Mustangs enter break on winning streak, topping both division and SJHL

Photo courtesy Broad Lead Media Nipawin Hawks' goalie Gage Roberts looks to the sky after the Melfort Mustangs' Austin Shepherd scored during the Mustangs 51- win in Melfort on Saturday, Dec. 21.

The Melfort Mustangs entered the Christmas break on a 15-game winning streak and leading both the SJHL and the Sherwood Division. 

As of Dec. 23 the Mustangs had a record of 26-4-0-0 with 52 points, a dozen points ahead of the Flin Flon Bombers in both the league and the Sherwood. The La Ronge Ice Wolves are in third in the Sherwood with a record of 14-17-1-0 with 29 points and the Nipawin Hawks are in fourth in the division with a record of 7-20-2-2 with 18 points. 

The Mustangs ran their win streak to 15 straight games with a home-and-home sweep of the Hawks by winning 5-1 in Melfort on Saturday, Dec. 21. 

The Mustangs led 1-0 after the first period and 3-1 after the second period. 

Zach Turner had a pair of goals for the Mustangs; Austin Shepherd, Logan Belton and Reilley Kotai added the other Melfort goals. 

Conor Ryan had the lone goal for the Hawks. 

Kristian Coombs made 27 saves for the Mustangs; Gage Roberts made 31 saves for Nipawin. 

Belton was the hero for the Mustangs as they defeated the Hawks in Nipawin to open the home-and-home on Friday, Dec. 20. 

Belton scored the game winner with 25 seconds left as the Mustangs came back in the third period. 

The Hawks led 2-0 after the first and second periods. 

Ashton Hutchinson and Zac Somers scored the other third period goals for Melfort. 

Carter Anderson and Jack Janzen scored in the first period for Nipawin. 

Coombs made 25 saves for Melfort; Nathan Claydon made 30 saves for Nipawin. 

The Mustangs opened their week with a 2-1 win over the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcoxon Tuesday, Dec. 17. 

The Mustangs led 1-0 after the first period and the game was tied 1-1 after the second period. 

Nicholas Andrusiak and  Somers scored for Melfort. 

Liam Hunks responded for the Hounds. 

Coombs made 18 saves for Melfort; Kaden Perron made 39 saves for Notre Dame. 

Flin Flon swept their home-and-home with the Ice Wolves with a 7-5 win over La Ronge i Flin Flon on Saturday, Dec. 21. 

The Bombers led 3-0 after the first period and 5-3 after the second period. 

Cole Thomas had a pair of goals for La Ronge; Zane Normand, Dylan Nazareth and Rydder Dembo added the other Ice Wolves goals. 

Koen Senft and Leighton Carruthers each  had a pair of goals for the Bombers; Keefe Gruener, Anthony Piccininno and Even Bossel added the other Flin Flon goals. 

Graham Brown made 32 saves for La Ronge; Kenneth Marquart made 33 saves for Flin Flon. 

The Bombers won the opener of their home-and-home with the Ice Wolves 3-1 in La Ronge on Friday, Dec. 20. 

The game was scoreless after the first period and the Bombers led 2-1 after the second period. 

Brett Boucher scored the lone goal for La Ronge. 

Wyatt Stinson, Carter Cormier and Pierce Yakimuchuk scored for the Bombers. 

Brown made 43 saves for the Ice Wolves; Matthew Kieper made 43 saves for the Bombers. 

The Hawks opened their week with an 8-2 loss to the Bombers in Flin Flon on Tuesday, Dec. 17. 

The Bombers led 1-0 after the first period and 5-1 after the second period. 

Ashton Tait scored both goals for the Hawks. 

Ryder Mucha had a pair of goals for Flin Flon; Leo Seitz, Ryder Ringor, Kylynn Olafson Carruthers and Gruener added the other Bombers goals. 

 Roberts made 42 saves for Nipawin;  Kieper made 29 saves for Flin Flon. 

The teams return to the ice in 2025 with the Melville Millionaires in Melfort on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. The Mustangs are in Melville on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Hawks are in North Battleford to face the North Stars on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The two teams meer again in Nipawin on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2035. 

The Ice Wolves host the Bombers on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 and the Bombers host the Ice Wolves on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. 

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