Happy Birthday AJ! Wings Halt Mustangs Streak!

AJ Whiffen, with his sister in the stands for support, knows how to celebrate a birthday. Whiffen, who turned just 18 tonight, made 28 saves for his fourth shutout of the season as the Wings blanked the Melfort Mustangs 2-0 at the Colosseum. This was the first time in 17 games that the Mustangs failed to get a single point. The two teams played a scoreless first period. The Wings went up 1-0 at the 12:34 mark up the second period after a goal mouth scramble in front of Melfort goaltender Ilia Ejov. Torrey Lindsay managed to bang the puck past Ejov to give the Wings the only goal they would need. Michael Seib and Preston Shupe assisted on the goal. Brayden Nargang added his 13th of the season into an empty net with 7 seconds to go to seal the victory. Ejov was equally impressive in the Mustangs goal as he stopped 26 of 27 shots. It was definitely one of the best efforts of the season by the boys in red and white and they were rewarded with a hard earned 2 points. The Wings are now 4 points up on the second place Melville Millionaires in the Sherwood and only one point behind Melfort for first overall in the SJHL standings. The Mustangs remain two points up on the Humboldt Broncos for first in the Itech.

Other games tonight

Estevan 1 - Kyle Garagan
Yorkton 2 - Greg Coburn, Kirk Byczynski
WG - Lynden Sammartino (33/34)
LG - Karsten Felske (29/31)

Melville 3 - Scott Hennings, Kale Dolinski, Brad Johnston
Flin Flon 4 - Pierre - Luc Boucher (2), Reid MacLeod (2)
WG - Calvin Bartel (18/21)
LG - Travis Bosch (30/34)

Tonights Three Stars:
1. AJ Whiffen - Weyburn Red Wings
2. Reid MacLeod - Flin Flon Bombers
3. Lynden Sammartino - Yorkton Terriers

Note: The Nipawin Hawks and Notre Dame Hounds were playing in Hudson Bay tonight but no score was immediately available.

Tradewinds:

November 30/07

Estevan Bruins trade 1987 F Trevor Mock and 1989 D Devon Jonson to the Lindsay Muskies (OPJHL) as compensation for the CJAHL rights to 1988 D Dmitri Levin.

Notre Dame Hounds trade 1987 F Ed Gale and 1988 D Tanner Vandesype to the Humboldt Broncos for 1988 F Evan Bryksa, 1989 D Blayne Stevenson, 1991 F Jesse Mierau, and future considerations.

Humboldt Broncos trade 1989 F Spencer Hoehn to the Neepawa Natives (MJHL) for future considerations.

La Ronge Ice Wolves trade 1989 D Nick Neurauter to the Nipawin Hawks for 1987 D Riel Thomson.

Melville Millionaires trade 1988 D Justin Klassen and future considerations to the Port Hope Predators (OPJHL) for 1987 F Jordan Wilson.

Estevan Bruins acquire 1988 D Cory Demko from the North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) for future considerations.

Wings are now off until next weekend when they embark on a three game road trip to Nipawin, Flin Flon and La Ronge.

Wednesday Wrap!

There were three games played on Wednesday night in the SJHL.

Starting in Estevan, the Bruins were hosting the reeling Nipawin Hawks and took advantage of a frustrated squad as they thumped the Hawks 7-1. Kyle Stroh scored twice and added an assist to lead the Bruins to victory. Kyle Ermel, Riley Tetreault, Payden Benning, Davis Brown and Trevor Mock also scored for the Bruins. Benning added three assists for the Bruins whileKealin Wong, Riley Hughes and Kyle Garagan each contributed two assists. Torrie Dyck, one of the few bright spots as of late in Nipawin, scored the Hawks lone goal. Taylor Thiessen and Kyle Cowan assisted on the goal. Karsten Felske picked up the win against his former club as he made 23 saves. Derek Kleinsteuber had a rough night in the Nipawin goal allowing 7 goals on 47 shots. The Bruins improve to 15-13-2-0 and are only one point back of fourth place Yorkton and have a game in hand on the Terriers. The Bruins visit the Terriers on Thursday night. The Hawks fall to 10-14-1-3 and have only won a single game on the road this year.

In Melfort, the Notre Dame Hounds did all they could to try and sneak one by Mustangs goaltender Ilia Ejov, but failed, as they fell 3-0 to the league leading Mustangs. Taylor Watt, John Payne and Jordan Morgan scored for the Mustangs. Colton Graf, Matt Hill, Gary Childerhose, Kyle Fraser, Mike Kirby and Tommy Brown all added assists for the Mustangs. Ejov made 30 saves in the Melfort goal to pick up the shutout. Mark Currie made 33 saves in the Notre Dame goal. The Mustangs are now 21-7-0-1 and lead Humboldt by four points in the Itech. The Broncos do have two games in hand on the Mustangs. The Hounds bring up the rear in the Sherwood with a record of 8-19-1-0. They are 15 points behind fifth place Estevan in the Sherwood standings.

We end the night in La Ronge where the Ice Wolves were hosting the slumping Battlefords North Stars and the Stars took one on the chin as they were throttled 9-2 by the host Wolves. Bruno-Pier Gosselin had a huge night for the Ice Wolves as he scored 4 goals and added an assist. Jordie Johnston moved into second place in the league scoring race with a five assist performance and is threatening the scoring lead which is currently held by Flin Flon forward Reid MacLeod. Brandon Juravinski, a callup for the Ice Wolves largely due to suspensions to Calvin Fiddler and Codie Pederson, scored twice and added an assist. Jarrid Dowhay had a goal and two assists. Tyler Karst and Jesse Bannerman also scored for the Ice Wolves. Dustin Stevenson and Jules Boucher added two assists each for the Ice Wolves. Jason Walker had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Ricky Cey scored the other Battlefords goal. Jonathan Jobin got the win for the Wolves in goal while Adrien Lemay allowed three goals in the first 13:51 of the first period before being pulled in favor of Ryan Kerpan. The Ice Wolves move back into third in the Itech with the win.

Tonights Three Stars:

* Bruno-Pier Gosselin - La Ronge Ice Wolves (4 goals, 5 points versus Battlefords)
** Payden Benning - Estevan Bruins (4 point night in win over Nipawin)
*** Ilia Ejov - Melfort Mustangs (30 saves performance in shutout win over Notre Dame.

Notes: Four SJHL players were chosen for Team West to participate in the CJAHL prospects game in Winkler, Manitoba next month. They include forwards Rylan Schwartz (Notre Dame Hounds), David Lawrence (La Ronge Ice Wolves) and Reid MacLeod (Flin Flon Bombers), along with goaltender Taylor Nelson (Humboldt Broncos)

- Brad M.

Kruk's words!

Troy Kramm: First off, congrats on winning the SJHL Defenceman of the week award.
Connor Krukowski: Thank you

TK: I want to ask, what happened in the third, how did you guys let the Hawks score three goals to get back into the game?
Krukowski: We got caught few times in our own zone and they scored a few lucky goals on us. We just forgot to keep things simple and it hurt us.

TK: What did Dwight say to the team when the game was 3-3 to get the team going?
Krukowski: He told us not to lose our focus and to stay in control. Keep working hard and we will get the two points out of the game.

TK:Are you now looking forward to taking on another first place team in the Melfort Mustangs on Friday?
Krukowski: Yah it will be a good test for us. We beat them the first time we played them and then we lost in a shootout the next time, it showed us that we can compete with the top teams in the league.

- Troy K

CJAHL Ranking for week ended Nov. 24/07

The Canadian Junior A Hockey League announced today its Top 15 rankings for the week of November 18th to November 24th. Last week’s rankings and the leagues in which the teams belong to are in parenthesis.

The CJAHL Top 15 as of Saturday, November 24th
1. (1) Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)
2. (2) Portage Terriers (MJHL)
3. (3) Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)
4. (4) Woodstock Slammers (MJAHL)
5. (7) Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)
6. (10) Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL)
7. (5) Newmarket Hurricanes (OPJHL)
8. (6) Humboldt Broncos (SJHL)
9. (13) Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL)
10. (8) Selkirk Steelers (SJHL)
11. (9) Fort William North Stars (SIJHL)
12. (14) St. Michael’s Buzzers (OPJHL)
13. (NR) Melfort Mustangs (SJHL)
14. (NR) Sudbury Jr. Wolves (NOJHL)
15. (15) Les Condors de Kahnawake (LHJAAAQ)

Honorable mention goes to the Penticton Vees (BCHL), Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL), Okotoks Oilers (AJHL), Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL), Winkler Flyers (MJHL), Dryden Ice Dogs (SIJHL),Thunder Bay Bearcats (SIJHL), North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL), Vaughan Vipers (OPJHL), Huntsville Otters (OPJHL), Cumberland Grads (CJHL), Brockville Braves (CJHL), and the Truro Bearcats (MJAHL).

The rankings are based upon a variety of factors which includes the league in which the teams belong to, their winning percentage, their win-loss record, total points accumulated, their goals-for versus goals-against ratio, amongst other factors.

The CJAHL is an amalgamation of ten Junior A hockey leagues from across Canada. More information on the CJAHL can be found by clicking on the league website. www.cjahl.com

SJHL Players of the Week!

(courtesy of sjhl.ca)

NOVEMBER 25/07

SJHL FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Winner: Jordie Johnston, La Ronge Ice Wolves

Highlights: Johnston is red hot during the month of November as this is the second time he has won this award. Johnston had 4-goals and 2-assists in 3-games played during the last week and all three games were La Ronge victories. For the season, Johnston is third in the SJHL scoring race thanks to a month in which he has scored 12-goals and 9-assists in just 11-games.

