Final 4: SJHL Playoffs push into semi-finals

The SJHL Logo. (Courtesy: The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League)

Matchups for the second round of the 2026 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Playoffs are set as just four teams remain in the hunt for the Canterra Seeds Cup.

Flin Flon, Yorkton, the Battlefords and Weyburn all won their first round series and are ready for round 2.

Here are the semi-final matchups:

Weyburn Red Wings (5) vs. Flin Flon Bombers (1)

Just one team swept their first round series in four games – the Flin Flon Bombers.

The top-seeded Bombers came into the playoffs as an overwhelming favourite, handling the Estevan Bruins easily in the round of 8.

Flin Flon outscored their opponent 15-5 for the entire series.

Ten different Bombers scored a goal in the first round, including Connor Miller who has a team-high of three.

Charlie Tritt went 3-0 in goal, posting a 1.49 GAA and .939 save percentage. Flinn Werner also appeared in a game, where he recorded a 26-save shutout.

Now the Bombers are ready to face the Bruins’ biggest rivals in round 2 – the Weyburn Red Wings.

Weyburn was the only team which did not earn home ice in the first round to advance to the semis, dispatching Nipawin in six games.

Wings’ goaltender Joey Rocha led the way, closing out the series with a .948 combined save percentage in the final three games of the series.

Weyburn will need to beat the Bombers at the Whitney Forum to win the series – something few teams have done all season.

The two teams split the regular season series two games apiece.

This series, however, is a rematch of last year’s SJHL semi-finals, a series the Red Wings won to advance to the 2025 league championship.

Weyburn posted the league’s best powerplay (7/30) in round 1, while Flin Flon killed off all 12 Estevan powerplay opportunities.

Series schedule:

Game 1: Friday, April 3 – 8:30 p.m. CST @ Flin Flon

Game 2: Saturday, April 4 – 8:30 p.m. CST @ Flin Flon

Game 3: Tuesday, April 7 – 7 p.m. @ Weyburn

Game 4: Wednesday, April 8 – 7 p.m. @ Weyburn

Game 5*: Saturday, April 11 – 8:30 p.m. CST @ Flin Flon

Game 6*: Monday, April 13 – 7 p.m. @ Weyburn

Game 7*: Wednesday, April 15 – 8:30 CST @ Flin Flon

(*If necessary)

Battlefords North Stars (3) vs. Yorkton Terriers (2)

The Yorkton Terriers are looking to continue the momentum of beating their Highway 10 rivals in Melville in the first round.

Yorkton took down the Millionaires in six games to advance to the semi-finals.

The Terriers are led by a three-headed top line of Gabriel Courchesne, Gavin Bartha and Jye Zawatsky – who combined for 25 points in round 1.

Callum Craig was also solid in goal, starting all six games for Yorkton against Melville – posting a 2.10 GAA and a save percentage of .916.

Meanwhile, the Battlefords are coming off a first round series win over the defending champion Melfort Mustangs.

The North Stars also have an elite top line themselves.

Josh Kittig is tied with Courchesne for the league-lead in playoff points (10), scoring four goals and adding six assists in the Battlefords’ series against Melfort.

The trio of Kittig, Anthony Campbell and Finlay Klippenstein also combined for 25 points, but did it in five games, not six.

Averaging more than four goals in round 1, Battlefords took down the 2025 champions with wins of 4-2, 3-2, 6-3 and 4-3, respectively – losing 9-4 in Game 4, their only loss of the series.

Battlefords was also the most-penalized team of the four remaining squads in round 1.

During the regular season, Yorkton had the North Stars’ number, winning three of the four games the two teams played against each other.

Series schedule:

Game 1: Friday, April 3 – 7 p.m. @ Yorkton

Game 2: Saturday, April 4 – 7 p.m. @ Yorkton

Game 3: Tuesday, April 7 – 7:30 p.m. @ Battlefords

Game 4: Wednesday, April 8 – 7:30 p.m. @ Battlefords

Game 5*: Saturday, April 11 – 7 p.m. @ Yorkton

Game 6*: Monday, April 13 – 7:30 p.m. @ Battlefords

Game 7*: Wednesday, April 15 – 7 p.m. @ Yorkton

(*If necessary)