By Jeff D'Andrea

Mustangs split weekend with Nipawin; 1-1 in semifinals

Mar 30, 2015 | 4:35 PM

The Melfort Mustangs picked up a narrow 4-3 win in enemy territory Sunday against the Nipawin Hawks to tie their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League semi-final series at 1-1. The Hawks won the season opener 3-2 in overtime on Friday in Melfort.

Mustangs 4 Hawks 3, Game 2, Sunday

The Mustangs got a third period goal from Travis Mayan, the SJHL Most Valuable Player, to break a 3-3 tie and win their first game of the series. Mayan also won the Player of the Year and Top Scorer awards, with 40 goals and 44 assists for 84 points in the regular season, the most in each category.

Also scoring for the Mustangs were Regan Wilton and Landon Robin on the power play, as well as an even strength marker from Eric Sinclair.

Hawks forward Garrett Dunlop, the SJHL Rookie of the Year, had two goals and an assist, but it wasn’t enough for the Hawks to take a 2-0 series lead. Dunlop’s assist was on Evan Mignault’s second period marker.

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Richard Palmer made 30 saves in goal for the Mustangs. Joe O’Brien stopped 35 of 39 for the Hawks.

Hawks 3 Mustangs 2 OT, Game 1, Friday

Carter Danczak scored the overtime winner to give the Hawks a 1-0 series lead.

The Hawks won Game 1 in large part of taking advantage of their few power plays, going 2-3 on the man-advantage. Both of their goals scored in regulation were on the power play, with Brandan Arnold and Garrett Dunlop scoring. 

Tristan Frei and Adam Fauchoux had goals for the Mustangs.

Local talent

The Mustangs have nine former Prince Albert Mintos alumni on their team, four of those are from Prince Albert in Adam Fauchoux, Luc Lemire, Braxx George and Eric Young, as well as Justin Boyer from nearby St. Louis. Other former Mintos on the Mustangs include Dakota Boutin, who scored the Telus Cup triple overtime winner in the finals, Teal Sobkowicz and Bryden Serafini. Mustangs forward Landon Robin is a Beardy’s Blackhawks alumnus.

Mintos alumnus Keegan Kjargaard has played both games for the Hawks in the series.

Rest of the series

The Mustangs will host the Hawks on Tuesday for Game 3, before returning to Nipawin for a Thursday night contest on Game 4. Both teams will meet in Melfort on Saturday for Game 5. If necessary, Game 6 will be in Nipawin on Sunday with a rubber match scheduled for April 8 in Melfort. All games are will start at 7:30 p.m. except for Game 6, which will get underway at 6 p.m.

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