(Photo courtesy/Broad Leaf Media, Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

Target on their Back

“Teams have us circled on the calendar”: Streaking Mustangs understand what lies ahead for second half

Jan 3, 2025 | 9:46 AM

The Melfort Mustangs had one of their best first halves of a season to end 2024, going 26 and 4 through their first 30 games.

With the best record in the SJHL and a 15-game win streak to give them the rank of number two in the country, the Mustangs will be the measuring stick for the rest of the season.

“One thing for sure is that teams are going to have us circled on their calendar, so we have to be ready to go every night. It’s imperative here after Christmas not to take shifts off, let alone half a period off, or we’re going to be on the wrong end of it,” said head coach Trevor Blevins.

“We’re going to have to prepare well because every opponent has a chance every night when the score is 0-0, and the puck drops. We’ve got a great group and we have depth in every possession, so we just need to be ready to go every day.”

Despite the near .900 winning percentage, Blevins doesn’t believe his team has quite been as dominant as their record suggests.

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Melfort is 14 and 0 in one-goal games this season, so there are plenty of results that could have gone the other way.

“The record shows it’s been dominant, but I don’t think it has been. I think we’ve had 13 or 14 one-goal games that we’ve come on top of, and I think the biggest thing in those tight games, is that we’ve done a great job staying focused and mentally tough, and have played the right way,” Blevins added.

“Full credit to the dressing room, they’ve been bought into closing out games and putting the team first. It’s really nice to see that everyone’s gelled, we’ve got a great culture and that’s a big piece to being successful.”

All signs point to that dressing room staying the same for the rest of the year, as the trade deadline fastly approaches.

With the fact that the Stangs are also undefeated when leading or tying teams after the first and second periods, it seems that this group already has that playoff mentality instilled.

“It’s been fantastic, I think some of the guys that have kind of come in here in the short term have really started to figure it out too. As far as the expectations of the high intensity and the high motor that we need from each individual to be successful, they’re focused on their own individual development too,” concluded Blevins.

“I like our group, I like every position, and it’s one of the things where if you do mess around, sometimes it does mess with culture, but you do gotta always keep your ears open too. In saying that, we’re very happy with what’s going on, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”

An almost perfect first half, for a group that’s looking to replicate a second half, and become back-to-back SJHL Champions.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8