The Eastman Selects began their semi final round against the Winnipeg Hawks on Thursday night at the Keith Bodley arena.  The Selects are hoping to put behind them, the bad blood between the two teams.

The first period began with the Hawks having the lions share of possesion as Evan Raugust held the Selects in it after waves of Hawks pucks and players came at him.  With less than 5 minutes remaining in the period, the Hawks struck first on a rebound, going up 1-0. The Selects answered back on a rush from the corner by Brock Bram, sliding the puck past the Hawks goaltender (assist going to Tyler Funk). The period ended tied 1-1 with the Hawks outshooting Eastman 13-6.

Eastman tried to turn the tables to begin the second period, hemming the Hawks in their own zone for the first few minutes.  The Hawks got things straightened out as the tables turned, as the Selects couldn't clear their zone upon  a relentless forecheck by the Hawks. The Selects survived 2 straight penalties but the pressure finally paid off for the Hawks as they took the lead with 4:33 remaining in the second period.  The Hawks scored two more times before the period ended, one on the power play, leaving the Selects behind 4-1.  The Hawks again outshot the Selects 19-5 in that period.

The third period started out just as the second period, getting early pressure in the Hawks zone.  The Selects earned several golden opportunities to get back in the game early, but were unable to finish with a goal. But just as in the previous period, the Hawks regained the majority of possesion, scoring with 16:37 on the power play.  Coach Troy Kennedy then replaced Evan Raugust after seeing 36 shots in just over 2 periods, sending in Josh Buors, who held the fort for the balance of the game, making several key stops.  Eastman narrowed the margin to 5-2 as Tyson Lodge took a pass from Taylor Friesen, sliding another goal low past the Hawks goaltender.  That was the last of the scoring in the game, giving the Hawks game 1 in the best of 5 semi final series outshooting the Selects 47-20.  The Selects recieved the majority of the penalties even though Jeff Froese received a vicious hit in the closing minutes that went uncalled.

The Selects try to tie up the series at home on Sunday March 7th in Ste. Anne at 8pm. 

After going winless against the Hawks this year, the Eastman Selects have drawn their bitter rivals, the Winnipeg Hawks in the semi finals of the the WMHA city Midget AAA championship.  Due to scheduling flip-flops after uncertainty of the Monarchs/Wheat Kings series, the schedule for Eastman's playoff round is finally set to start Thursday March 4th at 7:15 in the Keith Bodley arena. 

Here's the complete semi final schedule:

Hawks vs Eastman

March 4 7:15pm @ Keith Bodley Hawks vs Eastman
March 7 8:00pm @ Ste Anne Brandon vs Hawks
March 11 7:15pm @ Keith Bodley Hawks vs Eastman
March 12 8:00pm @ Ste Anne Eastman vs Hawks
March 14 4:45pm @ Keith Bodley Hawks vs Eastman