June 4, 2026

Brokenhead woman dies in motorcycle crash

By Jann Perry

One Brokenhead resident is dead and another was taken to hospital following a motorcycle collision on Hwy 44 west of Garson Sunday night.

On May 31 at 8:30 p.m., RCMP responded to a collision involving a motorcycle and another vehicle on Hwy 44 at the intersection of PR 212 in the RM of St. Clements. 
Upon arrival, officers learned that a motorcycle was travelling east on Hwy 44 when it collided with another vehicle that was crossing the highway going north on PR 212. 
The driver of the motorcycle, a 66-year-old male from the RM of Brokenhead, was transported to hospital by STARS and suffered from serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The passenger of the motorcycle, a 70-year-old female, also from Brokenhead, was pronounced deceased on scene. 

The driver of the northbound vehicle, a 19-year-old female from Portage la Prairie, was transported to hospital as a precaution and did not appear injured. 

RCMP and traffic services continue to investigate. Information on potential charges was not available at press time.

Chickendaze rules roost

By Jann Perry

The weather was hot, but the 2026 version of Chickendaze was even hotter.
Early feedback on the annual festival held in Oakbank May 29-31 was overwhelmingly positive. Scores of patrons attended the mainstage night events Friday and Saturday and weekend daytime attendance was impressive judging by the crowds in the barnyard and surrounding areas.

Hundreds of people lined both sides of Main Street Saturday morning as the Chickendaze parade gets bigger and longer every year

With cooperating weather, the majority of scheduled events were widely attended including children’s entertainment. The Select Shows Midway was packed and the chicken races kept feathers flying all weekend. 

Some well received local bands liker Pinto helped boost attendance on Sunday.

Lac du Bonnet Foundation awards 2026 grants

By Rick McGregor

A total of 55 people attended the Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation’s annual public meeting and Celebration of Giving on May 20 at the Notre Dame du Lac Catholic Church, where two milestones were announced.

Emcee Laverne Wojciechowski welcomed the crowd and then introduced Janice Leroux who opened the proceedings with her president’s message. She was followed by chair Dave Johnson who presented the financials which were also available in printed form in the 2026 annual report.

The Celebration of Giving portion of the evening involved the awarding of the Spring 2026 grants. Lions Foundation Manitoba and NW Ontario, represented by Maryna Radky and Joel Spearman, received $10,000 to support their Bringing Care Closer: Free Mobile Vision and Hearing Screenings for Kids initiative. 

Lac du Bonnet Historical Society was awarded $10,000 towards the St. Anthony Petchersky Church Roof Renovation Project. Terry Tottle was on hand to receive this grant.

Kids Snowflake Bazaar received $4,000 to assist with the purchase of an enclosed trailer. Mellissa Bourgeois accepted.

The Lac du Bonnet Senior School Parent Advisory Council was awarded $5,000 for the purchase of mobile cafeteria tables and benches that can be set up in school hallways during lunchtime. Kris Klemchuk was on hand to accept.

Centennial School, represented by principal Dave Ogren, received two grants; $6,000 in support of their Multisensory Education for mats for the Regulation Room, additional attachments for the sensory swing, and a durable outdoor xylophone to enrich outdoor learning. They received a further $1,000 towards enhancing library efficiency by purchasing a DYMO label printer and sufficient labelling supplies to complete the organization of the entire school library.

The Lac du Bonnet Community Garden was granted $900 to help with their Growing Gardeners Project, which provides transportation for Centennial School students to the garden for gardening teachings. Leslie Wakeman and Lise Boiteau accepted.
The Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association received $5,000 towards the purchase of a propane refrigerator, stove and rolling TV stand for their Outdoor Education Centre. Brian Shirtliffe was on hand to accept.

Lac du Bonnet Recreation was granted $1,000 to help purchase equipment for their adult and senior recreation program. Bianca Tetrault accepted.

The Lac du Bonnet Ice Fishing Derby, with Darlene Lamoureux on hand, received $1,200 to install graphics on their trailer.

The Pioneer Club was up next, getting their grant of $5,000 toward the beautification of the building by upgrading the exterior and replacement of their sign when they celebrate their 50th Anniversary. Clara Hiebert accepted this grant.

The Lac du Bonnet Arena was awarded $6,000 towards the replacement of the ice surface hot water tank in addition to what was awarded earlier by YIP.

