The SJHL season kicked off last weekend with the Melfort Mustangs beginning the defence of their Canterra Seeds Cup title in La Ronge against the Ice Wolves.
Opening weekend saw all four teams in the Sherwood Division, the Mustangs, Ice Wolves, Nipawin Hawks, and Flin Flon Bombers, meet each other.
As of Sept. 23, the Mustangs are in first place in the Sherwood Division with a record of 2-0-0-0 with four points, the Ice Wolves are in second place with a record of 1-0-1-0 with three points and the Hawks are in fourth place with a record of 0-2-0-0 with no points.
Melfort closed opening weekend with a rematch from the Finals from last season and a 6-2 win over the Flin Flon Bombers in their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first and Melfort led 5-2 after the second.
Logan Belton had a pair of goals for Melfort while Nicholas Andrusiak, Jake Giacobbo, Bo Eisner and Reilley Kotai added the other Mustangs goals. Keefe Gruener scored both goals for the Bombers.
Kristian Coombs made 26 saves for the Mustangs. Kenneth Marquart made 14 saves for Flin Flon before he was replaced by Massimo Urbani who stopped all seven shots he faced.
The Mustangs opened their season with a 3-2 overtime win over the Ice Wolves in La Ronge on Friday, Sept. 20.
Andrusiak scored the game winner 2:10 into the extra frame.
The Ice Wolves led 2-1 after the first period and the game was tied 2-2 after the second period.
Belton and Brayden Westerlund scored for Melfort in regulation time. Jacob Cossette and Luke Reinhart responded for the Ice Wolves in regulation.
Coombs made 29 saves for the Mustangs; Logan Falk made 27 saves for La Ronge.
The Hawks opened their season with a 4-3 loss to the Bombers in Flin Flon on Friday, Sept. 20.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 after the second period.
Flinley Radloff, Jack Janzen and Carter Anderson scored for the Hawks. Former Prince Albert Raider Carter Anderson, Austin Montgomery-Parsons, Kylynn Ofafson and Koen Senft responded for the Bombers. [Editor’s note: the Hawks and Bombers both have a player on their roster named Carter Anderson.]
The Hawks’ Tyson Endall made 59 saves; Kenneth Marquart made 17 saves for Flin Flon.
Nipawin lost 3-2 to the Ice Wolves on Saturday, Sept. 21 in their home opener. The game was tied 1-1 after the first period and the Ice Wolves led 2-1 after the second period.
Former Minto Will Whitter and Brady Seabrook scored for Nipawin. Zane Normand, Jacob Hufty and Grayden Perozni responded for the Ice Wolves.
Greg Roberts made 23 saves for Nipawin; Graham Brown made 36 saves for La Ronge.
The Ice Wolves and Bombers play a home-and-home this weekend with the teams meeting in Flin Flon on Friday, Sept. 27 and in La Ronge on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Melfort is on the road in Estevan on Friday, Sept. 27 and Weyburn on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The Hawks host the Kindersley Klippers on Friday, Sept. 27 and are in North Battleford to face the North Stars on Saturday, Sept. 28.