Runners-up: Jarrid Dowhay & Adam Moar, La Ronge; Dustyn Clegg, Flin Flon; Travis Janke, Notre Dame.

SJHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK

Winner: Connor Krukowski, Weyburn Red Wings

Highlights: Krukowski is not flashy and on most nights he will not be a player who is talked about that brings fans out of their seats. However, he plays a solid defense and this week added a goal and two assists in three games to the Red Wing cause. The Red Wings had a tough schedule this past week, but they kept the goals against down and also managed to come away with points in all three games they played.

Runners-up: Russell Nielsen, Humboldt; Tanner Vandesype, Notre Dame; Tyler Karst & Ken Neufeld, La Ronge.

SJHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Winner: Matt Weninger, Kindersley Klippers

Highlights: Perhaps the easiest selection for this award ever as Weninger shutout the Yorkton Terriers twice in a row and enters the week with what is believed to be an SJHL regular season record shutout streak of 195:41. Prior to the days of on-line real-time scoring, this was not a record that was kept as an official mark. On the season, Weninger leads the league with a 1.36-GAA and .962-SPCT.

Runners-up: Ilia Ejov, Melfort; Calvin Bartel, Flin Flon; Joel Danyluk, Yorkton; Adrian Lemay, Battlefords.

Wings Win After Wild Third!

It was a cold snowy night in Weyburn tonight but the Wings warmed things up for those at the Colosseum as they skated to a 6-4 win over the visiting Nipawin Hawks. The Wings led 2-0 after a period of play with Josh Bray and Mick Pawlyshyn scoring for the Wings. The two teams played a scoreless second before the flood gates opened in the third. Michael Seib put the Wings up 3-0 just 41 seconds into the third period. The Hawks then responded with three unanswered goals from Taylor Thiessen, Torrie Dyck, and Blair Toms to tie things up at 3-3. The Wings however got two goals in a 14 second span as Bray potted his second of the game and then Craig Cornelson banged one home to put the Wings up 5-3 with 9:55 to go. Dyck got his second goal of the game just over four minutes later to make it 5-4. Brayden Nargang scored an empty netter with 29 seconds left on the clock to seal the victory for the Wings. Nargang finished the game with three points as he also had two assists. Scott Doody, Connor Krukowski and Luke Johnson all added two assists while single helpers went to Stephen Simms, Preston Shupe and Nick Needham. Toms ended up with three points for the Hawks as he had a goal and two assists. AJ Whiffen, who was presented with an award before the game for recently winning a goaltender of the week award, made 24 saves for the win. Derek Kleinsteuber made 27 saves in the Nipawin goal. Adam Feniak and Shawn Courtney both made their Red Wings debuts tonight. The Wings honored the Weyburn Eagles 3A Provincial Football Champions in the first intermission as head coach Darren Abel and his team were introduced to the crowd. The Red Wings remain in first place with the win as they improve to 17-8-2-4 and are two points up on second place Melville. The Hawks drop to 10-13-1-3 and are firmly entrenched in fifth place in the Itech. The Wings are now off until Friday when they host the Melfort Mustangs.

In Humboldt, the Melville Millionaires got 23 saves from rookie goaltender Travis Bosch as they posted a 3-0 shutout win over the Broncos. Aaron Decorby had a goal and an assist to pace the Mils. Derek Edwards and Daniel Hope also scored for Melville. Jarret Fisher, Jordan Reeve, Scott Hennings, Levi Lind and Dion Campbell all added assists for Melville. Taylor Nelson made 26 saves in the Humboldt goal. The Mils have three games in hand on the Red Wings and trail them by two points and have moved two points ahead of third place Kindersley. The Broncos failed in an opportunity to catch first place Melfort in the Itech.

In Flin Flon, a pair of former Battlefords North Stars scored against their former team as the Bombers won 3-1 over the Stars. Reid MacLeod had a goal and an assist for the Bombers while former Stars Scott Day and Barrett Penner also scored for Flin Flon. Pierre-Luc Boucher, Harley Garrioch, Cole Wilson, Tommy Castonguay and Michael Young added assists for the Bombers. Mitch Wall had the lone goal for the Battlefords with John Midtdal and Nickolaus Dvorak assisting. Carsen Chubak made 23 saves for the Bombers. Ryan Kerpan stopped 33 shots in the North Stars goal. The Bombers move back ahead of La Ronge for third in the Itech with a record of 17-10-0-1. The Stars are a league worst 3-24-1-2.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Travis Bosch - Melville Millionaires (shutout win over Humboldt)
** Josh Bray - Weyburn Red Wings (two goals and could have had a couple more in win over Nipawin)
*** Torrie Dyck - Nipawin Hawks (2 goals and was Hawks best player on this night)

Wednesday night in the SJHL:

Nipawin @ Estevan
Battlefords @ La Ronge
Notre Dame @ Melfort

- Brad M.

Meet the Wing's new Dmen!

Adam Feniak
# 8
Edmonton, AB
Feb 5, 1987
6'1"
185lbs
Defense
Shoots Left
Last team played for - Sherwood Park Crusaders

TK: What did you hear about the Red Wings organization before being dealt here?
AF: I heard they were a winning organization and that the guys who have played here really enjoyed their time with the team.

TK: What do you feel you can bring to the team?
AF: I can bring some offense as well as solid defence and some good breakouts.


TK: Are you looking forward to playing with the Wings as they battle for first place or do you feel any extra pressure to perform?
AF: I am real excited to help them stay in first place and hopefully bring a championship here.


Shawn Courtney
#19
Kaleden, BC
Sept 14, 1988
6'2"
215lbs
Defense
Shoots left
Last Team - Swan Valley Stampeders

TK: What did you hear about the Red Wings organization before being dealt here?
SC: I knew they had a solid reputation and the guys are really happy with what they have done after they leave the team.

TK: What do you feel you can bring to the team?
SC: I move the puck well, am strong defensively on the puck and I have a good first pass.

TK:Are you looking forward to playing with the Wings as they battle for first place or do you feel any extra pressure to perform?
SC: It is nice stepping into a winning team after being with a team that wasn’t winning as much. It is nice to be stepping into a situation like this!

- Troy K

Comments from the Coach

Troy Kramm: You managed to get some valuable points last week in a couple shoot-out
losses, but how are you going to get the boys to pick up two points in the next few games?

Dwight McMillan: There are a few things we have to look at after our games in Melfort
and Melville. We had our chances in the game versus Melfort. We felt we should have won that game. We hit two goal posts and had a breakaway in the third period that we didn’t score on, but those things happen.

Then in Melville our forwards started out playing a well controlled game in the first while I felt that our back end was not playing up to par, they fell a little flat. Then in the second period our offence fell flat, we were getting out hit, out chanced and just plain outplayed. Whiffen held us in that game during the late stages. He made seven or eight amazing stops to help us get a point out of that game.

TK: With the new acquisitions of Feniak and Courtney expected to play on Tuesday, I just want to know what made them stand out to you? Why did you pull the trigger and trade Langevin and Whincup?

McMillan: Feniak was a prospect and league all star and we felt that he can provide as much, if not more offense that Langevin was providing. He is also another guy who can play on the powerplay. We now have four guys who can play on the powerplay, you can get away with having three but having four is a lot easier especially if someone gets hurt.

As for Courtney, he is 6’2, 215 pounds, and he plays with an edge. He is a well rounded defenceman who can provide some offence and grit on a nightly basis.

TK: Do you like how your team looks right now or would you make a deal if something came up?

McMIllan: Right now we are sitting at 21 players and 19 skaters with Eric Calibaba out until January 15. If we needed to add a player we would be OK with that, we would like to be at 22 players even 23 if we had the opportunity. Right now we feel that we can coach these guys and continue to be a solid team that will fight to be in the top half of the conference.

We don’t want to disrupt the locker room in any way but if we could find a top scorer then we would look at a trade. We will just wait and see what comes up.

TK: Did you learn some things playing Nipawin last week? How are you going to try and beat them in regulation this time?

McMillan: Of course we learned some things, but they probably changed their system too after learning some things about us as well. I think we played well against them but we could have really forced them more.

They have some great players like Ottmann, and Dyck so you don’t want to
give them too much room or it could be a real high scoring game.

- Troy K

Power Rankings (for the week ended Nov. 25)

Another week of action in the SJHL saw the top two teams for most of this season both take a bit of a drop as they struggled a bit this week and the parity in the league really shone through this week.

1. Melfort Mustangs (20-7-0-1) LW: 1

The Mustangs continue to find ways to win as they went a perfect 3-0 this week with wins over Humboldt, Weyburn and Estevan. Ilia Ejov continues to be unbeatable as he still hold a big goose egg in the loss column which is phenomenal. Matt Hill has been Mr. Set up man as of late for the Mustangs. Kyle Fraser has started to chip in more offensively as of late which helps with the loss of Clint Olson due to injury. The Mustangs defense continues to provide a huge amount of the offense as Brady Gordon, Tommy Brown and Riley Clark, just to name a few, are all capable of chipping in offensively at any time. It will be a busy week for the Mustangs as they host Notre Dame on Wednesday before embarking on a three game road trip that takes them too Weyburn, Estevan and Notre Dame.

2. Weyburn Red Wings (16-8-2-4)) LW: 2

The Red Wings managed to win a road game in Nipawin before dropping shootouts in Melfort and Melville. The Red Wings were forced to use some call ups in all three games played this week due to injuries and illness. More defensive depth is on the way as Adam Feniak and Shawn Courtney have been dealt to Weyburn. AJ Whiffen and Tanner Erickson have provided solid goaltending. The Wings host Nipawin on Tuesday and Melfort on Friday as they try for the perfect week at home.

