The road to the newly unveiled SJHL Canterra Seeds Cup began this weekend with Melfort’s own Zac Somers playing hero for the Melfort Mustangs.
The Mustangs earned a split with the Ice Wolves with a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday, March 18 in Melfort. Somers scored the winner 1:14 into the overtime.
The Ice Wolves led 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 after the second period. Clarke Huxley and Ben Tkachuk scored in the third period for Melfort. Thomas Wright and Connor Abric responded for the Ice Wolves in regulation.
Joel Favreau made 20 saves for Melfort; Dawson Smith made 29 saves for La Ronge.
The Ice Wolves opened the series with a 3-1 win over the Mustangs on Friday, March 17 in Melfort. La Ronge led 2-1 after the first period and second period.
Aidyn Hutchinson scored the lone Melfort goal. Jacob Cossette, Dallyn Peekeekoot and Kale Taylor responded for the Ice Wolves.
Favreau made 14 saves for the Mustangs; Smith made 35 saves for La Ronge.
The Nipawin Hawks found themselves down 2-0 in their series with a 7-1 loss to the Broncos on Saturday, March 18 in Humboldt. Nipawin trailed 3-0 after the first period and 4-0 after the second period.
Braxton Buckberger scored the lone Hawks’ goal. Spencer Bell and Maddox Amaral each scored a pair of goals for Humboldt; Cage Newans, Alec Saretsky and Xavier Roy added the other Broncos’ goals.
Jackson Fellner made 21 saves for the Hawks in just over 30 minutes of action before he was replaced by Dawson Cunningham who made 18 saves. The Broncos Benjamin Motew made 33 saves.
The Broncos opened the series with a 5-1 win over the Hawks in Humboldt on Friday, March 17.
Humboldt led 3-0 after the first period and 5-1 after the second period.
Alex Johnson scored the lone goal for Nipawin. Lucas Ceccarelli had a pair of goals for Humboldt; Ben Kotylak, Newans and Bell added the other Broncos’ goals.
Fellner made 38 saves for Nipawin; Jared Picklyk made 34 saves for the Broncos.
Both series change venues on Tuesday, March 21 with the Broncos in Nipawin on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22. The Mustangs are in La Ronge on Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22. Final scores were not available by press time.
Game 5 of the La Ronge Melfort series is in Melfort on Friday, March 24, if necessary. Game 6 is in La Ronge on Sunday, March 26 at 5 p.m.
If necessary, Game 5 in the Hawks and Broncos series is in Humboldt on Friday, March 24 and Game 6 is in Nipawin on Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m.
In other series the Weyburn Red Wings and Battlefords North Stars are tied 1-1 and the Flin Flon Bombers lead the Estevan Bruins 2-0. All series return to the ice on Tuesday, March 21.