For the first time this season, the Melfort Mustangs have been beaten.
After starting the campaign with eight straight victories and earning a second-place ranking nationally, the Mustangs saw their winning ways come to an end Friday with a 3-2 loss on the road to the Estevan Bruins.
Hayden Guilderson and Jake Fletcher had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, as Jake Heerspink helped to set up two goals to match their offensive output.
Matthew Chekay also scored in the win, while Jake Misskey and Loch Morrison replied for the Mustangs.
The Flin Flon Bombers matched the Battlefords North Stars for the new longest win streak in the SJHL, as they picked up their third straight victory with a 5-1 triumph at home over the Kindersley Klippers.
Calvon Boots, Vaughan Bamford, Nate Hooper, Ethan Daniels and Dylan Burton all scored for the Bombers, who received a two-assist performance from Dawson McKenzie.
Curtis Peck had the lone goal for the Klippers.
The wildest game of the night took place in Humboldt, as the Nipawin Hawks came away with a 7-5 win over the host Broncos.
In his first game back with the Hawks after trying to crack the roster of the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos, Brandan Arnold made an immediate impact as he had a natural hat trick in the third period to help the move the Hawks in front for good.
Defenceman Josh McDougall also had a strong performance as he scored a goal and set up three others to match Arnold’s four-point night.
Thomas Lenchyshyn had two assists for the Hawks, who got their other goals from Brett Harasymuk, Austin Mikesch and Logan Casavant.
Broncos defenceman Antonio DiPaolo led the way for the hosts with a three-assist night, while Brayden Camrud had a pair of helpers.
Conner Lukan and Blake Berschiminsky had a goal and an assist in the loss for the Broncos, who also got goals from Jordan Bogress, Logan Hunter and Logan Schatz.
The Melville Millionaires picked a big win at home over their rivals as they skated to a 5-1 victory over the Yorkton Terriers.
Damien Bentz had a goal and an assist for the Millionaires, while Mitchell Torrens had a pair of assists.
Ethan Cooney, Eric Welford, Daniel Liberty and Trevor Paradise also scored for the hosts.
Dexter Robinson had the lone goal for the Terriers, who have lost their last eight games.
In other news, former Battlefords North Stars forward Ben Allen has committed to the NCAA’s Alabama-Huntsville Chargers for next season.
Allen, a 20-year-old from Allen, Tex., had 45 points in 44 regular season games for the North Stars last year after being acquired by the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
He followed that up with 13 points in 12 games during the North Stars run to the Canalta Cup championship.
Allen was traded to the BCHL’s Penticton Vees in August, where he has three points in six games.
Saturday SJHL Schedule
- Kindersley vs. Flin Flon – 6:30 p.m.
- Humboldt vs. Nipawin – 7:30 p.m.
- Melfort vs. Weyburn – 7:30 p.m.
- Melville vs. Yorkton – 7:30 p.m.
Standings
Olympic Buildings Division
1. Battlefords North Stars – 11 points (5-0-1 – 3W)
2. Notre Dame Hounds – 10 points (4-3-1-1 – 1W)
3. Humboldt Broncos – 9 points (4-3-1 – 2L)
4. Kindersley Klippers – 9 points (4-4-1 – 1L)
Sherwood Division
1. Melfort Mustangs – 16 points (8-1 – 1L)
2. Flin Flon Bombers – 12 points (5-1-0-2 – 3W)
3. Nipawin Hawks – 10 points (4-1-1-1 – 1W)
4. La Ronge Ice Wolves – 3 points (1-6-0-1 – 4L)
Viterra Division
1. Estevan Bruins – 15 points (7-2-1 – 1W)
2. Melville Millionaires – 7 points (3-5-0-1 – 2W)
3. Weyburn Red Wings – 7 points (3-2-1 – 1W)
4. Yorkton Terriers – 4 points (1-6-2 – 8L)
Scoring Race
1. Zach Goberis (Estevan) – 22 points (10 goals and 12 assists)
2. Michael McChesney (Estevan) – 18 points (11 goals and 7 assists)
3. Layne Young (Battlefords) – 16 points (6 goals and 10 assists)
4. Jake Fletcher (Estevan) – 14 points (5 goals and 9 assists)
5. Josh McDougall (Nipawin) – 12 points (1 goal and 11 assists)
Goals Against Average Leaders
1. Brendan Newton (Flin Flon) – 1.61 (5-1-0-2)
2. Evan Plotnik (Melfort) – 1.87 (8-1-0)
3. Jake Anthony (Nipawin) – 1.91 (2-0-0-1)
4. Kolby Matthews (Battlefords) – 2.00 (1-0-0)
5. Jacob Wasserman (Humboldt) – 2.17 (2-1-1)