3. Humboldt Broncos (19-6-0-1) LW: 4

The Broncos picked up three of four possible points this week as they had a shootout loss versus Melfort before winning big over Kindersley. Defensmean Russ Nielsen has been putting up big offensive numbers as of late while forwards such as Brayden Klimosko and Laurent Benjamin have been putting up points. Taylor Nelson is maybe going through his first real adversity since coming into the SJHL and has shared some of the workload as of late with rookie Andrew Bodnarchuk. That being said, Nelson is still amongst the league leaders in all goaltending categories. The Broncos host Melville on Tuesday and Notre Dame on Thursday before road games in Kindersley and North Battleford on the weekend. It will be a good opportunity this week for the Broncos to gain some ground on the Melfort Mustangs.

4. Melville Millionaires (17-8-2-0) LW: 3

The Millionaires had a so-so week. They managed to defeat Weyburn in a shootout while losing to Estevan and Notre Dame (in overtime). Inconsistent play as of late as saw the Mils slide down the rankings a bit. Travis Bosch has been taking some play away from Kyle Cantlon in goal as of late. Levi Lind has been putting up a point per game since arriving in Melville from the Regina Pats. Adam Tuffs is rumored to have left the team. Derek Edwards has been playing well as of late for the Millionaires after a bit of a slow start offensively. The Mils have a good opportunity to move up the rankings this week as they travel to Humboldt on Tuesday night.before embarking on a road trip to Flin Flon and La Ronge on the weekend.

5. Kindersley Klippers (17-11-0-2) LW: 6

The Klippers posted a pair of shtout wins over the visiting Yorkton Terriers last week but were beaten soundly by Humboldt on Friday night. Rookie goaltender Matt Weninger received goaltender of the week honors as he had both shutout wins over the Terriers and has now went over 195 minutes without allowing a goal. Weninger did not start in the Humboldt game last week and his next chance to extend the streak will be on Saturday when the Klippers host the Broncos. It is not known at this time whether Weninger or Ryan Nieszner will start that game. THat is the only game the Klippers will play this week.

6. Flin Flon Bombers (16-10-0-1) LW: 5

The Bombers won over Nipawin but lost to La Ronge this past week. The only reason I kept the Bombers ahead of the Ice Wolves at this time was the fact that La Ronge had a bit of an easier schedule last week. The Bombers will play three time this week as they host the North Stars and Millionaires before travelling to La Ronge on Sunday.

7. La Ronge Ice Wolves (13-12-1-1) LW: 7

The Ice Wolves were 3-0 this week and moved into third place periodically as they posted wins over Flin Flon, Battlefords and Notre Dame. Jordie Johnston continues to embarrass visiting goaltenders with his fine play and at his current pace could find himself leading the league in scoring before long. The Ice Wolves have also got big numbers from his linemate Jarrid Dowhay, a former Prince Albert Raider.

8. Estevan Bruins (14-13-2-0)) LW: 10

The Bruins are being rewarded with a rise in the rankings after posting wins over Melville and Nipawin. The Bruins could not find a way to defeat Melfort however, as has been the problem for most teams as of late. The Bruins continue to be led offensively by the likes of Payden Benning and Kyle Stroh while younger players such as Brodey Haygarth, Brennan Wrigley and Liam Brennan have all contributed. Karsten Felske appears to be the number one goaltender but David Ritz has also got his share of starts. The Bruins host Nipawin and Melfort this week with a road game in Yorkton sandwiched between those games.

9. Nipawin Hawks (10-12-1-3) LW: 9

The Hawks battled hard this week and lost in regulation to Estevan, overtime to Flin Flon and in a shootout to Weyburn. The Hawks welcomed Colton McDonald and Matt Schneider this past week while saying goodbye to verteran Adam Schwark. Blair Toms has improved the offensive part of his game as of late from the back end. Taylor Thiessen has also played well for the Hawks on defense. Torrie Dyck and Brent Ottmann are relied on to provide the offense for the Hawks. Youngsters such as Cody Wutzke, Jordan Bourgonje and Steve Mason have also contributed. The Hawks have a tough road trip to the Sherwood this week with games in Weyburn, Estevan and Notre Dame.

10. Yorkton Terriers (14-12-2-3) LW: 8

A lack of offense has cost the Terriers a couple of spots in the rankings. The Terriers were shutout twice by Kindersley but did salvage a shootout win over the North Stars on a road trip last week. Lynden Sammartino and Joel Danyluk have done all they can as of late for the Terriers but without Bryan Hull and Carter Smith the offense seems to have hit rock bottom. The Terriers look to snap out of the recent funk with a home game versus Estevan on Friday night.

11. Notre Dame Hounds (8-18-1-0) LW: 11

The Hound won an overtime battle over Melville but were then thumped by La Ronge on Friday in Gull Lake. Notre Dame has a busy week ahead as they play four games in five nights. They will head to Melfort and Humboldt before facing off against Nipawin in Hudson Bay and then back home against Melfort again on Sunday.

12. Battlefords North Stars (3-23-1-2) LW: 12

The Stars did manage one point this past week in a shootout loss to the Yorkton Terriers. Ryan Kerpan and Adrien Lemay can hardly be blamed for the Stars woes as of late as both goaltenders have picked up their play as of late. Shawn McNulty has picked up his game as of late as well. This week the Stars travel to Flin Flon and La Ronge before hosting Humboldt on Sunday.

Sorry I am late this week - but as they say - better late than never (Ha Ha). Reminder again that I will be taking a week off from power rankings but they will return for the week ending December 9/07.

- Brad M.
- Brad M.

Wings - Mils Put In Extra Time!

For the third time this season in three meetings, the Weyburn Red Wings and Melville Millionaires were forced to work a little extra time again tonight. Preston Shupe started things off for the Wings at the 4:11 mark of the first period with assists going to Torrey Lindsay and Connor Krukowski. The Millionaires tied it up just 20 seconds later as Scott Hennings tied things up for Melville. Jarrett Fisher and Jeremie Houde assisted on the goal. Brayden Nargang put the Wings up 2-1 at the 10:41 mark of the first with Josh Bray and Krukowski assisting on the goal. However, the Wings again gave up a quick goal as just 8 seconds later, Daniel Hope tied things up for the Millionaires with Bryant Dyke and Kale Dolinski assisting. Dyke then put the Mils up for the first time in the game as he was the benefactor of a mix up behind the Weyburn goal and picked up the unassisted marker. Tanner Erickson was in goal for the Wings at this time as AJ Whiffen, who started and played the first 11:21 of the first period left with what is believed to be equipment issues. The Wings however tied things up before the end of the wild and wacky first period as Rhett Bly picked up the power play marker from Bray and Nargang. Whiffen returned for the beginning of the second period and was outstanding throughout the rest of regulation and the overtime period. The second and third period were both scoreless as was the overtime period which led to a shootout. Torrey Lindsay took the first shot for Weyburn but missed the net. Brad Johnston then shot for Melville but missed as he put it off the post. Rhett Bly took the second shot for the Red Wings but was stoned by Mils goaltender Travis Bosch. Dion Campbell went next for Melville and went high glove side on Whiffen to give the Mils the lead. Josh Bray then had the pressure has he needed to score to keep things going but Bosch made the glove save which gave the Millionaires the 4-3 shootout win over the Red Wings. The Millionaires have won all three head to head matches this season with the Red Wings. AJ Whiffen made 40 saves on 42 shots faced for the Red Wings. Tanner Erickson stopped 7 of the 8 shots he faced when coming in for relief in the first period. Travis Bosch made 33 saves in the Melville goal. Both Melville and Kindersley now trail Weyburn by two points in the Sherwood Conference as the Wings have 38 points with the Millionaires and Klippers each with 36 points.

In Humboldt, the Kindersley Klippers were spanked 5-2 by the hometown Broncos. Jordan Schindel had two goals and an assist to pace the Broncos. Laurent Benjamin and Brayden Klimosko each added a goal and an assist. Steven Schroeder added the other Humboldt goal. Russ Nielsen chipped in with three assists from the back end for the Broncos. Brett Leedahl scored both Kindersley goals on the night. Andrew Bodnarchuk got the start for the Broncos tonight and made a respectable 27 saves on 29 shots. Klippers coach Larry Wintoneak decided to start Ryan Nieszner over Matt Weninger even though Weninger has went almost 196 minutes without allowing a goal. Niesnzer was busy as he was forced to stop 39 of 44 Broncos shots. The Broncos continue to trail the Melfort Mustangs by 2 points in the Itech Conference standings for first place as the Mustangs also won tonight. The Klippers lost out on an opportunity to catch first place Weyburn in the Sherwood and are now tied for second with the Melville Millionaires in a very tight Sherwood race.

The Estevan Bruins were hoping the return of goaltender David Ritz to Melfort would help spark them over the Mustangs tonight but fell 4-1. Colton Graf was playing his first game for the Mustangs after being assigned to the team by the Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL. Graf, a 17 year old had a goal and an assist for Melfort. Kyle Fraser and Taylor Watt also had a goal and an assist each while Jordan Morgan had the other Mustangs goal. Matt Hill added three assists for Melfort. Chad Filteau scored the lone Estevan goal with assists going to Payden Benning and Kyle Stroh. Ilia Ejov wins yet another game as he stopped 28 Bruins' shots. Ritz made 32 saves in the Bruins goal. Melfort, as mentioned earlier, maintains there two point advantage over second place Humboldt in the Itech conference. The Bruins fail to make up ground on fourth place Yorkton in the Sherwood conference.

