(Mat Barrett/Melfort Mustangs)

By Mat Barrett

Switching Venues

Mustangs fall to Ice Wolves in game three after wild pre-game scramble

Mar 22, 2023 | 10:06 AM

The Melfort Mustangs are now down 2-1 in their best-of-seven SJHL quarter-final series with the La Ronge Ice Wolves, after a 4-3 loss in overtime in Game Three on Tuesday night at La Ronge’s Mel Hegland Uniplex.

But as exciting as the game itself was, what led up to the contest raised the most eyebrows.

After ice issues arose in La Ronge’s Mel Hegland Uniplex, the game was forced had to be moved with just one hour’s notice down the road to the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre in Air Ronge. It was a wild 60-plus minutes as teams sorted out and jumped onto their bus, or into their vehicles as a convoy trailed from the Mel Hegland Uniplex to the JRMCC.

“Got to try and prepare for what you don’t know is going to happen,” said Mustangs Captain Ben Tkachuk. “I mean, you can’t really prepare for it.”

The puck finally dropped shortly after 8:30 and this series got back to the exciting, fast paced, physical style that was seen in games one and two.

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La Ronge would get on the board first in the second as Connor Abric and Walker Jerome put the Ice Wolves up 2-0 for the second straight game.

However, the Mustangs would fight back one again as Dawson Leroux cut the deficit to one goal before the second period expired. Then it was Zac Somers who tied the game in the third period, coming up clutch once again. Although, the Ice Wolves got back to a one goal lead as Trenton Curtis scored just moments after.

The Mustangs responded again late in the game thanks to Kevin Minnoch, and for the second straight game, these two clubs went to overtime, and for the second straight game, overtime ended quick. An unfortunate call early in overtime gave the Ice Wolves a powerplay, and they would capitalize just seconds into the extra frame for the 4-3 win.

Tkachuk while the result wasn’t there, they managed to find a way to claw back from another two goal deficit, showing what they’ve got in their room.

“Not the call we wanted in overtime, and I hate blaming refs and stuff,” he said. “But, it was a tough one, but it was a tough one overall, but the character in this group is unreal. Down 2-0 at home, down 2-0 on the road, find a way to claw back and tie it up both times.”

Game four of the series will go on Wednesday, likely back at the JRMCC, but that has yet to be confirmed.

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matbarrett@melfortmustangs.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6