Mustangs heading home with 2-0 series lead in duel for SJHL crown

The Melfort Mustangs have done something no other team has been able to accomplish in this year's Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs — they've beaten the Flin Flon Bombers and they've done it twice in a row.

Entering the SJHL final series, the Bombers had won both their quarterfinal and semifinal best-ofseven series in four straight games, knocking out the Kindersley Klippers and Battlefords North Stars, respectively.

However, the Mustangs put an end to the winning streak in Game 1 of the final on Friday, as Ryan Duguay and Logan Cox each scored twice and five other Melfort players scored once to give the visitors a 9-2 victory.

The following night, also in Flin Flon, Chase Friedt-mohr, Rhett Hamilton, Danton Cox and Logan Cox all scored for the Mustangs to post a 4-1 win, with Flin Flon's lone goal coming from Justin Lies.

In net for Melfort, James Venne stopped 39 of 41 shots in Game 1 and another 42 of 43 in Game 2.

Two goalies appeared in net for the Bombers in Friday's game as Harmon Laser-hume turned aside 23-of-30 shots before being replaced midway through the third period with Kenneth Marquart, who went eight-for-10. In Saturday's game, Laser-hume stopped 21 of 24 shots, with the Mustangs adding an empty-netter late in the third.

The next, and possibly final, two games of the series take place in Melfort; Game 3 is Wednesday and Game 4 on Thursday.

TEAM SASK WATER POLO WINS GOLD AT WESTERNS

The Team Sask girls U17 water polo team are Western Conference champions after topping Renegades Black 14-9 in Sunday's final at the Shaw Centre in Saskatoon.

Competing in U17 boys division, Team Sask lost by a single point 8-7 in the bronze-medal game.

Both Saskatchewan teams finished in the final four at the event, earning a berth at the national championships May 24-26 in Montreal.

BLADES, WARRIORS OPEN EAST FINAL ON FRIDAY

The Saskatoon Blades and the Moose Jaw Warriors are set to begin battle in the Western Hockey League's best-of-seven Eastern Conference final starting later this week.

Coming into the series, the two teams have been evenly matched, with each team picking up three regulation time victories in their six meetings during the WHL regular season.

In playoffs, the Blades won their opening series over the Prince Albert Raiders 4-1 and then won in four straight games over the Red Deer Rebels in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

Meanwhile, the Warriors swept the Brandon Wheat Kings in four games to start their playoff run and most recently eliminated the Swift Current Broncos 4-1 to advance to the final.

Games 1 and 2 will be played in Saskatoon at Sasktel Centre on Friday and Saturday night, respectively, with puck drop at 7 p.m. The series will move to Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw for the third and fourth games on April 30 and May 1.

If required, the series will return to Saskatoon on May 3.