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. 

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.