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By Ben Tompkins

In Enemy Territory

Mustangs come off nine-day break to face rival Hawks

Nov 14, 2025 | 3:52 PM

The Melfort Mustangs are back in action tonight following a nine-day break in which players returned home.

Now back in Melfort, the boys will hit the road an hour north to take on one of, if not their biggest rivals, the Nipawin Hawks.

“The break was definitely needed. Going home and spending some time with the family was good, so now we’re ready to go again. It was a nice little reset, but our focus is back to hockey. Obviously, we’re also excited to be back, because it’s great to come back and see the boys. When you’re around them every day, you miss them, even when you’re only away for five days,” explained forward Kaleb Binner.

“Coming into this week in practice, we knew we had a lot to clean up, and we know that we’re better than our record shows to start the year. Just working on the simple things, and going back to the basics, I feel like we needed that the most. Going into a tight rink like Nipawin, they’re a good team this year, so it’s going to be a good test to see what we’re made of coming back from this break.”

Despite eight scheduled matchups on the season between the two divisional foes, the Mustangs and Hawks have seen each other just once, two months into the season.

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The first contest also happened quite long ago, as it came on the opening night of the SJHL season.

Nipawin won that contest in Melfort, 4-3, scoring twice in the third period to earn the comeback victory.

“We’re looking to bounce back, because we remember those games, and we hate losing at home, especially to a division rival. It’s definitely on our minds a bit, for sure, so we know the job has to be done when we’re going in there,” Binner added.

“It’s a tight rink, and it’s a fun one to play in, because there’s definitely lots that happens. The game is won or lost in the corners and along the walls, so we gotta bring the tenacity and the hard work. We told the younger guys that it’s going to be a gritty and feisty game out there. We’re all excited, and hopefully, we get the job done.”

Two new Stangs players will have the opportunity to make their Blue and Green debuts, as the club acquired forward Luke Mackenzie from the Niverville Nighthawks in exchange for defenceman Jake DeMone and a player development fee over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the organization also made a trade with the Battlefords North Stars on Friday morning, picking up forward Dru Mushumanski, for forward Owen Nelson and future considerations.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8