The Nipawin Hawks and Humboldt Broncos stare down a loose puck during SJHL playoff action at the Elgar Petersen Arena on Saturday. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

In a hole heading home

Hawks grounded in Humboldt as playoff series shifts to Nipawin

Mar 19, 2023 | 11:05 AM

The Nipawin Hawks are down two games to nothing to Humboldt in their first round Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) after Saturday’s lopsided 7-1 Broncos’ win.

The best-of-seven series shifts to Nipawin for games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Head Coach Tad Kozun was at a loss for words after his team was outclassed for the second straight night of the series.

“I am not really sure where to start,” he admitted on the postgame show of Rona Nipawin Hawks Hockey. “We’re going to get back to the drawing board tomorrow because we have to start playing hockey. We look like a team that’s ready for summer break. We’ve got to get something going.”

Game 2’s script was similar to a 5-1 Humboldt win in game 1. The Broncos scored three times in the first period and took 3-0 leads into the dressing room after the opening 20 minutes. In game 3 the Hawks were able to close the gap to two with an early goal in the second period, but Humboldt wouldn’t allow Niapwin any closer.

The Broncos expanded their lead to 4-0 through two periods and 5-0 before Braxton Buckberger broke the shutout bid of Benjamin Motew early in the final period. Kozun said he and Assistant Coach Levi Stuart will fall on the sword of their team being dismantled to start the SJHL playoffs.

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“We’ll take the blame for that because obviously two games in a row to start the playoffs we didn’t have these guys prepared,” he stated.

Jackson Fellner took the loss in net making 21 saves on 25 shots. Damon Cunningham came on in relief and made 18 stops while giving up three Humboldt goals. Motew stopped 33 Nipawin chances in the win.

Special teams have been a key in the Broncos’ dominance as well, Humboldt has four power-play goals in the series, the Hawks have been futile in nine power-play opportunities.

The silverling for the Hawks is the team now returns home for their first home playoff game since March 11, 2020. Kozun urged the fans to stick with them and help them get back in the series starting Tuesday.

“We’re back in our barn, we expect to play our best hockey and to use it to our advantage and the fans are definitely a big part of that,” Kozun said.

Tickets will be sold Monday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Booster Booth. Season ticket holders have until Monday at 6 p.m. to secure their seats before they are sold to the public beginning at 4:30 p.m. on gameday.

Face-off for both games is 7 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork

by Clark Stork

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Hawks grounded in Humboldt as playoff series shifts to Nipawin

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