The Mustangs had their net empty late in the game, in hopes of scoring a game-tying goal (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW Staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Exhibition Begins

Mustangs fall in preseason opener, set for back-to-back games against Hawks

Sep 10, 2024 | 12:09 PM

The Melfort Mustangs preseason is now underway, following their exhibition opener, Monday night against the Flin Flon Bombers.

It was a ‘young gun’ game for the Mustangs, as they only had one player on the roster who was born before the year 2006, but he didn’t get any play time, as he was the backup goalie.

This means it was a bunch of 18 and 17-year-olds on the ice for Melfort, as they battled for victory against a division rival.

The contest, which was a low-scoring affair, didn’t see its first goal until nearly halfway through 60 minutes.

A tie game after the first period, as Flin Flon led the shot total 8-7, it was actually the young gun Mustangs who opened the scoring, as 2006-born forward Walker Overwater grabbed his first of the preseason, with 10:08 left in the second frame. Kanye Huang and Luc Fortier picked up the helpers on the goal.

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Melfort would carry the 1-0 lead into the second intermission, with both clubs getting 11 shots a piece in the middle period.

Flin Flon responded in the third, however, with their first goal of the game tying it up just under seven minutes into the frame. Eric Han got his first goal of the pre-season, with Keaton Lesperance snatching his first assist.

The Bombers then took their first lead of the match with just over five minutes left in the final period, as Leo Seitz scored on the powerplay, after being set up by Evin Bossel, as both players nabbed their first points of exhibition play.

That would be all the scoring for the rest of the game, as the Stangs were unable to tie it back up with the net empty, pulling their goalie with 59 seconds left.

Massimo Urbani picked up his second win on the year for Flin Flon, stopping 25 of the 26 shots he faced.

Meanwhile, Josh Henry took the loss for the Blue and Green, making 25 saves on 27 shots.

The Mustangs will be back in action at the Northern Lights Palace on Tuesday night against another division rival.

Melfort will welcome the Nipawin Hawks to town at 7:30 p.m. for the first of a home-and-home set, tonight (Tues) and tomorrow (Wednesday in Nipawin).

Tuesday’s game will be the Hawk’s opening exhibition contest of the 2024/25 SJHL season.

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Ben.Tompkins@patiisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8