WINNIPEG – After winning the province the Midget AAA Winnipeg Wild have completed final preparations for West Regionals this weekend. They seem to peaking at the perfect time and are coming off a major upset of the Eastman Selects in the championship series. The Selects had just one regulation loss the entire regular season before getting eliminated three games to one in the final.
“I think we’re in a situation right now where we started to play really well towards the end of February” Wild head coach Paul Krueger said.
“And as the playoffs went through I thought we got better and better.”
The Wild won the Manitoba Midget AAA Championship for the fourth time in the last five seasons, but success at regionals has been a little more elusive. In six previous appearances the Wild have never advanced to the national Telus Cup. Only three teams still stand in their way. The host Saskatoon Contacts, the Saskatchewan Champion Notre Dame Hounds and the Northern Ontario representative, the Kenora Thistles.
“Typically in Saskatchewan they’ve got pretty good teams.” said Krueger. “Of course Notre Dame is always one of those teams you’ve got to be worried about.”
Offensively the Wild are led by Riley Stotts whose 31 goals in the regular season were second best in the league. They have Jett Woo patrolling the blueline who has been able to take his game to the next level after recently representing Canada at the Youth Olympic Games.
“I learned some new things, how to be a better leader.” said Woo. “Out there I was the assistant captain, so obviously going into playoffs again, it’s a big role even if you don’t have a letter.”
It’s a round robin type format with the top two teams advancing to the championship game. The Wild’s toughest test might be their first game of the event as they meet the Hounds on Thursday afternoon.
“In a short tournament like this you can’t take any games off.” Stotts said. “None of us have been there before, some of our first regional appearances and we just want to be the best we can be this week and bring home a win.”
“Right out of the gate you have to be able to put your best foot forward” said Krueger.
“And make sure that you’re doing all the little things that are going to make you successful, because a couple mistakes here and there and you’re going to be going home early.”
WATCH: Winnipeg Wild prepare for West Regionals
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