Third through sixth in the standings bunched up even more on Tuesday, as Melfort and Nipawin both picked up convincing home ice wins, and Yorkton scored a late short-handed goal to force overtime, before falling in Notre Dame, grabbing a single point.
Kyle Bosch scored a hat trick and the Melfort Mustangs rolled to a 9-2 win over the Estevan Bruins. Kenzie Arnold, Christian Albertson, Seth McCulloch, Tyson Meyers and Adam Nobes all had a goal and an assist, and Colton Schell rounded out the scoring. Shawn Parkinson made 20/22 saves for the Mustangs (27-16-6-3) who now sit tied for fourth with La Ronge, with a game in hand.
Tanner Manz and Brady Nicholas replied for the Bruins (26-22-3-1). Estevan remains in eighth place, one point back of Humboldt with two games in hand.
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Estevan and Weyburn are both on four game swings through the Sher-Wood Division and the Red Wings also got off to a tough start, falling 6-1 in Nipawin on Tuesday.
Caden Benson (2g-1a) and Michael Makarenko (1g-2a) each had three point nights, while Carson Erhardt (1g-1a) opened the scoring with his 20th goal of the season. Riley Bruce and Jordan Simoneau also found the net and Dalton Dosch made 17/18 saves for the win.
The Hawks (29-21-3-1) remain in sixth place but are just a point behind Melfort and La Ronge who sit tied for fourth.
Dace Prymak scored for the Red Wings (19-31-1-2). Their trip goes Nipawin-Flin Flon-La Ronge-Melfort, while Estevan does the exact opposite on the same nights, going Melfort-La Ronge-Flin Flon-Nipawin.
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In the dying minutes the Yorkton Terriers killed off a short 5-on-3, and then Keenan Taphorn (1g-2a) scored short-handed with 24 seconds left to force overtime in Notre Dame. Guillaume St. Onge scored 38 seconds into overtime for the Hounds, who won 4-3 in overtime, but the single point in the standings for the Terriers could go a long way in sewing up third place.
Yorkton (32-19-2-1) is now four points up on Melfort and La Ronge, five up on Nipawin. Jordan Guiney (2g-1a) added a pair of goals and Matthew Pesenti made 27/31 saves.
Kenzie MacKinnon, Curtis Wiebe and Sho Takai scored in regulation before St. Onge’s overtime heroics. Riley Kohonick made 36/39 saves in goal for the Hounds (18-28-5-2).
