The first weekend of the SJHL season is in the books, and there are a few observations from all the action.

  • The Weyburn Red Wings have a lot of firepower that can seemingly turn on at will. They scored four goals in the third period of Friday’s 6-4 win over the Yorkton Terriers. They were powered by the top line of Jordan Kazymyra (3 goals), Ben Hiltz, (two goals and two assists) and captain Cade Kowalski (1 goal and 3 assists).

  • The Yorkton Terriers will be a threat all season long. With Jared Legien, Chantz Petruic and Branden Klatt in the line-up, they have a lot of firepower. You can expect to see their names on the scoresheets often throughout the season.

  • The Kindersley Klippers have had some problems with the Battlefords North Stars in recent years. Last season, the North Stars took the season series 7-3, and the year before, 10-0. This may not be the case this year, as the Klippers took the opening home and home series between the two teams. Watch for Justen Close to continue his strong play from last season this year.

  • In the first 11 games of the SJHL season, an average of 1050 fans took in each game. It was nice to see the La Ronge Ice Wolves pull in 958 for their season opener. It bodes well for the launch of the season.

  • The opening weekend saw a lot of offence. The average score per game was 5.2 for the winning team, and 2.6 for the losing side this weekend. With the teams combining for an average of nearly eight goals per game, a lot of the numbers to start the year off will be quite shocking.

  • The Melville Millionaires were a handful for the Estevan Bruins to handle on the weekend. The Millionaires are a choice for many to be a contender for the Viterra Division crown this season, and they proved it, despite the results being a pair of losses.

First-week stats leaders

  • Goals: Zach Anderson (Melfort Mustangs) - 4 (all four goals came in Saturday’s 8-4 win over the Notre Dame Hounds)

  • Assists: Calvon Boots (Flin Flon Bombers) - 6 (Boots picked up the assists in two games against the La Ronge Ice Wolves)

  • Points: Brandson Hein (Flin Flon Bombers) & TJ Irey (Estevan Bruins) - 7

  • Penalty Minutes: Jake Heerspink (Estevan Bruins) - 29 (A double game misconduct in Saturday’s game against Estevan may mean a suspension for Heerspink)

  • Goals Against Average: Declan Hobbs (Nipawin Hawks) - 0.50 (Allowed just one goal in two games against a highly motivated Humboldt Broncos squad)

  • Save Percentage: Declan Hobbs (Nipawin Hawks) - .989 (Hobbs has stopped 88 of the 89 shots he has faced so far this season)

Who’s Hot

  • Declan Hobbs - Last year’s goaltender of the year is on fire to start the season. He will be a key factor in any of the successes the Nipawin Hawks have this season.

  • TJ Irey - The second-year Estevan Bruin has almost matched half of his total for last season, with seven points in the opening two games. While a 3.5 points-per-game is nearly impossible to achieve throughout a season, he will be looking to continue his strong play as the season progresses.

  • Ben Hiltz, Cade Kowalski & Jordan Kazymyra - The trio combined for 11 points in Weyburn’s 6-4 win over Yorkton. They have a strong chemistry and will be looking to continue to put up high numbers throughout the season.

  • Nolan Renwick - The Milestone, SK native has three points in two games, and is tied for the lead in rookie scoring. Expect him to be a contender for the title throughout the season.

  • Ryan Butler - The Millionaires forward shares the rookie scoring lead with Renwick, and put up his three points in two losses to the Estevan Bruins.