Game 1 of the 2025 SJ/MJ Showcase on Tuesday (submitted photo/Jamie Neugebauer)

By Ben Tompkins

Best on Best

Nine Mustangs ready for Day 1 of SJ/MJ Showcase

Jan 28, 2025 | 3:36 PM

The 2025 SJ/MJ Showcase in Winnipeg, Manitoba has begun, with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League winning the opener.

Six games in total are scheduled to take place over the course of today (Tuesday) and Wednesday, with three squads a piece, each roster holding 20 players.

With practices held on Monday, the first of six scheduled games began at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, as the 20U Gold Team faced off against the MJHL’s 20U Red Team.

The Gold Team features players from the Kindersley Klippers, Battlefords North Stars, Weyburn Red Wings, Notre Dame Hounds, Flin Flon Bombers, Melville Millionaires, Estevan Bruins, and La Ronge Ice Wolves.

SJHL 20U Gold defeated MJHL 20U Red 5-2.

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As for the second of three games today, it began at 3 p.m. and is featuring a ton of Melfort Mustangs, as SJHL 20U White battles MJHL 20U Black.

“Late yesterday evening (Monday) we had a great practice with pace and it was good to get everyone on their lines and get the D-pairings sorted and shake the cobwebs off from the long drive. The pace was good, we were happy and there seemed to be some chemistry with the lines already, which is good to see,” said Melfort Mustangs and SJHL 20U White head coach Trevor Blevins.

Eight of the nine Mustang skaters at the Showcase are on the 20U White Team, as Logan Belton, Ashton Hutchinson, Reilley Kotai, Zac Somers, Nik Andrusiak, Nolan Roberts, Ty Thornton, and Kristian Coombs get to show off their skills in front of scouts.

Coombs is getting his lone start in net today, as Blevins added before the game that he’s excited about the opportunity for his respective players.

“Individually, you want to show yourself well, but the biggest thing is making sure you have a good motor, you’re responsible, and your compete level is through the roof. We need to have that, and for our guys, it’s a bit of a rivalry with Saskatchewan and Manitoba, so you always want to be on the right side of that and take some pride in it. Our guys will take it very seriously today and get after it,” Blevins told northeastNOW.

According to Blevins, he and assistant coach Brayden Klimosko (current head coach of the Humboldt Broncos), will be trying to build lines where SJ teammates are playing on a line with one another for a majority of the time.

Considering there are only four teams represented on the White squad, split between 20 players, it should be a very possible task.

“We’re gonna try to keep lines with the teams that we have that are here, just for added chemistry in the short two games here, as it’s tough to prepare. I think it’s great to keep the teams lumped together within themselves and keep the lines together also within the group. We’re happy with that and it looks good so far,” he concluded.

Following this afternoon’s contest, the SJHL 18U Blue Team will face off against the MJHL’s 18U White Team.

The lone Melfort player on the 18U Blue Team is goaltender Madden Mulawka.

It is unclear as of now whether he will get the start today or tomorrow, but whenever it is, he will have the support of his Stang teammates.

“We’re excited for Kristian (Coombs) to get in today and obviously, we’ll be there to support Madden (Mulawka) tonight and tomorrow, it’ll be great for him,” mentioned Blevins.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

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