The Hawks faceoff with the Bombers Friday in Flin Flon for the final time this regular season. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Manitoba Bound

Hawks look to diffuse Bombers in Flin Flon

Feb 2, 2024 | 10:04 AM

For the last time this Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) regular season the Nipawin Hawks will travel to Flin Flon to meet the Bombers Friday.

Nipawin has lost five games in a row and nine straight to Flin Flon including four this season. The Hawks were last in action on Jan. 26 where they gave up two goals in the final two-and-a-half minutes in a 3-2 loss. Captain Maguire Ratzlaff said the team hasn’t been playing poorly.

“I think we’ve played some good hockey,” Ratzlaff said ahead of Friday’s showdown in northern Manitoba. “Take that game in La Ronge, we played 55 minutes of good hockey, we take our foot off the gas, the league is too tight this year to do that. It’s a painful lesson to learn.”

The Hawks haven’t beaten the Bombers at the Whitney Forum since Feb. 15, 2022, Nipawin’s last win over Flin Flon was the opening day of the season at the Centennial Arena.

Battling for their playoff lives, the Hawks are sitting tied for seventh in the SJHL standings, but the Weyburn Red Wings have two games in hand and sit just a point back of Kindersley and Nipawin for the final spot. Ratzlaff said the club has had a good week and is excited about the tough test in front of what should be a packed crowd on free admission night.

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“I think we had a really good week practicing, we’re ready to go, the energy in the room has been good and I think the guys are hungry for a win. I think there’s no better place to do that than in Flin Flon on free admission night,” he said.

The teams will close their season series on March 10 in Nipawin.

Friday’s matchup in Flin Flon will be on 750 Beach Radio, the pregame show starts at 7:15 p.m., faceoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

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