Hawks Head Coach Tad Kozun (middle) draws up a plan for the Hawks in Yorkton Friday. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW)

By Clark Stork

Comeback just falls short

Hawks scratch back in Yorkton but fall short to Terriers

Jan 25, 2025 | 12:10 PM

The Nipawin Hawks dropped another tough game Friday falling 3-2 in Yorkton in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) play.

Seeking their first victory since Dec. 13, the Hawks got down a couple in the first period, another early in the second frame before the momentum turned and the visitors started to press the fourth-ranked Terriers team.

Mason Karakochuk scored late in the second period; the 18-year-old’s ninth goal of the season cut the lead to 3-1. Nipawin continued to press before Eric Hoiness beat Ethan Farrow for his seventh of the season getting Nipawin within one. The Hawks generated 13 shots in the third but couldn’t get the equalizer. Head Coach Tad Kozun was pleased with the effort from his club.

“We had our chances, looking back at this game, you just didn’t win,” he said on the postgame show on 750 Beach Radio. “That third period, that was a fun team to watch, we were all over them.”

The last couple losses for Nipawin, who has now dropped 11 in a row have featured decent starts, but the last half of games have gotten away from the rookie laden team. Friday’s game the Hawks were a little sluggish in the first but found their legs in the second and controlled the game after going down 3-0.

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“We liked our first periods but then we’ve tailed off and I felt like we got better and better as the game went on. If we can take that third period and play like that against Melfort at home we’re going to start having success,” Kozun continued.

Gage Roberts was solid in goal for the Hawks, he made 32 saves overall including 19 in the first period after the Terriers fired 21 on goal in the opening frame. Farrow made 25 stops in the win.

As mentioned, the Hawks host Melfort Saturday at the Centennial Arena. The reigning champions have won all four games between the two rivals, but Kozun said the Hawks have played the Mustangs hard despite the results and he expects the same thing.

“We must stick to our process; we have to keep pushing and built off this third period. When we play like this its fun to watch, it’s fun to play, and everyone is having fun on the bench,” he concluded.

Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com