Win Streaks Collide in Melfort Tonight, Bombers @ Mustangs.

The Melfort Mustangs will open the home portion of the 2018 schedule tonight. The Mustangs welcome the Flin Flon Bombers to the Northern Lights Palace for a 7:30pm game. It is expected Ben Allen will make his Mustangs debut against the Bombers. He had 11 points with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL this season.

The Mustangs have been riding a hot streak right through the month of December and now into January as they’re winners of 4 straight and have opened a gap over Notre Dame and Humboldt for 4th in the MJHL. Melfort sits 7 points back of Nipawin for top spot in the SJHL. With wins over Kindersley, Humboldt, Estevan and Weyburn the Mustangs sit with a 24-7-4-1 record on the season and will look for their 5th straight tonight against Flin Flon.

The Flin Flon Bombers also come into tonight’s game riding a solid winning streak as they’ve won 5 straight. Big wins over Yorkton this weekend have the Bombers sitting in a survivor series spot at the moment with an eye to move up again. Although they’ve won 5 straight, a tough schedule prior to it now sees the Bombers just 5-5-0-0 in their last 10. They’ve been led this season by 1997’ FW Nick Shumlanski. Shumlanski has 39 points this season in just 34 games with the Bombers.

With the Trade Deadline set for tomorrow evening, it’s yet to be seen what direction the Bombers will take, if any. Sitting in 9th in the SJHL may suggest the Bombers move on without some of their older players for the rest of the season, and try to find more competitive teams for them to play on. For the Mustangs with the addition of Ben Allen they will be gunning for an SJHL championship this season looking to make it 3 in the last 4 years. They are led by a crop of solid 1997’ born players. Goaltender Evan Plotnik has been as advertised this season with leaders like Loch Morrison, Andrew Thompson and Reed Gunville the Mustangs are poised to be a tough team come playoff time!

Leading Scorers:

Melfort

Loch Morrison 12G, 27A- 39P

Kalem Zary 7G, 23A- 30P

Justin Ball 14G, 13A- 27P

Reed Gunville 7G, 19A- 26P

Flin Flon

Nick Shumlanski 12G, 27A- 39P

Chyrstopher Collin 17G, 14A- 31P

Nate Hooper 11G, 19A- 30P

Caleb Moretz 9G, 19A- 28P

Tonight’s game is a 7:30pm puck drop, from the Northern Lights Palace and sets up to be a good one. Someone’s winning streak will come to an end. There will be no broadcast tonight on CK750. It’s one of three games in the SJHL this evening, Battlefords @ Nipawin and Kindersley @ Notre Dame are the other two.