Kings due North to face Blizzard tonight

The OCN Blizzard (14-17-1) get set to host the Dauphin Kings (17-12-1) tonight in a rematch of last Friday's 4-0 Kings victory at the Credit Union Centre in Dauphin.

OCN will have to do without 20-year old Wilson Dumais for this weekends games as he has been suspended for two games for a charging penalty that injured a Neepawa Natives player on December 4th. The suspension wasn't handed out after the incident, but only after a review from the league office was ordered by the Natives.

The Kings will could have their newest acquisition Justin Valentino in the lineup tonight. Valentino was acquired from the Swan Valley Stampeders earlier this week as Dauphin continues to build towards hosting the Western Canada Cup this spring.

Game time is 7:00PM, tonight's game will be carried live on 102.9 CJAR if you can't make it down to the GLMC.

TJ Constant dealt to Melville (SJHL)

One of the longest serving players to ever pull on an OCN Blizzard jersey has been dealt to the Melville Millionaires of the SJHL.

TJ Constant will join his cousin Brady on one of the top clubs in the SJHL.

The Blizzard received future considerations in return for the 1993 born forward.

Constant has played 226 games in a Blizzard uniform which has him tied for second all time with forward Lem Randall who played with the Blizzard from 2002-03 to 2006-07. Constant sits just 28 games behind Michael Young for first place, Young played 254 games in a Blizzard uniform from 1999-00 to 2003-04.

Constant is the longest serving local player to ever lace up in OCN as he surpassed Don Melnyk who held that title last season at 190 games, Melnyk is 6th in games played in the franchise.

Game #32 - Blizzard clash in Dauphin

It's a big rival clash at the Credit Union Centre in Dauphin tonight as the Kings and Blizzard begin their jockeying for position in the Sher-Wood division.

OCN sits in third place, just two points back of the Kings and Stampeders for second. It's a big four point night.

Both teams are coming off Wednesday night victories as OCN beat Neepawa by a 3-2 score, the Kings defeated the defending champion Steinbach Pistons in OT on the road by the same score.

The Kings have made a flurry of moves since the last time these two teams met on October 19th, 2013 the Kings won that contest 9-6. Since then Michael Sofillas, Colton Magwood, Francis Alarie, Jeremy Pominville and others have left the fold in Dauphin, coming in the likes of goaltender Michael Stiliadis, Brent Wold, Brett Hope, Brayden Cuthbert, Jared Morris and Dylan Butler.

Expect tonight's game to be a real treat the Kings, Stampeders and Blizzard are all 6-4 in their last ten.

Game time is 7:30PM, the game will be carried live on 102.9 CJAR FM.

Game #31 - Blizzard in Neepawa

The OCN Blizzard (13-16-1) play their 31st game of the season tonight on the road against the Neepawa Natives (7-17-4).

Newly acquired defenseman Chris Kravchuck will be in the lineup, the hulking blue liner arrived in OCN last night after travelling from Drayton Valley.

Kravchuck already has one familiar face on the team in Nakehkoh Lamothe, who is now OCN's second newest player, Lamothe was a member of the Drayton Valley Thunder before being released and coming to the Blizzard.

These two teams met just last Friday but the Natives will be icing a changed team tonight after making a big splash with Dauphin over the weekend.

Neepawa sent '94 F Brayden Cuthbert to the Kings for 93 F Michael Sofillas and 93 D Colton Magwood. Neepawa then flipped Sofillas to Winkler for Luke Karakas.

We'll see how the changes improve the makeup of the Natives tonight.

As for OCN their big splash is the newly acquired Kravchuck as 6'3", 215 pound behemoth who comes to the Blizzard with a reputation for being a nasty, tough, grinding stay at home defenseman.

With a victory tonight the Blizzard would draw even with the Dauphin Kings for third in the division who they face on Friday night.

Game time is 7:30, you can catch it live on 102.9FM CJAR.

Blizzard Acquire 20-year old Defenseman

Kravchuck (black) pushes opposing player off the puck.

The OCN Blizzard have acquired 20-year old defeseman Chris Kravchuck from the Drayton Valley Thunder of the AJHL.

The Kravchuck name may be familiar to many hockey fans as Chris' father Igor played 699 NHL games and represented Russia at numerous World Championships and Olympic Games.

Kravchuck is a big tall punishing defenseman who stands at 6'3" and weighs 215 pounds. He has experience at elite level junior in Russia where he won an MHL title in 2010-2011 alongside the likes of Mikhail Grigorenko of the Buffalo Sabres. The MHL is the top junior league in Russia.

Kravchuck has played nine games this season picking up three points and 33 PIMs over that span. He split last season between three teams the Kahnawake Condors (QJAAAHL), Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) and the Granby Inouk (QJAAAHL).

The Blizzard sent future considerations in return to Drayton Valley.

Blizzard 6 - Stampeders 4

Another early lead and solid goaltending to back it up led to a 6-4 victory for the OCN Blizzard.

Brandon Beaulieu turned aside 35 of 39 shots fired hos way and once again was cool as a cucumber in the Blizzard goal.

Beaulieu has been a revelation of sorts over his last three starts, he's a big body (6'3) who sets himself up big in the goal and does a good job in conserving his energy. His rebound control has been phenomenal and his calmness in goal seems to be rubbing off on his defenders.

Wilson Dumais scored the games first goal after tipping in an Evan Zdunich point shot, Dumais would add another before the game was out.

Tyler Grove potted two including the second of the game just over six minutes into the first frame.

Brendan Barron and Edward Bayer added the other markers, both players led the NorMan Northstars of the Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey League in scoring in their final seasons of midget.

The Blizzard are in Swan River tonight for the second half of the home and home series.

Puck drop is at 7:30 and will be carried live on CJ1240.

Game Preview: #25 of 60 - vs Swan Valley Stampeders

After picking up four of a possible six points in their last three games the OCN Blizzard (10-13-1)head into what could be a season defining home and home series with the Swan Valley Stampeders (12-13-1).

The Stampeders have a four point lead on the Blizzard for second place in the division but OCN holds two games in hand, if the Blizzard can sweep the series OCN will be tied with the Stamps in points while holding their two game advantage, if OCN loses both they'll drop eight points back.

Swan Valley is without Cole Holowenko for the foreseeable future as the former WHL netminder is out with a leg injury, Nathan Armstrong has taken the starters role while Head Coach Erik Pedersen's son Lasse Pedersen is the back up.

Alex Henry will finish serving his three game suspension over the series and will be eligible to return on Friday night against Waywayseecappo.

Here is how the two teams match up:

LAST 10 GAMES:

Swan Valley: 5-4-1
OCN: 3-7-0

TOP SCORER:

Swan Valley: (94) Max Flanagan - 21 G, 14 A, 35 PTS, 26 GP
OCN: (93) Tyler Grove - 15 G, 14 A, 29 PTS, 19GP

TOP GOALTENDER:

Swan Valley: (94) Nathan Armstrong (8-5), 3.05GAA, .912Sv%
OCN: (95) Brandon Beaulieu (3-1), 3.99GAA, .900Sv%

POWER PLAY:

Swan Valley: 16/111 (14.41%) 8th - 5SHGA
OCN: 13/80 (16.25%) 6th - 2SHGA

PENALTY KILL:

Swan Valley: 91/112 (81.25%) 6th - 1SHGF
OCN: 105/134 (78.36%) 11th - 2SHGF

Puck drops at 7:00PM at the GLMC.