Game On Magazine - April 2017 Game on Preview Edition | Page 32

Connor Shaw,
Transcona Railer Expess
Transcona
Railer Express
St. Boniface Riels goalie Tyler Gagliardi
St. Boniface Riels
Head Coach Ryan Frykas
knew he had a young team last
season and with that young
team came some inconsistent
play. The Riels Finished in the
eighth and final playoff spot
with 47 points. This year’s
team is a year older and with
a year’s more experience, so
expectations are quite
high.
The Riels are
losing some
stars to gradu-
ation -- Jens
Giesbrecht (Ken
Prodonick
Memorial
Trophy for
Ability and Sportsmanship),
Skyler Eastman, and Matthew
Gardner along with defense-
man Kris Sigurdson.
However, they have some
significant prospects in Isiah
Cockerill from the Winnipeg
Warriors organization. The
team will also be solid in
net with both goalies, Tyler
Gagliardi and Kyle McHolm
returning.
The Riels were pushed out
of the Southdale Community
Centre to the chagrin of
Frykas and will start the new
season at Notre Dame Arena.
It’s a new start for the Riels in
an older building, but it’s in
the heart of old St. B.
Tristan Ezako, River East Royal Knights
3 2 | G AM E O N | S E P T EM BER 2 0 1 7
River East
Royal Knights
Manitoba Hockey Hall of
Famer Barry Bonni who is
the Owner, GM, and Coach of
the Royal Knights isn’t a guy
who minces words: “Last year
was very disappointing and
we need to improve,” he said
bluntly.
Last year’s 10th-pace team
is only losing two players to
graduation: forward Jayden
Pollock and defenseman
Mike Sabourin and the team
is relying on the leadership
of Tristan Ezako who led the
team with 30 goals and 43
points last year.
“I don’t co