(Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

By Ben Tompkins

Break Time

Shorthanded Mustangs show heart in tight loss to number one Bombers

Nov 3, 2023 | 12:39 PM

It was a good effort by the Melfort Mustangs Thursday night at the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon, but unfortunately, the team fell just short of a victory.

The Bombers walked away with a 5-4 win in a rematch of opening weekend when the Stangs walked away with a 2-1 overtime triumph.

Unfortunately for Melfort, this time their roster looked different, as they were missing seven players who would see themselves in the starting lineup.

That fact, along with Flin Flon ranking number one in the SJHL standings with 13 wins in their last 14 games, was a loss that the Mustangs can look at in a positive way.

“When we’re down seven of our actual starters, it just gives opportunities for third-line guys to move up and I thought they did well tonight,” said assistant coach, Tye Scherger. “It just comes down to work ethic and I thought they did that, but we just wish that we could have got it done.

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For the Blue and Green, the contest marked their third loss in a row, giving them a 1-4-1 record in their last six.

It is also the club’s fifth one-goal loss of the season, which shows they’re never out of it and will battle to the very end.

“Obviously it’s character check, big heart, you know, and that’s all our players in that room, they all got that, so that’s good,” Scherger added. “It’s going to be especially good for down the road when it comes to crunch time, so that’s awesome.”

Melfort will get a week off as they don’t play again until Nov. 10 when they host the La Ronge Ice Wolves.

For a Mustangs group which is as banged-up as any in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League right now, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“It’s actually a good part of the time that the boys get some rest, obviously we got a big injury spiel going on right now, so hopefully after the break, we’re gonna have everyone back and get firing on all cylinders,” Scherger told northeastNOW.”

James Venne had 39 stops on the evening while Ryan Duguay extended his point streak to seven games with two goals and an assist, as he now leads the league with 14 markers, including a league-leading seven of which have come on the powerplay.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8