By Mike Stackhouse /

Credit Union Cup League Finals
HUMBOLDT def. MELVILLE

The Mils entered the series having beat the Broncos in three of four head-to-head meetings and they also took Game 1 at the Elgar Petersen Arena with a last minute goal from Kale Dolinski.

But, the Broncos never looked back after stunning the Mils in Game 2. The real story was the play of Mathieu Larochelle, Humboldt’s back-up netminder, as he simply outdueled Travis Bosch and shut down Melville’s offense in what amounted to being the difference in the series.

It has likely earned him first dibs against Portage in the ANAVET Cup.
 
Itech Conference Final
HUMBOLDT def. FLIN FLON

The Bombers may have told themselves they were overmated before the series even started as Humboldt won in four straight games and the newly formed top line of Matthew Kirzinger, Spencer Braaten, and Dane Lindskog led the way.

Kirzinger likely sewed up the SJHL Playoff MVP in this series as he potted three goals and two assists in the sweep.

The Bombers scored just five goals in the whole series and starting goalie Matt Weninger was chased in favor of Ryan Kerpan before it was all said and done.
 
Itech Conference Semi-Final
FLIN FLON def. MELFORT

Weninger posted two shutouts as Flin Flon swept the Mustangs in four straight games.

Mathieu Lecours was a one-man wrecking crew with two goals and nine assists. Flin Flon also went 12-for-34 on the powerplay, which works out to an obscene 35.3 per cent.

Despite the loss, Melfort rewarded head coach Darrell Mann with a new three-year contract.
 
Itech Conference Semi-Final
HUMBOLDT def. BATTLEFORDS

The Broncos started their playoff run slow as the Stars pushed them to six games with netminder Kyle Birch leading the way for the Stars.

Humboldt took Game 5 by a score of 2-1 with Braaten scoring in the game’s final minute and then they rolled to a 7-2 triumph in game six.

Nevertheless, it was a successful postseason for the Stars, who stunned Nipawin with a three-game series sweep in the Elimination Series and actually posted an overall record of 5-4 in the playoffs, despite facing two clubs that had much better regular-season records.
 
Sherwood Conference Final
MELVILLE def. WEYBURN

The Millionaires may have lost their chance to win the league championship when leading scorer and captain Daniel Hope went down with his second concussion of the playoffs in Game 5 against the Wings.

Hope, who was taken out by a Cody Zubko late hit in the Yorkton series, was injured again in the first period when he was clipped by Andrew Perrault following an offensive-zone pass to Logan Herauf.

The Mils showed tremendous intestional fortitude to win this series as they beat AJ Whiffen three times in a minute-and-a-half late in the third period during Game 3 to post a win.

They also defeated the Wings in Game 4 in double overtime. The Wings trio of Preston Shupe, Torrey Lindsay, and Rhett Bly were the three most dangerous players on the ice but it wasn’t enough to push Weyburn into the Credit Union Cup final.
 
Sherwood Conference Semi-Final
WEYBURN def. KINDERSLEY

The Wings disposed of the Klippers in four straight games to avenge last year’s conference semifinal upset.

Weyburn shut down Kindersley’s top offensive line and simply limited their scoring opportunities while staying patient enough to capitalize on their own. Despite a powerplay that was just 2-for-21 in the series, Weyburn won two contests in overtime.

The Klippers may also have been tired after being pushed to the maximum five games in the Elimination Series with Estevan.
 
Sherwood Conference Semi-Final
MELVILLE def. YORKTON

The Mils struggled following an incident in Game 3 that saw Zubko get suspended for a game and Hope suffer his first of two concussions.

Nevertheless, they found a way to win Game 6 when they trailed in the series 3-2. It was a game in which Yorkton probably played as well as they possibly could have and still ended up losing.

Game 7 was no contest as the Mils won on home ice. Positives for the Terriers included the play of goalie Joel Danyluk, who bailed his club out from a 2-0 series deficit and finished with a 1.84 GAA and .937 save percentage.