The Dauphin Clippers hockey team won the Glenboro Wildcats Preseason Tournament, this past weekend.
The Clippers opened the tournament with a 5-2 win over the St. Thomas Aquinas of Kenora, Ont.
Ethan Zalischuk with two, Riley Durston, Josh Beyette and Forrest Karlson scored for Dauphin, while Ben Miner picked up the win in goal.
In the semifinals, Dauphin beat Boissevain, 9-0, behind a three-goal effort from Brayden Budolowski.
Samson Bourgouin added a pair, while Loden Campbell, Larson, Brandon Wood and Carter Smigelsky had singles. Xander Perih earn the shutout in goal.
Dauphin clinched the title with a 6-2 win over the host Wildcats.
Budlowski led the way with three goals, with Wood, Jordan Height and Axel Dunning adding singles. Miner earned the win in goal.
Clippers coach Drew Kulcheski felt the Clippers were strong in all aspects of the game.
“Even when we had a little bit of adversity in some of the games, we were able to rally around each other and find a way every shift to create some energy and make something happen,” he said.
Kulcheski feels there is a lot of potential for this team, noting they are working on new systems.
“But I think once we get going and we develop later in the season, we’re going to be a team to look out for,” he said.
The Clippers open the season, Saturday, when they host Glenboro at 8 p.m.
Noting the tournament final was Glenboro’s second game of the day, Kulcheski expects a much tougher game from the Wildcats.
“I’m expecting them to come out with a little bit more energy than they did (Saturday). But our guys are also going to be playing on a little bit bigger ice and I think they’re going to have the chance to use their speed and their skill and create a lot of opportunities for themselves and keep the momentum going all the way to March,” he said.
The goal for the season is simple.
“Given the last couple seasons we’ve had, I think it’s championship or bust,” Kulcheski said.
“We’ve got a team here that’s really hungry to win. We’ve got some Grade 12s that have lost in back-to-back finals and they don’t want to lose three. We’ve got a couple new guys that really want to have a winning season behind them. I think it’s finals or bust for us this year. That’s our expectation. That’s what the players want. That’s what the coaches want. So we’re looking forward to it.”
Dauphin will complete the opening weekend by traveling to Boissevain, Sunday, to play the Broncos at 3 p.m.