The Melfort Mustangs and Nipawin Hawks opened their SJHL Playoffs last week with the Hawks earning a split with the Weyburn Red Wings and the Mustangs losing two games in North Battleford to the Battlefords North Stars.
The fourth seeded Hawks met the fifth seeded Weyburn Red Wings in the opening round. And the sixth seeded Mustangs faced the third seeded Bunge Division champion Battlefords North Stars.
Nipawin earned a home ice split of the opening two games with a 5-1 win over Weyburn in Nipawin on Saturday, March 21.
The Hawks led 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 after the second period.
Jack Janzen had a pair of goals for the Hawks; Braeden Jockims, Mason Eggen and Konnor Watson added the other Nipawin goals.
Rylan Pearce scored the lone goal for the Red Wings.
Gage Roberts made 40 saves for the Hawk; Joey Rocha made 26 saves for the Red Wings.
The Hawks opened their series with a 4-2 loss to the Red Wings in Nipawin on Friday, March 20.
The Red Wings led 2-0 after the first period and 3-0 after the second period.
Eric Hoiness and Janzen scored for the Hawks.
Roan Burgess, Will Munro, Aiden Mohan and Dion Schraeder responded for Weyburn.
Roberts made 28 saves for Nipawin; Joey Rocha made 40 saves for Weyburn.
The Mustangs lost both games in North Battleford to the North Stars following a 3-2 loss on Saturday, March 21.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and the North Stars led 3-1 after the second period.
Darren Hunt and Bo Eisner scored for the Mustangs.
Finlay Klippenstein, Owen Nelson and Raiden Zacharias responded for the North Stars.
Madden Mulawka made 23 saves for the Mustangs; Kaeden Serpa made 41 saves for the North Stars.
The Mustangs opened their series with a 4-2 loss to the North Stars in North Battleford on Friday, March 20.
The North Stars led 1-0 after the first period and 3-1 after the second period.
Zayden Sadlemeyer and Kaleb Binner scored for the Mustangs.
Cole Hines, Josh Knittig, Anthony Campbell and Alessio Nardelli responded for the Battlefords.
Kason Kobelka made 24 saves for the Mustangs; Kaeden Serpa made 40 saves for the North Stars.
In the other SJJHL Playoff series the Flin Flon Bombers lead 2-0 over the Estevan Bruins after a 4-3 double overtime victory on Saturday March 21 and a 5-0 win on Friday, March 20 at the Whitney Forum. The Melville Millionaires and Yorkton Terriers split the first two games of their series in Yorkton with Yorkton winning 5-1 on Saturday, March 21 and the Millionaires winning 4-1 on Friday, March 20.
The SJHL playoff series changed venues on Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25 with the North Stars in Melfort and the Hawks in Weyburn, results for these contests were not available for print deadline.
If necessary Game 5 for the Hawks and Red Wings is in Nipawin on Saturday, March 28 and Game 6 is in Weyburn on Monday, March 30. Game 7 would be played on Wednesday, April 1 in Nipawin.
If necessary, Game 5 for the Mustangs and North Stars is in North Battleford on Saturday, March 28 and Game 6 is in Melfort on Monday, March 30. Game 7 would be played on Wednesday, April 1 in North Battleford.
SJHL announces 2025-2026 Award winners
Last week the SJHL announced their 2025-2026 award winners.
There were two award winners with local connections announced with Troy Semenchuk winning Referee of the Year and Kale Margolis winning the SJHL Most Sportsmanlike Award.
Semenchuk is from Prince Albert and Margolis, in his first season in the SJHL is from Kinistino.
In other awards, Ewan Rennie of the Estevan Bruins claimed the SGEU Most Valuable Player Award, Bourgault Forward of the Year. The Saskatchewan Player of the Year Award went to Boston Harkness of the Melville Millionaires.
Charlie Tritt of the Flin Flon Bombers was named SaskTel Goaltender of the Year, Connor Logan of the Battlefords North Stars was named SJHL Coach of the Year, Cash Lanigan of the Yorkton Terriers was named SJHL Rookie of the Year and Thomas Ries of the Yorkton Terriers was named SuperU Defenseman of the Year.
