By Clark Stork

Hawks and Hounds

Hawks’ playoff hopes pushed to the edge after loss to Notre Dame

Feb 26, 2022 | 2:49 PM

The Nipawin Hawks generated offence Friday at the Centennial Arena, but several letdowns on the defensive side of the game cost them in a 5-3 loss to Notre Dame.

After a goalless opening period, the teams traded goals in the second frame. Nipawin’s Bryden Kiesman scored his first goal of the game and fourth of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) just 46 seconds into the period. Notre Dame tied the game just 35 seconds later.

The Hounds took the lead about four minutes after tying the score at 1-1. The Hawks fought back and tied the score 2-2 late in the second on a powerplay goal from Tre Fouquette.

Notre Dame took another lead early in the third period, but Kiesman tied the score at 3-3 with his second of the game. The Hounds took another lead just past the halfway point of the final period that the visitors wouldn’t relinquish. Notre Dame added an empty-net goal to cap the scoring. Hawks Head Coach Tad Kozun said the play of Kiesman and his linemates was a highlight for the game.

“That line of Kiesman, Joel Mabin, and Maquire Ratzlaff was dynamite, every time they touched the ice they were generating something. It was good to see. The more and more we see Bryden play people can see why we made the trade [for Kiesman]. We think that’s really going to help our hockey club going forward,” Kozun said.

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Although Kozun was pleased with the three goals the Hawks scored the first-year head coach wasn’t particularly pleased with his team’s play in their own zone.

“When you give up 41 shots and only get about 20 when they outshoot you two-to-one you aren’t going to win many hockey games,” he said. “We need to tighten up defensively, we played good offensively and any time we had it in their end we were really good, but if you don’t play defense you aren’t doing to win. You have to keep the puck out of your net.”

Hawks starting goaltender Chase Hamm made 36 saves in the loss. Austin Elliot picked up the win for the Hounds stopping 23 shots.

With the loss the Hawks now sit nine points back of the final SJHL playoff position, the team has just five games left. Kozun said it’s disappointing the team’s postseason hopes are hanging by a thread, but he still expects the players to compete in the last handful of games.

“It is what it is, it’s making sure these guys earn their spots for next year. That’s realistically what we’ve come down to, we only have three 20-year-olds, so many guys can come back, but when you go through a year like this, there are going to be changes. Which guys want to be Nipawin Hawks and which ones don’t? Which ones don’t? They are definitely going to separate themselves in the last five,” Kozun said.

The team’s next action is Sunday when they host the Yorkton Terriers at 6 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork