Although there is no hockey being played in Dauphin or around Manitoba for now, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's regular season is underway and two teams aren't a far drive from Dauphin.
In fact, if you drive just more than two hours you will find the Horizon Credit Union Centre, which is the home of the Melville Millionaires. In existence since 1908, Melville is one of the most storied franchises in the SJHL and they are making some noise early in the SJHL season.
After winning their second and third games of the season last year, the team lost five games in a row and they finished at the bottom of the Viterra Division with just 16 wins. This year, Melville is off to a fine start to their season. They gave up the game-winning goal against Estevan with just 37 seconds left on opening night, but since that, the Millionaires haven't lost.
The team has scored 12 goals in their three-game winning streak as they sit on top of the Viterra Division. Mike Rooney is in his first year as head coach and general manager of Melville and he says the team is buying into the process and that has resulted in success.
"We've been able to establish an identity and a whole new culture," said Rooney. "Our players believe in themselves. We're playing with pace, tenacity, and that's really helping us right now."
One of Melville's top returning players is Luke Nkwama. The 20-year-old from Outlook, Saskatchewan, is in his third season with Melville. He scored 22 goals last season and he's off to a strong start to this season with two goals and two assists in the first four games of the season.
Nkwama will join Darnell Duff later this week. Luke is in a tie for fourth in team scoring. Up until this year, he has never experienced what a three-game winning streak feels like.
"Luke is a great individual. He's quiet by nature but when something needs to be said, he will say it," said Rooney. "He's a great guy to coach and he's off to a solid start."
WHL presence:
The WHL announced prior to the start of the Junior A season that roster players could continue their development with Junior A teams and since that news, top-end WHL talent has joined numerous teams from across the country and that is the case in Melville.
The team has opened its doors to five WHL players including Reece Newkirk who is leading the team with nine points. Newkirk is a member of the Portland Winterhawks while Jaydon Dureau -- also a member of the Winterhawks -- has seven points in the first four games.
Landon Kosior had 23 points with the Prince Albert Raiders last season from the back end and he's chipped in with five assists so far this season while 17-year-old, Joe Arntsen has joined the team on loan from the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
In net, Bryan Thomson won 16 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes last season and he has joined the Millionaires on loan. In his first two games with the SJHL club, Thomson has sparking numbers as he went 2-0; he had a 1.99 goals-against average to go along with a .929 save percentage.
"They all have ties to the community and into our group, so it was an effortless integration into our group," continued Rooney. "They're going to leave a six-to-eight week impact on our group; it has been a great positive for us."
The WHL has said it plans to begin the new season on January 8.
Tough stretch:
Melville plays four more games this month -- all against teams with championship aspirations -- as they will play their rival, Yorkton Terriers twice and the Humboldt Broncos twice. Humboldt is 3-1 to start the season while Yorkton is off to a 2-1-1 start.
The tough four-game stretch begins this weekend with a home-and-home against Yorkton. Moving forward to next month, Melville begins December with one more game against Humboldt and two against Yorkton.
"We're going to have to bring our best game, there is no doubt about that," ended Rooney. "This tough stretch will give us the opportunity to really see where we are. I don't think it's about wins or losses right now; it's about how we play. We're playing well but with that said, there are some parts within our game that we need to do much better on and that's what we're working on."
