Luke Nkwama scored three goals or more for the second time this season, notching a hat trick and an assist in the Melville Millionaires’ 5-1 win over the visiting La Ronge Ice Wolves on Saturday night. Nkawma’s third of the night came short-handed, late in the third period for his 12th of the campaign.
Payton Jerome and former Ice Wolf Grady Birk each had a goal and an assist, while Berk Berkeliev was in fine form once again, making 40 saves on 41 shots to secure the win for Melville (8-14-2-3).
Former Millionaire James Philpott did the scoring for the Ice Wolves (14-13-2-1).
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Hounds’ defenseman Hardy Wagner scored 3:34 into overtime as Notre Dame edged the visiting Humboldt Broncos 3-2 (OT).
The Hounds (11-13-2-1) needed three straight goals after falling behind 2-0 early. Cole Stevenson and Kenzie MacKinnon (first SJHL goal) got them back on even terms, and Riley Kohonick shut the door over the final 40+ minutes, making 31/33 saves.
Zach McIntyre and Logan Kurki gave the Broncos (15-9-3-2) their 2-0 first period lead.
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The Estevan Bruins capped off a weekend swing to the western part of the province with a 5-4 overtime win in Kindersley.
Isaiah Thomas potted the winner for his 10th of the year, finishing the night with a goal and two assists. Tanner Manz scored twice, while Tyler Savage (1g-1a), Jayden Davis rounded out the scoring, and Keenan Rancier made 27 stops for the Bruins (9-12-2-1).
Captain Brendon Borbely scored twice and added one assist for the Klippers (9-14-3-1), while Brett Neumeier (1g-1a) and Scott McKenzie had the others.
Estevan’s in a three-way tie for second in the Viterra Division with Melville and Weyburn (21 points), which is a three way tie for 10th in the overall standings, meaning if the season ended today, all three teams, along with Kindersley (22 points) would be out of the playoff picture. 29 games is the midway point of the season, some teams are at or beyond that point, while Estevan has played a league-low 24 games.
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The Battlefords North Stars had a perfect weekend at home after a nine day break, beating the Weyburn Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday.
Matthias Urbanski had a goal and an assist, with Dylan McCabe, Steven Kesserling and Seth Summers rounding it out. Austin Schwab improved to 6-0 on the season, making 20/22 saves for the Stars (24-2-0-0).
Ben Hiltz and Shayde Peterson did the scoring for the Red Wings (10-17-0-1).
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Melfort’s Shawn Parkinson and Flin Flon’s Jacob Delorme went toe-to-toe all night, before the Mustangs scored a pair of third period goals, including an empty-netter, for the 3-1 victory.
Parkinson stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced, while Colton Schell opened the scoring, and Marco Lopez and Ryley Lanthier added the third period markers for the Mustangs (16-7-2-1).
Delorme stopped 36 of 38 shots in goal for the Bombers (16-6-3-0) and Caleb Franklin got them on the board early in the third.
The Bombers and Mustangs are now again tied for the Sherwood Division lead, and in a three way tie with Humboldt for second in the overall standings.
