The Hawks and Ice Wolves will faceoff in back to back games this weekend starting Friday at the Mel Hegland Uniplex. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Trade News

Hawks add forward prior to roster freeze, prepare for weekend showdowns with La Ronge

Dec 13, 2024 | 10:00 AM

The Nipawin Hawks added a forward to their roster this week before junior ‘A’ hockey’s roster freeze for Christmas.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) club announced yesterday that they acquired 18-year-old forward Jack Shierau from the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).

In exchange, the Hawks sent the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) playing rights of Landan Pappas to Calgary, Pappas is currently with the Vernon Vipers in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCHL). Nipawin General Manager Tad Kozun is excited about adding another 2006-born player to their roster.

“We’re pretty happy we were able to acquire him, heard a lot of good things,” Kozun said. “He was the captain of his team last year. He is a skilled guy who can put up some numbers and competes hard. We’re looking forward to getting him to town and working with him.”

Pending the required paperwork, Shierau should be in the lineup when the Hawks meet the La Ronge Ice Wolves Friday on the road. The teams have met four times this year, the Ice Wolves have won every game, all by one goal except the Dec. 3 meeting, a 3-1 La Ronge win with an empty net goal.

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Kozun said his group needs to find a way to earn a win and that will likely be helped by special teams.

“We have played them really tight all year but we haven’t been on the right side of it yet so we’ve got to find a way to break through. It as to start tonight in La Ronge and special teams have to be better on both sides. Our powerplay has been much better of late but we need to get the penalty killing rolling again here and not giving up so many goals,” he admitted.

In the season series, the Hawks powerplay is just 12.5 percent against the Ice Wolves, La Ronge’s powerplay is scoring at a 33 percent pace against the Hawks, both key factors in the four Ice Wolves’ victories.

Faceoff is 7:30 p.m. at the Mel Hegland Uniplex. The teams meet again in Nipawin on Saturday. Friday’s game can be heard on 750 Beach Radio beginning with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m.