– The quest for major junior hockey’s Holy Grail gets underway on Friday night. The Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets are facing the host Quebec Remparts to open the 2015 Memorial Cup. The Rockets are looking to become the second straight team from the WHL to capture the national title after the Edmonton Oil Kings captured the top prize a year-ago. The Oshawa Generals and Rimouski Oceanic are also vying for the championship with the tournament continuing until May 31st.
– The Neepawa Natives have found their man. Jim Fuyarchuk is taking over as head coach from Dwayne kirkup, who decided not to return for the 2015-2016 MJHL season. Fuyarchuk served as bench boss of the Brandon Bobcats and also spent four seasons on the Waywayseecappo Wolverines’ coaching staff. Fuyarchuk also had coaching gigs overseas in Hungary, Britain and with the Australian national under-18 team.
– The Virden Oil Capitals are seeing double after completing a pair of futures trades in the MJHL. The Oil Caps have acquired twin brothers Davis and Nolan Ross from the RBC Cup champion Portage Terriers to complete a deal that saw Kevin Pochuk head to Portage. Meanwhile, Virden has traded Taylor Fisher to the Selkirk Steelers to fill out another futures deal when they acquired high-scoring Soren Frederiksen.
– The Anaheim Ducks have regained home ice advantage in the Western Conference Final. Frederik Andersen made 27 saves and the Ducks killed off five power-plays in downing the Blackhawks 2-1 in Chicago. Simon Despres and Patrick Maroon scored for Anaheim, while Ryan Getzlaf assisted on both goals as the Ducks took a 2-1 series lead.
– The Brandon Barbarians begin a new season on the pitch this weekend. The women’s team won their second title in four seasons in 2014. The Lady Barbs and the men’s Division 1 and 2 teams are in Winnipeg to open the Rugby Manitoba regular season. The club’s home openers are set for June 6th.
– It’s been a longtime coming for the Crocus Plainsmen varsity boys’ rugby team. The Plainsmen are playing in the Westman High School Rugby League Final this weekend and look to claim their first championship since 2003. The Plainsmen are on the road against the undefeated Minnedosa Chancellors at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The varsity girls’ final will take place in Souris at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. The Sabres are hosting the defending champions from Minnedosa.
– The Crocus Plainsmen are city champions in the Brandon High School Soccer League for the first time since 2005. Guillermo Maradiaga scored the game-winner to lift the Plainsmen past the defending provincial champion Vincent Massey Vikings 1-0 in the varsity boys’ final. Crocus will now host the Virden Golden Bears in an interzone playoff on Friday night with the winner advancing to provincials. In the girls’ final, the Vikings earned a 3-2 shootout victory to claim the championship over Crocus.
– The Vincent Massey Vikings have qualified for the Provincial High School Fastball Championship for the first time since 2012. The Vikings knocked off the Major Pratt Trojans 13-8 in an interzone playoff to secure their spot for the playdowns that begin a week from Friday in Boissevain. Shelby Nohr went a perfect 5-for-5, scored three times and three RBIs for Vincent Massey.
– R.A. Dickey went the distance as the Toronto Blue Jays earned a four-game split with the LA Angels. Dickey tossed a complete-game four-hitter and Edwin Encarnacion belted a three-run homer as the Jays doubled the Angels 8-4.
– The biggest season in Baldur Regals’ history is about to begin. Baldur is hosting the Western Canadians in late August and the club will also be inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame on June 6th in Morden. The Regals are the defending senior ‘AA’ provincial champions and open their regular season in the Border West League on the road in Clearwater on Friday night. Longtime Regal Darrick Jones joins Tyler Crayston for Westman Sports Talk at 12:10 and 4:05 p.m. on CKLQ.
– Canada’s national men’s volleyball team opened their World Cup qualifier in Detroit on a winning note. Rivers product Toon Van Lankvelt had seven kills, three blocks and an ace for the Canadians, who swept their Cuba in their opening match. Brandon product Dustin Schneider is also on the roster for Team Canada, who take on Mexico on Friday and the U.S. on Saturday. The Canadians need to finish in the top two to secure their spot for the World Cup in Japan in September.
– Canadian tennis star Milos Raonic will not be playing in the French Open, which starts Sunday in Paris. Raonic is still recovering from foot surgery earlier this month.
– MVP Steph Curry scored 33 points as the Golden State Warriors held on for 99-98 win over the Houston Rockets. The Warriors are leading the NBA’s Western Conference Final two games to nothing.
