Mustangs win 2024 SJHL Championship (file photo/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Best of the best

Mustangs reign supreme in 2024

Dec 30, 2024 | 10:00 AM

The Melfort Mustangs had one of, if not their best seasons in franchise history in 2024, and have picked up right where they left off to this point in the year.

Melfort secured second place in the SJHL standings to end the 2023/24 regular season, with a 38-14-3-1 record, which led them to meet up with the number seven seed in the Estevan Bruins for the first round of the playoffs.

The Mustangs would go on to eliminate the Bruins in five games before facing off against the third-seed Humboldt Broncos in Round 2.

The semi-final round with their local rivals went seven games, including seven overtime periods, as Melfort advanced to the league finals, going against divisional opponent Flin Flon Bombers.

In the Canterra Seeds Cup Championship round, the Mustangs won the first three games, eventually taking home the club’s fifth Saskatchewan title and first since 2016 in five games.

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“It’s pretty fresh right now, but you know, they’re all special, always,” head coach and general manager, Trevor Blevins told northeastNOW immediately following the series win.

“It’s huge to win it at home, you dream of that… a special group and so proud of how they played and how they worked so hard.”

The SJHL Championship then gave Melfort a spot in the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, Ont.

The Mustangs went a perfect 4 and 0 in the round-robin, giving them a bye into the national semifinal.

The Blue and Green would defeat the Calgary Canucks, 2-1 in that contest, putting the Stangs in just their second National Gold Medal Game in team history.

“Melfort get up, that’s all I can say, we’re going to the National Finals, what a hell of a team. Through thick and thin all season, this is exactly what we’ve been wanting and they deserve nothing more than to be in the nationals finals,” said assistant coach Tye Scherger, after the semi-final win.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself for the Mustangs organization, as they once again fell in the final and were unable to find the back of the net.

Melfort fell 1-0 to the Collingwood Blues, earning a silver medal at the Canadian Junior A Championships.

“We left it all out there, we have a special group in there and they worked hard. They did all they could and super proud of how they played,” Blevins said.

“It stings, but to be able to say you finished top two in the country, it’s something to be pretty proud of.”

After the Stangs got as close as they ever have in their 2023/24 campaign, they’ve carried over the momentum and motivation into the 2024/25 season.

The Blue and Green just ended their first half on a 15-game winning streak, are a league-best 26 and 4, and have been ranked number two in the country.

Likely the best year in franchise history in 2024, and it’s looking like similar success could be on the horizon for 2025.

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Ben.tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8