Listen to the full interview with 730 CKDM's Darnell Duff:
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There was very little time for the Dauphin Kings to rest in February.
The team played 13 games, six of which came over two weekends. Dauphin won five of their first eight games in the month and finished February with a respectable record of 7-4-1-1. They took the second place in the MGEU East Steinbach Pistons to a shootout and beat the league-leading Winkler Flyers.
Dauphin ended February with a gutsy 2-1 win over the Neepawa Titans at the Yellowhead Centre. Cole Sheffield was brilliant making 25 saves and the team's captain, Ethan Williment scored the game-winner in the third period.
"It was a very good game, we played well as did Neepawa, it was a track meet going back and forth," said Doug Hedley, the team's head coach and general manager. "We locked it down late, it was a big two points for our group. Games like that are important to play, that's how you gain experience. I thought we responded well when Neepawa pushed and found a way to win."
Dauphin returned to the familiar and supportive atmosphere of Credit Union Place the very next night, but it wasn’t the smooth start they had hoped for.
The Kings were absolutely pinned down in the first period, surrendering a staggering 24 shots to Niverville while only managing five of their own. Thankfully, goaltender Sheffield stood tall, stopping 23 of those shots and keeping Dauphin in the game.
The Kings, visibly shaken but not broken, came out with renewed energy in the second period, firing 16 shots on goal. However, despite their increased pressure, neither team found the back of the net, and Dauphin trailed by a single goal as the second intermission loomed.
The turning point came early in the third when Ty Pratte kicked off the scoring for the Kings, netting his sixth of the season just over five minutes in. With that goal, the floodgates opened, and Dauphin’s offence erupted. Gavin Nemis (14), Josh Schmidt (7), and Rylan Gage (16) all added their names to the scoresheet, securing a 4-2 victory and two crucial points.
Head Coach Doug Hedley was quick to emphasize the shift in momentum following the first period, saying the message was crystal clear, and the team responded with a relentless effort in the final two frames.
"Starting on time and getting on our toes early has been a concern at times," offered Hedley. "The great thing about this group is we can rebound and battle back. The guys never give up and it showed, we had an incredible pushback and started playing how we can."
Dauphin was looking to extend their win streak to four when the Northern Manitoba Blizzard was in town earlier this week, however, it wasn't to be. Dauphin only mustered 21 shots and the Blizzard got an extremely lucky bounce late to post a 1-0 shutout victory over Dauphin.
"They work hard, there is no doubt about that," continued Hedley. "I think we went low to high early and got some opportunities and then got away from that. I don't think we were selfish enough on Tuesday, we were trying to make plays that weren't there. You have to go to the paint and make things tough, which we struggled to do at times. It's a work in progress and we will get better."
The Sheff Is Cooking:
After making 40 saves in a 5-4 defeat against Steinbach on February 21, the 20-year-old from London missed the team's next two games because of an illness. Bryson Yaschyshyn stepped in and was outstanding the following day against Niverville as he made 36 saves. He gave Dauphin a chance to come back and the team rewarded him by scoring two goals to force overtime as the Kings earned a hard-fought point. Just weeks after his remarkable performance against Winkler, Bryson was back in the net the following night as he made 22 saves in a 4-2 win against the Winnipeg Blues.
The Kings returned home and after a couple of maintenance days, the team was back on the ice, Sheffield was feeling better and has sparkled since returning to the pipes. In three games, Sheffield has stopped 94 of the 98 shots faced. That includes a 38-save performance against Niverville last weekend. Cole turned away another 31 shots against Northern Manitoba on Tuesday.
"His mindset is to compete, work hard, and get better every game," said Hedley. "He's back in that groove and he's definitely ready for playoffs. We're going to try to manage his ice time in the next little while here. Sheffield is definitely our guy."
Welcome to The All-Star Club:
The MJHL announced its all-star teams on Wednesday and three Kings made them.
Cayden Glover and Naaman Hofer made the first all-star team while Cole Sheffield made the second all-star team.
Cayden Glover:
The 20-year-old stud from Brandon hasn't played for more than a month but only one player has scored more goals than him. Glover was on pace for 50 goals when he was injured on January 31 against the Virden Oil Capitals.
Glover was carving out a season for the record books—until fate had other plans. With a blistering 33 goals in just 38 games, he was on track to hit the elusive 50-goal mark, a feat untouched in the MJHL since Jesse Sinatynski's 59-goal explosion for the Kings in 2011-12.
Glover is still 12th in league scoring.
"It's well deserved. Before he got injured, he was playing his best hockey," offered Hedley. "He was winning battles and making a difference every night."
Naaman Hofer:
What else can be said about Naaman Hofer? His future is already set with his commitment to the University of Alaska-Anchorage starting in the 2025-26 season.
Hofer glides across the ice with effortless precision, making even the most intense pressure situations look like a walk in the park. His ability to escape tight spots and transition the puck up the ice is second to none. A rock on the back end and a force on offence, Hofer has been electrifying this season, racking up six goals and 48 points in 49 games.
Sitting third in team scoring and second among all MJHL defencemen, he’s proving to be the complete package—steady, smart, and downright dangerous with the puck.
"He's one of the top skilled defencemen in the league and we're happy to have him on our back end runnings," commented Hedley. "We're fortunate to have him, great player."
Cole Sheffield:
The 20-year-old from London is third in the league with 28 wins while playing the most minutes of any goalie (2599). Sheffield's .920 save percentage ranks fourth in the league and his 2.42 goals-against average is also fourth.
Sheffield is known to make saves that no goalie should ever make and when playing calmly in the net, he's nearly unbeatable. He turned away 31 shots on Tuesday and gave Dauphin a chance to win against the Blizzard, however, the team was unable to get anything going in a 1-0 defeat.
Cole also dazzled for Team MJHL at the Showcase against Team SJHL and while he has not yet received an NCAA Division 1 scholarship, don't be surprised if he does. The Dauphin Kings will go as deep in the playoffs as Sheffield can take them.
"He deserved better recognition last year, everyone in the league knows how good he is," said Hedley. "He works hard, great attitude, and wants to win."
Good News:
As fans know, the team has played without Glover since January 31. They've found a way to win without him in the lineup, but they could soon be getting a boost. Glover had a doctor's appointment earlier this week and should be back in the lineup soon.
"Yeah, we got some good news this week, everything has healed well," said Hedley. "He's day-to-day right now. He has to rehab and make sure he's strong before returning. He should be back very soon."
Home Stretch:
With only five games remaining in the regular season, Dauphin is on a mission to hold onto their spot at the top of the standings. As they head into Friday's crucial showdown with Portage, the Kings are holding a four-point lead over the Blizzard, firmly gripping the top spot in the MGEU West.
After Friday’s battle, Dauphin will hit the road with a trip to Swan River to take on the Stampeders on Saturday, followed by a visit to Waywayseecappo next Tuesday. Then, they’ll face off against Neepawa on Friday, before wrapping up the regular season on home ice next Saturday against the Wolverines.
As for the Portage test, the Kings haven’t faced the Terriers since January 8, when Portage handed them a 5-2 defeat. The Terriers have had the upper hand in the season series, winning two of the three matchups so far, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rubber match.
"They're a team that has a lot of speed, they have some good depth up front," ended Hedley. "They play hard, compete hard, and we're going to have to bring our best game. We've battled them hard this year, it's a very winnable game for us. We need to start on time and play how we can."
You can hear Darnell Duff's full chat with Doug Hedley during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show on Friday afternoon at 4.