Gage Roberts made 35 saves in Nipawin's win over La Ronge Friday in SJHL action at the Mel Hegland Uniplex. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Friday Night Lights

Hawks soar over Ice Wolves in La Ronge

Dec 15, 2024 | 10:35 AM

The Nipawin Hawks have their first win over La Ronge this Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season after a 7-4 rout Friday.

The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals by Vito Biondo, Ashton Tait, and Conor Ryan and never relinquished a lead all night. Ryan added a powerplay goal in the third and chipped in with an assist as well. The Hawks pushed their points streak to four games with the win and are now a point of the SJHL standings basement. Ryan said the group is continuing to build and get better everyday.

“It’s a big win for us and I think we are starting to build to something,” he said. “Every game we are close, it’s just a matter of bearing down, I think tonight we showed we could do it. Playing on a rink like this it’s a challenge on its own so it’s good momentum for us.”

The Ice Wolves scored late in the first and early in the second cutting the lead to a goal. The Hawks never wavered, Will Whitter deflected his eighth goal of the SJHL season past Graham Brown, and Carter Anderson scored with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock in the middle period restoring Nipawin’s three goal cushion. Ryan said the goal was a backbreaker for La Ronge.

“You want to close out, but they stuck in it and that’s credit to them [La Ronge] but we came out stronger. That’s something we need to do and build off that, I think we showed tonight we can do that, and we need to continue to do that,” he added.

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Ryan added his second of the game on the powerplay in the third period to go with his assist. Anderson sealed the win with an empty net goal late. Ryan added an assist as well and has a four point week going with a trio of goals. The 19-year-old St. Johns, NFLD. product said he’s starting to feel comfortable and build his confidence after his first SJHL multi-goal game.

“It feels nice to get that under my belt. I am kind of finding my game and I think it’s good for me to build on that and it helps the team. If I can continue to do it, it helps the team and we can continue to win I think its great for us and great for myself,” Ryan said.

Tait’s goal was Nipawin’s second shorthanded tally of the season, the 2006-born forward from Prince Albert had four assists in Tuesday’s loss to Yorkton, he added another pair of helpers Friday for a seven point week so far.

Gage Roberts made 35 saves in the Nipawin goal for the win.

The Hawks host La Ronge on Saturday at the Centennial Arena, faceoff is 7 p.m.