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FLYERS TO FACE BLIZZARD IN SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS – MARCH 22

The Winkler Flyers will host the OCN Blizzard in Game One of the MJHL Semi-Finals on Saturday, March 25th. After eliminating the Virden Oil Capitals in the Quarter-Finals, Winkler looks to advance to their first league final in 19 years when they take on a Blizzard team that played them tight all season long.

 

The Flyers came out on top after a grueling six game series with Virden. Three of the six games went to overtime, with two of those games going to double overtime and one to triple overtime. The Blizzard took down the Winnipeg Blues in five games in their Quarter-Finals series. The Flyers and Blizzard split their six game regular season series with OCN outscoring the Flyers 14-13 in the process. Winkler outshot OCN in all six games.

 

Discipline and special teams will be key for the Flyers in this series as OCN was the most penalized team in the league this year (285 times short-handed). The Flyers on the other hand, have been the most penalized team during the playoffs (31 times short-handed).

 

Scroll down for the series schedule and ticket prices for the second round, as well as the statistical breakdown of the two teams as the get set to meet in the playoffs for the second straight season.

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Game 1: OCN @ Winkler, Saturday, March 25th (7:30pm)

Game2: OCN @ Winkler, Sunday, March 26th (7:30pm)

Game 3: Winkler @ OCN, Wednesday, March 29th (7pm)

Game 4: Winkler @ OCN, Thursday, March 30th (7pm)

Game 5: OCN @ Winkler, Saturday, April 1st (7:30pm) *if necessary

Game 6: Winkler @ OCN, Monday, April 3rd (7pm) *if necessary

Game 7: OCN @ Winkler, Wednesday, April 5th (7:30pm) *if necessary

– All playoff games can be heard live on Country 88.9FM and online at www.pembinavalleyonline.com. You can also video stream the games with a subscription to www.hockeytv.com

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TICKET PRICES:

ADULT (19+) – $14

STUDENTS (13-18) – $8

CHILD (6-12) – $5

CHILDREN UNDER 5 – FREE

– All tickets will be available at the Winkler Coop Gas Bar or at the arena door prior to the game. Make sure you fill out the back of your game ticket and enter the draw in the arena lobby for a chance to win 1 of 15 free car washes from Winkler Coop as well as the $100 Coop Petroleum Gift Card that will be given away each game. The Winkler Coop is the proud sponsor of the MJHL Semi-Finals.

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Regular Season

 

WINKLER (2ND) (41-16-3=85PTS) at home (23-6-1) on road (18-10-2)

OCN (3RD) (39-17-4=82PTS)  at home (21-6-3) on road (18-11-1)

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– The Flyers eliminated the Virden Oil Capitals in six games in their MJHL Quarterfinal series. Three of the six games went to OT (2 Double OT and 1 Triple OT).

 

– Of the 18 goals scored by Winkler in the playoffs, 6 have come on the PP (33%). The Flyers scored a PP goal in 5 of the 6 games. The Flyers allowed 13 goals in the 1st round, with 8 of those goals scored with an extra man on the ice (7PP – 1EN) – (62%)

 

– OCN beat Winnipeg in five games in their Quarterfinal series. During the series, the Blizzard were tied or leading for all but five minutes and 20 seconds.

 

– The Flyers split their six game season series with OCN with the Blizzard outscoring the Flyers 14-13 in those six games. Winkler outshot OCN in all six meetings.

 

– OCN was the most penalized team during the regular season (285 times short-handed). Winkler is the most penalized team in the playoffs (31 times short-handed)

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 FLYERS:  GOALS FOR – 219 (4TH) (3.65 PER GAME)

               GOALS AGAINST – 148 (2ND) (2.47 PER GAME)

 

OCN:      GOALS FOR – 200 (5TH) (3.33 PER GAME)

               GOALS AGAINST – 153 (3RD) (2.55 PER GAME)

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SPECIAL TEAMS

 

REGULAR SEASON

FLYERS – PP 6TH (17.06%)

                PK 3RD (83.88%)

OCN  – PP 3RD (19.77%)

                 PK 2ND (84.91%)

 

