The St. James Jr. Canucks finished 2021 with the best record in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League, and looked to continue that momentum into the second half of the season.
They wasted no time building on their early success, winning four of their first five games in the new year. So far in 2022 they Canucks have won eight games and lost only three. This continued upward trajectory has them sitting in first place in the league, putting them six points clear of second place Transcona.
The Jr. Canucks wins in 2022 so far include:
- Jan 7: 5-2 over Pembina Valley
- Jan 9: 2-1 over Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge
- Jan 13: 5-3 over St. Vital
- Jan 21: 7-4 over River East
- Jan 30: 6-0 over Stonewall
- Feb 4: 6-2 over the Raiders Junior Hockey Club
- Feb 6: 5-4 over Transcona
Their only blemishes so far in the new year came against Charleswood (5-2), Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge (4-3 OT), and Transcona (5-4).
After 36 games this season, the Jr. Canucks have a record of 28-4-4.
Chalk Talk Three Stars:
3 – Tyrone Willan – The Jr. Canucks rookie forward had eight goals and 3 assists during these 11 games, and leads all MMJHL rookies in scoring.
2 – Brady Whitely – Whitely had six goals and six assists during this stretch and is currently second in league scoring by defencemen, behind only his teammate, Rory Neill.
1 – Kurtis Luke – Luke continues to torch the MMJHL. He has 11 goals and 10 assists in the first 11 games of the back half of the season. He leads the league in scoring with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 32 games.
What’s Next?
The Jr. Canucks will continue the stretch drive of the season with a pair of home games. On February 11 they will host the River East Royal Knights, and on February 16 they will host the Raiders Junior Hockey Club.