Finally, accepting the largest grant ever awarded by the Foundation, Sharalyn Reitlo and Kathy Richardson of the Lac du Bonnet Community Centre graciously accepted the first $25,000 of what will be a $100,000 grant over four years to assist with the replacement of the HVAC unit with a new energy efficient system. This grant is partially supported by the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund.

This record grant helped the Foundation reach another milestone which was awarding a total of $80,000, the highest total ever granted in one granting session with their Fall Granting Session still to come later in 2026. They expect to exceed $100,000 for 2026 after the fall grants are announced.

“I am proud to say that the Foundation is well-positioned to grow and significantly increase our financial support for community projects, both big and small,” Leroux said. “The community’s ongoing support is very much appreciated.”

RMs push for Municipal Act reform

Leaders say surge of disrespectful conduct toward council, staff must be addressed

By Tony Zerucha

Local municipal leaders are urging the Province of Manitoba to amend the Municipal Act to provide them with more tools to address a surge in what they feel is disruptive behaviour towards municipal officials and staff. 

“I think legislative change and reform are needed to hold people accountable for their actions,” said Lac du Bonnet Reeve Loren Schinkel. “In some instances, these matters cross over into the Criminal Code, offences such as public mischief, causing a disturbance, uttering threats, but who is doing the investigation? Who is prosecuting the offences?

“There’s no accountability of any kind, which leads to the turmoil that all elected officials are enduring.”

The push comes in the wake of a recent Court of King’s Bench decision that struck down a Municipality of Alexander three-year ban on a taxpayer after police removed the man from a meetings in 2022 for taking photos of the overhead agenda and claims of rude behaviour, the latter he denied.

In her decision, Justice Sadie Bond cited precedent for the resident’s claims that council exceeded its authority in banning him, dismissing Alexander’s claims that its procedures bylaw permitted the passing of banning resolutions for two reasons. The imposition of a long-term ban “is not compatible with the plain meaning of the procedures bylaw section relied on, when read in the context of the remainder of the procedures by-law.” Secondly, Bond said the chair’s authority to expel people is limited to behaviour at a meeting, with the procedures bylaw not providing for banning people from future meetings.

“Read together, these sections allow the chair of a meeting to expel an individual from a meeting, have them removed from a meeting if they refuse to leave, and exclude them from re-attendance at that meeting,” Bond wrote. “They go no further.”

Schinkel said solutions must be more potent than removing an individual from the meeting they disrupt. Elected officials have raised this issue with multiple provincial ministers, so they know the seriousness of what elected municipal officials and their support staff face.

“The province and federal government need to support the most active and accountable level of government, us,” Schinkel said.
Springfield Mayor Pat Therrien agreed that municipal councils must have solutions for repetitive, disruptive behaviour.

“I have learned from sitting in chambers that it’s not just one sitting that people or a mob fill chambers on a particular vote – often to delay the matter, it’s repetitive,” Therrien

said.
In addition to the stress this brings to officials and staff, and the resulting delays to municipal business, Therrien said some who believe their rights include disruptive behaviour actually interfere with the rights of others.

“The public does not want to come to a meeting where a person or small group often disrupts chambers,” Therrien said. “I have been told this many, many times in talking with the public. They do not want to attend because of this behaviour, and that is unfortunate.”

Alexander has moved forward with asking neighbouring North Eastman municipalities for letters of support to bring the matter before the province. If approved, it will be submitted to the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ (AMM) next provincial convention for a vote. If successful there, AMM leadership will discuss it with provincial officials.

“The Alexander resolution asks that the Municipal Act be amended to allow for a gradual range and consequences for repeat offenders. This absolutely makes sense,” Therrien concluded. “Something must be done by the province. Amending the Municipal Act to address this is an imperative.”

En Vogue Furniture celebrating 30 years

By David Baxter

While countless local businesses have come and gone, the owner of a unique North Eastman business says she believes commitment to customers is the reason En Vogue Furniture has survived and continues to thrive after three decades.  

“I believe in sincerity and honesty, and just have always sold good quality products,” En Vogue Furniture owner Diane Richter said, as the business prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary. “Just be honest with the customer and stand behind your product.”

It was 30 years ago that Richter says she had a vision of opening up a furniture store in the Town of Lac du Bonnet, as she witnessed countless people in the community forced to travel to Winnipeg if they needed furniture and home décor. 

At the time, her husband Al already ran the Home Hardware store in the community and Diane had the idea of putting furniture in the same building, and under the same roof as hardware and lumber supplies. 

She says after months of research and studies, she determined she could make a furniture store work. 

