The Dauphin Kings drew first blood in their best-of-seven quarterfinal series with the Swan Valley Stampeders, scoring a 5-1 win in game one, Saturday in Dauphin.

After taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, the Kings broke the game open with three in the second. Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley knew the Stampeders would be tough and come at the Kings hard.

“I thought our speed was really good right off the hop. We had energy. The guys were ready to play. We had a long week of practice and we had gone though just about everything,” he said.

The biggest thing for the Kings, he said, is to play with speed and play fast and they will get some opportunities.

“I thought (Jayden) Jubenvill was outstanding tonight. I thought he was one of our best guys. I thought he was really good,” Hedley said. “I thought Cherry (goalie Carson Cherepak) was great. Everybody had a good game. Our penalty killing was outstanding.”

Even as the Kings padded their lead, the game was tight checking.

“And that’s the way it’s going to be. It doesn’t matter what the points are in the regular season. They’ve got eight 20-year-olds on that team that this is their last shot at it. So you know they’re going to bring intensity. You know they’re going to be urgent. You know they’re never going to quit,” Hedley said. “If we want something, we’ve got to take it. And tonight, we did a good job of finishing and kept them off the scoresheet for a while.”

The Kings did get a little nonchalant on a power play early in the third, which resulted in a shorthanded goal for the Stampeders, but that was all the offence they could muster.

Depth scoring is an important factor in the playoffs and the Kings got that in game one. Four of Dauphin’s five goals came from the blueline with Colby Jaquet scoring twice, including an empty netter, while Nolan Wickham and Owen Wareham also scored. Garrett Hrechka was the only forward to bend the twine.

“We win 5-1 and our top line never scored. So that’s a good thing,” Hedley said.

Hedley expects much the same kind of game in game two, tonight at 7:30 p.m.

“It’s going to be very similar. The speed has got to be there. The intensity, the urgency. We’ve got to play a very good game away from the puck,” he said.

Forward Matthew Rathbone left the game in the third period after taking a high stick to the face, but he returned before the end of the game. Jubenvill also left the game late in the third as a precaution with an upper body injury.

Game three will be in Swan River on Friday, with game four, Monday in Swan River. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

The Dauphin Multi-purpose Senior Centre hosted a fund-raising perogy dinner, Mar. 24, with proceeds going to the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund.

About 135 people, split into two sittings, enjoyed a meal of six perogies, kolbasa, coleslaw, dessert and tea or coffee for $25.

The Swan School of Dance announced 'We're Back' with their annual recital on March 23, at the Veterans' Community Hall. The group has not been able to hold a recital since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The evening showcased dancers in Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, and Lyrical performances to a packed audience, who were there to watch these young dancers perform. The event was also live-streamed so that hundreds of people from every corner of our globe could watch! A special part of the night was a performance by the Dolyna/Vesselli dancers who joined our recital to show solidarity to Ukraine and her people. The audience was also treated to a lovely solo performance by graduate Ella Hart.

The Dauphin Kings ended the Manitoba Junior Hockey League season on a four-game winning streak after sweeping a pair of games from the expansion Winnipeg Freeze, last week.

In the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, last Tuesday in Dauphin, the Kings skated away with a 7-4 victory. On Thursday, the teams met again in Winnipeg with Dauphin coming out on top, 9-1.

With that win, the Kings finish the regular season with a 41-12-1-0, good for 83 points and first place in the West Division and second place overall, four points behind the Steinbach Pistons.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said the Freeze are a young team that simply lacks experience.

“They’re in tough. They’re not going to push you like other veteran hockey clubs do. But you still have to get into good habits and play like you want to play going forward. So it was definitely a challenge, for sure,” he said.

With the regular season at an end, the Kings will now prepare for what they hope will be a run at the Turnbull Trophy. To get there, they first have to get by the Swan Valley Stampeders, a team that finished 34 points behind Dauphin in the standings. Dauphin won the season series, with seven wins and one loss, with one of those wins coming in a shootout. The Kings outscored Swan Valley 32-12 in the eight games, recording three shutouts. The schedule has yet to be released, but the series is expected to start this weekend in Dauphin. Hedley is expecting a tough series, stating the Stampeders are a heavy team that plays hard regardless of the standings.

“It’s going to be a good series. I think they’re well coached. We’re going to have to bring our A game. It’s going to be a tough series,” he said. “Every game is going to be highly competitive and we’ve just got to find a way to get the job done. That’s what playoffs are all about. It doesn’t really matter what happened during the season, it’s what you’re doing now. You’re only as good as the next game you play in. We’ve got to play very well.”

