The Melville Millionaires climbed back into an SJHL playoff spot Tuesday night, earning a 6–5 shootout victory over the Nipawin Hawks.
Melville came out flying, striking three times in the opening 6:39 of the first period. Grady Carmichael and Brayden Gourley scored just 18 seconds apart to make it 2–0, before Jaden Kokosha buried his first SJHL goal to give the Millionaires a three-goal cushion.
Nipawin answered late in the opening frame as Eric Hoiness finished a setup from Braeden Jockims, beating Melville goaltender Matthew Spencer-Dahl to cut the deficit to 3–1 after 20 minutes.
The Hawks pulled within one midway through the second period on the power play, as Konnor Watson fired a long point shot through traffic for his team-leading 19th goal. Melville responded quickly, however, with Nathan Taylor converting a cross-crease saucer pass just 68 seconds later to restore a 4–2 lead heading into the third.
The Millionaires appeared to take control early in the final frame when newcomer Maddox Schindle went five-hole for his first goal with the club, making it 5–2.
Nipawin refused to go quietly, storming back with goals from Raydr Wallington, Mason Lowther, and Watson, who tied the game with 2:47 remaining in regulation.
Overtime solved nothing, but Kale Margolis scored the lone goal in the shootout to secure the extra point for Melville.
Spencer-Dahl finished with 24 saves to earn his sixth win of the season, while Hawks netminder Gage Roberts stopped 17 of 22 shots in the loss.
The Millionaires are back in action Wednesday night on the road against the Melfort Mustangs. Nipawin returns to play Friday in Warman.
Elsewhere in the SJHL:
In Weyburn, Drew Molde scored twice and Joey Rocha turned aside 35 shots as the Red Wings blanked the visiting Kindersley Klippers 3–0.
In Humboldt, the Battlefords North Stars erased an early first-period deficit with four unanswered goals, defeating the Broncos 4–1. Alessio Nardelli, Owen Nelson, Finlay Klippenstein, and Kobe Sawyer found the back of the net as Battlefords moved within two points of Flin Flon for first place overall.