“There was a need, and it was something I felt comfortable doing,” Richter said. 
But she said with so many furniture stores selling lower quality furniture in Winnipeg, she quickly decided she needed high-quality products to stand out and make an immediate impression. 

“The low-end furniture you could find anywhere in Winnipeg, so we saw we should go with the higher end,” Richter said. “New businesses almost never start with the higher-end stuff, so I kind of did it backwards, but I believed in the idea from the start. 
“And I could sleep well at night knowing I was not selling junk.”

Starting the business as Home Furniture in 1996 (switching the name to En Vogue in 1999),  the concept caught on immediately and exceeded expectations that first year. It didn’t take long for her to realize she had hit on something that was special and unique for the community. 

But while the business found success early, Richter said she decided if they were going to hold a grand opening, there was one person she really wanted to be there to officially cut the ribbon on the new business, and that person just happened to be the Prime Minister of Canada at the time. 

“I knew we needed to do a grand opening, and I just looked at my husband and said, ‘we should get Jean Chrétien here for it,’ and he just looked at me and said, ‘you’ve got to be kidding me, that’s never going to happen.’” 

But Richter said she was persistent, and after writing continuous letters to the Prime Minister, she eventually got word that Chrétien would actually be coming to town for the grand opening. 

“I knew it was a long shot,” she said. “But when he spoke, he always spoke about small and medium-sized businesses being the backbone of our country, and about the importance of women in business. So I just thought, ‘I’m a woman in business so why doesn’t he come here?’”

She says the appearance of the Prime Minister at the grand opening brought the business publicity beyond anything she could have imagined. 
“After that we were flooded, people were driving from everywhere, from other provinces and even from the U.S.”

But as the publicity from the event wore off, Richter said word of mouth became the way the business continued to see new customers and remain successful year after year. 

“We just did it the old-fashioned way, and if you sell good quality products, you don’t have customers coming back upset because they didn’t last,” she said. 
She added the relationships she has built with her customers over the last 30 years has led to many regular and loyal customers who only shop for their furniture in her store. 

“You get to know everybody you really become like family,” Richter said. “That’s a big key to the success we’ve had.

“We are grateful to every customer that has walked through our doors, trusted us with their homes, and helped us grow into what we are today.”

McDonald’s restaurant coming to Oakbank

By Tony Zerucha

After previous failed attempts, a McDonald’s restaurant will soon open in Oakbank. 
Construction has begun on the restaurant on property owned by Red River Co-op behind its gas station off Springfield Road.

Red River Co-op confirmed it is leasing land for the restaurant. McDonald’s Canada confirmed it is building a restaurant at the location, but would not divulge the franchise owner. 

The current plans meet all municipal planning and zoning conditions. The Co-op site is zoned for commercial operations, including a drive-through. No municipal approvals are required.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said the company would provide more updates once the project progresses closer to an opening date.
The restaurant chain has been trying to establish itself in Oakbank since at least 2023. At the Nov. 23, 2023, municipal meeting, council deferred a conditional use application from a numbered company looking to build on Main Street immediately north of Willow Avenue in Oakbank. The space is zoned for a commercial restaurant.

While the submitted site plan met zoning bylaw requirements, several nearby homeowners shared concerns about traffic on Willow Avenue, drainage, noise and light pollution. Some business owners shared fears of how it would negatively impact all the restaurants, garbage and hours of operation.

Those plans were ultimately defeated due to McDonald’s desire for a Main Street drive-through.

Arrests in shooting range theft

By Jann Perry

Two Lac du Bonnet men were arrested after allegedly trespassing at the Milner Ridge area shooting range and taking items earlier this month.

On May 19 at 10:35 a.m., RCMP were notified that two night earlier, two people had entered the Lac du Bonnet Wildlife Association Outdoor Education Centre and Shooting

Range on PR 214 and allegedly took expended brass containers and a first aid kit. 
The shooting range – located three kilometres west of Hwy 11 at the decommissioned waste disposal site – caters to both shooting enthusiasts and those eager to acquire outdoor skills by featuring a rifle range, small arms range, trap shoot, archery range and natural areas for future outdoor education programming.

Police advised there was no property damage at the shooting range as a result of the trespassing and speculated the value of the stolen brass was around $100.
Reviewing video footage from the area, Lac du Bonnet RCMP were able to identify two alleged suspects.

