Melfort battled Nipawin at the Cage on Wednesday night (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Exhibition Matchups

Mustangs split preseason pair with Hawks

Sep 12, 2024 | 5:15 AM

The Melfort Mustangs are now 1 and 2 this preseason, following a pair of exhibition matchups against their rival Nipawin Hawks.

Melfort played Nipawin back-to-back nights (Tuesday and Wednesday) with each side coming out victorious.

The Mustangs grabbed the first win back on Tuesday when they hosted the Hawks at the Northern Lights Palace.

Melfort responded following a loss to the Flin Flon Bombers on Monday, while Nipawin began their 2024/25 preseason on the losing end.

It was the Mustangs who opened the scoring, just over eight minutes into the hockey game, as newly acquired Reilly Kotai put up the only goal in the opening frame, beginning his two-goal night.

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He added his second just 19 seconds into the middle period, giving Melfort a two-goal lead.

Logan Belton had the primary assist on each goal, while Nic Andrusiak and Kaleb Binner picked up the secondary assists.

Belton then lit the lamp himself, as the Mustangs commanded a 3-0 lead less than five minutes into period two.

The Hawks responded in the period twice, courtesy of Jacob Michelson, as he potted his first two of the preseason to cut the lead to just one, entering the third and final frame.

Jack Hefferan, Logan Denton, Ty Van Brabent and Jack Drake all added assists.

Just two minutes into the third, however, Nolan Roberts spoiled Nipawin’s party, restoring Melfort’s lead back to two, finding the back of the net on the powerplay with a blast from the point.

Cole Unger and Bryson Aikens picked up the helpers on the final goal of the game, as the contest ended in a 4-2 score.

Kristian Coombs recorded his first win of the season for the Mustangs, stopping 14 of 16 that came his way, while both of the Hawks’ goalies faced more shots, as Tyson Endall (who was given the loss) let three goals in on 22 shots, and Jaidyn Shaw stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced.

As for game two of the home-and-home set, it was Nipawin that got their revenge, as they walked away with a 4-2 win of their own on home ice.

While Melfort did get the first goal just a minute and a half into the game, thanks to a Tristin Ziola goal, set up by Jake Diacobbo and Dylan Kruchten, it was the Hawks who would score the next four.

The tying goal came towards the end of the opening period, as Mark Lafleur found the back of the net, with helpers from Finley Radloff and Henry Smith.

Nipawin would take the lead in the second frame, scoring twice in the first five minutes of the period. Jack Janzen had a goal from Will Whitter, while Adrien Fox scored a shorthanded goal unassisted.

Janzen then scored his second of the night, this one coming unassisted, just less than two minutes into the final frame, before the Mustangs scored their final goal of the game at the three-minute mark, as Cooper Atkinson buried one unassisted.

Jaiden Jakubowski took the loss for Melfort after allowing three goals on 15 shots. Josh Henry relieved him stopping 10 of the 11 shots he faced.

The Hawks, meanwhile, got the win thanks to Tyson Endall stopping 13 of the 14 shots that came his way, before Corbin Schnurr came in stopping 22 of 23.

The Stangs will have the day off on Thursday before their preseason resumes on Friday against the Humboldt Broncos.

The Blue and Green will be in Humboldt on Friday before the Broncos visit the Palace on Saturday to end exhibition play.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8