If both teams compete hard, it could turn into a physical series. But Hedley said the Kings are prepared to play any type of game.

“We can play fast. We can play heavy. And Swan is the very same. So it’s going to be a good series and very competitive,” he said, adding the Kings have got to play like they have all year. “We’ve got to use our speed to our advantage. Part of our strength is speed, playing fast, getting pucks up ice and getting to nets to get second shots. Nothing is going to change, but we’re going to have to be very good on the transition and try to play very well and control our speed through the neutral zone,” he said. “No different than any other team we’re going to play. It’s just a matter of us doing little things well and focusing on our strengths.”

Kings court:

Kaden Bryant led the league with 36 goals, one ahead of Virden’s Braden Fischer. Bryant also finished second in scoring with 75 points, seven back of Justin Svenson of Winkler.

Colby Jaquet led all defencemen in scoring this season, finishing with 62 points, one ahead of Waywayseecappo’s Lonan Bulger. Jaquet also led the league with 50 assists and was ninth overall in scoring.

Carson Cherepak’s 30 wins topped the league and he tied Steinbach’s Will Hambley with six shutouts. He was second behind Hambley in GAA at 2.21 and save percentage at .921. Kings backup Keaton Woolsey was third in GAA (2.61) among qualified goaltenders. Goalies must have 1,020 minutes to be considered qualified.

When Dauphin Consumers Co-op launched a fund-raising effort in aid of the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, they knew their patrons would be generous.

But just how quickly goals for the appeal, which saw the local co-operative match the first $5,000 donated, were reach surprised everyone.

Co-op began accepting donations for the appeal at its locations in Dauphin and Ste Rose, Mar. 8 and on Mar. 17 presented a cheque to the local Red Cross for $11,342.89, made up of $6,342.89 from customers and the $5,000 in matching funds. Donations were also being accepted for three days following the cheque presentation with all the funds also to be forwarded to the Red Cross.

Co-op general manager Lorne Eiffert said the thoughts and hearts of the entire organization are with the people of Ukraine. He added it is well known how strongly our communities come together in times of crisis.

“Co-ops were built to serve and support our communities,” Eiffert, said. “There are many members of our local community being directly impacted by this situation. We are pleased to support the Canadian Red Cross in providing relief efforts where it is needed.”

Together, Co-ops across Western Canada are donating $100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal to aid relief efforts in Ukraine and impacted communities.

Co-ops have been a long-time partner of the Canadian Red Cross because of their commitment to support communities in times of crisis and contributing to this appeal is another way to support the broader global community during a difficult time.

The Northwest Métis Council (NWMC) Inc., in partnership with the Dauphin RCMP Detachment, hosted the first-ever Family Violence Initiative Nature Walk at the Northgate Trails, Sunday afternoon.

After the opening prayer, the event included speeches from Elders talking about their life experiences, a performance by the D-Town Steppers junior dancers and musical entertainment.

Brenda Winters, NWMC housing first co-ordinator, said there are different initiatives put out in conjunction with the RCMP.

“So when we had seen the ask go out there, we put together a plan. We originally wanted to do this in the fall. It would have been gorgeous. But due to COVID restrictions, we just kept postponing it and postponing it,” she said. “But it was an initiative that we thought that we could have whole families come and take part.”

To hold the event, NWMC had to meet certain criteria, such as providing printed material and speakers to give advice to family members.

“We wanted to keep it really casual, so we did ask our Elders to share family experiences. And, of course, with the Métis culture, we want the dancers and the fiddlers, so we have entertainment,” Winters said, adding there were also speakers on behalf of the RCMP.

Winters would like to see the nature walk become an annual event, noting there are a lot of initiatives available.

“It’s just for people to take action and act on them,” she said.

Winters would like to see the event go back to the original plan of being held in the fall.

“Because it’s gorgeous up here. It’s a nice place to showcase. It’s something we’re trying to get moving in the community of Dauphin for more people to use it. So I just really wanted people to see what all there is to offer up here,” she said, adding a shuttle service was available for those who needed it.

Winters noted the nature walk is open to everyone.

“It’s not just a Métis function. It’s for the whole public,” she said, adding she was pleased with the turnout of more than 100 people.

