NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE SJHL

By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the ND Hounds

No. 1 Battlefords North Stars (45-11-2-0, 92 pts) vs. No. 8 Nipawin Hawks (30-24-3-1, 64 pts)

Series: 3-0 Battlefords

My thoughts: The Stars have outscored the Hawks 13-4 in the series. The Nipawin scoreless streak finally was busted by a Michael Makarenko goal 13:08 into the first period of Game 2, ending that slump at 195 minutes, and 23 seconds stretching back into the regular season. It was nevertheless not enough to stop the Hawks losing that contest 6-2, and being outshot 22-6 in the middle frame; so despite Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko’s text to me saying that it’s all been closer than it looks, it isn’t going GREAT for the Hawks either. The best news for Nipawin is that the series shifts back to the always big (emotionally, metaphorically…not literally) home-ice advantage of the Centennial Arena for Game 3 Tuesday night. Will the Hawks go to the more experienced, if not-as-highly-touted Dalton Dosch in net, after Ross Hawryluk gave up all nine? It might not matter, given that the Stars have shown almost no rust while icing their first truly full-healthy roster since mid-January.

No. 2 Flin Flon Bombers (36-15-7-0, 79 pts) vs. No. 7 Humboldt Broncos (28-21-7-2, 65 pts)

Series: 3-0 Flin Flon

My thoughts: I know for sure there is no quit in this Humboldt group, despite giving up 11 goals in the first two games in Flin Flon. Both teams have had ample power play opportunities, an occurrence which I wrote in my series preview might be an equalizer, given the excellence of Humboldt’s man advantage; but the Bombers power play is even better, even more polished, so maybe Scott Barney’s men would be better off with a tighter whistle. Michael Foreman was marginally better in net than Michael Harroch for the Broncs, but two combined points from the first two games for stars Luke Spadafora and Logan Foster is not a recipe for Humboldt success either. Cole Rafuse and Donovan Houle-Villeneuve already have 13 points combined for Flin Flon, who are flying as expected, so it’s so far so good for the Manitobans. The Broncos are the youngest team in the league, on average just over 18 years of age for every player that has played for them this year, while the Bombers are the third most experienced, one of only three teams averaging over 19 years by the same metric; so Humboldt will need to find every little bit of pluck (and luck) to make this a long series.

No. 3 Melfort Mustangs (32-17-6-3, 73 pts) vs. No. 6 Estevan Bruins (31-23-3-1, 66 pts)

Series: 2-1 Melfort

My thoughts: I said this was going to be a long series, and it’s off on the right track in that vein. That being said, it was two games dominated by the Melfort Mustangs, the team I’ve gone on record to say was playing the best hockey going into the playoffs, and I don’t look like an idiot so far. Keenan Rancier in the Estevan net has been absolutely brilliant, not at all looking like a guy who came into the year with exactly 40 minutes of junior post-season experience (that unique 40 minutes coming last year at the National Championship, mostly watching on as his Prince George Spruce Kings team pummelled the Portage Terriers, and outshout them 24-7 with him in net). So far these playoffs, he has given up only three goals on 89 Mustang shots, and paired with a couple great individual Troy Hamilton efforts, helped the Bruins steal Game 1 last Friday. So, I actually expect both head coaches, Trevor Blevins of Melfort and Chris Lewgood of Estevan, to be fairly happy with the way it’s gone so far; Blevins because of the performances, and Lewgood because his younger team found a way to split the first two. For me, the best skater in the series so far has been Mustangs’ forward Tian Rask, who has been everywhere, and done a little bit of everything, despite the single goal for all his efforts. Boy, is he good. Can’t wait to keep watching this one closely!

No. 4 Yorkton Terriers (35-20-2-1, 73 pts) vs. No. 5 La Ronge Ice Wolves (33-19-3-3, 72 pts)

Series: 2-1 Yorkton

My thoughts: How about a series where the first two games featured a combined nine power-play goals, with the Ice Wolves man advantage clicking at 36.4 per-cent, and the Terriers at 35.7? Don’t take penalties, I guess! Chantz Petruic has three of Yorkton’s five goals so far, which shouldn’t be a surprise given the captain potted a mind-boggling 30 per-cent of their tallies as a club in the regular season, while La Ronge’s talisman Daylon Mannon has four points in the first two. The Wolves dominated Game 1, the Terriers were better in Game 2, but I still have a hunch that La Ronge will find better success in Yorkton than vice versa, since I am expecting the Mel Hegland Uniplex to be a real fortress this post-season for a fanbase that hasn’t seen the playoffs in a little while. Presumed Terriers’ starter Philippe Bond has not dressed so far in the series, so one wonders if there is an injury situation there, leaving the ball in the hands of rookie Matt Pesenti, who to his credit, was very good in the Saskatoon Blazers run to the Sask midget final last year. Last shot wins in this series full of difficult scorers to stop.

(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)