PLAYOFFS

FLYERS – PP 2ND (23.08%) 

                PK 6TH (77.92%)

OCN  – PP 4TH (19.51%)

                 PK 1ST (90.91%)

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REGULAR SEASON SERIES BREAKDOWN

 

GAME ONE (Oct 21 in Winkler) FLYERS 5 BLIZZARD 1 / SHOTS 39-17 FLYERS / PP 2-7 PK 7-7

 

Gino Lucia opened the scoring just over a minute into the game and Nolan McGuire scored SH midway thru the 1st and Winkler led 2-0 after one. Coltyn Bates added a PP goal in the 2nd and the Flyers had a three goal lead entering the third period. Lawson McDonald and Will Blake both scored in the opening 4 minutes of the 3rd to give Winkler a 5-0 lead. Kyle Wiltshire finally beat Cole Weaver with 15 minutes left in the game and the Flyers went on to win 5-1

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – COLE WEAVER / OCN – BRETT EPP

 

 

 

GAME TWO (Oct 22 in Winkler) FLYERS 2 BLIZZARD 1 / SHOTS 39-36 FLYERS / PP 0-4 PK 4-4

 

Much better effort from the Blizzard than the night before and the two teams went into the first intermission in a scoreless tie. Lucia opened the scoring again midway thru the 2nd for Winkler and Nolan McGuire doubled Winkler’s lead to 2-0 midway through the 3rd. OCN cut Winkler’s lead to 2-1 with 7:35 left but the Flyers would hang on for the win.

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – JOSH WILLIAMS / OCN – EMILIEM BOILY

 

 

GAME THREE (Nov 5 in OCN) BLIZZARD 3 FLYERS 1 / SHOTS 35-29 FLYERS / PP 0-8 PK 2-4

 

Good first period by Winkler as Braden Billaney scored just before the midway point of the first, giving Winkler a 1-0 lead. Lantz Hiebert scored a PP goal for OCN before the break and the game was tied 1-1 after one. The Blizzard scored twice more in the 2nd and led 3-1 after 40 minutes. Winkler dominated the third, outshooting OCN 16-4 in the period, but failed to get back into the game, losing 3-1.

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – JOSH WILLIAMS / OCN – EMILIEM BOILY

 

GAME FOUR (Nov 6 in OCN) FLYERS 3 OCN 2 (OT) / SHOTS 36-21 FLYERS / PP 0-2 PK 5-5

 

Brayden Cullum gave Winkler a 1-0 lead early in the first before George King tied it up for the Blizzard after 20 minutes. King then scored his second of the game with 6 mins left in the second period to send the OCN Blizzard into the third period with a 2-1 lead. However, Ian Mackey tied it up 2-2 with 12:15 left in the third to force OT. Nolan McGuire would then score the game winner just 44 seconds into the extra period.

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – JOSH WILLIAMS / OCN – BRETT EPP

 

GAME FIVE (Jan 28 in OCN) OCN 2 FLYERS 0 / SHOTS 35-26 FLYERS / PP 0-1 PK 2-3

 

After a scoreless 1st period, Tristan Elie scored on the power-play midway thru the 2nd to give OCN a 1-0 lead. Winkler came firing out of the gate in the third and outshot the Blizzard 15-5 in the final period, but the Blizzard would add to their lead with just over 5 minutes left and would go on to win the game 2-0.

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – COLE WEAVER / OCN – BRETT EPP

 

GAME SIX (Feb 21 in Winkler) OCN 5 Flyers 2 / SHOTS 36-21 FLYERS / PP 0-8 PK 3-5

 

OCN scored twice in the 1st period despite Winkler outplaying and outshooting the Blizzard in the first 20 minutes. Another PP goal by the Blizzard made it 3-0 midway thru the second. Winkler cut OCN’s lead to 3-1 late in the period when Will Blake put the Flyers on the board. The Flyers outshot OCN 14-5 in the third period as well but it was the Blizzard who added to their lead with 2 straight goals to start the period. Matt Christian scored late in the game to make it 5-2 OCN but the damage was already done.

 

GOALIES: WINKLER – COLE WEAVER / OCN – BRETT EPP