The SJHL took a brief break from regular season games with the SJHL/MJHL Showcase taking place in Winnipeg from Jan. 30 to 31.
The joint showcase will feature three select teams from each league made up with the top 60 players in the MJHL and the top 60 in the SJHL.
The three teams representing each league consisted of players aged 16 to 20, selected by the coaches from their respective leagues. One team was comprised of players who are 18 and under and two teams was made up of players who are 20 and under – Each team will play two games during the high-performance event, which is for NHL, WHL, NCAA and Usports Scouts.
Area teams were well represented in the Showcase.
With the late addition of forward Clay Sleeva the Mustangs sent seven players to the U20 Vet Team 1. Along with Sleeva forwards Zac Somers, Ryan Duguay and Aidyn Hutchinson, defensemen Leith Olafson and Chase Friedt-Mohr and goalie James Venne will represent the Mustangs.
For the U20 Vet Team 1 Mustangs coach Trevor Blevins will serve as an assistant to Battlefords North Stars coach Brayden Klimosko.
The Hawks ent six of players dispersed amongst the three different teans , alongside their head coach Tad Kozun, who will be dispersed amongst the three different squads.
Braxton Buckberger will be on U20 Vet team 1, Liam McInnis and Damon Cunningham on U20 Vet Team 2
Kozun will be the assistant coach for the U18 Team, which included three Hawks in Finley Radloff, Ronan Buckberger and Landon Pappas.
The Ice Wolves Parker Layton was on U20 Vet Team 1 and Mason Bueckert was on U20 Vet Team 2.
On Tuesday, Jan. 30 in the early game the 20U SJ Gold team played 20U MJ Red in the early game, U20 SJ White played U20 SJ Black in the mid-day game and U18 SJ Blue played U18 MJ White in the evening game.
On Wednesday, Jan. 31 in the early game U20 MJ Black played U20 SJ Gold, in the mid-day game U20 MJ Red plays U20 SJ Whote and in the evening game U18 Mj White plays U18 SJ Blue.
Results for all games were not available for deadline.
Before the break the Mustangs traveled to Wilcox and beat the Notre Dame Hounds 3-1 on Thursday, Jan. 25.
Melfort led 1-0 after the first period and 2-1 after the second period.
Hutchinson had a pair of goals for Melfort while Logan Belton added the other Mustangs’ goal.
Van Eger responded for the Hounds.
Venne made 27 saves for Melfort; Johann Tremblay-Kau made 22 saves for Notre Dame.
The Ice Wolves won 3-2 over the Hawks in La Ronge on Friday, Jan. 27.
The Hawks led 1-0 after the first period and the Ice Wolves led 2-1 after the second period.
Tre Fouquette and Eric Hoiness scored for the Hawks.
Zane Normand had a pair of goals for La Ronge and Jacob Cossette added the other Ice Wolves goal.
Damon Cunningham stopped all eight shots he faced in one period before he was replaced by Corben Schnurr who made 19 saves for Nipawin.
Topher Chirico made 41 saves for La Ronge.
Before the Showcase break the Mustangs remain in second place in the Sherwood Division with a record of 27-11-3-0 with 57 points, the Hawks are in third place with a record of 16-20-0-4 with 36 points and the Ice Wolves are in fourth place with a record of 14-21-2-1 with 31 points.
All three teams return to the ice after the Showcase this weekend.
The Ice Wolves are in North Battleford to play the Battlefords North Stars on Friday, Feb. 2 and Saturday Feb. 3.
The Hawks are in Flin Flon to play the Bombers on Friday, Feb. 2.
The Hawks and Mustangs renew their rivalry on Saturday, Feb. 3 in Nipawin.
