The Melfort Mustangs will not win the Canterra Seeds Cup for the first time since 2023 after being eliminated by the Battlefords North Stars in the opening round of the SJHL Playoffs.
Meanwhile the Nipawin Hawks trail the Weyburn Red Wings in their opening round series.
Game 6 of the Hawks and Red Wings is on Monday, March 30 in Weyburn and results were not available for print deadline. If necessary, Game 7 is on Wednesday, April 1 in Nipawin.
The Red Wings took a 3-2 series lead with a 6-1 victory over the Hawks in Nipawin on Saturday, March 28.
The Red Wings led 1-0 after the first period and 3-1 after the second period. Jack Janzen scored the lone goal for the Hawks.
The Red Wings had five power play goals from Roan Burgess, Josh Sale, Callas Pierce and Dion Schraeder. Their only goal scored without the man advantage came from Turner McIntyre.
Gage Roberts made 27 saves for the Hawks; Joey Rocha made 38 saves for the Red Wings.
The Hawks tied the series with a 3-2 overtime win over the Red Wings in Weyburn on Wednesday, March 25.
Konnor Watson scored the winner for the Hawks 5:55 into the overtime.
The Red Wings led 1-0 after the first period and the game was tied 2-2 after the second period.
Noah Heinrich and Brendan Olson scored for Nipawin in regulation. Drew Molde and Sale responded for the Red Wings.
The Red Wings took a 2-1 series lead on the Hawks with a 6-3 win over Nipawin in Weyburn on Tuesday, March 24.
The game was scoreless after the first period and the Hawks led 2-1 after the second period.
Janzen, Noah Derouin and Braeden Jockims scored for the Hawks.
Pierce had a hat trick for Weyburn; other Red Wings goals came from Aidan Mohan, Schraeder and Molde.
Roberts made 38 saves for Nipawin; Rocha made 17 saves for Weyburn.
The Mustangs title defense came to an end after a 4-3 double overtime loss to the North Stars in North Battleford on Saturday, March 28 allowing the North Stars to win the series 4-1.
Linken Fisher scored for the Battlefords 3:51 into the second overtime to end the Mustangs season.
Noel Englot, Austin Shepherd and Jack McHarg scored for the Mustangs in regulation.
Josh Knittig had a pair of goals for the North Stars. Anthony Campbell tied the game 8:18 into the third period for the Battlefords.
Madden Mulawka made 34 saves for the Mustangs; Spencer Michnik made 41 saves for the North Stars.
The Mustangs got back in the series with a 9-4 win over the North Stars in Melfort on Wednesday, March 24.
The game was tied 2-2 after the first period and Melfort led 6-3 after the second period.
Bo Eisner had a pair of goals for the Mustangs; other Melfort goals came from Nolan Patterson, Luke Mackenzie, Kaleb Binner, Tristin Ziola, Connor Ewasuk and Englot.
Alessio Nardelli had a pair of goals for the North Stars; other Battlefords goals came from Kaleb Dewar and Owen Nelson.
Mulawka made 25 saves for the Mustangs in just over 57 minutes of action and Kason Kobelka stopped the only shot he faced in relief for the final two minutes. Kaedan Serpa
made 34 saves for the North Stars in just over 49 minutes before he was replaced by Michnik who stopped all three shots he faced in relief.
The North Stars took a 3-0 series lead with a 6-3 win in Melfort on Tuesday, March 24.
Melfort led 2-1 after the first period and the game was tied 3-3 after the second period.
Dru Mushumanski had a pair of goals for Melfort and Ziola added the other Mustangs’ goal.
Fisher, Knittig, Campbell, Nelson, Nardelli and Finlay Klippenstein scored for the North Stars.
Kobelka made 18 saves for the Mustangs; Serpa made 37 saves for the North Stars.
In the other SJHL Playoff series the top seeded Flin Flon Bombers swept the eighth seeded Estevan Bruins after a 4-2 win in Estevan on March 24 and a 2-0 win on March 25.
The Yorkton Terriers lead the Melville Millionaires 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for Monday, March 30, if necessary, Game 7 is on Wednesday, April 1.
