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The Hawks and Broncos will faceoff again Saturday after Humboldt defeated Nipawin 3-2 Friday at the Centennial Arena. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)
Hawks Hockey

Nipawin edged by Humboldt at home

Oct 14, 2023 | 11:04 AM

The Hawks were defeated 3-2 by the Humboldt Broncos on Friday in Nipawin.

Hoping to build off a 3-1 win in North Battleford last Saturday, the Hawks gave up a goal in each period, pressed late in the third, but came up short in the first meeting of the season between the two Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) rivals. Assistant Coach Levi Stuart said a couple miscues and the Broncos capitalizing on a five-on-three power-play and the Hawks missing on theirs was the difference.

“Absolutely,” he agreed. Our five-on-three power-play and penalty killing is something we work on a lot in practice and execution on the defensive and offensive side is a big part of what this game comes down too. We miss an assignment on their advantage, we had some good chances on ours, but we couldn’t bury and that’s the game.”

The Hawks were 1/5 on the power-play, Humboldt scored once on four man advantages.

Evan Forrest scored his fourth goal of the season for Nipawin, captain Maguire Ratzlaff added his second on the power-play in the third period.

Damon Cunningham continues to be fantastic in the Nipawin net stopping 43 of 46 shots. Benjamin Motew remains perfect on the year getting his fifth win in five starts making 29 stops along the way.

The teams will meet again in Humboldt on Saturday. Stuart said like last weekend against the North Stars, the Hawks can salvage the weekend with a win on the road.

“It was a good start tonight, we liked our effort, we thought it was one of if not our best full 60-minute effort tonight. We must continue to play that same way, bring that same energy, build off the momentum we had tonight and go in and take it to them,” Stuart concluded.

Faceoff is at 7 p.m., the pregame show on 750 Beach Radio begins at 6:45 p.m. from the Elgar Petersen Arena.

clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork

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