Rylan Lefebvre voices his displeasure with the Melville Millionaires at the Centennial Arena. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Returning Home

Hawks’ offence grounded in loss to Millionaires

Feb 7, 2022 | 11:51 AM

The Nipawin Hawks capped a four-game week Sunday night with a 3-1 loss to the Melville Millionaires at the Centennial Arena.

After starting the week in Weyburn with a convincing 5-0 victory, the losses to Estevan, Humboldt, and the Millionaires spoiled a grueling week both on and off the ice for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) club. Head Coach Tad Kozun said finding a consistent effort has been a challenge for his hockey club.

“One day as long as we can put it together we win a lot of hockey games, but when you can’t put a full 60 minutes together with all 20 guys pulling on the same rope it’s tough to get wins and we’re seeing that,” Kozun said after the loss.

In all-to-familiar fashion the Hawks started in a hole, the Millionaires scored 34 seconds into the game putting Nipawin down 1-0. The Hawks battled back tying the game halfway through the second period when Bryden Kiesman scored his second goal of the season.

Melville restored their one goal lead in the third and while Hawks’ starting netminder Chase Hamm was on the bench for an extra attacker late, and Nipawin pressuring for the equalizer a long shot from the Millionaires end found the net to cap the scoring 3-1 and assuring a third straight loss for the Hawks. Kozun said the team will continue to play hard and push for a playoff spot.

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“The schedule doesn’t get easier with the teams we’re playing and no one is going to take it easy on us,” Kozun admitted. “Most teams are going to think it’s point night, we want to make sure when teams come to the ‘cage’ its not going to be an easy night.”

The Hawks are now nine points out of the SJHL playoff race and sit 11^th with 13 games remaining. The team will be off until Friday when the Humboldt Broncos travel to Nipawin. Kozun said the club will work on their powerplay that has sputtered all season, something Kozun contributes to several losses.

“We’ve been working on the powerplay a lot, but whatever we’re doing it’s not working. You could say the powerplay has lost us a few games lately and you look at the teams at the top of the standings, their powerplays are over 20 per cent and we’re nowhere near that. It’s something we need to work on and get figured out,” he concluded.

Friday’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork