The St. James Jr. Canucks are on a roll.
Not only are they 19-0-1 in their last 20 games, but they wrapped up 2021 in style with an 11 game win streak that has them sitting atop the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) standings.
Seven of those 11 wins came during a stretch of games from November 26 to December 17. The Jr. Canucks scored 39 goals over those seven games, and held their opponents to just 17.
The victories over the final stretch of 2021 included:
- Nov. 26: 5-4 in overtime against the Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge Twins
- Nov. 28: 6-2 over the Stonewall Jets
- Dec. 5: 3-2 over the St. Vital Victorias
- Dec. 10: 9-2 over the Twins
- Dec. 14: 7-2 over the Charleswood Hawks
- Dec. 17: 4-1 over the St. Boniface Riels
- Dec. 19: 5-4 in overtime against the Twisters.
The Jr. Canucks have a record of 21-1-3 at the unofficial midway mark of the season. The team also has seven players in the top 25 for scoring, and goaltender Noah Gilbert leads the league in wins with 14. The team ranks first in average goals per game (5.12) and second in goals against per game (2.84).
Chalk Talk Three Stars:
3 – F Ashton Romaniuk – Romaniuk had six goals and seven assists during the stretch and has 30 points in 22 games so far this year, which is good for 9th in league scoring.
2 – D Rory Neill – The 18-year-old defenceman had four goals and 11 points and leads all MMJHL defencemen in scoring with 31 points in 23 games.
1 – F Kurtis Luke – Luke’s return to the Jr. Canucks has been stellar. He is currently tied for the league lead in scoring with 40 points, despite playing three less games than the other player. During the last seven games of 2021, Luke had a whopping 9 goals and 12 assists.
What’s Next?
The Jr. Canucks open up the new year tonight (January 7) at home against the Pembina Valley Twisters. On Sunday, Jan. 9 they host the Twins before heading on the road to take on the St. Vital Victorias on January 13.