On May 25, two males, a 38- and a 39-year-old from the RM of Lac du Bonnet, were arrested. One of the men was pulled over for a traffic stop that morning and police claim the brass taken from the shooting range was found in the vehicle and turned over to them. The other man was located at his residence later that evening.

The males were both served with $672 fines for trespassing and are being charged with theft under $5,000 under the Criminal Code. They were released with a court date for Sept. 14 in Beausejour. As the information has not been sworn in court, the RCMP cannot release the names of the individuals at this time.

Easter egg fundraiser for CancerCare a success

By Jann Perry

A community-driven Easter fundraiser in support of five-year-old leukemia patient Callie Augustine has made a meaningful impact, with thousands of dollars in donations now directly benefiting children receiving cancer care.

On April 22, organizer Laura Nilsson delivered more than $4,275 worth of items to the Pediatric Oncology Playroom at CancerCare Manitoba in Winnipeg, marking a successful outcome for the Ukrainian Easter egg fundraiser held ahead of the holiday.

The fundraiser invited community members to purchase handcrafted Easter eggs, with all proceeds going toward items requested by the playroom, helping create a more welcoming and comforting environment for children undergoing treatment.
Nilsson said the strong response from the community played a key role in the fundraiser’s success.

“A huge thank you again to everyone who supported this fundraiser by buying an egg, donating, and/or spreading the word. The support from the community was truly heartwarming,” she said. 

She also acknowledged the role of local partners in making the effort run smoothly, including the Lac du Bonnet Regional Library, which served as a pickup and drop-off location for orders. Special thanks also goes out to Campbell’s Foods and The Lac du Bonnet Clipper.

The donated items, including games, toys, craft kits and clothing will now be used to give young patients a sense of normalcy and distraction during hospital visits.
Callie’s mom Sheyanna said the family is hugely grateful to everyone who supported the fundraiser.

“Because of you, the CancerCare kids playroom will be a place filled with a little more joy, comfort, and laughter for children who need it most.”

The initiative was inspired by Callie’s ongoing battle with leukemia, but its impact extends far beyond one family. By supporting the playroom, the fundraiser will continue to benefit many children and families navigating cancer treatment in the months ahead.

Prepayment required for Memories of Pointe du Bois book

By Jann Perry

The author of the upcoming Memories of Pointe du Bois history book is requesting those who ordered copies to prepay as the publication is going to print this summer.
The 304-page colour book by Cathy White Juskow features the history of Winnipeg Hydro, the company town of Pointe du Bois, its people, operations, infrastructure and employment. It also covers Manitoba Hydro’s acquisition of Winnipeg Hydro in 2002 and the eventual demolition of the houses and buildings in ‘Pointe’ in 2014.

As someone who was raised in the small town, White Juskow, like many others, was hit hard by the demise of the community. As time passed, she said she could not reconcile the thought that no one would ever know that the 100-plus-year-old town existed, and its memories would be lost. 

“It took a while before I could get the courage to go there, and when I finally did, it was an emotional experience and surreal to find nothing but the school, residence and powerhouse,” White Juskow said. “The town was there one day and gone the next.”
Following conversations with other former residents who were feeling the same way, gatherings were held in 2018 and 2019 where people brought pictures and memorabilia. Interest in the project grew and research on the community and the company was done online and through the archives of the Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg Free Press and Springfield Leader newspapers.

White Juskow said over 250 orders for the book were submitted and she has received payment for 150. She plans to print 450 copies. At a cost of $60 per book, she is asking those with unpaid pre-orders to e-Transfer payment to pointedubois1911@hotmail.com. The account has been set up for auto deposit and is monitored by White Juskow, Maureen Smith and Cathy Olive. Confirm the number of books being purchased and provide contact info in the comment section. 

Payment deadline is July 6. Books will be available for distribution in September. 
Individuals wanting to pay in another form (cash or cheque, no credit cards) can also email pointedubois1911@hotmail.com for information.

Sample pages of the book are available for viewing on the Memories of Pointe du Bois Facebook page. 

“Thanking you in advance for your support... to preserve the history and memories of Pointe du Bois,” said White Juskow.

Lac du Bonnet Chamber welcomes new admin

By Simon Ducatel

The Lac du Bonnet and District Chamber of Commerce has hired Richelle Ritchot as the organization’s new administrator.

Chamber president Laurette Greenlay said board of directors had quite a few qualified contenders who applied. While the decision was not necessarily an easy one, the board ultimately offered the position to Ritchot, who they deemed most prepared to hit the ground running.

