(Photo courtesy/Broad Leaf Media, Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

Busy Week

Mustangs head to Melville for rematch with Millionaires

Oct 24, 2023 | 12:02 PM

The Melfort Mustangs are ready for their second game of a home-and-home, as they hit the road for Melville.

The Mustangs suffered just their second loss of the season this past Saturday, a 4-3 defeat to these same Millionaires, as they played their worst game of the season in front of their home crowd.

For Melfort, they’ll be searching for a much better and more consistent effort on Tuesday night, as they also seek revenge.

“We just got to work hard here, play pretty hard, bang bodies out there and get the puck deep,” said Stangs’ forward, Logan Belton, who scored twice over the weekend.

“It’s awesome that we have about three games every week, so we can bounce back quickly, and it’s even better that it’s coming against Melville. We got to get this game back because we gave them the last one.”

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While the Blue and Green did only lose by a goal in Saturday’s contest, and outshot their opponent 37-20, it was the quality not quantity of the chances that they did give up that hurt them.

If not for Kristan Coombs, who got his first career start and stopped three or four breakaway chances, the game would have gotten much more out of reach.

Belton knows that they can’t hang their goalie out to dry like that again, no matter who’s in net, and that just because you’re a forward doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also be playing defence.

“We just got to support our D a lot better, get the pucks out and make sure we’re making those passes so that we can play in the offensive zone and not the defensive zone,” he told northeastNOW.

“We got to make sure we’re bearing down on our plays and not giving up those odd-man rushes because those are what really costs us, so just make sure we get it deep and make sure you’re making the easy pass,” he said.

Tonight’s action begins an eventful week for the organization, as they’re also set for a home and home with the Yorkton Terriers on Friday and Saturday, which includes a neutral-site game in Kamsack.

Earlier this week, the team was also busy with a couple of trades, as they acquired 2003-born forward, Hudson Norris from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons, in exchange for a player development fee.

They also sent away the rights of 2003-born forward, Zack Burns to the Estevan Bruins, in exchange for a player development fee, and picks in the 2024 and 2025 SJHL drafts.

Meanwhile, the club’s number one goalie, James Venne was awarded the league’s Saskatchewan Player of the Week after posting a 2-0 record, with 65 saves, a 2.40 goals-against-average, and a .929 save percentage.

(Graphic courtesy/SJHL, Facebook)

Tuesday night’s matchup will give Melfort another opportunity to become the second-fastest team this season to double-digit wins.

The contest between the 9 and 2 Mustangs and the 6 and 2 Millionaires will begin with the pre-game show on CJVR at 6:45 p.m., with the opening faceoff to follow at 7 p.m.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8