By Clark Stork

Hawks headed home happy

Hawks halt winless skid, edge La Ronge

Nov 6, 2021 | 9:23 AM

It wasn’t easy, but the Nipawin Hawks are back in the win column for the first time in five games following a 5-4 shootout win in La Ronge Friday.

Seeking their first win since Oct. 17 the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) club was hoping for similar success against the Ice Wolves, a team Nipawin beat twice already this season. Unlike the previous two contests back in late September the Hawks didn’t grab a lead in the early part of the first period at the Mel Hegland Uniplex. La Ronge opened the scoring courtesy Ryley Morgan who redirected a shot from the blueline past Chase Hamm. The lead was short-lived, just three minutes later Dayne Feicht replied with his second of the season tying the game 1-1.

La Ronge restored their lead early in the second period, Gavin Mattey scored his ninth goal of the year giving the Ice Wolves a 2-1 lead. Nipawin fought back again while on a powerplay, Carson Dobson snapped his fifth goal of the year past Dawson Smith.

The game remained deadlocked at 2-2 until the third period, the Hawks would get their first lead thanks to captain Mkyllan Couture’s first goal of the campaign just under four minutes into the final frame. The Ice Wolves would draw even, Logan Gallaher tied the game at 3-3 with his first SJHL goal in his La Ronge debut.

Nipawin’s Joel Mabin put the Hawks back in front with just over five minutes to play with his third goal of the season. Just when it appeared Nipawin would get the win in regulation Gallaher somehow bounced a point shot in off the end boards before getting it past Hamm tying the game at 4-4 and forcing overtime.

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Neither team could win in the five minute three-on-three period sending the game to a shoot out. Andrew Schaab was the lone goal scorer for the Hawks, Hamm stopped Gallaher, Nolan Doell, and Aaron Greyeyes to secure the victory, one the team needed to have according to Couture.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said after the game. “It’s a step in the right direction. We’ve been working on it the last couple weeks and it’s nice to finally get back in the win column.”

The Hawks finished 2/6 on the powerplay with both Couture’s and Dobson’s coming during a man advantage. With only scoring 20 goals in their last 10 games and just three in their previous two Couture said getting the powerplay going is a must if the team hopes to climb the standings.

“It’s really nice to see, we’ve been struggling a little bit. We’ve been working it again in practice and it’s good to see it clicking,” he said.

The 20-year-old Pilot Butte product has had an injury-plagued start to the year playing in just five games up until last night. Assistant Coach Tad Kozun said on the Nipawin Rona Hawks hockey broadcast that Couture played his best game of the year getting the goal and adding an assist. Couture said he felt good, and the team gave a better effort.

“I feel like I am getting better each week and I feel like the whole team is, this was a good team win,” he added.

La Ronge finished 1/5 with the powerplay. Both Hamm and Smith made 28 saves in their respective nets.

Nipawin will host the backend of a home-and-home with the Ice Wolves Saturday at the Centennial Arena, faceoff is 7:30 p.m.