CALGARY, AB – Heading into the Centennial Cup playoffs, between the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League regular season, playoffs, and the nationals, the Melfort Mustangs were 22-1-3-0 in one-goal games.
Win No. 23, which came in the form of a tense 4-3 semifinal victory over the Ontario Junior Hockey League champion Trenton Golden Hawks Saturday, was par for the course for this team that always seems to find a way.
And for the second year in a row, the Mustangs will have a chance to bring the national championship back to Saskatchewan.
The game was a back-and-forth affair.
Ty Thornton and Nolan Patterson gave the SJHL champs a 2-0 lead by the 47-second mark of the second period, Trenton counter-punched to tie it at two.
Tristin Ziola followed up a beautiful Danton Cox rush at 17:38 of the middle frame to make it 3-2, but the Hawks responded 18 seconds later.
It was Zac Somers, whose five goals and two game winners pace the Mustangs at the tournament, who played the hero with just under seven minutes remaining in regulation on a picture-perfect feed from Logan Belton.
Kristian Coombs was once again solid when called upon, while making 18 stops in the win.
Highlights presented by HN Live.
Melfort 4 Trenton 3
The Gold Medal Game is set for 5:00 P.M. MDT on Sunday. It can be watched on TSN+ and HNLive.ca.
Hear from Melfort assistant coach Tye Scherger here:
Hear from Melfort forward Zac Somers here:
