Service helps make it easier for everyone to find and reserve the perfect campsite.”
This year, campers will benefit from a new availability notification feature. Reservation account holders may now set up to five availability notifications within their profile. If a campsite becomes available that matches the selected location and criteria, users will be notified by email.
To manage high demand and improve the booking experience, campground reservations will once again open in stages over five days. Reservations will open each day at 7 a.m. online at www.manitobaparks.com and by phone by calling 1-888-482-2267 (toll-free) or 204-948-3333 (in Winnipeg). Reservations can also be made in-person in Winnipeg from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at 1181 Portage Ave., Winnipeg.
The Parks Reservation Service will begin taking reservations on the following dates:
Monday, April 13 – reservations open for all cabins, yurts and group use areas;
Tuesday, April 14 – reservations open for campsites at Birds Hill, Winnipeg Beach and Grand Beach campgrounds;
Wednesday, April 15 – reservations open for campsites in Whiteshell Provincial Park campgrounds including Betula Lake, Big Whiteshell, Brereton Lake, Caddy Lake, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore, Nutimik Lake, Opapiskaw, Otter Falls, West Hawk Lake and White Lake;
Thursday, April 16 – reservations open for campsites in northern and western region campgrounds including Asessippi, Bakers Narrows, Clearwater Lake (Campers Cove and Pioneer Bay), Duck Mountain (Blue Lakes, Childs Lake and Wellman Lake), Manipogo, Paint Lake, Rainbow Beach, Rivers, Spruce Woods (Kiche Manitou), Turtle Mountain (Adam Lake), Wekusko Falls and William Lake; and
Friday, April 17 – reservations open for campsites at all remaining campground locations including Birch Point, Camp Morton, Hecla (Gull Harbour), Hnausa Beach, Lundar Beach, Moose Lake, Nopiming (Beresford Lake, Bird Lake, Shoe Lake, Tulabi Falls), St. Malo, Stephenfield and Watchorn.
Online users will enter a virtual waiting room before 7 a.m. on opening days and may be placed in a queue depending on demand to ensure a smooth booking process.
A new $10 reservation cancellation fee has been introduced this year to help offset costs when camping reservations are cancelled. The fee will also encourage intentional reservations and improve campsite availability, giving more Manitobans and visitors the opportunity to book a campsite when they want to use it.
The cancellation fee will apply to any reservation cancelled four or more days prior to arrival. Reservations cancelled within three days or less of arrival will continue to be charged one night’s camping fee.
Visitors are reminded that Black Lake campground in Nopiming Provincial Park will remain closed for the 2026 season to allow wildfire recovery work to continue. In addition, some site closures are in place due to construction activities at St. Malo, Hecla-Gull Harbour and Grand Beach campgrounds. Reservations will also not be accepted at this time for the Bay 10 family/group sites at Kiche Manitou Campground in Spruce Woods Provincial Park while ongoing electrical upgrades are completed.
Campers are encouraged to prepare ahead of opening days by making sure they have an account online, updating passwords and reviewing reservation policies.
For more information on provincial parks, including campsite closures and wildfire recovery updates in Nopiming and Whiteshell provincial parks, visit www.manitobaparks.com and follow Manitoba Parks on Facebook and X.

A lot of Canadians have at least heard about Brent Butt. Many of us - especially on the prairies - loved the Corner Gas series largely because it felt like small town Saskatchewan, where it was set and filmed and their neighboring Manitoba farm communities.
Although Butt is probably best known for the popular Canadian series which he created and starred in from 2004 to 2009 when the series ended, aside from working on a pilot for a new series, he’s has taken to stages across Canada for his recent tour,.
Russell ended up being one of those spots as the Russell Flying Club hosted their annual gala evening.
“We had a sold out crowd of 500 people,” Richard Wileman of the Russell Flying Club said adding that there were people in the crowd ranging from teenagers to well up into their 80’s.
“The entertainment was fantastic and Jessica Turnbull and her crew treated everyone to a wonderful roast beef meal with all the trimmings.”

Read more about this event on page 2 of this week's Russell Banner.

Various Positions

The Manitoba government will make the province the first in Canada requiring employers to provide free menstrual products to employees at no cost, ensuring workers have access to basic necessities while on the job, Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino announced.
“These changes are about dignity and fairness at work,” said Marcelino. “No one should have to worry about access to basic menstrual products while they are doing their job. Periods are a normal part of life and workplaces should reflect that reality by making sure workers have what they need.”
The amendments to the Workplace Safety and Health Regulation require employers to provide menstrual products such as pads and tampons at no cost to employees in workplace washrooms or another accessible location.
With the change, Manitoba becomes the first provincial jurisdiction to require employers to provide menstrual products. This positions Manitoba as a leader in promoting healthier and more inclusive workplaces, improving gender equity at work, and reducing stigma around periods.
“This is a really important step for gender equity in the workplace, and for health and safety on the job,” said Anna Rothney, executive director, Manitoba Federation of Labour. “Treating menstrual products like the necessities they are will lead to healthier and more inclusive workplaces and reduced stigma around periods. It will help make life more affordable for many workers who are struggling to pay their bills."
These amendments respond to the consensus recommendations from the five-year review of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, completed by the Workplace Safety and Health Review Committee in January 2025.
Providing menstrual products in workplaces comes at a modest cost, the minster noted. Federal estimates suggest the annual cost ranges from $10 to $25 per employee who menstruate, with initial dispenser and disposal container costs ranging from $20 to $300.
The Workplace Safety and Health Branch will enforce compliance through existing workplace inspections. The new requirements will come into effect early August 2026, giving employers time to prepare and purchase any necessary supplies.

