Nipawin's Alyandro De Leon scored his first career SJHL goal in a 5-4 win over Kindersley Friday. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Make it three

Hawks clip Kindersley, win third in a row

Nov 12, 2022 | 11:01 AM

The Nipawin Hawks have won three straight games after an exciting 5-4 shootout win over Kindersley Friday.

Kicking off the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) clubs annual Parent-Billet Weekend it was the visitors scoring first, quieting the crowd of 570 spectators just past the halfway point of the first period. Nipawin rookie Alyandro De Leon brought the crowd to their feet with his first SJHL goal on a Nipawin powerplay tying to game 1-1. The 18-year-old had four goals for the Portage Terriers before being acquired by the Hawks, he said it’s nice to finally score with his new team.

“It feels great to get the monkey off my back,” he said after the game. “Every game I have been grinding for the first goal and I feel like after that one I can build off it.”

Alex Johnson scored his first of two goals in the game in the first period giving Nipawin a 2-1 lead going to the second period.

Kindersley soared back taking a 3-2 lead in the second period, but Joel Mabin snapped his seventh goal of the year past Logan Falk, again on a Hawks’ powerplay knotting the score at 3-3 going to the third.

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The Klippers took the lead again in the third period before Johnson tied the game 4-4 with his third of the season. Overtime was scoreless, Nipawin’s Reid McKay was the lone shooter to score for either team. De Leon said getting the victory with family in attendance adds to the night.

“It’s huge, this is a huge weekend. A lot of our parents are here to watch us play and it’s great to win in front of them,” he said.

Special teams were key in the Hawks’ win, Nipawin scored four powerplay goals in seven opportunities, Kindersley couldn’t capitalize on any of their three chances with the man advantage.

Jackson Fellner won his third straight start in the Nipawin net. Fellner made 24 stops in the game and saved all four in the shootout to secure the extra point for the Hawks. Falk stopped 30 in the loss, and three of four in the shootout.

Nipawin will close the weekend with a showdown against the top-ranked Battlefords North Stars. De Leon said the team is confident going into the matchup.

“Obviously Battleford is a good team, we just have to keep playing our game. Three wins in a row we must be doing something right. I feel like if we just keep playing our game we’ll get the win,” De Leon concluded.

The team will recognize each players parents and billets ahead of face-off, the ceremony will begin at 6:45 p.m., puck drop is 7 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork