The Hawks and Millionaires will go toe-to-toe Friday in SJHL action in Nipawin. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)
Must Win?

Hawks meet Millionaires in massive matchup at ‘Cage’

Jan 19, 2024 | 10:30 AM

The Hawks will meet Melville in a massive showdown Friday at the ‘Cage’ as both clubs look to keep themselves in playoff spots for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) postseason.

Nipawin has slipped of late losing five of their last seven games, sliding to seventh in the SJHL playoff race. Meanwhile, the Millionaires are riding a four-game winning streak, including a win over Nipawin on Jan. 14, and have put themselves in the fifth place position.

The Hawks lost 4-1 in Flin Flon Wednesday in their last game, their second straight loss.

With a logjam of teams from Melville down to La Ronge, just seven points separate six teams that are chasing four playoff spots. Head Coach Tad Kozun stopped short of saying Friday’s game is the biggest of the year.

“I think every game is big, it doesn’t matter who you are playing. It’s definitely nice playing the teams close to you, but you have to take care of business on the other side of that,” he said.

Nipawin and the Millionaires have met three times this year, the Hawks have won two of the contests including one on home ice.

The Hawks will meet La Ronge on Saturday in Kinistino for Hockey Day in Saskatchewan. Kozun said the weekend is a huge one for their club, as they look to put some sort of streak together. Nipawin has yet to win more than two games consecutively this season.

“We have to find a way to get some wins here, obviously two losses in a now, it’s something that we have to find a way,” Kozun said. “We really have to dig deep and find what’s going to make us go.”

After this weekend, the Hawks have just one game remaining in January, on the 26th in La Ronge. By the time February rolls around Nipawin could be looking up at more teams in the standings as other SJHL clubs catch up in games played. Kozun said the team needs to take advantage when they do hit the ice.

“We have been waiting, waiting, and waiting here,” he huffed. “We’re running out of steam here; we have to go now. We have to start building this.”

Faceoff is at 7 p.m. at the Centennial Arena for Friday’s game as Doug Johnson makes his second return to the ‘Cage’ where he coached Nipawin for almost 12 years.

clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @ClarkStork

View Comments