Game On Magazine - April 2017 GameOn-Apr2017-P001-144-ONLINE | Page 30

KJHL PLAYOFFS The Passion of the Playoffs: The KJHL Stars Come Out By Scott Taylor Photos by James Carey Lauder and Inge Matthiesen/Matthiesen Photography In the Keystone Junior B Hockey League’s semifinals, it was defending champion Peguis against No. 1 St. Malo and OCN up against Arborg. Not often does a 10-team league get four of its best five clubs in the semifinals, but this year, the KJHL has been so evenly matched that the race for the Baldy Northcott Trophy – and a spot in the Keystone Cup tournament in Arborg – is still up for grabs. That’s what happens when your stars, play like stars. DYLAN OSSACHUK 30 GAME ON 2017 PLAYOFF EDITION DEVON GARSON WITH A BIG GOAL ST. MALO, MB. – The Final Four is set, the semifinals are underway and the Key- stone Junior Hockey League is playing down to the Keystone Cup. With the Western Canadian championships on their way to Arborg in April, the battle to find the KJHL’s representative is underway. And when the semifinals are ongoing, it means some of the finest scorers in Manito- ba are being showcased. In fact, the league’s Top 5 scorers – Tony Apetagon of OCN (43 goals and 102 points in 34 games), Jared Magne of St. Malo (32 goals and 89 points in 33 games), Riley Hunter of St. Malo (45 goals and 86 points in 31 games), Harold Lin- klater of OCN (36 goals and 85 points in 31 games) and Quinton Flett of Peguis (33 goals and 73 points in 33 games) – are still on the ice. In total, eight of the Top 10 scorers in the KJHL are still playing and to make the play- offs even more exciting, seven of the league’s Top 10 goaltenders are still competing in the post-season. These semifinal are also made up of four of the Top 5 teams in the league this season. St. Malo was No. 1 overall with 49 points, Ar- borg had 48 and both OCN and Peguis had 47. Peguis knocked off Selkirk (48 points) in the opening round.