The SJHL/MJHL Showcase is officially in the books for another year as the best of the best from the two leagues collided once again Wednesday at the Seven Oaks Arena. A full recap and post-game interviews can be found below.
SJ U20 Gold 2 vs MJ U20 Black 4
Team SJ Gold got off to a hot start in the opening game of Day 2 of the SJHL/MJHL Showcase. Ilia Chmelevski of the Estevan Bruins got the scoring started less than two minutes into the opening frame as he finished off a passing play from linemates Keagon Little and Tylin Hilbig to give the SJ a 1-0 lead. However, the MJHL would respond quickly after, evening the game at 1 just four minutes later and then taking their first lead of the game just past the midway point of the period. The SJ would get back on even terms though with 6:10 to go in the stanza and it would be the Chmelevski, Little, and Hilbig line converting once again as Hilbig netted his 2nd of the event. Unfortunately for the SJ, that would do it for the scoring for the rest of the game and the MJHL would earn their first win of the event, 4-2. James Venne of the Melfort Mustangs was busy in between the pipes, making 38 saves in the loss and Bruins forward Ilia Chmelevski was named Player of the Game for the SJHL. Director of Media Jeromy Corrigan caught up Battlefords North Stars Captain Tanner Gold following the loss.
SJ U20 White vs MJ U20 Red
The 2nd game of the day was a back-and-forth affair between SJ White and MJ Red, but in the end, it was SJ White earning a 7-5 win. It was a balanced attack for the SJHL throughout the game with seven different goalscorers which included Travis Bryson (Humboldt), Liam McInnis (Nipawin), Jacob Vockler (Flin Flon), Alexi Sylvestre (Flin Flon), David Coyle (Yorkton), Carter Anderson (Flin Flon) and Anthony Piccininno (Flin Flon). Despite not finding the back of the net, it was Clay Sleeva of the Melfort Mustangs who was named SJHL Player of the Game as he finished the afternoon with a pair of assists. He caught up with Director of Media Jeromy Corrigan following the game.
SJ U18 Blue vs MJ U18 White
The event wrapped up Wednesday evening as the two U18 teams collided once again. It was a fast-moving first period with both teams getting some good scoring opportunities. However, the lone goal of the period would come off the stick of Jayden Iyogun of the Melville Millionaires on the power-play as the SJ U18s took a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. The SJHL would double their lead near the midway point of the 2nd period as Weyburn Red Wings forward Cade Meiklejohn would receive a pass from Broncos Ben Constantino and snipe one top shelf to make it 2-0. The MJHL would respond in the 2nd half of the frame though and they would get on the board with 8:14 left, but the SJHL would take a one-goal lead going into the 3rd period. Less than two minutes into the 3rd, the SJ would get some insurance as Finley Radloff would score his first of the event. Ben Constantino would get in on the action a couple of minutes later as he would snipe the SJ’s 4th of the game. The teams would trade goals in the final 10 minutes and the SJ U18s would walk away with a 5-2 win. Aiden Fischer of the Humboldt Broncos made 32 saves in the victory and was named SJ Player of the Game and spoke with Director of Media Jeromy Corrigan post-game.
The SJHL would end the event with a 5-1 record.
On behalf of the SJHL, we would like to thank the city of Winnipeg and the MJHL for being great hosts for the event
SJHL league play will resume on Friday.