Finally, in Flin Flon tonight, the Bombers won a hard fought 3-2 game over Nipawin which was decided in overtime. Myles Masse was the hero for the Bombers as he scored 2:27 into the extra frame. Dustyn Clegg had a goal and an assist for the Bombers while Reid MacLeod had the other Bombers goal. Dennis Kubat, Brennan Cox, David Linsley and Jean-Sebastien Bergeron all added assists for Flin Flon. Keldon Sanderson had both Nipawin goals. Mike Rey, Derek Holenski, Torrie Dyck and Blair Toms all picked up assists. Calvin Bartel had a relatively light night in goal for the Bombers as he only faced 16 shots. Derek Kleinsteuber turned aside 37 Flin Flon shots in the Nipawin goal.

Meanwhile, the La Ronge Ice Wolves and Notre Dame Hounds were playing a neutral site game in Gull Lake tonight. I can tell you that the Ice Wolves won the game 5-2 but I have no further details available at this time.

Tonight's Three Stars (excluding any Wolves or Hounds due to no information)

* Jordan Schindel - Humboldt Broncos (3 point night in win over Kindersley)
** Brayden Nargang - Weyburn Red Wings (2 point night and was a force all night for the Red Wings)
*** Colton Graf - Melfort Mustangs (impressive first SJHL game for 17 year old rookie)

Rant - If playing a neutral site game (Notre Dame or La Ronge usually), some one from those organizations that are hosting should be responsible for keeping the on-line scoring updated throughout the game - or at very least - phone in a score periodically so that fans at home no what is happening.

I am taking tomorrow off for the Grey Cup so power rankings and other weekly features that normally appear on Sundays will likely not appear until Monday evening. Also, I will be taking a leave of absence from the site from November 29 - December 5 due to academic and work commitments. Troy Kramm will continue to keep you updated on news from Red Wing land. Power rankings will not appear on Sunday December 2 but will return the following week. Thank you all for your patience during this period.

- Brad M.

Bruins, Ice Wolves Win on Friday Night!

The Estevan Bruins began a mini two game road trip in Nipawin tonight and skated away with a 3-2 victory over the Hawks. Karsten Felske, starting against his former team, made 45 saves in the Bruins goal to put a stamp on the victory. Kyle Garagan, Brennan Wrigley and Liam Brennan scored for the Bruins with Riley Tetreault, Riley Hughes, Chad Filteau, Davis Brown and Niko Grose all picking up assists. Mike Rey and Colton McDonald, with his first SJHL goal, replied for the Hawks. Blair Toms and Brent Ottmann added assists for Nipawin. Derek Kleinsteuber was not far behind Felske tonight as he stopped 41 Estevan shots. The Bruins did not dress Kyle Ermel who was left back in Estevan due to personal issues according to CJ1280 radio of Estevan. The Bruins now have 30 points and are three points back of fourth place Yorkton in the Sherwood Conference. The Hawks remain firmly entrenched in fifth spot in the Itech.

In North Battleford, the North Stars had a 2-1 lead at one point but could not hold on as they fell 4-2 to the visiting La Ronge Ice Wolves. Jarrid Dowhay scored twice for the Ice Wolves, including the game winner at 11:10 of the third period. Jordie Johnston, who has been the SJHL's hottest forward as of late picked up a goal and two assists for the Wolves. Calvin Fiddler had the other La Ronge goal. Shawn McNulty and Jason Walker each had a goal and an assist for the North Stars. Fiddler and teammate Codie Pederson, playing his first game of the season after recovering from injuries in an offseason car accident, were both ejected in the second period. Fiddler was assessed a match penalty which will likely carry with it a 3 to 5 game suspension from league disciplinarian Laury Ryan. Pederson received a gross misconduct which could also result in supplementry discipline for him. Brian Kaval had 26 saves to pick up the win for La Ronge. Adrien Lemay got another start for the Stars and played well allowing only three goals on 39 shots. The Ice Wolves improve to 15-12-1-1 and leapfrog the Flin Flon Bombers into third place in the Itech Conference. The North Stars fall to a record of 3-23-1-2 and have only nine points on the season.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Jarrid Dowhay - La Ronge Ice Wolves (2 goals in win over Battlefords)
** Karsten Felske - Estevan Bruins (45 saves performance against former team)
*** Jordie Johnston - La Ronge Ice Wolves (3 point night)

Saturday in the SJHL:

Weyburn @ Melville - Will the Wings be able to beat the Millionaires for the first time this season?
Kindersley @ Humboldt - Will Matt Weninger get a chance to continue his shutout streak for the Klippers?
Estevan @ Melfort - Will the Bruins be the team to stop the Mustangs point streak?
Nipawin @ Flin Flon - Will the Hawks be able to handle the Bombers big three?

Check back tomorrow night for the answer to those questions. As for your Wings - it is not expected that new acquisitions Adam Feniak or Shawn Courtney will be available tomorrow night but hopefully will be available for Tuesday when the Wings host the Nipawin Hawks.

- Brad M.

Wings Bolster Blue Line In Two Separate Deals!

The Weyburn Red Wings were down to six defenseman with the retirement of Ian Lazar last week and they helped solidify that position today in two separate trades.

The key acquisition was 20 year old defenseman Adam Feniak (pictured left), an Edmonton native, who was acquired from the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL. Feniak was an AJHL all star last season and should be a valuable addition to the team and should be able to log some power play minutes. Feniak had two goals and nine assists for eleven points in 21 games played so far this season. In order to acquire Feniak (pronounced phen - e - ack), the Wings had to part ways with 1988 born forward Joel Langevin. Langevin had 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points in 26 games played for the Red Wings. The Nanaimo product was apparently shipped to an Ontario team as part of a three team deal but I do not have the details at the time of writing as to where Langevin is headed.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings were not done there as they then shipped 1989 born forward Jared Whincup (pictured) to the Swan Valley Stampeders of the MJHL for 1988 born defenseman Shawn Courtney. Courtney, from Penticton, BC, had 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points in 24 games played with the Stampeders this season. Whincup returns to his home province and he had three assists in 15 games as a Red Wing.

The Red Wing organization welcomes Adam and Shawn to the fold as well as wishing best of luck in the future to Joel Langevin, Jared Whincup and Ian Lazar.

- Brad M.

Weninger Shuts Down Terriers Again!

Rookie Kindersley goaltender Matt Weninger (pictured left) has shutout the Yorkton Terriers for the second time in three nights as the Kindersley Klippers got by the Terriers 1-0. Weninger now has three consecutive shutouts and has went 195:43 without allowing a goal. The last goal he allowed was a third period goal against Flin Flon on November 14. He has now started 3 of the last 4 Klippers games as he takes playing time away from veteran Ryan Nieszner. Weninger, an 18 year old Lethbridge native, has a sparkling 1.36 GAA and .962 saves percentage to go along with three shutouts in only 441 minutes played. Weninger is now tied with the Red Wings AJ Whiffen for the league lead in shutouts with three apiece. Matt Sawa had the lone goal for the Klippers as he scored a buzzer beater in the second period which held up to be the games only goal. Casey Rempel and Justin Wilkinson assisted on the goal. Weninger made 28 saves for the shutout while Lynden Sammartino was strong in the Terriers goal stopping 29 of 30 shots fired his way. The Klippers are now one point behind first place Weyburn with a record of 17-10-0-2. Like the Red Wings, the Klippers have played 29 games. The Terriers are now 14-12-2-3 and sit fourth in the Sherwood.

In Wilcox, the Melvile Millionaires erased a 3-1 third period deficit only to allow the winner 24 seconds into overtime as the Notre Dame Hounds pick up the 4-3 win in extra time. Travis Janke was the overtime hero for the Hounds and also added an assist. Tanner Vandesype also had a goal and an assist for the Hounds while Cody Mapes scored two first period goals to give the Hounds an early lead. Rylan Schwartz added two assists for the Hounds. Garret Brook, Travis Montgomery, Kyle Ireland and TJ Ahvenniemi all added single assists. Levi Lind, Austin Krahenbil and Brad Johnston replied for the Millionaires. Dion Campbell, Scott Hennings, Jeremie Houde and Daniel Hope all added assists. Mark Currie picks up the win for the Hounds as he stopped 37 Melville shots. Travis Bosch got the start for Melville and stopped 26 of the 30 shots he faced. The Hounds improve to 8-17-1-0 but are 11 points behind fifth place Estevan. The Millionaires now have sole possession of third in the Sherwood as they have 34 points and have three games in hand on both Weyburn (37 points) and Kindersley (36 points).

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Matt Weninger - Kindersley Klippers (third consecutive shutout for Klippers rookie goaltender)
** Travis Janke - Notre Dame Hounds (OT winner, two points in win over Melville)
*** Lynden Sammartino - Yorkton Terriers (veteran goaltender does all he can for offensively challenged Terriers)

Tomorrow night - It is a light Friday night schedule in the SJHL as only two games are on tap. Estevan travels to Nipawin while La Ronge will be in the Battlefords to battle the Stars.

- Brad M.

Wings Pick up Three of Four Possible Points on Road Trip!

It was a battle of division leaders in Melfort tonight as the Mustangs hosted the Weyburn Red Wings. The Mustangs prevailed 3-2 in a shootout as they continue to be on one of the hottest streaks seen in a long time in the SJHL. Kyle Fraser had the shootout winner for the Mustangs. Tommy Brown had a goal and an assist to pace the Mustangs. Cory Buffin had the other Melfort goal. Ryan Gareau, Gary Childerhose and Cam Oliphant all added assists for Melfort. Michael Seib scored for the second night in a row for the Wings. Nick Needham also scored for the Red Wings. Kyle Haines, Ethan Gardner, Mick Pawlyshyn and Kyle Johnson, playing his first game of the season for the Wings, all added assists. It was a battle of the backups tonight and a chance for two guys who do not see a lot of action get a chance to play. Jesse Trach started for the Mustangs and stopped 23 of 25 shots throughout regulation and overtime. Tanner Erickson made his third start of the season for the Red Wings and made a respectable 21 saves on 23 shots throughout regulation and overtime. The Wings now have a three point lead over second place Kindersley in the Sherwood Conference. The Mustangs open up a two point lead over second place Humboldt in the Itech Conference as the standings start to take a bit of a different look in both divisions.

In Melville, the Estevan Bruins used the power play to their full advantage as they scored four power play goals en route to a 4-3 win over the Millionaires. Payden Benning, Riley Tetreault, Niko Grose and Kealin Wong with the eventual winner all scored for the Bruins. Brody Haygarth and Garrett Lasko added two assists each for the Bruins. Kyle Stroh, Brady Dew and Kyle Garagan all added assists for Estevan. Bryant Dyke had a goal and an assist for the Mils who also got singles from Dion Campbell and Kale Dolinski. David Ritz was on his game as he made 43 saves in the Estevan goal. Kyle Cantlon was pulled after allowing Wong's goal at the 5:21 mark of the third. He managed only 20 saves on 24 shots. Travis Bosch cleaned up and made 6 saves the rest of the way. The Bruins are now 5 points behind both the Millionaires and Yorkton Terriers. The Mils are tied with Yorkton for third in the Sherwood.

Speaking of those Terriers, they were given a battle tonight by the Battleford Stars but prevailed 3-2 in a shootout. Logan Dew had the shootout winner for the Terriers. Rylan McDonell and Jordan Menke scored in regulation for the Terriers. Derek Serdachny and Kyle Block added assists. Kirk Moore and Nick Kalnicki replied for the Stars. Shawn McNulty, Rick Cey and Tony Oak added assists for the North Stars. Lynden Sammartino started for the Terriers but was yanked after allowing 2 goals in a 25 second span of the first period. Joel Danyluk went perfect the rest of the way (other than the shootout) as he made 24 saves. Adrien Lemay got the start for the Stars and made 38 saves on the night. As mentioned earlier the Terriers move into a share of third in the Sherwood with the Melville Millionaires with the win. The Stars pick up a single point and are now 3-22-1-2 on the season.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* David Ritz - Estevan Bruins (43 saves performance in Bruins win over Melville)
** Tommy Brown - Melfort Mustangs (2 point night for rookie defenseman in Mustangs win)
*** Adrien Lemay - Battlefords North Stars (38 saves in shootout loss)

Estevan deals: The Bruins made a couple of moves today as they dealt 19 year old defenseman Morgan Bell to the Winkler Flyers of the MJHL for future considerations. Bell was in his first season with the Bruins. Meanwhile, the Bruins received the playing rights of defenseman Dimitri Levin from the Lindsay Muskies of the OPAJHL for futures. Levin was most recently playing with the OHL's Oshawa Generals.

Wings return to action Saturday night when they visit the Millionaires.

- Brad M.

Penalty Kill Key To Wings Win!

The Weyburn Red Wings started a mini two game road trip to the Itech Conference tonight as they headed to Nipawin to battle the new look Hawks. Connor Krukowski scored his first of the season at 16:32 of the first period to put the Wings up 1-0. Brayden Nargang and Josh Bray assisted on the goal. The Wings went up 2-0 at the 13:35 mark of the second period with a power play goal by Michael Seib. Preston Shupe and Torrey Lindsay had the helpers on the goal. The Hawks seemed to wake up after that as just over two minutes later, Steve Mason cut the score to 2-1 from Keldon Sanderson and Torrie Dyck. Than with just 26 seconds to go in the second period, the Hawks tied things up as defenseman Taylor Thiessen snuck up in the play to pick up the goal on the power play. Cody Wutzke and Mike Rey assisted on the goal. The two teams played a scoreless third and five minute overtime period before the shootout decided the winner. Luke Johnson, the Wings fifth shooter, ended things as he put the puck past Hawks goaltender Derek Kleinsteuber. AJ Whiffen than stoned Thiessen on the Hawks final chance to seal the win for Weyburn, a 3-2 shootout victory. Whiffen was incredible yet again as he made 40 saves, many when the Wings were playing short-handed - which seemed like a majority of the night. Despite the Wings having to kill off 9 man disadvantages versus the mere two that Nipawin had to deal with, the guys persevered. Kleinsteuber made 25 saves in the Nipawin goal. The Wings have a two point lead over second place Kindersley after picking up win #16 on the season. The Hawks do pick up a point for the shootout loss and are firmly entrenched for the time being in fifth in the Itech.

In Kindersley, the Klippers, as I just mentioned, moved into second place ahead of Melville as they downed the Yorkton Terriers 2-0. Ryan Sawka and Jeremy Beller scored for the Klippers while Matt Sawa, Kirk Pearce, Tyler Hodges and Jayde Dunser all added assists. Matt Weninger made 26 saves to pick up the shutout for the Klippers as he continues to battle Ryan Nieszner for minutes in Kindersley. Lynden Sammartino played well despite the loss as he turned aside 36 shots. The Terriers are having trouble scoring goals as of late and are hoping for the speedy recovery of Bryan Hull to help in that regard. The Terriers sit two points back of third place Melville.

It was a first place battle in the Itech Conference tonight and when all was said and done, the Melfort Mustangs and Humboldt Broncos are now tied for first as the Mustangs defeated the Broncos 2-1 in a shootout tonight. Gary Childerhose scored the shootout winner for the Mustangs. Cam Oliphant scored the Mustangs goal in regulation time from Matt Hill. Josh Garneau scored the Broncos lone goal from Scott Schroeder. Ilia Ejov made 28 saves as he led the Mustangs to victory. Taylor Nelson made 20 saves in the Humboldt goal.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Matt Weninger - Kindersley Klippers (shutout over Terriers)
** AJ Whiffen - Weyburn Red Wings (40 save performance to lead Wings past Nipawin)
*** Ilia Ejov - Melfort Mustangs (28 saves in win over Humboldt)

The La Ronge @ Flin Flon game was postponed due to problems with the La Ronge bus. No makeup has been announced as of yet.

Reminder: Wings are in Melfort to battle the Mustangs tomorrow night. You can catch the game on Red Wing radio AM1190 with Kevin Smith.

Go Riders! Go Wings!

- Brad M.

Dwight guides the Wings to victory over the Bruins

I caught up with Dwight on Monday morning to chat about the two impressive wins over the rival Estevan Bruins and to hear what he has to say about the next few games.

Troy Kramm: How was it to come back from the Junior A Challenge and pick up two wins versus the Estevan Bruins?

Dwight McMillan: It was just excellent. We played real well in Estevan. We had outstanding checking and everyone from our goalie to our foruth line
played a great game.

On Saturday I felt that our forwards didn’t start out real well but they picked it up in the second. I will tell you this though, the number one reason we won that game was the play of AJ Whiffen, he had a fantastic game.

TK: Do you think he will be able to handle the workload that is ahead of him this year in the Red Wings net?

McMillan: He is a strong kid who is built compact and was made for this workload. He was working out all summer and I think he can handle it as well as any other goalie in the league. The workload won’t be a factor for him.

TK: You head off on a short two game road trip versus Nipawin and Melfort before facing Melville on Saturday what can you expect to see from these teams.

McMillan: All of them are are tough to play in their buildings. They forecheck hard and are tough to handle. Nipawin is a different team with a different rink where the boards do some funny things so we have to be prepared.

Melfort is going to come at us hard as usual. They have some fast ice and high glass that we will watch for and their new goalie has made them a much better team. We are going to have to keep our feet moving to play there. And we are going to beat Melville, we should have beat them the last two times we have faced them. It’s going to be a good game.

TK: Is there anything you haven’t been pleased with, any kinks that you are hoping to work out?

McMillan: Well the powerplay didn’t go well when I was gone so we will work on that as well as playing in our zone, the neutral zone, forecheck, penalty kill and powerplay. Those are the five things you always have to work on.

TK: How well are you expecting to do this week? Do you feel you can pick up six points?

McMillan: I don’t know, we are just going to go and play to the best of our ability and go and execute our gameplan. That’s all we can do and we will see how it turns out.

Nipawin Deals Schwark!

In a deal that has been rumored for a few days, is now official. The Nipawin Hawks have dealt 20 year old forward Adam Schwark, a Saskatoon native, to the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL for 1989 born forward Matt Schneider (Fort Saskatchewan, AB) and 1988 born defenseman Colton McDonald (Salt Lake City, Utah). Schwark (pictured) was in his third season as a Hawk and this year had 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 23 games played. Schneider, a center, had three goals and three assists in 20 games played for Bonnyville. McDonald had 1 assist on 20 games of action for the Pontiacs. It is expected that Schneider and McDonald will make there SJHL debuts tomorrow night when the Hawks host the Weyburn Red Wings.

- Brad M.

SJHL Players of the Week! Whiffen Honored Again!

(Courtesy of sjhl.ca)

NOVEMBER 18/07

SJHL FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Winner: Pierre-Luc Boucher, Flin Flon Bombers

Highlights: Boucher continued his season long offensive tear last week by leading the Bombers to a pair of victories over some pretty tough competition. Boucher scored two goals and two assists last Wednesday in a win over Kindersley. He also set up a goal on Friday in a victory over Humboldt. The 1987 born Quebec product now has 43-points in 24-games as he challenges teammate Reid MacLeod for an SJHL scoring title.

Runners-up: Reid MacLeod & Dennis Kubat, Flin Flon; Brett Leedahl & Ryan Sawka, Kindersley; Dion Campbell, Melville; Jordie Johnston, La Ronge; Jayde Dunser, Kindersley; Shawn McNulty, Battlefords.

SJHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK

Winner: Riley Clark, Melfort Mustangs

Highlights: Clark's contribution to the Mustang blueline goes far and above his offensive abilitites; however he was the highest scoring defenseman in the SJHL last week with 2-goals and 1-assist in 2-games. Clark's foot speed allows him to play against many of the opposition's top forwards and his positioning also ranks him amongst the SJHL elite. The Mustangs are 12-0-0-and-1 since October 13th and Clark's play on the back end has been a big reason why.

Runners-up: Tommy Brown & Mike Kirby, Melfort; Jordan Pawelec, Yorkton; Blair Toms, Nipawin.

SJHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Winner: AJ Whiffen, Weyburn Red Wings

Highlights; Whiffen, an 18-year-old rookie from Newfoundland, continues to give the Red Wings goaltending well beyond his years. Whiffen won both of his starts on the weekend against the Estevan Bruins, including a shutout victory on Saturday that saw him turn back 39-shots on Saturday. For the week, Whiffen was 2-and-0, 1.00, .972. This season, Whiffen is second to Taylor Nelson for lowest GAA at 2.04 and he also sports a splendid .937-SPCT to go with a 9-2-2-and-1 record.

Runners-up: Matt Weninger, Kindersley; Lynden Sammartino, Yorkton; Ilia Ejov, Melfort; Calvin Bartel, Flin Flon.

CJAHL Rankings for Week Ended Nov. 17

Sunday, November 18, 2007

The Canadian Junior A Hockey League announced today its Top 15 rankings for the week of November 11th to November 17th. Last weeks rankings and the leagues in which the teams belong to are in parenthesis.

The CJAHL Top 15 as of Saturday, November 17th

1.(1) Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)
2.(3) Portage Terriers (MJHL)
3.(2) Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)
4.(5) Woodstock Slammers (MJAHL)
5.(7) Newmarket Hurricanes (OPJHL)
6.(4) Humboldt Broncos (SJHL)
7.(11) Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)
8.(12) Selkirk Steelers (MJHL)
9.(9) Fort William North Stars (SIJHL)
10.(13) Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL)
11.(14) North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL)
12.(10) Melville Millionaires (SJHL)
13.(8) Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL)
14.(NR) St. Michael’s Buzzers (OPJHL)
15.(NR) Les Condors de Kahnawake (LHJAAAQ)

Honorable mention goes to the Penticton Vees (BCHL), Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL), Olds Grizzlys (AJHL), Okotoks Oilers (AJHL), Melfort Mustangs (SJHL), Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL), Winnipeg Saints (MJHL), Dauphin Kings (MJHL), Dryden Ice Dogs (SIJHL), Sudbury Jr. Wolves (NOJHL), Markham Waxers (OPJHL), Vaughan Vipers (OPJHL), Huntsville Otters (OPJHL), Cumberland Grads (CJHL), Brockville Braves (CJHL), Les Inouk de Granby (LHJAAAQ), and the Truro Bearcats (MJAHL).

The rankings are based upon a variety of factors which includes the league in which the teams belong to, their winning percentage, their win-loss record, total points accumulated, their goals-for versus goals-against ratio, amongst other factors.

Power Rankings (for the week ended Nov. 18)

Another week of action in the SJHL saw the top two teams for most of this season both take a bit of a drop as they struggled a bit this week and the parity in the league really shone through this week.

1. Melfort Mustangs (17-7-0-1) LW: 3

The SJHL's hottest team has made its way to the top of the power rankings this week as they have picked up at least one point in each of their last 13 games. All they did this week was win two tough road games in Melville and Yorkton, never an easy feat. The Mustangs were dealt a bit of a blow when it was found out that Clint Olson, currently in the top 10 in league scoring, will be out for up to 2 months with an injury. However, Taylor Watt, Matt Hill and the rest of the supporting staff have adequately filled the void. Brady Gordon, Tommy Brown, Riley Clark, Mike Kirby, Kassidy Collins and the rest of the crew give Melfort as good of a defense as any in the league. Ilia Ejov's only blemish on his goaltending record since arriving in Melfort is a shootout loss. Everything seems to be clicking right now in Melfort. The Mustangs will have a good test this week as they travel to Humboldt on Tuesday before hosting Weyburn Wednesday and Estevan on Saturday.

2. Weyburn Red Wings (15-8-2-2) LW: 4

The Red Wings won a pair of games over there Highway 39 rivals from Estevan this week as they climb a couple of spots in the power rankings. The Red Wings continue to get offense from a variety of different players as they continue to roll four lines for the most part. Josh Bray has kept up his fine play as of late and now has 15 goals on the season. Rookies like Rhett Bly, Joel Langevin and Luke Johnson have also all chipped in with offense every night. Defensively, in my mind, the Wings are as good as any team in the league. Kyle Haines, Stephen Simms, Connor Krukowski and Mick Pawlyshyn along with rookies Andrew Perrault and Ethan Gardner provide as solid of six as any team can offer. The Wings MVP in my mind though as been rookie goaltender AJ Whiffen. As an 18 year old I don't think anyone in Weyburn, or around the league, for that matter, expected to see Whiffen post the numbers that he has. As long as Whiffen can keep up with the workload that he has been receiving, this could be a special season for the Red Wings. This week the Wings will be tested as they play three tough games on the road. They will be in Nipawin on Tuesday, Melfort on Wednesday and head to Melville on Saturday.

3. Melville Millionaires (16-7-1-0) LW: 2

The Millionaires have been going in the wrong direction as of late after starting the season a perfect 11-0. This week they dropped a game versus Melfort before splitting a home and home with the Yorkton Terriers. The Millionaires bolstered their lineup this week with the addition of former Regina Pat forward Levi Lind. Lind had three points in his first three games in a Melville uniform. Derek Edwards has been putting up bigger offensive numbers from the blue line as of late. Kyle Cantlon's numbers have dropped a bit as of late but he continues to play strong in the Melville goal. The Millionaires have three important divisional games this week as they have home games versus Estevan and Weyburn and a road game to Notre Dame sandwiched between.

4. Humboldt Broncos (18-6-0-0) LW: 1

I may be a bit harsh on the Broncos this week having them drop three spots but I do not expect them to stay this low in the rankings for long. The Broncos lost their offensive touch this week as they only scored three goals in three losses to Nipawin, Flin Flon and La Ronge. Despite maybe the first adversity of the season he has faced, it was all in all a good week for Broncos goaltender Taylor Nelson as he accepted a scholarship to NCAA school Ferris State for next season. The Broncos play twice at home this week as they host Melfort on Tuesday and Kindersley on Saturday.

5. Flin Flon Bombers (15-9-0-1) LW: 6

Yes, the Bombers did lose to the Battlefords North Stars for the second time this season, but the followed that up with impressive wins over the Kindersley Klippers and Humboldt Broncos. Reid MacLeod, Pierre-Luc Boucher and Dennis Kubat continue to be 1-2-3 in league scoring and are showing no signs of slowing down. Barrett Penner has also proven to be a great pickup since being acquired from the Battlefords North Stars a couple of weeks ago. Calvin Bartel has really picked up his play and has regained the starting role in Flin Flon. The Bombers have a chance to distance themselves from some Itech Conference rivals this week as they have a home and home versus La Ronge and then host Nipawin on Saturday.

6. Kindersley Klippers (15-10-0-2) LW: 5

The Klippers swept a home and home set with the Battlefords North Stars and dropped a home game against Flin Flon earlier in the week. Ryan Sawka, Brett Leedahl and Casey Rempel, to name a few, have all picked up the scoring pace for the Klippers as of late. Scott Linnell and Milo Miller continue to lead a fairly young defensive unit. Matt Weninger has put pressure on starting goaltender Ryan Niesnzer for playing time, which is always a good situation for any team. In a scheduling rarity, the Klippers will host the Yorkton Terriers twice this week (Tuesday and Thursday) before hitting the road to Humboldt on Saturday.

7. La Ronge Ice Wolves (13-12-1-1) LW: 10

The Ice Wolves had a good week as they won games over the Nipawin Hawks and Humboldt Broncos. Jordie Johnston has been arguably the hottest player in the league as of late and is now 4th in league scoring. His linemates Jarrid Dowhay and Bruno-Pier Gosselin have also been putting up big numbers as of late. Forgotten in the mix is that Codie Pederson has been out of the Ice Wolves lineup for the entire season as of date due to injuries sustained in a car accident over the offseason. If Pederson can return to his form from last season, once he returns, it will be as good as making a big trade for the stretch drive. Jonathan Jobin and Brian Kaval continue to give the Ice Wolves a solid 1-2 punch in goal. La Ronge has a busy week as they play a home and home with the Flin Flon Bombers, before hitting the road for games in North Battleford and Notre Dame (in Gull Lake).

8. Yorkton Terriers (13-10-2-3) LW: 7

It was a mixed bag of results for the Terriers this week as they did manage to pick up three of a possible four points against rival Melville but lost a home game to Melfort. The Terriers were dealt a bit of a blow when Carter Smith announced early in the week that he was heading back to the WHL. Smith is now with the Red Deer Rebels where he has scored 2 goals in 2 games. With Bryan Hull still out due to injury, the Terriers will be leaning heavily on the likes of Kyle Block, Scott Jackson and Corey Silverson to provide the offense. Lynden Sammartino has continued to play well between the pipes for the Terriers as he is having a MVP type season. The Terriers hit the road this week for a pair of games in Kindersley and a game in the Battlefords.

9. Nipawin Hawks (10-11-0-2) LW: 9

The Hawks picked up three of a possible four points this week as they continue their climb back up the Itech standing after a period of mediocrity which led to some lineup changes. Those changes do not appear to be done though as Adam Schwark has apparently been moved on the the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL. Derek Kleinsteuber has picked up his play as of late and last week was the SJHL goaltender of the week. The Hawks have home games against Weyburn and Estevan this week before heading to Flin Flon for a game on Saturday.

