The Nipawin Hawks and Melfort Mustangs renewed their rivalry on Friday at the Centennial Arena Friday. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Heartbreaker for the Hawks

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Dec 21, 2024 | 11:47 AM

The Hawks blew a 2-0 third period lead Friday to Melfort giving up three powerplay goals to the Mustangs in the final period losing 3-2 at the Centennial Arena.

Carter Anderson opened the scoring for the Hawks 70 seconds into the game, lifting the almost 700 in attendance to their feet early with his Nipawin-leading 12th goal of the year. Rookie forward Jack Janzen also chipped in with his third goal of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season, giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead in the first.

The cushion stood until the third period, with the Hawks in control the penalties piled up in the final frame allowing the Mustangs to score three goals including the winner with under a minute to go in regulation, all on the man advantage.

Hawks Head Coach Tad Kozun said the loss stings.

“Yeah, it does,” he said after the game. “I thought we had a really good first period, got off to a great start, I thought our legs were moving, had a lot of chances, had opportunities. Thought the second was god too, but the third, just too many penalties.”

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The victory was the Mustangs’ 14th consecutive win, the loss was the Hawks’ third in a row and third against the Mustangs in the season series.

Kozun admitted the result will sit with the group for some time, but he said the result can be used to continue the Hawks rebuild process.

“Obviously it stings here tonight but you’re going to look back on it and we have to be able to learn from this. We need to stay out of the box and buckle down. I thought five on five we were just fine, just our penalty killing wasn’t up to par tonight,” he said.

The Hawks had five powerplay chances of their own, they failed to capitalize on the handful of opportunities, the Mustangs scored on three of their five chances.

Nathan Clayson made 30 stops in the Nipawin net; Kristian Coombs stopped 25 in the win.

The teams will meet again Saturday in Melfort to close the 2024 calendar year. The game will be broadcasted on 750 Beach Radio beginning with the pregame show of Nipawin Chrysler Dodge Hawks Hockey at 7:15 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com