“She was the one that I felt had all the skills that we needed,” Greenlay told The Lac du Bonnet Clipper. “What really made me feel good is the fact that she’s able to just jump right in because she’s very familiar with all the technology that we have.”

Starting on May 26, the 34-year-old mother of three said she wanted to find a way to be even more engaged with the community.

 “Getting involved, meeting new people and being involved with the businesses,” Ritchot said. “Engagement is something I think I’m going to be focusing on pretty strongly.”

Immediately after finishing high school, Ritchot attended post-secondary studies at Red River College where she obtained a business administration diploma in 2012. Following a few jobs in southern Manitoba, she and her partner moved back home when they had their first daughter. 

That was when she took an administrative job with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories for the better part of a decade. She also spent a year as the Pinawa Club’s administrator. She even branched out into part-time work as a health-care aide at the personal care home and the Pinawa Hospital after completing a program in 2024. 

Aside from Ritchot’s years of experience in administration coupled with computer savvy skills, the chamber also considered her history in the community to be an invaluable asset to not only engage more closely with the chamber’s existing membership but along the way also possibly growing that number.  

“She’s lived in this town most of her life, and she knows a lot of people,” Greenlay said.
Ritchot said her partner also owns a small business, which on a personal level further emphasizes the importance of their local chamber. Before the couple joined the chamber, she confessed being largely unaware of the perks available to members such as access to employee benefits packages. 

Asked if she has any goals she hopes to work towards, Ritchot said she wants to see the chamber grow.

“I know they’ve had some struggles in the past,” she said. 

Additionally, she wants to get the chamber’s existing membership more involved in the organization and show “all the local businesses what the chamber can offer them, because I don’t think that’s widely known.”

Eastman boxers fighting in St. Andrews

By Tony Zerucha

Some of Eastern Manitoba’s top amateur boxers will battle fighters from across Manitoba and North Dakota when the Eastman Boxing Club presents Battle Ground at the St. Andrews Community Centre June 13.

Organizer Kirk Fleming said up to 17 fights will be on the supercard, a high number for a local boxing event. He said his athletes are ready to go and hungry to move up the rankings. That combination means good entertainment for fans.

“Amateur boxing is good and high-paced with three rounds per bout,” Fleming said.
Competitors from six area clubs will be joined by a U.S. team driving up from Fargo, ND. Fleming’s enjoyed a decades-long relationship with Fargo’s Barbot Boxing Club.
The co-main event sees Beausejour’s Mason DeKezel take on Winnipeg’s Nick Goudie in a battle of two 160-pounders. It’s DeKezel’s 23rd fight.

“He’s a power puncher and very smart boxer who’s starting to turn the corner,” Fleming said. “He’s a very talented and strong athlete, an old-school type. There aren’t many of them left.”

The other co-main event sees former Beausejour fighter Chad Betker in a heavyweight match-up against Fargo’s Johnson Jones.

A packed undercard includes Eastman Boxing Club’s Leiland Hailstone battling Pine Falls’ Stan Dori Daniels, a protégé of legend Larry “Razor” Sharpe. It’s Hailstone’s 14th trip between the ropes and Daniels’ fifth.

Get your popcorn early, because you don’t want to miss Eastman’s Seth “The Sniper” Kalinski exchange blows with Fargo’s “Bombs Away” Braeden Walters. It’s a rematch of 150-pounders from late 2025. While Walters won that one, Fleming said Kalinski’s training hard and looking for payback.

Oakbank’s Hayden Robertson makes his in-ring debut against Winnipeg’s Caleb White.

Fleming said Robertson’s been sparring frequently, maximizing his conditioning and optimizing his diet. Robertson lost 12 pounds to compete in the 165-pound class.
In a women’s bout, Eastman’s Kaylee “Dynamite” Dillabough takes on Fargo’s Madi Loveless in another rematch. Loveless won the first bout via decision, but Fleming reports that Dillabough’s focus on redemption includes spending weeks training in Mexico.

Fleming said there’s a lot more to putting on a good card than just pairing athletes from the same weight class. He works with the other club coaches to match boxers of similar

skill levels.
“We’re not looking for an easy win, nor are we wanting them to get blown out of the water,” Fleming said. “These are amateurs, kids. I want them to have a good experience.

“I want them to come back.”

Tickets are available at Eastman Boxing Club. Last year’s event sold out in advance.
The St. Andrews Community Centre is located at 28 St. Andrews Rd. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. with bouts beginning at 2 p.m.

