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(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)
Need the split

Mustangs lose Game 1 of SJHL Finals

Apr 20, 2025 | 4:19 PM

Twenty-four hours ago, the Melfort Mustangs hadn’t trailed a playoff series in two years, hadn’t trailed in a postseason game this year, and hadn’t lost at home in the playoffs this season… that was 24 hours ago, though.

Last night, the Melfort Mustangs lost Game 1 of the SJHL Finals to a very pesky Weyburn Red Wings team that did exactly as they hoped, earning a road split against the league’s best team.

Now, the pressure has been thrust onto the defending champs as they must earn a split at home in Game 2, to avoid a 2-0 series hole heading into Weyburn on Wednesday.

“We have to be desperate, all we should be thinking about is how hard we have to play, play with lots of jam, and just play the way we play, which is to play hard,” said Mustangs’ assistant coach Tye Scherger.

What was maybe the most astonishing thing about Game 1 Saturday night, a 2-1 result, is that Melfort scored first and scored early.

Just 3:37 into the first period, Zayden Sadlemyer, who returned after missing games three and four of round two, hustled his way to a breakaway off a defensive zone draw, burying his ninth point of the playoffs, but just his first goal, past Angelo Zol.

Unfortunately, that’s all the offence the Stangs could muster, scoring only once on 28 shots, as they gave up a goal in the second and third period, falling just short.

“We just didn’t have it, it was just a lack of jam, lack of effort, lack of heart and lack of character,” added Scherger.

One other thing that didn’t go the Blue and Green’s way was special teams.

Despite entering the series with the best power play in the postseason, compared to Weyburn, who had the worst, both teams went 0-for-4 on the man-advantage, but it was the Red Wings who won the battle because they scored a shorthanded goal.

“We have a lot of work to do, and hopefully, we’ll be much better in Game 2,” Scherger concluded.

Game 2 goes Sunday night at the Northern Lights Palace. Puck drop is 7:37 p.m., with the pregame show beginning at 7:17 p.m.

Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8