(Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By By Clark Stork for northeastNOW

Ready for Battle

Hawks look to fly high versus Klippers

Nov 20, 2020 | 10:03 AM

The Nipawin Hawks will play their first of four straight meetings against the Kindersley Klippers Friday night.

Nipawin is coming off a lacklustre 6-3 loss against the La Ronge Ice Wolves on Tuesday, their first loss of the season. Head Coach Doug Johnson said he needs more from his top players.

“There’s some guys playing night in and night out that aren’t playing up to their abilities,” Johnson told northeastNOW. “We need them to do that because night in and night out we need our best players to be just that if we’re going to be successful.”

The Hawks are 3-1 on the year and sit tied atop the early season Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) standings. The Hawks strong start can be atoned to the play of 19-year-old defenseman Mkyllan Couture. He left Tuesday’s game with an injury and is likely out for the weekend. The Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan product has been a key for Johnson’s group.

“When we got him (last year) it took him a little bit to get acclimated to how we want to play. He has come in and been a phenomenal kid in the dressing room, just a quality young man. He comes everyday with a lunch pail and buys in to what we preach,” Johnson said.

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In the Hawks last loss the team took eight minor penalties. The Ice Wolves scored twice on the man advantage. Johnson warned the team about being disciplined.

“We’re killing a four-minute penalty and then we crosscheck a guy in the shoulders, you crosscheck a guy in the shoulders you will get called every time. We just got done killing a bunch of penalties and then we run a guy from behind, we need to smarten up,” Johnson said.

Face off is 7:30 p.m. on Friday from the West Central Event Centre. Saturday’s game is back in Nipawin, also at 7:30 p.m.

Friday’s game will be broadcasted on Saskatchewan’s new Beach Radio beginning with the Cumberland College pregame show at 7:15 p.m.

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