The La Ronge Ice Wolves were supposed to play three games last week but the SJHL announced on Tuesday, Nov. 23 that all three had been postponed.
The good news is that the make-up dates have already been determined.
The game between the Ice Wolves and Humboldt Broncos that was scheduled for Nov. 23 will now be played on Dec. 14 in Humboldt. Meanwhile, the games between the Wolves and North Stars slated for Nov. 24 and 25 have been rescheduled for Jan. 4th and Jan. 24.
On Nov. 24 the league announced that the postponements were due to an influenza outbreak in both La Ronge and Weyburn causing games for both teams to be postponed.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have cancelled games involving both La Ronge and Weyburn this weekend to prevent the spread of the influenza virus throughout the league,” SJHL Commissioner Kyle McIntyre said in a release by the league.
“In the SJHL bylaws, there is a provision for teams to continue to play when there are 14 players available (including goalies and affiliates) and I am confident if either team had this number of players healthy the games would have gone on.”
As of Nov. 28 the Ice Wolves are in second place in the Sherwood Division with a record of 16-7-1-0 with 33 points, two points behind the Flin Flon Bombers. The Melfort Mustangs are in third place with a record of 12-8-5-0 with 29 points and the Nipawin Hawks are in fourth place with a record of 10-12-1-1 with 21 points.
The Ice Wolves returned to the ice on Nov. 29 in Wilcox against the Notre Dame Hounds and Wednesday, Nov, 30 against the Bruins in Estevan, results were not available.
The Hawks closed their week with a 3-2 overtime win over the Melville Millionaires in Melville on Sunday, Nov. 27. Braxton Buckberger scored the winner three minutes into the extra frame.
Maguire Ratlzlaff and Francois-Xavier Bedard scored for Nipawin in regulation. Brayden Fryfogle and Carter McKay responded for Melville. Jackson Fellner made 22 saves for Nipawin to earn the win, while Clement Labillois made 48 saves for Melville.
The Hawks and Millionaires met again on Wednesday, Nov. 30 in Nipawin, results were not available by press time.
The Mustangs split a home-and-home with the Bombers with a 5-4 overtime loss in Flin Flon on Saturday, Nov. 26. Cole Duperreault scored the winner two minutes into the overtime for the Bombers.
Zac Somers had a pair of goals for the Mustangs in regulation, Alex Mack and Ryan Duguay added the other Mustangs’ goals. Duperreault had a pair of goals for the Bombers in regulation, Jaxon Martens and Jeremi Tremblay added the other Flin Flon goals.
James Venne made 47 saves for Melfort; Harmon Laser-Hume made 22 saves for Flin Flon.
The Mustangs opened the home-and-home with a 6-3 win over the Bombers in Melfort on Friday, Nov. 25.
Somers and Dawson Leroux each had a pair of goals for Melfort; Cameron Emigh and Aidyn Hutchinson added the other Mustangs’ goals. Jaeden Mercier, Cole Tanchuk and Kylynn Olafson scored for the Bombers.
Joel Favreau made 36 saves for the Mustangs; Laser-Hume made 21 saves for Flin Flon.
The Ice Wolves are in Weyburn to play the Red Wings on Friday, Dec. 2 and in Estevan to platy the Bruins on Saturday, Dec. 3.
Melfort plays the Yorkton Terriers in Melfort on Friday, Dec. 2 and then the Battlefords North Stars are in Melfort on Saturday, Dec. 3.
The Hawks play the Millionaires again on Sunday, Dec. 4 in Nipawin.