(Photo courtesy/SJHL, X)

By Ben Tompkins

Uphill Climb

Mustangs Venne stops 38 shots, but SJHL Gold fall short on Day 2

Jan 31, 2024 | 4:02 PM

Day 2 of the 2024 SJHL/MJHL Showcase continued in Winnipeg on Wednesday, as all seven Melfort Mustangs players got to hit the ice.

After a perfect 3 and 0 day for the SJ teams on Tuesday, which included a combined four points from members of the Blue and Green, the SJHL had the chance to sweep the tournament.

Unfortunately, those hopes were short lived, as Team Gold suited up at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning and fell 4-2.

“We weren’t great,” said assistant coach Trevor Blevins. “We came out flat at the start and just couldn’t recover, we did have some jam in the third though, which was good, but it just wasn’t enough.”

Truer words couldn’t be spoken as the group gave up more than a shot per minute in the first period.

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After a 3-2 deficit through the opening 20 minutes and a 24-12 shot disparity, that was all the SJ boys could muster, before a MJHL insurance goal midway through the second officially put them out of reach.

Mustangs netminder James Venne had the start, as his coach praised him for keeping the game remotely in reach, as he stopped 38 of 42 that came his way.

“Venne was good,” Blevins added. “I think he played well and I don’t think you could fault him on any of the goals.”

While the defeat wasn’t what the guys had hoped for, Blevins made sure to stay positive following the match, as he knows it was still a productive experience for each individual.

Overall, he felt the boys showed what they’re capable of at their best and competed for a large majority of the event.

“Guys showed well though,” he told northeastNOW. “The guys had a good couple of days and I thought for the most part, we played pretty hard.”

One Stang who definitely showcased his effort, work ethic and talent, was the last Melfort guy chosen to the roster, as he served as a replacement.

Clay Sleeva, who played for Team White both days, has already accumulated three assists through five periods, having aided his team to a 4-3 win on Tuesday with one helper, while currently having two assists through 40 minutes on Wednesday, as his club holds a 4-2 lead.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8