The Nipawin Hawks are 3-0 on the road to start the 2025 - 26 SJHL season. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Road Warriors

Hawks remain perfect on road; down Melville 3-2

Oct 1, 2025 | 10:48 AM

The Hawks are still unbeaten away from Nipawin following Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Millionaires in Melville.

Following up a 5-3 victory in La Ronge on Saturday, Nipawin scored goals in the first, second, and final period on route to their third straight road win to start the 2025 – 26 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season. Forward Van Taylor said the win was earned by the entire lineup.

“Yeah, it was good, I thought it was a gutsy win,” the Prince Albert product said after the game at CN Community Centre. “We found a way to get the job done.”

The Millionaires opened the scoring early and held the lead until late in the first frame, Raydr Wallington found Mason Karakochuk behind the Melville defence and the 19-year-old forward beat Kael Svenson for his first of the season.

The Hawks took the lead midway through the second. Will Whitter picked up his first of the season, but the Millionaires tied it 36 seconds later.

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The deadlock remained until the final seconds of a Nipawin powerplay in the third when Taylor found a loose puck in the slot and deposited his first of the year, also his first game winner in the SJHL.

“I took a feed up the middle, I dropped it back to [Noah] Derouin. He shot. I found the rebound, first game winner. It felt good,” he said.

Gage Roberts was solid in goal for the Hawks making 35 saves.

The Hawks will return home and host Estevan on Friday at the Centennial Arena. The Bruins put up half a dozen goals in a win over Yorkton Tuesday. Taylor said the Hawks need to be prepared for Estevan’s visit Friday.

“We just need to keep going in the offensive zone,” Taylor explained. “We’ve been doing that well, but the biggest thing is the defensive zone. If we work on that, shut them down, we’ll get the job done and take them.”

Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m.