10. Estevan Bruins (12-12-2-0) LW: 10

Uninspired play seems to have plagued the Bruins as of late and that was apparent again in a pair of losses against Weyburn this past weekend. The goal scorers have not been scoring and that is the biggest problem for Estevan right now. Kyle Stroh, Payden Benning and Kyle Ermel amongst others, have all saw there numbers decline as of late. One guy who can't be blamed for any problems though is goaltender Karsten Felske. Felske looked good in both games against Weyburn, despite the losses and also picked up a big win over Notre Dame earlier in the week. The Bruins will have to find their game on the road this week as they play three tough games in Melville, Nipawin and Melfort.

11. Notre Dame Hounds (7-17-0-1) LW: 11

It was a light week of action for the Hounds as they played only once, a 2-1 loss to the Estevan Bruins. The Hounds will hope the rest will give them the jump they need as they are currently 11 points out of a playoff position in a very tough Sherwood Conference. Despite the team's record, Mark Currie has been a great pickup in goal for the Hounds since his arrival from Yorkton. If the Hounds fail to get on a winning streak of some sort in the next couple of weeks, one has to think that Mike Vandenberghe may start to look to the future and move some veterans such as Tanner Vandesype, Eddie Gale and Chris Bratina. The Hounds host Melville before playing a neutral site game versus La Ronge in Gull Lake.

12. Battlefords North Stars (3-22-1-1) LW: 12

Although the Stars do deserve credit for a 3-0 win over Flin Flon, they followed that up with a pair of losses to the Kindersley Klippers. Ryan Kerpan has played well as of late and seems to have solidified the starting goaltending job in the Battlefords. Shawn McNulty has rediscovered his offensive touch in the last couple of games for the Stars. The Stars do not have a lot left that other teams would be interested in picking up for a late season pickup but one guy who may be on the move at some point is 20 year old forward Jason Walker. Walker could be a solid second or third line addition for some of the more upper echelon teams in the SJHL.

That's it for this week. As no comments have been left on the power rankings so far this season, I will assume that I am perfect in my predictions (Ha Ha)

- Brad M.

Wonderful Whiffen! Red Wings Complete Weekend Sweep of Bruins!

The Weyburn Red Wings, at least for the time being, find themselves at the top of the Sherwood Conference after posting a 3-0 shutout win over the visiting Estevan Bruins on Saturday night at the Colosseum. AJ Whiffen was on his game again tonight as he stopped all 39 Estevan shots fired his way to pick up his third shutout of the season. Rhett Bly scored a power play goal, his 7th of the season, in the first period to put the Wings up 1-0. Luke Johnson and Stephen Simms assisted on the goal. Carter Selinger put the Wings up 2-0 at the 8:18 mark of the second after stepping out of the penalty box and being sent on a breakaway. Simms and Brayden Nargang assisted on the goal. The Wings capped off the scoring later in the third period after Josh Bray stepped out on the ice on a delayed penalty against the Bruins. Bray was sent in on a breakaway by Jared Whincup and made no mistake snapping the shot through Karsten Felske as he picked up his 15th of the season. Kyle Haines also assisted on the goal. Bruins coach Karry Biette was upset after the Bray goal feeling that Bray had stepped on the ice before Whiffen had got back to the bench for the extra attacker. Felske kept his team in the game as he stopped 22 of 25 Weyburn shots. The Bruins look like a frustrated club as of late and that was evidenced by a third period misconduct penalty to Bruins forward Payden Benning. The Wings leapfrog the Melville Millionaires into first place in the Sherwood with a record of 15-8-2-2. The Bruins are now 12-12-2-0 and all of a sudden are now five points back of fourth place Yorkton.

In Melville, the Millionaires were also looking for a weekend home and home sweep as they welcomed the Yorkton Terriers to town. However, Logan Dew spoiled the party as he scored the go ahead goal with only 1:42 to go in the third to send the Mils crowd home unhappy. Kyle Block and Corey Silverson also scored while Jordan Pawelec, a former Millionaire, added two assists. Dion Campbell had a goal and an assist for the Millionaires. Derek Edwards also scored for Melville. Levi Lind picked up his third point in three games as a Millionaire as he assisted on Edwards' goal. Lynden Sammartino was phenomenal in the Yorkton goal as he made 51 saves. Kyle Cantlon stopped 25 shots in the Melville goal. The Millionaires drop to 16-7-1-0 and fall to second place in the Sherwood with the loss. They do however have three games in hand on Weyburn. Yorkton stays in fourth with a record of 13-10-2-3 but are only three points back of first place Weyburn as the standings at the top continue to tighten. Should note - Melville wore their third jersies tonight and they are the ugliest things I have ever seen.

The Kindersley Klippers kept pace with the pack in the Sherwood Conference as they defeated the Battlefords North Stars for the second night in a row, a 5-3 win at home tonight. Casey Rempel scored twice and added an assist to lead the way for the Klippers. Kirk Pearce added a goal and an assist while there other linemate Matt Sawa had two assists. Ryan Sawka and Jayde Dunser also scored for Kindersley. Shawn McNulty picked up two goals for the North Stars while Tyrel Schulko added a single. Jason Walker added two assists for the Stars. Ryan Nieszner stopped 26 shots to pick up the win. Ryan Kerpan stopped 31 shots in the Battlefords goal. The Klippers are third in the Sherwood with a record of 15-10-0-2. The Stars drop to 3-22-1-1.

Finally, in La Ronge, the Humboldt Broncos dropped their third in a row as they fell 3-1 to the Ice Wolves. Jordie Johnston had a goal and two assists to lead the Ice Wolves. Bruno-Pier Gosselin added two goals. Russell Nielsen had the lone goal for the Broncos. Jonathan Jobin was spectacular for La Ronge as he stopped 46 Humboldt shots. Taylor Nelson allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Humboldt goal. The Broncos are now 18-6-0-0 and cling to a one point lead over second place Melfort in the Itech Conference. La Ronge is now 13-12-1-1 and sit fourth in the Itech.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* AJ Whiffen - Weyburn Red Wings (39 saves, league leading third shutout of the season)
** Lynden Sammartino - Yorkton Terriers (51 saves in win over Melville)
*** Casey Rempel - Kindersley Klippers (3 point night to help lead Klippers to victory)

Tradewinds:

Rumors are circulating out of Nipawin that third year Hawk Adam Schwark has been dealt to the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL. Schwark has 23 points in 23 games this season and was second in Hawks scoring. We will post more once things become official.

A couple of deals that were completed:

The Kindersley Klippers have sorted out their goaltending situation and have sent rookie goaltender Randy Willis to the Blind River Beavers of the NOJHL for futures. Willis was stuck in a logjam behind Ryan Nieszner and Matt Weninger in Kindersley.

Meanwhile, the Melfort Mustangs have sent forward Brendan Baumgartner to Fort Francess of the SIJHL for futures.

I would expect we will see quite a few more deals in the next couple of weeks and will let you know as soon as we know if anything comes to fruition.

- Brad M.

Wings take game one versus the Bruins

The Wings keep on with their winning ways as they travelled down highway 39 to Estevan where they were looking to take over top spot in the Sherwood Conference versus the Bruins.

With a 3-2 victory over the Bruins, the Wings were in first place for maybe 10 minutes as Melville disposed of the Yorkton Terriers in a shootout to remain one point up on the Wings.

Rhett Bly opened up the scoring for the Red Wings in the first period with the assist going to Joel Langevin. The Wings then took control of the game in the second as Langevin was on the receiving end of a pass from Torrey Lindsay and scored on the powerplay to give them a two goal lead heading into the third.

Estevan finally got to Whiffen early in the third as Liam Brennan scored at 2:30 into the period to cut the lead down to one. It didn't take long for the Wings to regain their two goal advantage as Brayden Nargang scored six minutes later with the assist going to Connor Krukowski. Estevan did manage to keep things close as Kyle Stroh put one more past Whiffen halfway through the period but that's as close as they would get as the Red Wings held the Bruins off in the late stages of the third, killing off two penalties in the process.

AJ Whiffen picked up the win in the Red Wings net, making 31 saves on 33 shots while his counterpart Karsten Felske made 27 saves on 30 shots for the Bruins.

* Forward Josh Bray left the game midway through the second and did not return. He has been battling a hip injury lately and is questionable for tomorrow nights game.

- Troy K


*** Update ***

There were three other SJHL games on Friday night. As Troy mentioned above, the Melville Millionaires defeated the Yorkton Terriers 3-2 in a shootout as the Mils maintain a one point advantage over the Red Wings. Daniel Hope was the shootout hero for the Mils and also scored a goal in regulation. Levi Lind also scored for Melville while ex-Wing Brad Johnston had two assists. Derek Serdachny and Kirk Byczynnski replied for the Terriers who could not beat Mils goaltender Kyle Cantlon in the shootout. Cantlon did not have a very busy night as the Terriers could only manage a minuscule 12 shots on goal in 65 minutes of action and certainly were lucky to even pick up the single point. Lynden Sammartino made 28 saves in the Yorkton goal.The Terriers pick up a single point and are one point behind third place Kindersley.

Speaking of thoes Klippers, they were in action in North Battleford tonight, and much to the chagrin of Stars123 the one game winning streak is over for the Stars as they fall 4-0 to Kindersley. Brett Leedahl had three assists to pace the Klippers offensively. Jonathan Redlick scored two goals. Jayde Dunser had a goal and an assist and Jeremy Beller scored the other Klippers goal. Ryan Sawka also had two assists for Kindersley. Matt Weninger picked up the shutout for the Klippers as he stopped all 29 shots he faced. Ryan Kerpan was under fire all night and managed to turn aside 49 of 53 Kindersley shots. Kerpan appears to be one positive on the Stars roster as of late. The Klippers now have sole possession of third in the Sherwood and are two points back of second place Weyburn.

