The Melfort Mustangs are Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions after a 3-0 game five victory over the Weyburn Red Wings.
The Mustangs dominated the opening frame, playing most of the period in the Red Wings' end, but they could not beat Weyburn goaltender Angelo Zol, who made 16 saves. Weyburn could only get three shots on the net of Melfort’s Kristian Coombs.
In the second period, the play was much more even until the 6:03 mark when Weyburn’s Jerome Maharaj was assessed a spearing double-minor. The Mustangs would go to work on the man advantage, and a blocked shot resulted in a cross-ice pass onto the tape of Zach Turner, who would one-time it past the Weyburn netminder to give Melfort a 1-0 lead.
Weyburn would kill the remainder of the penalty but could not find an equalizer before the period was out. Through 40 minutes, Melfort led on the scoreboard, 1-0, and on the shot clock, 29-11.
In the third period, Weyburn came out pressing looking for the equalizer, however, a tired Red Wings group got caught on the ice allowing Reilley Kotai to move through netural ice with speed, cutting left to right and moving in front of a screen to put the puck past Zol for a 2-0 lead.
Weyburn would get a chance to get back into the game on a power play with 6:48 left. However, after a threatening opportunity that saw the puck approach the goal line, the Red Wings couldn’t find a goal. The power play was Weyburn’s lone chance with the manpower advantage on the night. In the series, Weyburn would be 0/17 on the power play.
Melfort would put the game away with an empty net goal with 58 seconds left to make the final score 3-0.
Melort becomes the first team since 2015-2016 to win back-to-back SJHL titles, when the Mustangs also repeated as champions.
Melfort captain Ty Thornton was named the SJHL’s playoff MVP with one goal and seven assists as a shutdown defenceman in the postseason.
The Mustangs will now return to the Centennial Cup, which will be played May 8-18 in Calgary.
