Chapter 19: Matthew O’Sullivan
When the trade deadline in the Canadian Junior Hockey League arrived, the Dauphin Kings were looking for an offensive boost.
They needed a spark up front, a player or players who could score. Doug Hedley manned the phones, looking to find the right fit.
They needed an instant boost as Dauphin enters Saturday night's Ukrainian Night game against the league-leading Niverville Nighthawks in the bottom half of the league in goals for. Dauphin's 128 goals have them ranked eighth in the league in that category. Among the eight teams currently holding down a playoff spot, Dauphin has only scored more than Waywayseecappo.
Entered Matthew O'Sullivan. Starting the season with the Winnipeg Blues, O'Sullivan scored 18 times in 30 games. He averaged more than a point per game with Winnipeg, notching 32 points. He was Winnipeg's leading scorer.
The deal was finalized, and he became a King. Spark acquired.
"It's been great here in Dauphin. I'm starting to get comfortable," said O'Sullivan. "The guys here are great. It's definitely nice practicing every day. I'm starting to get into a nice rhythm, I like it a lot."
Besides playing with the Caledonia Corvairs and St. Thomas Stars of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League last year, O'Sullivan has spent most of his life in Manitoba's capital. During his time in the GOJHL, he had 45 points in 43 regular-season games and another six points in 10 playoff games.
Coming to Dauphin, the 19-year-old says it was a bit of a culture shock being in Dauphin compared to his hometown. He says playing with his hometown Blues was great. He had a chance to play in front of his family and friends at the Rink Training Centre. But the Blues are well outside the playoff picture in the MGEU East Division. They only have 10 wins and are 22 points behind Winkler for the fourth and final playoff spot.
Dauphin, meanwhile, is only a point behind Virden for first place in the West Division. The Kings have 21 wins and will go for 22 on Saturday.
There's nothing quite like playoff hockey. So to join a team with aspirations of making a deep run, O'Sullivan says joining the Kings was a beautiful breath of fresh air.
"I think I've done my time on teams that don't really have a winning culture," continued O'Sullivan. "Coming here is nice. Going into every game, everyone in the room believes we can win. It's a nice feeling to be a part of."
While the results on the scoreboard didn't often turn out how Matthew would have hoped for in Winnipeg, he was pleased with his effort. After all, he was torching his opponents with 18 goals. He was in a class amongst the league's best when it came to finding the back of the net.
"I put my all into every game. I tried to give our team a shot to win every single game we played," commented O'Sullivan. "I think being here in Dauphin will take some pressure off my shoulders. I'll go into every game looking to play my best, but knowing we can still win even if I don't have my best performance."
It did not take Matthew long to hit the scoresheet. After a few glorious chances in his debut with the Kings against Virden last Tuesday, O'Sullivan scored his first as a King in a massive win against Steinbach last Friday. He received a beautiful pass from Sheldon Shyiak, and O'Sullivan did the rest. Two points and his first goal as a King. A night to remember.
"It was nice to get that first point. Coming off that Virden loss, we needed a big game," added O'Sullivan. "Everyone contributed and played their part. Scoring was a cherry on top."
(PHOTO: ICE WAVE MEDIA)
Riding a two-game losing streak since last Friday's victory, the Kings will look to get back on track on Saturday night. A packed crowd is expected to form inside Credit Union Place for Ukrainian night. Last year, Ukrainian Night saw 2,112 fans pack the stands. In the last three Ukrainian Nights combined, there have been 6,049 fans.
The team's opponent is the second-ranked team in the country. The Niverville Nighthawks, who have won 34 of their 37 games this season, are 12 points clear of the next closest team in the league. Dauphin has played well against them this season.
They beat them 5-1 in their first meeting. In the team's second meeting, the Kings led 1-0 with five minutes left. The Nighthawks battled back to score two quick goals. Two games against each other and one win apiece.
This is the first meeting of two in the next week, as they'll also play next Sunday in Dauphin. Heading into the game, O'Sullivan says the group is ready to respond and show what they're capable of.
"We've got a great group of guys. From the top to the bottom, everyone on this team is capable of doing anything in this league," he added. "I think it'll be very easy for us to snap this skid and go on a positive streak."
Matthew is also looking forward to playing in front of Saturday's crowd.
"I'm excited. With the Blues, I didn't really get to play in front of big fan bases," ended O'Sullivan. "All I've heard are amazing things about Ukrainian Night. I'm really excited. I hope we can put on a great show for the fans."
You can hear Matthew's full chat with Darnell Duff during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show. It's set for Friday after the 4:00 p.m. news, weather, business, and sports.
Get To Know O'Sullivan:
What are some of your hobbies? I like golfing. That's a big thing in the summer. I love playing basketball and baseball with my brother. Sports things, that's pretty much all I do.
Matthew's brother is Michael O'Sullivan. He played 45 games with the Winnipeg Freeze from 2022 to 2023. He also played with the Dryden Ice Dogs, French River Rapids, Golden Rockets, Fort Garry Twins, and St. Boniface Riels during his junior career.
Did you guys push each other? Oh yeah, it was always a competition. Even though he was a goalie and I was a player, it didn't matter. In any sport that we played, we always pushed each other to the limit. I think that really helped me.
How did you get into hockey? I think I went skating for the first time when I was two and loved it. I guess I haven't looked back since then.
What's your favourite hockey memory? Winning a championship when I played U17 with the Winnipeg Bruins. We won back-to-back championships. That was an incredible feeling.
In the 2022-23 season, Matthew had 14 goals and 42 points in 33 games. In the playoffs, he went off. He had seven goals and 13 points.
Any fun family trips that you've been on? I went to Phoenix when I was 12. That was probably the most fun I've had on a vacation in my life.
What's your favourite meal and restaurant? I would go with a nice steak and mashed potatoes; you can never go wrong with that. I really like the Keg in Winnipeg. I've been once or twice, and it was awesome.
Don't forget to get your tickets for Ukrainian Night. They're only $5 and available at the CNUF office inside the Dauphin Marketplace Mall. You can also get them at the Speedy Glass South Ticket Office at Credit Union Place.