Overtime loss sets Hawks back in playoff push

Weyburn opened the scoring with a powerplay goal in the first period, Nipawin’s Finley Radloff tied the game with his team leading 19^th goal of the year. After the Red Wings took a 2-1 lead in the second period, Maguire Ratzlaff tied the game with his 15^th of the campaign. The Hawks fell behind again, but Eric Hoiness squared the score again at 3-3 with his 12^th career SJHL goal in his rookie year.

The Red Wings retook the lead again in the third period, Hoiness added his second of the game in the third to force overtime before Weyburn won the game.

The Hawks gave up two powerplay goals in the loss, plus another pair to the Red Wings in Saturday’s downfall, while killing just three minors. The penalty killing units of the Hawks have been second best all season long and generated 13 shorthanded goals [second in SJHL], but the group struggled once their own powerplay started scoring.

“Our powerplay has been clicking pretty good here the last couple games, our penalty killing has been the one to let us down. It’s kind of the story of the year of not being able to have everything click at the same time all together,” he said.

Six games remain for the Hawks, two straight against Yorkton is next on the schedule. Friday Nipawin hosts the Terriers, the return matchup is March 5 back in Yorkton.

Kozun said the task to make the postseason is tall, but until the top eight have been locked in his team will compete.

“This is where you find out which guys are ready to go and want to be Nipawin Hawks. In reality if it doesn’t work out then some guys are auditioning for jobs next year,” Kozun concluded.

Friday’s faceoff is 7 p.m. at the Centennial Arena.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

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by Clark Stork

Overtime loss sets Hawks back in playoff push

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