The Hawks couldn't solve Logan Falk (in goal) or the Ice Wolves in La Ronge on Tuesday. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Wolves Woes

Hawks can’t solve Ice Wolves

Dec 4, 2024 | 1:48 PM

The Nipawin Hawks struggled with the La Ronge Ice Wolves continued Tuesday with a 3-1 loss.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) teams met for the fourth time this season at the Mel Hegland Uniplex, the Hawks were seeking their first victory in the season series. La Ronge opened the scoring after a goalless first period.

After the home team took a 1-0 lead, 17-year-old Will Whitter scored his sixth goal of the season knotting the score 1-1. The Ice Wolves took the lead under a minute later and didn’t relinquish it again before adding an empty net goal late.

“I thought we were running in our defensive zone too much, but it started with just not moving pucks quick enough and wingers not doing their job on the walls,” Head Coach Tad Kozun said on the postgame show on 750 Beach Radio. “We turned a lot of pucks over and we decided we wanted to be a little bit fancier tonight.”

The second period was controlled by La Ronge, Nathan Claydon kept the Hawks in the game making 23 stops in the middle stanza and 39 overall. Kozun was quick to credit his rookie puck stopper.

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“He was massive for us tonight; the score would have been a lot different. He came up huge for us making some really big saves there,” he added.

The Hawks look to return to the win column at home Friday. The Estevan Bruins will visit for back-to-back games at the ‘Cage.’ Nipawin is having their annual parent-billet weekend. Friday’s is also Teddy Bear toss night and food drive. Kozun said the players always want to put on a good show during one of the biggest weekends of the season.

“We have to have a couple good days of practice and shore up a few things and make sure we’re ready for Friday night. There is no easy out in this league, Estevan is playing some good hockey here lately where they just took down Weyburn. We have to be ready for them, we have to execute our game plan and do things the Hawks way,” Kozun concluded.

Faceoff both nights is 7 p.m.