Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

MOST OF PLAYOFF PICTURE SHAKES OUT TUESDAY

By Craig Stein

With a 7-1 win over the visiting La Ronge Ice Wolves, the Nipawin Hawks wrapped up the SJHL regular season pennant, and first overall seed heading into the Canalta Cup Playoffs on Tuesday.

The win also means the Battlefords North Stars will take the #2.  The Hawks and Stars will face the two Wild Card Series winners, with the Hawks taking on the lowest seed remaining.

The Kindersley Klippers have capped a late season charge by clinching 6th place in the overall standings, meaning they’ll bypass the Wild Card series, thanks to a 5-2 win over Battlefords on Tuesday.

The Klippers will take on the #3 seed Estevan Bruins in the SJHL Quarter-Finals.  Games 1 & 2 would go in Estevan the weekend of March 16th.

The other Quarter-Final we know for sure, and have for a while, is the 4th place Melfort Mustangs with home ice against the 5th place Humboldt Broncos.  Games 1 & 2 are in Melfort March 16th and 17th.

The Flin Flon Bombers know they’ll finish 9th as Brandson Hein scored his second goal of the game with 33 seconds left as the Bombers edged the Melfort Mustangs 4-3 in regulation.  That locks Flin Flon into 9th, and the Melville Millionaires into 10th.

Flin Flon and Melville will face Notre Dame and Weyburn but it’s not yet clear who’ll face who.  Notre Dame beat Humboldt 5-1 Tuesday, to lift them a point over Weyburn into 7th place.  The Hounds’ regular season is over and they’ll wait and see what Weyburn does Friday in Yorkton.  The Wings would need a win in order to take back 7th place, as Notre Dame holds the tie-breaker thanks to their comeback win over the Wings on the weekend.

Tag(s): Home