The Battlefords North Stars, Humboldt Broncos, and Melfort Mustangs are waiting for one more team to join them in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s final four.
The Flin Flon Bombers and Estevan Bruins battle Tuesday night in game seven of their SJHL quarterfinal playoff series. If Estevan wins, the Bruins will tangle in the semifinals with the top-seeded North Stars. The Battlefords crew would face Melfort if the Bombers prevail. The Broncos, of course, will play whoever the North Stars do not.
In non-playoff news, the Notre Dame Hounds announced Antoine Saint-Onge’s commitment to the State University of New York at Fredonia. The squad competes at the NCAA Division II level.
North Stars 4, Red Wings 1
After a 1-1 split at home on the opening weekend of the playoffs, the North Stars shut out Weyburn, 3-0, in the road on March 21 to take a 2-1 series lead. Josh Kotai made 34 saves. The next night the North Stars put the Red Wings on the ropes with a 6-1 road romp. The North Stars led 1-0 after the first and scored four times in the second session. Captain Jake Southgate had a goal and two assists.
The North Stars scored three times in the third period on March 24 to win 7-4 and wrap up the series. Battlefords led 4-3 after the second. Ryley Morgan scored twice for the North Stars.
Broncos 4, Hawks 1
After the Broncos grabbed a 2-0 lead on the first weekend, the Hawks won 4-3 on March 21 to make the series 2-1. Nipawin led 2-1 and 3-2 at the intermissions. Braxton Buckberger lit the lamp twice for the Hawks.
With a 4-2 March 22 road win, the Broncos extended their series lead to 3-1. The Humboldt squad trailed 1-0 and 2-0 at the intermissions but lit the lamp four times in the third. Lucas Ceccarelli scored twice for the Broncos.
The Broncos ended the series at home on March 24 with a 6-2 win. Xavier Roy had two goals for Humboldt.
Bombers 3, Bruins 3
After the Bombers won the first two games of the series, Estevan won three straight. Two of those victories came in overtime. The Bombers earned a road victory to send the series to a game seven. It is slated for Tuesday at Flin Flon’s historic Whitney Forum.
On March 21, the Estevan squad scored two third period goals to force overtime on the road. Owen Barrow had the OT winner.
On March 22, the Bruins evened the series at 2-2 when they shut out the Bombers, 3-0. Estevan goalie Cam Hrdlicka stopped all 35 shots he faced.
Cody Davis delivered the winning goal in overtime on March 24 to give the Bruins a 2-1 win and 3-2 series lead. Hrdlicka made 66 saves in the road victory.
In game six on March 26, Estevan took an early 1-0 first period lead. The Bruins would not score again. The Bombers lit the lamp three times in the second on their way to a 4-1 victory.
Mustangs 4, Ice Wolves 2
Melfort and La Ronge split the first two games of their series. Then La Ronge took a 2-1 series lead in an overtime thriller. However, the Mustangs responded with three straight victories to claim the series, 4-2.
Jacob Visentini scored the overtime winner for the Ice Wolves on March 21 to lift his team to a 4-3 win. Melfort’s Kevin Minnoch had tied the game with about five minutes remaining.
The Mustangs knotted the series at 2-2 with a 3-1 win on March 22. They scored once in the first and twice in the second, including an empty net goal.
In overtime on March 24, Dawson Leroux’s goal in extra time gave the Mustangs’ a 2-1 win and a 3-2 series lead.
Melfort wrapped up the series with an 8-2 road win on March 26. Zac Somers, Wyatt Cook, and David Rioux each scored twice for Melfort.
