Damon Cunningham collected his first shutout of the season in the last game for the Hawks of the SJHL year on Friday versus La Ronge. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Bittersweet

Hawks blowout Ice Wolves in season finale

Mar 17, 2024 | 11:21 AM

The Nipawin Hawks won’t be in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) playoffs, but the team ended their season with a 6-0 romp of La Ronge on home ice Friday.

The victory capped a solid ending week that also included a 5-2 ousting of Melville on Tuesday. Captain Maguire Ratzlaff, the longest tenured Hawk and now graduate said he was proud of the way the team finished the season.

“That’s our first two game winning streak since the Christmas break,” the 20-year-old said after the game. “We didn’t quit, we put on a great show tonight, put up 50 shots, yeah, I really liked our details until the end.”

Braeden Jockims opening the scoring for Nipawin, Dallyn Peekeekoot added another in the opening period giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead after the first period. Henry Smith expanded the lead in the second period before Jockims scored his 15^th goal of the season and second of the game before the middle frame concluded. Finley Radloff scored his team leading 23^rd goal of the campaign in the third before Ratzlaff put the icing on his Nipawin junior career with his 16^th of the year late, capping his two-and-a-half seasons in black-and-gold.

“I told Tad [Kozun, Head Coach] I had to get off the ice there because I just started crying. I am so grateful for the community here and the coaches for giving me a chance. I actually thought it hit the crossbar and went out, but as soon as I heard the goal horn, I was pretty thankful. Just incredibly grateful for the opportunity here,” the Abbotsford, B.C. product added.

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Nipawin netminder Damon Cunningham made 32 stops for the win and his first shutout of the season.

The team hosted their annual awards banquet on Saturday and is holding exit meetings Sunday that will officially close the season for the Hawks that saw them miss the postseason by four points. Ratzlaff said the ending is bittersweet, but the dinner will be a nice way to celebrate the accomplishments of the club.

“I think Saturday will be a great night, I think we have a great group of guys and a great core going forward. Best of luck to the 20-year-olds moving on, I think it’s going to be a great night,” he concluded.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

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