By Derek Holtom
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs get under way this week, and the Waywayseecappo Wolverines have a chance to create some history by winning their first-ever best-of-seven series.
The Wolverines have won a best-of-three survivor series to get into the final eight, though have never advanced to the final four in the MJHL. They’ve come close, including a seven-game heartbreaker back in the 2007-08 season, which they lost on home ice to the Dauphin Kings.
Due to early deadlines before the final games this past weekend, it was not yet finalized who the Wolverines will be facing in their first-round matchup – the Dauphin Kings or the Virden Oil Capitals. Heading into the weekend the Dauphin Kings had clinched second place with an overtime victory over the Northern Manitoba Blizzard on Tuesday.
Also, the Neepawa Titans lost to the Virden Oil Capitals, meaning they needed to win their final two games (versus Wayway and Swan Valley) and the Wayway needs to lose out clean with no overtime points (versus Neepawa, Virden and Northern Manitoba).
The odds are it will be the Wolverines and the Kings clashing in the first round, but that’s was not locked in at the time this was written. And so, here is how the Wolverines stack up against both the Kings and the Oil Capitals.
Waywayseecappo Wolverines
Record: 27-23-3-2 (three games remaining at this writing)
Goals for: 184
Goals against: 177
Power-play: 21.7 per cent (seventh overall)
Penalty-kill: 80.7 per cent (fifth overall)
The Wolverines struggled to win back-to-back games through the first half of the season due to injuries to key players, but after the Christmas break the Wolverines were one of the top teams in the league, as 15 of their 27 victories came in just January and February. This is a veteran group built to win now. They are led by all-star Sebastien Hicks, who entered the final weekend with 32 goals and 72 points. They have three goal scorers with 20 or more this year, including Ben Roulette (25 goals and 67 points) and captain Aidan Herring (21 goals, 40 points). Defenseman Kurt Rookes led all players with 25 assists on the power-play. His overall totals of nine goals and 45 assists show his offensive talent from the blueline. And in goal the Wolverines have a solid one-two punch with Mariko Bercier and Jase Wareham. Both have very similar goals against averages, save percentages and starts this year, giving their Head Coach, Landyn Cochrane, a tough choice heading into the post season.
Dauphin Kings
Record: 32-23-2-0 (one game remaining at this writing)
Record versus Dauphin: 2-3-0-1
Goals for: 195
Goals against: 167
Power-play: 22.3 per cent (sixth overall)
Penalty-kill: 78.9 per cent (ninth overall)
These two teams didn’t meet until Dec. 14, when the Kings rattled off the first of three straight wins versus the Wolverines. That may have been the match that lit the fire under the Wolverines who have a much better record than the Kings in 2026. Wayway has also has points in their final three games against the Kings, going 2-0-1-0 in that stretch. In goal the Kings will look to Bryson Yaschyshyn, who has a save percentage of .910 – solid but right in line with both of the Wolverines’ netminders bring. The Kings don’t have a player in the top 20 for league scoring. Instead they come at you with depth – they only have one 20-goal scorer (Matthew O'Sullivan), one 19-goal scorer (Ethan Stewart) and 11 players with 10 or more goals.
Virden Oil Capitals
Record: 36-14-3-2 (three games remaining at this writing)
Record versus Virden: 3-2-0-0
Goals for: 235
Goals against: 148
Power-play: 25 per cent (fourth overall)
Penalty-kill: 81.5 per cent (fifth overall)
The Wolverines and Oil Capitals met four times in the first nine games of the season, and only once against since, a 4-3 overtime victory for the Wolverines back on Jan. 8. Both Virden and Wayway have soared in the second half of the year, so if these two were to meet, that would be an intriguing matchup (they also played one another on Saturday). The Oil Capitals have a true game breaker in Bryce Bryant, who entered the final week in second place in MJHL scoring with 28 goals and 77 points. After that, they are fairly spread out in scoring – they have nine players with at least 10 goals. Their No. 1 goaltender Braxton Burdeny has a save percentage of .906, very close to Wayway’s tandem, so that’s a wash. Overall the Wolverines have more dangerous talent but the Oil Capitals have more overall depth in scoring. This would be an intriguing matchup.
The Wolverines have proven they can beat either the Kings or the Oil Capitals this year. They’ve previously stated they don’t care who they play, and that this is a team that wants to win it all this year.
The playoff schedule will be posted to the league website at www.mjhlhockey.ca this week, with games likely starting on the weekend. Whether it’s Dauphin or Virden, expect Waywayseecappo to come at their opponents with everything they’ve got.

Fusion Credit Union is proud to announce they have been recognized as a Manitoba Top Employer for the seventh consecutive year. This special designation recognizes employers in Manitoba that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. The accolade reinforces Fusion’s ongoing commitment to employee growth and development, priorities that CEO, Darwin Johns says are critical to their success.
“Investing in our people is one of the most beneficial commitments we can make as an organization,” says Johns. “We are proud of the culture we have created – one where learning and career growth is supported, encouraged and celebrated. Receiving the Manitoba Top Employer designation for the seventh year is proof that we are making a difference for our employees and our communities.”
As a full-service financial institution with 226 employees, Fusion serves more than 30,000 members through 18 branches across communities in Parkland and southwestern Manitoba. Now in its 19th year, Manitoba Top Employer is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada’s Top Employers. Organizations are evaluated on criteria such as employee communication, benefits, workplace culture, community involvement as well as training and skills development.

Left wanting to know more? Pick up a copy of this week's Russell Banner and turn to page 3.