By Derek Holtom
Wayway Wolverines skater Sebastien Hicks is dominating the MJHL, just as you would expect a 20-year-old forward to do. The team’s leading scorer entered last week on an 11-game point scoring heater, which coincides with the Wayway’s run which has seen them only lose one regulation game in their last 10 outings (7-1-1-1).
A team flirting a few games under .500 at the Christmas break, the Wolverines are one of the hottest teams in the MJHL less than a month away from the playoffs. Hicks says the Christmas break gave his team a huge chance to flip the switch on the season, and they’ve run with the opportunity.
“Before Christmas we had basically our whole core group injured,” says Hicks, the 20-year-old right shot forward from St. Jean Baptiste, Man. “And that really hurt us. But at the same time, I thought our rookies got a lot of opportunities that they wouldn’t usually get, and I think they really grew.
“Even some of the returning players really matured,” he added. “Not even as just players, but as guys. And we talked about it at Christmas to going home, resetting, and we came back stronger.”
Hicks entered last week tied for fifth place in the MJHL scoring race with 57 points, and fourth in goal-scoring in the league with 26. It’s been a season to remember, but Hicks is quick to share the praise with his teammates.
“We have an older forward group, and I think we all complement each other well,” says Hicks. “We found line combinations that work. I play on a line with Ben Roulette, and he loves to pass the puck and I love to shoot the puck, so I think that sort of thing really helps me.”
Getting into a better playoff spot isn’t a deal breaker for the Wolverines, but there’s little doubt moving up into second place before the end of the season would really give the team an edge when the playoffs get under way next month.
“We just want to finish up as high as we can,” says Hicks, a towering forward who stands six foot four inches and weighs 204 pounds. “If we could get home-ice advantage that would be perfect – no one wants to come play here other than us. If we get home-ice advantage that would be huge for us, but just getting to the playoffs is the first step.”
This edition of the Wolverines is also highly interested in creating some history this spring. Outside a five versus four best-of-three playoff win, the Wolverines have never advanced to the MJHL semifinal round. And this veteran group wants it so bad, they can taste it.
“Most of our 20-year-olds have been here for three, sometimes four years,” said Hicks. “We’ve been on teams that didn’t even make the playoffs. We have it in us – we know if we can get past the first round, we can really get the ball rolling. We know we can win the entire thing and play with any team.
“We have some unfinished business,” he added. “We 20-year-olds, our veteran group, that’s all we talk about – how can we help the team have the confidence we have. We know we can do it, but it’s one thing to talk about it, and another thing to do it.”
Last week
Wolverines at Blues
Due to the holiday Monday results were not available at press time.
Wolverines 4, Monarchs 0
Wayway scored a pair of goals in the second and third periods to blank the Winnipeg Monarchs 4-0 in their fourth and final meeting of the season last Tuesday.
Sebastien Hicks (27th) had the game winner in the second for the host Wolverines. Kurt Rookes (sixth), Mikey Thomas (11th), and Sebastian Stone (fourth) had the other Wayway goals.
Jase Wareham picked up the shutout win with a 21-save effort.
Up next
If the Wolverines are to move into second or third place, it could come down to this week.
After playing the Dauphin Kings in a holiday Monday afternoon clash, the Wolverines will host the Neepawa Titans on Thursday night, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. at the Waywayseecappo Arena. The Wolverines hold a decisive 3-0-1-0 edge over the Titans this year, though this four-point game will be the biggest of their season against one another so far.
The Wolverines don’t play again until next Tuesday when they travel to The Pas to take on the Northern Manitoba Blizzard, who sit last in the West Division standings. The Wolverines lost both games up north early in the season, but overall hold a slim 2-1-1-0 season series edge over the Blizzard.
CLAW MARKS – Tuesday’s win improved the Wolverines to 22-20-2-2 and at the time moved them into sole possession of third place in the West Division standings, one point ahead of idle Neepawa, who retained three games in hand. The second-place Dauphin Kings also won last Tuesday, keeping them three points ahead of the Wolverines.