Difficulties posed by the pandemic resulted in a surplus in both the General Operating and the Utility Fund in 2021, Dauphin city councillors were told at their regular meeting, Mar. 14.

The General Operating Fund surplus came in at $697,173. while the Utility Fund had a surplus of $143,237, director of finance Scott Carr told councillors.

“Like many other organizations, we faced a labor shortage in 2021. Unfortunately, this resulted in some work not being completed as budgeted and contributed to our 697,000 surplus,” Carr said, adding the Audit and Finance committee authorized the use of $33,198 of the surplus to pay for the overage on snow clearing in the latter months of 2021, rather than draw down the Snow and Ice Reserve.

The remaining balance of $663,975 was transferred to the General Reserve to help reduce future taxation.

Carr added there were other factors influencing the surplus such as revenue coming in $465,312 over budget.

Taxes added revenue was $41,569 more than budgeted, while income from permits was $13,657, while income at the Waste Disposal Site was $42,186 higher than budget. Federal grants also came in $432,530 more than budget, however, provincial grants were $28,567 lower than budget.

Public donations and funding revenue was also lower than expected by $92,500, while insurance and other rebates were $18,083 more than expected.

When it comes to expenditures, reserve transfers were $1,057,256 under budget, while administrative expenses were $101,312 less than expected and legislative expenses were $2,328 under budget due to two councillor vacancies in 2021.

General administration was under by $44,291, while Protective Services was $10,869 under budget and Transportation was $199,747 under budget.

Environmental Health Department came in $62,990 under budget, Public Health and Welfare Services was on budget, Environmental Development, $59,693 under budget, Community Economic Development, $169,557 under budget and Recreation and Cultural Services was $46,796 under budget. Finally, Fiscal Services, $59,020 over budget.

On the Utility side, Carr said the surplus was due to unexpected savings on replacements of water and sewer mains.

“The only area we were over budget was the purchase of oxygen at our water treatment plant as we planned to be using our new oxygen generator in June 2021, but this project was delayed and will be completed in 2022,” he said.

The full surplus was transferred to reserves, Carr added.

Overall, Utility Fund revenue was $349,710 under budget. Water and sewer revenue was $12,044 more than budget, while bulk water sales were $2,047 under budget. Additionally, provincial grants were $332,157 less than budgeted and custom work sales were $21,087 less than expected.

Reserve transfers and debenture proceeds, $342,696 under budget, while utility administration was $13,887 over budget.

Water supply expenditure were $20,602 under budget, while sewage collection costs were $12,052 less than expected and fiscal services were $673,640 under budget.

Following the transfer of the surpluses, the City’s reserve funds finished the year just $25,000 less than their opening.

“This indicates our taxation levels in 2021 were sustainable,” Carr said.

The closing balance of $11,808,549 in total reserve funds is comprised of the following:
• General Reserve - $4,934,089.50;
• Machinery Reserve - $950,712.33;
• Fire Reserve - $655,384.60;
• Public Land Reserve - $743.26;
• Civic Buildings Reserve - 435,548.71;
• Water and Sewer Reserve - $1,830.960.59;
• Federal Gas Tax Reserve - $2,037,196.18;
• Recreation Facility Reserve - $447,482.40;
• Environmental Stewardship Reserve - $349,778.90;
• Snow and Ice Removal Reserve - $125,193.09; and
• Watson Arts Centre Reserve - $41,459.93.

“With inflation nearing five per cent we are already seeing much higher costs in 2022. But with over $11 million in reserves we are hopeful we can reduce the impact of this inflation by using reserves,” Carr said.
“So (2021) was a good year. 2022 has been quite a bit more expensive so far though. So we’ll see what the next nine months brings.”

The Swan Valley Cheetahs Gymnastics Club held their annual meet last Saturday in their Main Street facility.

Both local and visiting gymnasts showed their skills on the bars, beam and floor to see who would come out on top.

Results were not available at press time.

Check out the Star & Times this week for more!

Thunderhill Ski Club hosted their annual Mardi Gras day at the hill complete with races and even an easter egg hunt.

Participants were encouraged to dress up and have some fun with prizes awarded for best costume as well as to the race winners.

Get more details in this week's Star & Times!

For the last few months if you looked at the snowbanks that had been cut away from the curb you could see the various layers of winter telling the story of fresh snowfalls mixed with salted and sanded roads, plowed up to create a timeline of winter.

There's lots more in this week's edition of the Star & Times!