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Was the Semi Final in the AAA Winnipeg Jets Classic a preview of the 2019 Provincial Bantam 1 Final?

By Winnipeg AAA, 12/03/18, 5:30PM CST

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In last week’s AAA Winnipeg Jets Classic tournament

In last week’s AAA Winnipeg Jets Classic tournament the Eastman Selects played the Winnipeg Monarchs in the tournament’s semi final.  The final score was 3-1 Monarchs but it had to make you think was this going to be the match up for the 2019 Provincial final?

The Monarchs have a strong lineup and their depth has been articled about on this website. The Eastman Selects also have many capable forwards and two of the province’s best defensemen. Right now the Monarchs are vulnerable with many injuries to their lineup.  They have fallen to third in the standings however have played five less games then the Sharks.  The vulnerability of the Monarchs showed when they were without six of their regulars and fell to the Winnipeg Sharks two days after their loss in the Jets Classic tournament final.

Eastman will face the Yellowhead Chiefs in the Rural Provincial Playoffs.  Yellowhead has the powerful and mature Conor Geekie who is playing at a high level of hockey and it will be interesting to see how high he actually goes in the WHL Bantam Draft.  Yellowhead also has a few defensemen leading the charge with Ben Saunderson logging a lot of minutes and playing a solid all around game.

It will be left to see how the season unfolds almost half way there.  Right now the cream at the top are playing very well.  Eastman and Monarchs having only one loss against and the Yellowhead Chiefs are at the top of their Division.