West Central hockey fans kept a close eye on the Centennial Cup in Calgary May 8-18, Hockey Canada's Junior "A" National Championship.
For the second straight year two locals, Kerrobert's Austin Shepherd on the ice and Macklin's Tye Scherger behind the bench, were hunting down a championship with the SJHL representative Melfort Mustangs. The Mustangs made a valiant run to the finals after finishing the preliminary round 2-1-1, clearing out a pair of Ontario champions to earn a game against the host Calgary Canucks in the final, where they lost 7-2 to fall short of hoisting the Centennial Cup for a second straight season.
Melfort's tournament began just how it started, with a loss to the host Canucks 3-1 back on May 8. The Mustangs then bounced back nicely with wins in their next three games 5-3 over the Martimes Hockey League's Edmundston Blizzard, 5-2 against the CCHL's Rockland Nationals, and then a 5-4 overtime win against Quebec's Braves de Valleyfield.
The Mustangs momentum from the preliminary round carried into the quarterfinals as they dominated the Northern Ontario Hockey League's Greater Sudbury Cubs 7-1, completing the Ontario sweep with a win against the Trenton Golden Hawks in the semifinals to set up the championship game rematch against Calgary.
The final saw a 1-1 game after one period that kept fans on the edge of their seats, but six goals from the Canucks during the final two periods proved too much for the Mustangs who fell just short of their ultimate goal for a second straight season.
Related Stories:
- Centennial Cup getting underway in Calgary
- West Central natives claim SJHL title for second straight season
Despite the heartbreaking result, the Mustangs have lots to be proud of after a resilient tournament. After their 1-1 start Melfort played five games in six days, bringing tired legs into the matchup with Calgary who had played one game between last Tuesday and Sunday’s championship final (SJHL).
With their deep runs to the final the past two years, the Mustangs have arguably played more hockey than any junior team in Canada. Melfort has fought hoof and nail to earn their keep as one of the top performing teams in the country, and after another short offseason will look to get back on the saddle once again to make a run at junior hockey glory.