In Flin Flon, the Humboldt Broncos dropped their second straight game as they were dumped 4-1 by the hometown Bombers. Reid MacLeod added to his SJHL leading totals as he had two goals and an assist for Flin Flon. Dennis Kubat chipped in with a goal and an assist. Barrett Penner also scored for Flin Flon. Matt Kirzinger had the lone Broncos goal. Calvin Bartel made 26 saves for the victory. Taylor Nelson had a rare off night as he allowed four goals on 25 shots.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Reid MacLeod - Flin Flon Bombers (2 goals, 1 assist to lead Bombers over Broncos)
** Brett Leedahl - Kindersley Klippers (3 point night to lead Klippers)
*** Brayden Nargang - Weyburn Red Wings (I was at the game in Estevan and thought Brayden had a great game. Not only scoring the winning goal but his penalty killing work was also top notch)

- Brad M.

#13 Not so Unlucky for Mustangs!

For the 13th straight game, the Melfort Mustangs have picked up at least a single point as they went into Yorkton tonight and came from behind to defeat the Terriers 3-2. Riley Clark, an early candidate for SJHL defenseman of the week, scored twice for the Mustangs. Tommy Brown also scored a goal for the second consecutive game since returning from the World Junior A Challenge in Trail, BC as well as adding an assist. Brady Gordon, Matt Hill, Kyle Fraser, Ryan Gareau and Taylor Watt all picked up helpers as well. Kyle Block and Derek Serdachny replied for the Terriers. Kevin Stringfellow, Michael Trebish and Evan Neibrandt added assists for the Terriers. Ilia Ejov made 23 saves to lead the Mustangs to another win, while Lynden Sammartino had 26 saves for the Terriers. The Mustangs are now 17-7-0-1 and have climbed within one point of division leading Humboldt. The Terriers fail to make up ground as it has been a rough week for Sherwood Conference teams so far this week. They are now 12-10-2-2 and remain tied with the Kindersley Klippers for third in the Sherwood. There are still only five points separating first place Melville from fifth place Estevan.

Three Stars (I will go with the three stars from the gamesheet tonight)

* Riley Clark - Melfort Mustangs (2 goals, game winner)
** Tommy Brown - Melfort Mustangs (goal and an assist)
*** Ilia Ejov - Melfort Mustangs (23 saves for 11th victory since arriving in Melfort)

Minor deal - The Nipawin Hawks have dealt 1989 born defenseman Andrew Bzdel to the Notre Dame Hounds for the rights to 1990 born Cody Aldag. Bzdel saw limited ice time in two seasons in Nipawin and this move may allow him to get more of a chance to play.

- Brad M.

What Bray has to say!

Troy Kramm: You have really come back with a vengeance these past few games after being out of the lineup with an injury, what has been a key to your success?

Josh Bray: I have just been getting pucks to the net and been continuing to work hard. My linemates have been playing good and have been getting the puck to me. I have just been fortunate enough to score on my chances.

TK: The team came out giving up the first goal in both games last weekend but managed to battle back in those games especially versus Melville as you were down two in the third. How does the team try and fight back when down a goal or two?

Bray: Well that’s why it is a 60 minute game. You never win by a score of 1-0. You are usually gonna give up a goal so you just have to put it behind you. The game is never over after the first goal is scored so we just have to keep playing right until the final whistle.

TK: You have the week off before facing Estevan and you now have Dwight back behind the bench, are you looking forward to seeing Dwight back and was it a different feel with Darcy and Tyler handling the coaching?

Bray: They didn’t do anything too different, it’s just going to be business as usual with Dwight back. He has so much experience, he picks up on things we need to work on in practice and just helps us get a little more finely tuned on the ice.

TK: Are you looking forward to taking on Estevan as you wont have to try putting pucks past Guillaume Perusse who the Wings have had some tough times scoring on in the past?

Bray: It doesn’t matter who is in net. I am just go out there and play every game like it’s my last. It doesn’t matter if Fleury is in net, I just go out and battle every night.

TK: With the Sherwood Conference being so close together for points, are you putting any added pressure on yourself to pick up these next two wins versus Estevan?

Bray: For sure, they is always big pressure to win the conference games. It is always good to play our rivals that are just down the road from us. I think it puts some more fire in our belly and excites everyone a little more.

The next game for the Weyburn Red Wings is on Friday night versus the Estevan Bruins in Estevan. We hope you can make the trip out there. Come cheer on the boys.
Troy K

Former Wing Traded Again!

Forward Jared Smale wore out his welcome for a second time as the Port Hope Predators have dealt Smale in a multi-player deal to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL. Smale only played six games in Port Hope and managed only 1 assist and 42 penalty minutes in six games. Smale has not played for Port Hope in over three weeks and was apparently sent home to Edmonton to await a trade.

- Brad M.

CJAHL Ranking for week ended Nov. 10/07

CJAHL TOP 15 as of November 10th, 2007

Team League Last Week
1 Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) 1
2 Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL) 2
3 Portage Terriers (MJHL) 4
4 Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) 6
5 Woodstock Slammers (MJAHL) 7
6 Markham Waxers (OPJHL) 5
7 Newmarket Hurricanes (OPJHL) 3
8 Yarmouth Mariners (MJAHL) 11
9 Fort William North Stars (SIJHL) 8
10 Melville Millionaires (SJHL) 10
11 Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) 9
12 Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) 12
13 Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) 13
14 North Bay Skyhawks (NOJHL) 14
15 Les Inouk de Granby (LHJAAAQ) 15

Honorable mention goes to the Penticton Vees (BCHL), Okotoks Oilers (AJHL), Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL), Dauphin Kings (MJHL), Winnipeg Saints (MJHL), Dryden Ice Dogs (SIJHL), Sudbury Jr. Wolves (NOJHL), St. Michael's Buzzers (OPJHL), Vaughan Vipers (OPJHL), Huntsville Otters (OPJHL), Smiths Falls Bears (CJHL), Brockville Braves (CJHL), Les Condors de Kahnawake (LHJAAAQ), and the Truro Bearcats (MJAHL).

Top Teams Tangle in Melville!

Two of the SJHL's top teams went at it in Melville tonight and the game did not disappoint as Melfort squeaked out a 3-2 win over the Millionaires. Kyle Fraser led the way for the Mustangs as he scored the game winner in the third period and added an assist. Jordan Morgan and Taylor Watt also scored for the Mustangs. Donavon Chow, Riley Clark, Matt Hill, Mike Kirby and Tommy Brown all added assists. Shane Stanicky and Dion Campbell, with a short-handed goal, replied for Melville. Jeremie Houde, Levi Lind, and Derek Edwards added assists for Melville. The Mustangs have now won five in a row and went twelve games without losing in regulation. Ilia Ejov improves his record to 10-0-0-1 as he made 29 saves for Melfort. Travis Bosch got the start for Melville and stopped 22 Mustangs shots. The Millionaires fail to gain ground on the second place Red Wings and remain one point ahead of them with a record of 15-6-1-0. The Mustangs improve to 16-7-0-1 and suddenly are only three points back of the league leading Humboldt Broncos. The Broncos do have two games in hand.

In Kindersley, the Flin Flon Bombers woke up from a surprising loss in Battlefords last night and posted a 6-3 win over the Klippers. Pierre - Luc Boucher had two goals and two assists to lead the way for the Bombers. Dennis Kubat added two goals while Scott Day and Barrett Penner chipped in with singles. Jonathan Redlick, Matt Sawa and Ben Ritchie replied for the Klippers. Calvin Bartel had another strong outing for the Bombers as he made 41 saves for the win. Ryan Nieszner was chased from the Klippers net after allowing four goals in the first period. Matt Weninger cleaned up and allowed only one goal on 22 shots the rest of the way. The Klippers missed out on an opportunity to tie the second place Red Wings as they fall to 13-10-0-2. The Bombers improve to 14-9-0-1.

In La Ronge, it was the place to be if you like offense as the Ice Wolves won 6-5 in a shootout over the Nipawin Hawks. Jarrid Dowhay picked up the shootout winner for the Wolves and added two assists. Joseph Cook, normally known for his feistiness, scored twice for the Ice Wolves. Everette Lerner, Jordie Johnston and Adam Moar also scored for La Ronge. Adam Schwark, Keldon Sanderson, Jordan Bourgonje and Torrie Dyck each had a goal and an assist for Nipawin. Blair Toms had the other Hawks goal. Cody Wutzke chipped in with two assists. Brian Kaval made 43 saves to pick up the win. Derek Kleinsteuber, now clearly the number one guy in Nipawin, made 46 saves in the Hawks goal. The Ice Wolves move to 12-12-1-1 with the win. The Hawks are now 10-11-0-2.

Note: Melfort forward Clint Olson, who was having a fantastic season to date, is out six to eight weeks with an injury.

Carter Smith, who on Sunday was still a member of the Yorkton Terriers, scored the game winner for the Red Deer Rebels late in the third period, as they defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3. Tyler Penny, a Weyburn product, also had an assist for the Rebels.

Tonight's Three Stars:

* Pierre-Luc Boucher - Flin Flon Bombers (4 point night versus Kindersley)
** Ilia Ejov - Melfort Mustangs (29 save performance in Mustangs win over Melville, including a late breakaway save on Dion Campbell)
*** Joseph Cook - La Ronge Ice Wolves (rare two goal game for Ice Wolves goon)

There is only one game on the schedule for Thursday as the Melfort Mustangs continue there mini two game road trip in east central Saskatchewan with a game in Yorkton.

- Brad M.