– A major stumple for the Brandon University women’s volleyball team as they opened the Canada West playoffs Thursday night. The second-ranked Lady ‘Cats were swept in straight sets (25-19, 25-20, 25-12) by UBC-Okanagan to open their Canada West playoffs, and must now win back-to-back matches to prolong their season. They’ll host the Heat again Friday night at the Healthy Living Centre (7:00 p.m.)
– Sebastien Steigmeier was a one-man wrecking crew Thursday night. The BU men’s volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit to beat Richard Schick’s fourth-ranked UBC Thunderbirds in five sets to open their Canada West playoffs (20-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-22, 15-9). Steigmeier finished with 27 kills on 50 attacks, adding a solo block and four block assists. The Best-of-Three series continues Friday night.
– The Brandon Wheat Kings will be out to end a three-game losing streak when they host the Kootenay Ice Friday night (7:30 p.m., Westman Communications Group Place). Brandon is in their first prolonged slump of the season, having won just two of their last nine contests and having scored two or fewer goals in four of their last five games. Despite the recent struggles, Brandon remains just one point behind Swift Current for first-place in the East Division and enter the weekend three points behind Kootenay for fifth-place in the Eastern Conference.
– The Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League playoffs opened Thursday night. Wheat Kings’ prospect Kirklan Lycar had a goal and an assist to lead Eastman to 4-0 win over Southwest to begin their Best-of-Five Quarter-Final. Josh Diaz stopped 27 shots in a losing cause for the Cougars. Game #2 of the series is Sunday in Souris (2:00 p.m.). Meanwhile, the Brandon Wheat Kings host the Yellowhead Chiefs Friday night to begin their Best-of-Five Quarter-Final (7:30 p.m., Sportsplex).
– It’s playoff time in the Westman senior hockey league. Jarvis Ducharme’s hat-trick led Boissevain to a 12-2 win over Killarney in Game #1 of the THHL’s Best-of-Three Western Division quarter-final Thursday night while, in the NCHL, Curtis Gardham’s hat-trick led the Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks past the Kenton Cougars 6-1 to open their Best-of-Five Quarter-Final on Thursday.
– Brandon product Nolan Thiessen is preparing for another trip to the Brier. Thiessen helped Kevin Koe win the Alberta men’s title for the third time last weekend, and guested on CKLQ’s ‘In the Hack with Resby Coutts’ Thursday night.
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The Canadian Men’s Curling Championship begins March 1st in Kamloops.
– Friday is an off day for Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones and her curling teammates at the Olympicsl. The Canadian women’s team is a perfect 5-and-0 so far. The Canadian men are now 4-and-2 after Brad Jacobs and his crew hammered Norway 10-4 in their only game Friday.
– Patrick Chan of Toronto goes after the one thing Canadian male figure skaters have never been able to achieve — an Olympic gold medal. He sits second after Thursday’s short program, chasing Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu. Twenty-four skaters will take part in the free skate and Chan goes third from the end.
– Canada looks to move to 2-and-0 in men’s hockey with Austria on Friday’s schedule. The men’s team opened the tournament Thursday with a 3-1 win over stubborn Norway. In early action Friday, Sweden struggled but got past Switzerland 1-0 after learning captain Henrik Zetterberg would be lost for the balance of the Olympics with a back injury. Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made 18 saves to help the Czech Republic beat Latvia 4-2.
