Three games are in the books.
The Northern Manitoba Blizzard has won both games at Credit Union Place, Dauphin has won the lone game at the Roy H Johnston Arena. The Turnbull Cup final enters game four on Friday night in The Pas as the Kings look to earn a series tie.
Gabriel Bugeaud is in his second year with Dauphin and has become a fan favourite, soaking it all in while trying to battle for a championship.
"The boys are feeling good. Even though we're down in this series, we believe we're in a good spot," said Bugeaud. "We have a positive attitude towards this series. We're getting ready for a huge game on Friday. We have to stick to the game plan and play a full 60 minutes."
Bugeaud had the primary assist in game six against the Portage Terriers as Havryil Simchuk scored to send Dauphin to the league final for the first time since 2022.
"That was awesome, this is the best time of the year for hockey, the competition level is high, and the fans are into it," continued Bugeaud. "Everyone is bought in, we're playing for each other. There's no better feeling than winning."
Gabriel and the rest of the crew are using the fact that they're playing for the Turnbull Cup as fuel. Thirteen teams started the season on September 20, and now only the two best remain.
"It motivates us to come to the rink every day to grind, realizing that we have a chance to do something special together," commented Bugeaud. "Something like this doesn't come around often, and we're trying to enjoy every moment of this run."
Bugeaud has been paired with Simchuk and Ethan Stewart, who won a provincial championship last year with the Brandon U-18 Wheat Kings. The tremendous trio has torched opponents so far, combining for 29 playoff points. They combined for five points in game six against Portage, four in the team's game two victory against Northern Manitoba, and one on Tuesday's 4-2 defeat.
"They're great players and we've clicked pretty well," said Bugeaud. "Our strengths go very well together. Stewart is a really good playmaker, and Simchuk wins a ton of battles and is great at protecting the puck. I fit in with my skating. Especially in the playoffs, there isn't much room out there, so I think our styles complement each other very well."
Gabriel is starting to hit his stride, sitting second in team playoff scoring, with four goals and 10 points. With his outstanding speed, Bugeaud can blow by defenders, and he's a fearless worker. He's pleased with his play, but knows there is more to give.
"Yeah, I've had a pretty good playoff run here," continued Bugeaud. "With that said, all of the credit goes to my teammates and linemates. I've been fortunate to get a few bounces, and the pucks are going in."
The Kings will head to The Pas on Friday afternoon for game four, with a chance to tie the series. You can hear the game on 730CKDM with Darnell Duff, starting with the Parkland Source for Sports pregame show at 6:45.
They are down, but Bugeaud says they're ready to bounce back and give it their best shot.
"Absolutely, we have proven that we can win in their rink," ended Bugeaud. "When we work hard and compete, we can stick with them and even take over games at times. We have to buy in and play desperate."
You can also hear Gabriel's full chat with Darnell Duff during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show on Friday afternoon at 4:05.
