Mustangs shut-out by Hawks in season opener
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It was not the start the Melfort Mustangs wanted, but it was likely the opposite for the Nipawin Hawks on Friday, Sept. 13 as the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) opened it’s 51st season and the two rivals met in Nipawin.
Things opened in this game very fast with both teams getting their fair share of scoring chances, and hits as well. A few coincidental roughing calls and some other penalties got things going before anybody scored. That didn’t happen until about 13 minutes into the first period. Jake Tremblay started up ice after a turnover, fed the puck to Carson Erhardt who returned the favour, letting Tremblay get a beautiful shot off, beating Mustang goalie Shawn Parkinson to make it 1-0 for the Hawks. Play remained pretty even as the first came to a close with that same score.
However, the second period was one to forget for the Melfort Mustangs. Nipawin opened the period fast and heavy, stealing all the early chances. They got rewarded 7:10 into the second period when a turnover by the Mustangs found the stick of Michael Makarenko who scored his first of the year to make it 2-0 for the home team. Later in the period, a Mustang powerplay seemed to give Melfort some gas. They had some good sustained pressure, which lead to a shot from Jake Hobson, that bounced to Zach Anderson, and ultimately found Zack Smith. Who put it in the net for what seemed to be the 2-1 goal but the referees waved off the marker for goalie interference and things remained 2-0. That seemed to be the turning point as with about a minute and a half to play in the second, rookie forward Burke Simpson ripped a shot over the shoulder of Shawn Parkinson to make it 3-0 Hawks. Ultimately the Hawks outshot Melfort 14-4 in the second frame.
The Mustangs needed some more energy and jump in the third period, and they did that. Melfort was all over the Hawks it seemed for a while highlighted by a great pass from Ryley Lanthier to Zack Smith in front who just flipped the puck over the net. Melfort outshot Nipawin 12-4 in the frame but could not get passed Ethan Slobodzian who was playing in his first SJHL game. The 20-year-old netminder stopped 25 shots for the shutout and his first win as a Hawk. Melfort’s backstop Shawn Parkinson stopped 27 of 30 in the loss.