Silvertips fall short at Memorial Cup

By Tony Zerucha

While Brek Liske fell short of his dream of winning a Memorial Cup with the Everett Silvertips, the Beausejour native put up a strong showing against the nation’s best junior hockey teams.

Penalty trouble led to the downfall of the Silvertips as they gave up a pair of quick powerplay goals early in the third period en route to a 6-2 loss to the Kitchener Rangers on May 31.

Earlier in the tournament, Liske posted a plus-one showing in Everett’s 4-0 win over the Kelowna Rockets on May 27. That left the Silvertips with a berth in the semi-final game against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens on May 29.

While he was held pointless, Liske was a plus-two for the game, taking his Memorial Cup showing to plus-one overall. He was plus-two in the final against the Ranger, leaving him a plus-three showing in five games.

Liske, 18, and the Western Hockey League champion Silvertips had a spectacular year with a regular season record of 57-8-2-1 for a total of 117 points. They went on to win the WHL championship over the Prince Albert Raiders and raise the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in the organization’s existence.

Now in his second full season in Everett, Liske has played 121 regular-season games and scored 10 goals with 27 assists for 37 points. He improved across the board this season by producing seven goals, 17 assists, and a plus-36 rating. That was just a tune-up for an 18-game playoff showing that saw Liske post four goals, 13 assists and 17 points in 18 games, to go with a Canadian Hockey League-leading plus-25 rating.

Liske’s attention now shifts to the upcoming NHL draft in Buffalo on June 26 and 27. In six different rankings, Liske sits between 40th and 63rd, making him a mid-second-round or early third-round pick.

The Liskes plan on watching the draft at home with family and friends.

 Howden moves from ice to the booth

By Tony Zerucha

Even though he’s hung up the skates on his pro hockey career, Oakbank’s Quinton Howden is still heavily involved in the game. 

Howden served as a colour commentator on Manitoba Moose radio broadcasts this season. He’s also watching two generations of Howdens play hockey.

Selects 25th overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft, Howden played 97 NHL games with the Panthers and the Winnipeg Jets, three World Junior Championships and one Olympics. He also played in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose and in several countries overseas.

That extensive experience made him a natural partner for Manitoba Moose play-by-play broadcaster Daniel Fink.

“I still know a few people from when I played with the Moose, and they reached out and asked if I would be interested in helping Daniel with doing colour commentary since he doesn’t have anyone,” Howden said. “I did a game, and then he asked if I would come back for other games. We went over the schedule, and it worked out for me to do quite a few.”

It was an enjoyable learning experience for Howden. He reconnected with many teammates and opponents from his playing days. The on-air work was something new, too.

“You have to watch the game in a completely different way than I always have,” he explained. “There can’t be any dead time when you are on the air, so you definitely have to be comfortable talking a lot.”

Howden adds another experienced perspective to the broadcasts. If he notices that a team is aggressive on the penalty kill or playing high, for example, he suggests ways to exploit that.

“I know firsthand that the game is a lot different from up top than it is on the ice,” Howden cautioned. “For example, I also always took a lot of pride in my face-offs. So when I see the Moose have won numerous draws in a row, it’s easy to see that they are working hard that night to gain control of the puck right from a face-off.”

During the playoffs, Howden said teams prepare in many different ways, such as watching video and holding team meetings. Whatever they do, the players must hit the ice knowing that the playoffs are another level of hockey.

“The playoffs are a completely different game than the regular season; it’s any man’s game every night,” he said. “Whoever is calm and doesn’t overreact in certain situations should come out on top, as you can’t get too heated in a scrum or take out your anger on refs.”

Howden is working with his father at Howden Quality Construction and anticipating the birth of his third child. He’s enjoying being with the little ones, including at one son’s hockey games.

“He’s having a lot of fun with it, so it is a lot of fun to be able to go through it with him now,” Howden said.

That leaves little time to watch brother Brett in the NHL playoffs with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but Quinton watches as many games as he can.

“The hardest part for us is the time change, as his games start around 9:30 p.m. our time, so it gets tough some nights,” he said. “But yes, I try to watch as many games as I can and really enjoy watching his success and everything that he is going through.”
Fink said it was great having Howden on Moose broadcasts this season. 

“There’s so much value to listeners being able to hear from someone with his wealth of experience in the game,” said Fink, who is also the Moose’s manager of hockey communications. “His ability to speak on his time in the AHL helps fans understand the perspective of the players on the ice in a way that is impossible to relay for someone who hasn’t played at the highest level of the sport.”

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